oil drum side rigger canoe

[dllcooper]

Dear Forum

I am trying to construct an oil drum canoe by welding/lashing 4 drums together length ways for the main body of the canoe. This is for the annual boxing day raft race on the Ascension island.

Outrigger on both sides using some fibreglass pipe harnessed on wooden cross planks.

Planning a lateen rig and some old canvas.

Will the boat need a centreboard or will the outrigger act as an inefficient centreboard?

Any comments or suggestions on this would be welcomed. Happy nearly Christmas all!

 

[messabout]

Hmmmm! If this is to be a raft race, it seems that you are considering a trimaran which does not fit my perception of a raft. If it somehow fits within the rules then go for it.

The oil drums have plenty of bouyancy but they are butt headed and pretty awful for going fast. If you can give them an additional pointy end, both ends actually, then that will help a bit.

Whether the outriggers will provide enough lateral resistence depends on the shape of the outriggers. If they are round then you will probably not get sufficient help from them. Depends on the course and wind direction. If part of the race is to windward then you will need some lateral resistance. Lee boards or whatever you can contrive. If the outriggers are square or rectangular, you may get away without lee boards or centerboards or whatever device you may dream up.

Sounds like a fun event to me. Tell use a little bit about the rules and we can go from there.

 

[philSweet]

Considering the slow speed you will be going, you are going to need a pretty good sized board of some sort. Probably about 5% of the sail area. That's more than normal, but you are going slower than normal, so you need a large board.

 

[dllcooper]

It is pretty much anything goes I think so should be OK.

Due to the abundance of oil drums on the island, I was wondering about setting up a 'one design' oil drum sailing canoe and or hobby cat. We can then get some kind of dinghy/sail racing to get some of the kids into sailing. We are thousands of miles from anywhere here and surrounded by ocean and yet there is no sailing (apart from Ocean going yachts).

Thankyou for the advice, it might be slow but will be good to learn the basics and joy of building a sailing craft from anything we can find.

 

[dllcooper]

Thankyou the 5% figure is very useful!

 

[dllcooper]

So any help in how to join the barrels other than welding as I dont know any welders over here.

How could I give it lateral stability, would a board dropped off the side do the trick?

For a rudder was going to just use a home made oar between two columns at the back of the raft.

Lateen rig sail onto the mast at front with small sail area as the trade wind is quite a strong off shore at the moment.

Any further input ideas would be welcome.

 

[dllcooper]

How would you plug small plug holes in the oil barrels? Any ideas on the posted picture would be welcome.

I have access to the island tip where one can get hold of pretty much any type of barrel, box, pipes etc..

 

[keith66]

Not built of oil drums but ex USAF drop tanks heres an outrigger canoe i built with some friends a long time ago, http://eastcoastrowing.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/another-blast-from-past.html , the best fun i ever had with my clothes on!

 

[Dave T]

If I was going to build a boat or canoe using barrels and couldn't weld them I would build a simple wood frame probably using 1x 6's for the sides and cross pieces of 2x6 between and at the ends of the front and rear barrel. The barrels would fit between the cross pieces. Make straps from thin sheet metal 2 or three on each barrel to hold them in place. For a pointed bow you could have the 1x6's about three feet longer than the length of the barrels and bend them together, then form a bottom from thin sheet metal. To attach the outriggers I would run a couple of 2x4's on edge across the top of the 2x6 cross pieces between the barrels.

 

[dllcooper]

Wow - She looks like a monster keith! Welldone and a memory that will have burnt in your brain I am sure building and sailing.

I am thinking afterall of doling away with the oil drums, using the inflatable cargo bags to make a catamaran. Pallet with two pieces of plpy each side, one cargo bag wedged in middle two on each side with cross pieces to secure two on each side. Beam down the middle on top to provide bow sprit and stern sprit to secure stays for the mast.

On each side of the pallet and between each bag intending to have plywood piece running downwards in a sort of bilge keel to give the lateral stability. Not sure though whether the boat will end up blowing around too much is only concern.

Should be fun!