Same old question

First, I want to say "hey y'all". Not going to say I've lurked forever here, cause I haven't, but I've read posts from time to time. Anyhoo, I need ideas for a traditional boat. Clinker or carvel, either one, no plywood or epoxy, preferably gaffer, accommodation for one anti-social old guy up to two weeks or so, and two grand kids (10-8 1/2) occasional weekends. If it needs a a ballast keel, I'd prefer concrete. It'll be trailered to Lake Texoma,(Okla) and back which is 20 miles round trip. It will be used only on the lake and up the Washita river, so I need a draft or 3 feet or less. There's my needs, now my "resources". I'm 56, had one heart attack and one stroke, ( just for reference) so I don't want something that will take 5 years to complete. I've built 7 kayaks, two canoes, and a 16' sailing scow. I've also built some motorcycles, two ultralights, a BUNCH of homemade knives, and BP rifles. I was a welder for 30 years. The only thing I can't build or fix is people and cars. I hate cars! I'm on a fixed income, but I'm a super scrounger. Don't give a rats arse about speed, or what the "in" crowd thinks.I'm not building it for anyone else or for racing. Oh, and I love sleeping in a hammock. I've looked at George Buehler, and I love his construction methods but not the weight. I really like Atkins designs, and even some of the old magazine designs from the 30's to 60's. Thanks for lookin' and any thoughts will be appreciated.

 

Welcome to the forum

Do you want to build for sail or motor or both ?

Good luck !
Angel

 

Sorry bout that. Mainly sail, but with a small out board. I can build a bracket for it. Also I'm looking at @ 20', but that's not set in stone.

 

As you want build old style - Atkin is a good source but you've already looked at that. Svenson's offers a lot of old magazine boat designs for free. And there is a publisher who offers a lot of old designs for little, I'll post it as soon as the name pops back into my mind, but maybe someone will beat me to that . . .

Good luck !
Angel

 

Welcome to the forum: I have some comments -

With all the trailering it’ll be a dry-moored boat so I wouldn’t recommend carvel, it’ll dry out and leak every time it is put in the water until the seams close up. You won’t want to spend half your time pumping for the first couple of days of each trip.

Lapstrake (clinker) is a good choice for the traditional look, but I don’t understand the objection to ply and epoxy. They’re fine materials for a small boat and a glued-ply lapstrake is tough, attractive, leakproof and tolerates drying out. It’s also light for easy trailering, launching and recovery.

Since you mentioned ballast I assume you want a sailboat. Ballast conflicts somewhat with the need for a shallow draft boat and is also a handicap for trailering and single-handed launching.

You also mentioned a hammock, so I assume you are thinking of a boat with a closed cabin and sleeping accommodations, which will involve considerably more work.

On the build time question, if I assume worst-case for everything, a carvel-built traditional style ballasted keelboat with reasonably weatherproof cabin and 3 berths for short-term live-aboard use is going to be a long build. Regardless of resources, health and patience, your grandkids may be older and less interested in boating with Grandpa by the time you finish.

Do you still have the 16 ft scow? Such a flat-bottomed hull can be drawn up close to a beach for camping, is large enough to have a small cubby added, somthing to get the kids out of sun, rain and wind. It could have a tent hung from the boom for those times when you can’t make it to a handy beach, or just want to anchor and sleep aboard. And you could be in the water in a couple of months.

 

Kayaker, thanks for the reply. I don't like nor can i afford epoxy. Yes, I meant a sailboat when I said "gaffer", meaning a gaff rig. I still have the scow, and have used it a bunch of times with a boom tent. I could easily stay a little time in it. I finished it in spring '09, so I do know what it can do. I want to build a "real" sailboat. It's on my bucket list. As for the ballast question, that was just if anyone's idea required a ballast keel. I'm not against inside ballast either. As for draft, the Washita (as far up it as I would go) runs about four foot deep, mud bottom, and stumps, flood debris, etc. As for building time, no problems I'm here 24 hrs a day.

 

It popped back into my mind... D.N. Goodchild

But if money is an issue (from your last post) you better buy a good used boat and go sailing right away for a fraction of the money of building, not to mention the time involved in building one...

Good luck !
Angel

 

Sorry, I've overlooked that

Cheers,
Angel

 

Heads-up on build time

The boat here is something like what you are proposing http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Sail/MaidOfEndor.html

My guess is about a year to build the hull, more like 2 years to complete, rig and launch. The guy here http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?128218-Building-the-Maid is just getting to the planking and started a year ago; he has had some distractions but has been fairly committed so far; I'd be surprised if he launches within 2 years of the start.

 

Ms. Angelique, thanks very much for the addresses ma'am, I'll look at them later tonight. Kayaker, I've looked over the Maid of Endor, WAY to fancy for me. I spent 4 years living on a shanty boat that I built i a month for, I think, about $130. So my tastes aren't in looks. Then I got married and it was sold for money to move to Oklahoma. 3rd stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. I also should have said plank on frame instead what I did, and I would consider using plywood. I'm a " piddler". I love doing maintenance and fretting with stuff. By the way boats were trailered long before we were cursed with epoxy. that's why you can find boat trailer plans from the 20's, and why god invented chinking and paint.

 

Is this something of you liking, or is she also too fancy . . ? ?

From the link in post #4: Svenson's ---> Free Boat Plans ---> Southwind

Chapelle's Southwind a 22 ft Dory Sharpie...

In below pic the one in the background is also a Southwind, so it shows both rig options + the cuddy and open version, which gives 4 versions to choose from.



















View attachment _Chapelle_Southwind_22_ft_Dory_Sharpie_.pdf

Also available from the in post #7 mentioned: D.N. Goodchild ---> Sail Boat Plans ---> Southwind ---> $ 9.95

A 24 pages booklet + 3 plates, maybe that includes the Large Scale Plans mentioned in the magazine article . . ? ?

Good luck !
Angel

 

Thank you again ms Angelique. Dang,that's a LOT of reply right there! The Southwind is VERY close to what I want. I probably couldn't handle two masts but it does have the one mast option. I would have to figure out a tabernacle for it too. I was looking at another website you gave me and I found a pretty good one. the Petrel, but it's only 16 foot, and not a gaff rig. I'm still going through all the info you've provided. Somewhere (probably in the sites you gave me) I'll find the perfect compromise boat. Thank you again.

 

A nice 'senior" design! For small lake and river use the stern could be modified to provide a narrow dory style transom, simplifying the mounting of an outboard and eliminating the need for the engine well, especially since the design will have to be lofted anyway . . .

 

Terry, I guess this comment is about Southwind and not Petrel . . ? ?

Cheers,
Angel

 

This one hits all your marks, though you'll be cutting a good bit of plywood, it's 20' on deck, a gaffer, has berths to suit and not too deep. Study plans are a buck.

http://store.devlinboat.com/marshwren.aspx

I also have designs in this range, as do just about every designer in the world. Take you time in selecting one. You can just as easily build a boat you'll hate to own and/or sail as one you'll love, so take the time necessary to get the selection right.



This is another of Sam's designs and a shoal draft scow hull. This one has more internal volume and a more scruffy look about her. She's 19' 7" on deck.