16' Keel boat-high performance

I don't know what there is to argue about......we know that LF Herreshoff's uncle had a boat with sliding ballast, because this is referred to in the original book (courtesy UNSW library) which contains quoted verbatim comments from L F Herreschoff to WP Stephens. A similar boat is referred to in Stannard's "Bluewater Bushmen" and also "Sydney Sails".

EDIT.....Sorry, it was LF's grandfather not his uncle. Found one reference..."The JULIA that is spoken of in the first part of the article was my grandfather's catboat, which had a shifting ballast car on rails and so was fast to windward." There are more detailed references in print elsewhere.

Given that fact that there are 4 refences to a beamy catboat/sandbagger type with internal ballast that slid on rails, any reference (now lost) by some guy (of unknown identity, who provided no further details if I recall right) that there was a Herreshoff sliding ballast boat seems irrelevant. We KNOW tjhe beamy sandbagger/catboat existed.

I have a vague memory of that lost SA reference and I cannot recall any reason to assume it was not the internally-ballasted sandbagger-style boat that was referred to.

 

Hey Doug, you have lost the thread again! What does the sliding ballast Herreshoff cat boat have to do with a singlehander with electronically controlled ballasted "trapwing". The Herreshoff would not have been a singlehander or aspire to high performance. Some of us are waiting to see what the final incarnation of your SDB will be capable of. Don't keep us in suspense any longer please!

 

Herreshoff

Thanks for the reference CT249- fascinating historical perspective.
A boat using a modern version of a "shifting ballast car on rails" seems like a natural with the use of the utmost in modern technology to bring out the best a system like this is capable of.

 

16ft build

There are no plans for a fast 16ft keelboat on the web
so i designed my own in rhino.
here are some pics

 

16' keelboat

Freddy, congratulations! Neat looking design; would you post some of the technical details?
Are you going to use a canting keel?

 

Cool. You see this as a two person boat? Racks? Trapeze?
I take it Austakua is north Perth, Western Austalia?

 

hmmm having trouble posting
this is sought of a copy of something i attempted to post yesterday
loa 4870
lwl 4800
beam 2250
draft 340 to 1420
mast 7000 tapered
mainsail 12sqm
jib 4sqm
asy spinnaker with extending bow sprit (1000)
keel lifting glass/fibre/ply with lead bulb 90kg
twin rudder
no kanting keel
no racks (if you mean outrigers like 18ft skiffs; moths)
no trapeze
no wetsuits
single/two/three handed

 

16

Freddy, looking forward to seeing sailing pictures. Are you planning on producing the boat if it meets your expectations? Good Luck!

 

==============================
Freddy, how are you coming with your boat?

 

Not bad.
Have nearly finished.
Just have to pour the bulb, build the trailer, and add a few bits.

All the specs i wrote in earlier texts were spot on except for:
Mast non tapered 6850 mm
Bow sprit aluminium and 850 mm extended
keel made out of hardwood and steel.
Bulb 80kg
Mainsail 10 smtrs square head
Jib much bigger at 6.9 sqr mtrs
Here are some pics

 

more pics

 

It looks great. Can two children sleep in the cuddy, and the parents on the cockpit sole?

 

Cabin is quite bare at the moment until i form up some expanding foam to put under the floor. bow sprit sticks halfway into it. Length on Port side will fit a 6' birth though. Havn't got down to the details as yet. Don't think i'd sleep in the cockpit area. Feel strange about no transom above the sole. Overnight for me would be in a camping ground with boat anchored/birthed. Also, Victoria Australia can be very cold and windy.

 

====================
Most Impressive!! Good Luck.....

 

More pictures!