Buccaneer 24 Builders Forum

FWIW,
I've been a professional sailor for almost 20 years and still every time I go sailing, open waters that is, there is that feeling in my stomach and this nagging voice in my head which is worrying me about all the things that can go wrong.
I've perhaps not learned not to worry at all but instead learned to trust myself and try to do all I can to cope with the situation if I prepare properly and be prepared to learn and act accordingly on the way.
If I surrender to this trust I know now that I'll have have wonderful experiences in playing and trying to be one with nature's elements. That's sailing for me in short.

Loic Peyron once said: "Le vent, ce n'est pas un copain, mais c'est avec lui qui je joue."
Which translates in my best interpretation into: "The wind is not a friend, but it's with him whom I play".

Cheers,

 

Pacific Cranes/Verbatim/Bullfrog crossing Coffs Harbour bar under sail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n83xc0qx5J4

 

Hi Buzzman, responses in your text below:

 

Steering

I can link my engine to my outboard rudder, and I think it is extremely desirable. With it, I can do a 180 at low speed in under 35', and really adds to the turning and course holding at speed. My old slip was at the inner end of a row of transoms less than 50' apart, and I never had any trouble leaving or returning. No current, but usually a crosswind. My "link" was a length of PVC plumbing pipe with a line run through it attached at the back of the engine and the back of the outboard rudder and run forward to a cleat on the tiller. Dead simple and less than $10 in materials. I don't have a remote throttle or gear shift, but the side mounted engine is pretty easy to reach and has not been an issue. I intend to set up a little fancier system on my 33, but only because the 33 has an inboard rudder and is not as easy to rig.
I also have a lifting engine mount that I adjust for conditions. The highest setting works well for easy starting and very flat water, and also gives the best speed. Deeper for windy and rough stuff, and the prop can still come out of the water sometimes. More HP would not help with the prop in the air.
With my 5 hp 2 stroke, in very flat and calm water I can get a GPS top speed of 6.8 kts wide open, and a comfortable cruise of 5 to 5.8 kts in average conditions. The Buc also motor sails very well, with very low throttle settings.
I don't have to cross any bars on my lake
B

 

I see on my b24 plans, there are chainplates right at the front of the cabin. What are they for?

 

Don't have it in front of me... but look at the rigging plan, pretty sure it shows the forward lowers.

They attach to the hull deck edge.

The aft lowers attach to the cabin sides near the front of the windows

 

jamez,
what is the design shown (pics of yellow hull) in your post?
any more pics ? mayv=be a link to more info ?
Thanks
TomH

 

Another possibly dumb question: Now that I've seen a b24 in real life, my beautiful and desirable wife thinks the cockpit should be longer. What would be the best way to accomplish this? Making cabin a little shorter? Moving the cabin forward? I definitely don't want to ruin the looks. I'm stuck with Mark I cabin width because i bought a parts boat for the hard parts and the tubing is cut to the MI dimensions.

 

Looking at my plans the chain plates just in front of the cabin are for the forward lower shrouds. I think sheet 5 has a note on it saying to put them close the front of the cabin so they won't interfere with a spinnaker pole if u choose to use one. I ordered the ply beam plans from Ezifold last week, if I remember correctly that moves the rear beam out of the cockpit giving u a little bit more room, but if I already had the tubing I would be tempted to stick with it and just deal with slightly less space in the cockpit. Tramps will give u a lot of usable space. You just need to ask yourself and be realistic in deciding how much space u really need in the cockpit vs the cabin.

 

24 cabins

The 24's cabins, as designed, have two decent bunks, if you make it any shorter, it will only be good for storage. Your choice. I have seen several 24's with shorter "cuddy" cabins, I think they actually look better, and the extra cockpit space is nice if you sail with more than two people. Mine has no cabin at all, and the resulting nine foot long space is great for day sailing and racing. However, a larger cockpit would be a liability if you sail in places with waves big enough to fill it. If I were planing on keeping my 24, I think I would have added a cabin.
B

 

what about the extended tail mod? might that offer some cockpit area?


Barry

 

Cockpit space

The space aft of the crossbeam is only usable for storage, and only light things. Larger Bucs, like the 28 and 33 can have a small cockpit back there, but you still have to keep weight out of the ends.
B

 

Its a Nicky Cruz 7.6, launched a couple of years ago. It might seem familiar as you posted on this thread
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/nicky-cruz-7-6-launched-47897.html

Some pics on Graemes website
http://www.delaveaumultihulldesign.com/nc-7-6.php

 

I may shorten the cabin a little to give more cockpit. It looks like I could rig slide-outs for berths to go sideways instead. Of course, a skinny person could snooze in forward berth.

 

Thank you very much jamez,

Followed the links and can see what you've done - very nice. I like simple.

Thanks for being patient -- could not mentally connect the recent post pic(s) to the older info.

Cheers
TomH