Suggestions for a 16' daysailor design

Hi all,

I have in mind a long term project to try out a new kind of construction technique on a daysailor/overnight sized sailboat.

Rather than reinvent the hull shape, I was wondering if any of you have suggestions as to any favorite designs that have good recreational sailing behavior.

I need a design that is 16 ft overall, about 6-7 ft max beam, it will use an unweighted daggerboard and I am considering putting a cabin on it just large enough to comfortably get out of the weather, or perhaps "camp out" overnight in it.

It is meant to be something easy to move around/store, for use on larger inland waters, and would have a gross weight of around 1000 lbs. My idea is for a boat for use in Puget Sound (where it is often rainy), to sail out to the islands, spend a weekend and than return home, trailer it to launch with a smaller car/truck so you would not need a large tow vehicle.

I just need the hull lines and specific dimensional properties, since I intend to try out a construction method I have used on smaller hulls. It would be a hard chine design, and I obviously would like it to have some internal volume and give a fairly dry ride (as much as a 16' sailboat will allow anyway).

Since the project is an experiment, I am hoping not to have to pay for just the use of the hull lines, so something in the public domain would be nice. Or if one of you designers or NA have a design you would allow me to try out, I will be happy to give it a try. If it turns eventually into a marketable boat, the designer would of course be entitled to a share of the proceeds (if any). That is a long shot right now, I just want to build one to give it a try.

 

An intimate knowledge of the method is a prerequisite to designing the shape and structure of any vessel. Will you be hanging unfitted ply and trimming, precutting and fitting, precoating or finishing then assembling? How can materials be spec'ed if one doesn't know how they will get processed. Would a dory/skiff do the trick? 1000# is all up minus crew, weight on trailer, I gather? Even plywood specs would depend on brand and species. I like the Pelican design in that size.

 

I just want hull line shapes, I will design the structure. I am an engineer and will work out all the structural details. My idea is to make the hull out of a lot of truss structures with a thin skin of heavy fabric and plywood. It should be very light.

So I do not need plans, just hull lines for something that will be reasonably well behaved and sails nicely. I do not want to reinvent the sailboat, but just try a new construction method. The sail will either be a simple cat or sloop rig, might consider a junk rig.

 

I suggest the Caldonia design, by Ian Oughtred. Don't need to go with fabric--- thin plywood is better. You also would be wasting time designing your own boat. You just can't do better than a guy who does it every day of his life.
Caldonia is 19 feet but about the right weight and complexity. Very good boat.

 

I was considering scaling an existing boat to 16 ft. Here is a design I kind of like, gives more cabin room for a very short length, though is kind of odd looking. this was posted by forum member Lewisboats.




This another list member Manie B has a design for his micro cruiser that has nice lines that might scale to my intended purpose:



Any thoughts on how these would behave in a very light weight version?

 

I was thinking of something like this for my large canoe.

 

Have you done a google search on dinghy cruisers or trailer sailors of around 16 foot long to which you might find a Hartley 16 or its equilivants may suit your needs.

 

Ah yes, the Great Pelican. the original micro cruiser. lots of room for its size, someone even sailed one to Hawaii from California. I have actually been on board one, but dock side, not under sail. Anyone have any sailing experience with one of these? What is it like?

Not particularly attractive, so not sure it fits the bill. I would like something with more modern and attractive lines.

 

The Hartly 16, not a bad idea. Not particularly modern looking but very roomy for a 16' "yacht".



anyone know what they are like to sail? The article in Duckworksmagazine makes it sound like a well behaved day sailor/micro cruiser.

Keep the suggestions coming please. I hoping to find something a little more modern looking.

 

The hartley's are a great boat to sail as I crew on an explorer class and regularly get surpassed by them around the trash cans at the yacht club where I sail to which the TS 16 crews sail them pretty hard. These are also great cruising boats whether 16 foot or 18 foot versions.