Wanna build a small sailboat

[Dick Millet]

Ok everybody, now that the guideboat's done I'm seriously considering a small sailboat. Definately some sort of plank on frame, no plywood (no offense, it's just not my bag). I haven't settled on any particular joint type although I lean towards carvel but will consider lapstrake or even strip for the right design. I'm looking for a design that'll be easy (and safe) to learn to sail but still interesting down the road. I'm not looking for an easy to build design, a great deal of the fun is in the building. I don't like the look of hard chines so I probably wouldn't even consider a design that uses them (even if it is better boat). It should be something purpose made for sailing. Rowing or god forbid a motor would be strictly for getting home in adverse conditions. Boat length of about 16' give or take a foot or so.
Probably need a pivoting centerboard or such to make it easy to trailer. It'll be used only for day trips inland so no need for sleeping arrangements. I've got 4 small kids who'd probably like to go for a little sail (probably not all at once though) so capacity is also a consideration.

So given all of that what do you like? Feel free to point me to specific designs, books of designs etc.

Dick

[capt jake]

I can't recall the demensions, of this or whether it will fit you specs.
Art Read is doing a bang up job on a very nice sailboat that sounds like your description. I won't speculate on the design (Haven 12 1/2, OK I speculated from memory), search the forum and you will find him. He has done an awesome job!
He will (obviously) have a knowledge of what you want and where to point you.

Good Luck!
John

[wolfietuk]

The Haven was my first thought also. Do a search, someone finnished one in the last year and posted some great pics.

Rick

[Dennis Marshall]

Dick, Gardner's "Fat Boat" in "Woodenboats You Can Build and Use" might be worth a look. It is 13'7" x 5'3" -- a dory skiff that he says could be easily enlarged by adding lenght amidships. You would not have to change the ends as they would stay the same.

He has a lot of good things to say about this boat, I'm looking at it for my next boat -- a move to more traditional construction.

[Meerkat]

One place you might want to have a look at is Duckflat Wooden Boats (http://www.duckflatwoodenboats.com). They have Iain Oughtred (clinker/lapstrake) and John Marples (cats and trimarans). Oughtred's boats are most often built with ply planks, but he says they can be built with traditional solid wood planking. His boats are things of beauty in my opinion (biased, I'm building his "Whilly Boat" design). Intermediate in skill between Stitch and Glue (slap and gap ;) ) and carvel and if you go out and out for the bent frames and clinch nails, probably closer to carvel skill levels.

Whatever you choose, I hope you'll share your decision with us, and very best of luck!

[Carlsboats]

There are tons of round-bottom 15-18 footers out there, but the first question is whether you want a keel boat or a centerboarder. The H- 12 1/2 is a great boat, but it (and its shallow draft cousin, the Haven 12.5) both carry a hunk of lead outside and are a hefty project for trailer launching.
Still higher on the scale is the 20.5 foot Fish Boat and its shallow cousin, the Flatfish. Again, lots of lead. I designed and am building a similar boat, but smaller. Also there is the Buzzards Bay 14, an enlarged version of the
H 12 1/2. Lines and offsets are available for that boat. The Flatfish appears in WoodenBoat's book, "40 Wooden Boats."
Or, as I say, are you thinking lead-free??

[holzbt]

It sounds like you have perfectly described a small catboat. Fred Goeller designed a 15' catboat for rudder magazine before WW I called "Cape Bird". LOA 15', LWL 14'6 3/4", Beam 7', draft about 15". Rudder mag. sold these plans until the 1970's and they are now available from Mystic Seaport. I've seen one built in the early 1960's sailing in my area and I don't think you'd ever get bored with this boat. The present owner was given this boat by his father when he was twelve and has been sailing it for nearly forty years. It is an extremely safe boat with plenty of room for 4-5 people and it is very fast. The only part of your description that you should clarify is whether you want a trailer sailer or a boat that can be easily trailered at the beginning and end of each season. Carvel plank doesn't fare very well for trailer sailers.

[ 09-22-2002, 09:13 AM: Message edited by: holzbt ]

[callanish]

I'm with Meerkat here, Oughtreds "Fulmar" fits the bill. 16'-8" L.O.A., 5'-10" Beam, capacity up to six.Options abound on construction, and his plans contain more than enough information for anyone.

[B. Burnside]

Have you checked the links to other designers, here in the WoodenBoat site? We are not supposed to self-promote here, but there are other designers you could look up.

Good luck in your search.

[garland reese]

Joel White's Marsh Cat would be a good build (cold molded I think), and plenty roomy for your crew.

The MeadowBird is a 16 foot strip built sailboat that can be built as an open daysailer or with a small cuddy. She is a very pretty little boat, IMO. From G.F.C. boats. There is a picture of one on the databoat site.

Ian Oughtred has some very nice glued-lap ply designs. It is hard not to like Oughtred's boats.

Paul Gartside has some beautiful small boat designs, both in traditional methods and more modern type constructs. His Tomales Bay daysailer is stunning.

Selway Fisher, as mentioned above is a good resource for small boat designs.

And if your looking for the ultimate in classic design, you need look no further than the Haven 12 1/2. Beautiful, challenging to build (has been done a few differnt ways, but carvel plank on close frames is the primary plan method, I think), and by all accounts a good and reliable sailer. Woodenboat has the plans and a book on building her.

There's quite a few choices out there, and I'd bet many more that are not so easily found, from designers that don't advertise on the web or in the major mags. Have you looked at WaterCraft Magazine before? There are a lot of small boat designs in the U.K. and other places across the big water. New Zealand and Australia seem to do very well with small boats too.

Good luck,
Garland

[Dick Millet]

Thank you everyone. So far I really like that Meadow Bird with a small cuddy cabin. The various Cat Boats are also pretty nice. So many boats, so little time.

Dick