Quick And Dirty Boatbuilding Competition Ideas

hello, i am a multi-instrumental water enthusiast student in Tasmania, Australia, who has recently elected to partake in the states annual quick and dirty boat building competition, a race involving a three hour construction allowance of a small 3-man craft followed by decoration and a race (one leg of which must be sailed.) Utilising the following materials

2 sheets of 1/4 inch ply
20 metres or so of 2x4 radiata pine
some rome and cable ties and Sika Flex
(other materials may slipped my mind.

all ideas an tips welcome

some notes:

In the past flat bottomed vessels seem to flounder to have any purchase or controlled feedback barges etc

The catamarans usually cannot support the weight of three people and are not fast moving

Canoe type designs are fast but lack control and stability, they usually win

Sabot, Mirror, Optimist reminiscent snub nose boats with a chine or two usually do well

there is a prize for ingenuity and aesthetics

anyway we thought a skiff design with a supported deck would look okay perhaps with a transom thanks for any responses

 

All you'll get here is argument and no way to tell who's credible.

Search this forum (via the header) and Google.

Look for results, then designs.

You'll have to be really clever in your Google search however.

Best of luck and post your results, win or lose.

-Tom

 

Tasman sailor, the most important thing to go with is a sense of humor, some plan or scheme is helpful, I was in one last year on short notice, had fun. We built a canoe style vessel which could have done with some more rocker for steerability, had to account for 86kg & 110kg paddlers. Some work with scaled cardboard to get the design & panels sorted out. Here's a link to pics http://www.woodworkforums.com/f35/classic-wooden-boat-festival-125761/

All the best with it from Jeff.

 

Might as well go with what has worked in the past (canoe design). For something different, if you have the water depth, add a keel - this will get you stability and tracking. If materials left over, you may want to consider an outrigger also. If you know who your team will be, practice rowing ahead of time (best if in a real lake with a real canoe), as teamwork is key in winning these things. Most of all, as mentioned, have fun - the crowd loves a comedic team and if you don't win, you may win a prize for being the best entertainment.

 

tasman,
How are you going to feel about winning on boatdesign coaching, ideas and advice?
Easy Rider

 

If you stick with the canoe and concentrate on achieving the best curvature, while addressing stability issues, you should win. Maybe you could also remove a lot of the material with a router where unnecessary to lighten up.

 

Perhaps I can offer something useful. Having been a contestant in one event, a judge in four and a spectator at a couple more, a lot has been seen and experienced. Most of these events have been in the Sika qualifiers or the championship events and the boats were built to a particular plan that all builders had to use. In those events where contestants built their own designs, dories have been the most successful by far. Dories make the best use of the materials your have to work with, they are the simplest form that can be made that is also very seaworthy.

I assume that you will have ring shank nails since all events have had them.

I'd make the boat as long as possible with the plywood you are given. That is probably about 15'. In the simplest dory form, the flare in the sides will dictate rocker in the bottom, the ultimate stability of the hull and its carrying capacity. I doubt that rowing is part of the picture with 3 guys in such a small boat and that you will use paddles. For the sailing leg, you could use one paddle as a steering blade and the other two inserted in side brackets as leeboards. Panels will be joined with plywood butt blocks and the hull should have strong gunwhales, generous breasthooks and a couple cross braces for stability. Having these things fold in the middle in the water is not uncommon.

Hull sides will probably be limited to about 16" depth due to the limits on plywood. I've not seen events that had 3 crew aboard so hull volume will be critical. There must be a minimum weight rule to make the event fair.

Three hours is very generous for building such a boat. I've seen them done in way less than half of that. You probably won't win any novelty prizes with a dory but you can win the time event and have some time for beautifying. The use of paddles for steering and leeboards is something I thought up and might get some votes. Against just about anything else that can be built from these few materials, a dory is also fast in the water.

Layout of the plywood for best use is critical as is cutting sequence and must be planned ahead. I have found that one guy doing the plywood and another doing the lumber parts makes the best use of time. I don't know what the third guy does other than help whichever one needs it..

 

I will be down there to watch you - so you had better win.

Do a 'Piners Punt' style nose ( like the Mirror, Sabot ) for ease of building and bouyancy, and Toms hint about maximum depth should work.

Get some cheap MDF this week, and work out the measurements. Go to Uptons to get some 2450 x 1250 if the plywood is full size.

A rough idea is attached. I will be watching ( and please fix that Yas in your location on your profile, we dont want to be known for illiteracy as well as two heads )

 

Yas-man,

It's kind-of short notice on this event so I take it you're not too serious about it.

So, just have FUN. Isn't that really the point of it anyway?

If I'm wrong, post the rules so we have all the info, 'cause there's nothing wrong with having fun AND winning!

-Tom

 

That's how some spell fun............ W . I . N .......... there's often cool prizes depending on the event sponsor. All the best in your efforts Tasman S, regards from Jeff.

 

Picture of the winner for posterity

This is the one that won.

Blue Steel

 

We Won!!!!!!

our entry Blue Steel 'named after one of Zoolanders modelling looks' from Hellyer college and Wynyard Highschool in Northern Tasmania WYNYARD YACHT CLUB. Did well in the end coming over the line first the best description we had in the end was a feather type dinghy with chine variations a low sitting transom and what we call a trawling square rigg ill upload photos and more info tommorrow

was good fun for short notice lots of aquatic flailing

 

Good to hear ts.

Any pictures?

What would you differently next year?

-Tom