designing a fast rowboat

Black arts

Well that seamed to work but I don't quite know why. I am on dial up too and it required a lot of waiting while nothing happened. Sorry - no words of wisdom. It (SOF) looks like it sits on the water as light as leaf. I'm not surprised that you zip along. The transome was a surprise as the first photo you sent it was perfectly hidden and appeared canoe sterned. It surly looks nicely proportioned though. Nick

 

finally!

Sailing Canoe, many thanks for posting my photos. I'm very proud to have them up for comment from the members. She's not complete, obliously, but is mostly all there. What I need now is a couple of good weekends to finish her. I work outside, so weather is a big factor. Tcubed, great shot of your old boat! The bow is almost identical in appearance to our big Jersey Skiff. The skiff is a lot bigger, having a 52" beam, but the general shape is quite similar.RE: race results. Nv. 1st we raced the Nordvind in a 4 mile race and finished in 44:27 for 2nd place, 2 minutes an 20 seconds behind the winner. The "Red Baron" crew has been after us for years and it was their day. Brother Dave is suffering with hip pain and had a difficult time trying to get power to the oars. I tried to make up for it and damn near killed myself trying. Still, all in all, a good day with bright sun and a brisk breeze of about 10-12 knots which kicked up a 1'+ chop. Some good clam chowder and snacks finished the day. The organizing team is trying to come up with ahandicapping system but not too many of us like the idea of being "beaten" by a slower boat.

 

Yeah, the dimensions were 44" beam overall and 16' length overall with massive flare for about 24" waterline beam.the length was constrained by wanting to use no more than two sheets of plywood per side.The clinks and the flare work together to create a very dry boat.
Many people thought it was a whitehall, but in fact, the inspiration for the design was much more Cornish gig with a little dory influence.

 

design

Our Jersey Skiff is a huge boat, 19' loa and weighs over 260 pounds, but with the flat run on the bottom, box keel and plumb bow it really cuts the water. Like your boat, the garboard strake has a huge flare to minimize the waterline beam. We did a 21 mile race in under 4 hours in open water and still came in third to a stretched Gloucester Gull and a modified ( extra chine) dory that's 22' long, narrow and light. Not to mention that the crew is big strong and dedicated

 

M.i.a

Ok, it's just about winter here and I'm fighting the urge to hibernate. Temp this AM was 21 degrees and the small ponds are starting to ice over. The bays probably won't ice up for several weks if at all, so I might yet be able to get the new boat out for some practice. I don't have a name her yet and want something Nordic. We use the prefix "Nord' for some of our boats and I was thinking something like sea bird or north bird, would appreciate suggestions. My grandfathers' name Ole A Melbye is also a possibility but kind of long to put on such a small stern. Come on where is every one? Stuff has got to be going on in the rowing world that we populate.

 

My nephew in Norway can translate some words if you want. Post a short list of words and i'll send them to him to translate into Norwegian and maybe you'll like the sound of one of them for the name.

 

Donoghue Plans

Earlier in this thread I asked if any one knew about Donoghue, A Whitehall Type boat which is pictured in the Whitehall chapter in Gardner's book. Ben Fuller pointed me to the source --http://www.by-the-sea.com/bakerboatworks/
There is a collection of pulling boat designs here which every one reading this thread will find interesting. Ben Fuller said that he extensively raced this boat on open water and that it performed really well.
Norvincrew - I hate to rub it in but here on the west coat it is one of the warmest falls on recored. One day actually broke the records for that day for 132 or so years. We did have a light frost a month or so ago - just enough to finish the summer veg. Only in the last week or so has it actually cooled down to respectable fall temps. Very weird. Its been very nice rowing weather.
Remembering your comments about wanting to put a rudder on your boat but you were worried about the drag , I looked at the rudders on the 8's down in the boat yard, They are tiny!! 3 or 4 square inches max! Some of the smaller ones about 2 square inches. Its hard to imagine how they have any effect on a 60 ft boat. I guess we should be thinking trim tab, not rudder. You say the ponds are freezing - build an Ice Yacht - Should be loads of fun

 

ice

pulled my brothers lobster boat this weekend. too rough to go out codfishing or rowing for that matter. there is ice forming in the salt water coves. this is unheard of this early in the year. so much for global waming in my book. warming this week so I still may get the SOF boat out for a few rows. We typically get some glorious days in midwinter that are calm and sunny and are perfect for a row. A definite is the annual New Years Day row. This goes no matter what the weather. If it's really rough, we go back into one of the bays or up in the rivers. Do the rowthen meet for chowder and strong drink. Agood way to start a new year. Hey Clinton How goes the Drake? got it on the water yet?

 

Ben Fuller

I'm going to go on the By the Sea site you mentioned. Ben Fuller is a name that is very familar to me, but I can't place him. Any help?

 

Mystic Small boat Collection

Ben Fuller was the small boat collection curator at Mystic sea port; Also one of the authors of "Watercraft" - catalog of boats at Mystic. Really high tide here today - floated all kinds of heavy junk into the river.

 

greetings

A happy Thanksgiving to all the Americans on this thread. Enjoy, then get out on the water to do some rowing. Our weather here sounds decent, so brother and I will be out on Sunday to put a few miles under the keel. I've got the material for the external keel and skeg for the SOF boat, and weather permitting, some progress is possible. I've got to buy some oarlock mounts and get them on so I can start rowing even if the boat isn't complete. I'm taking the model I built to North Carolina for my grandkids to play with. Hopefully, they'll have some fun floating it on the local creek.

 

on the water

Great row last Sunday. Out of the mouth of the North River and to the bell bouy 1/2 mile out. Big long rolling swells 4' high with surf crashing on both sides of the channel on the way in and out. The channel is quite wide as you get out and there is no real danger of getting into the breakers unless you totally go to sleep as you're rowing. Even then, the sound of the breakers would wake you up. We sat there in the boat and just enjoyed the solitude for a while then rowed back in for a total of about 4 miles. Got the external keel on the boat and a skeg as well. Looking at the skeg, I was less than satisfied and will remove it and do another that is more correct to the curvature of the hull. The rub rails and oarlock mounts are ready to go on. Completion is geting closer and closer.

 

that just sounds really great.

 

Launch Day

I am nervous to say the least. The test will be: does she float on her DWL with me in the boat and a few pieces of gear, is she FAST!, does she look beautiful on the water, and how does she sail downwind with my dinghy rig (so I can design a dedicated rig, a dipping lug).

Wish me luck; will post more shots.

Clint

 

launch day

Clint, Best wishes for your launch day! I do hope she floats on the designed waterline, that would be a great boost to your confidence level as a boat designer. As to speed, average speed over the long haul is what counts. If you can keep her close to five knots over 3 to 5 miles then you have a fast boat. Of course, that is in calm water. In rough conditions 12 minute miles change to 13 or 14 minute miles. Average speed is what it is all about. In one race, a single peapod kept pace with us in our double for most of the course. We were fighting the waves, but the smaller peapod was riding in between them, making it much easier to row. We finally pulled it out on him on the down wind leg where we could really get our backs into the pull and let our longer waterline help us surf on the back of the waves. As I have mentioned speed is VERY incremental and much depends on the oarsman. One Weir River race, which has a staggered start, all the doubles finished within 55 seconds of one another after 6 grueling miles in a very tough chop coming in on port beam. That is a close finish and shows how little seperates 1st from last.