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View Full Version : The Flying Hellfish. An 11ft Skiff. And a quick hello!



FremantleChris
10-01-2009, 10:57 AM
G'day all,

Awesome forum you have going here, hopefully i can find the time this week to do a full write up on "Madelaine" a 26"6' Couta Boat that has recently chosen me to be its guardian for a while. A full thread on "Mady" will take me ages to compose so i thought i'd just stick my head in and say Ahoy!!

I come from a long line of wooden boat enthusiasts and have spent the last 15 years running my own business crewing, rebuilding and restoring boats of all kinds, especially wooden boats. Ive sailed on tall ships and fast yachts and loved every second of it.

I'm looking forward to getting involved with these forums especially as my younger brother, Jon, is about to embark upon his second wooden dinghy project. I'm trying to encourage him to build a planked boat...he's taking some convincing but i'm confidant i'll convert him soon!

Last summer, Jon and his mate Ashley decided, rather surprisingly i might add, that they needed a project..and what better project is there than your first wooden boat build.

Jon and Ash hunted around the net and downloaded some cheap and easy to follow plans for an 11ft Plywood Skiff which they built over the summer using the "stitch and glue" method. I must say, as sceptical as i was, the lads did an awesome job!!! And the plans, for beginners were easy and clear to follow. The end result was a very clean and quite handsome 11ft dinghy.

The plans came from: http://www.boatplans.dk/boat_plans.asp?id=54, and their video of the build even made it onto the boatplans website...which was cool.

May i present to you, in time lapse, the first of what may be many summer projects to come out of "Mum and Dads Shed":

The Flying Hellfish. (Insert 'The Simpsons' reference here)

Well done Jon and Ash, you made me proud boys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7P2xTpsVQ4

PS: I'm trying to convince them to build a 'Shellback' as their next project....This is the million dollar question, what should they build next!? The criteria is, something simple, must have sails, good for kids (the nephews) to learn how to sail in and must be sturdy enough to sail here in Perth on the Swan River, which as nice as it is, is notorious for a stiff sou'wester every afternoon all summer long! Thoughts??

Uncle Duke
10-01-2009, 12:04 PM
The criteria is, something simple, must have sails, good for kids (the nephews) to learn how to sail in and must be sturdy enough to sail here in Perth on the Swan River, which as nice as it is, is notorious for a stiff sou'wester every afternoon all summer long!Core Sound 15 or 17?
http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/index.html
Not a hard build and reputed to sail wonderfully! The 17 is below:
http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/cs17plane.JPG

Thorne
10-01-2009, 12:07 PM
Absolutely LOVED the time-lapse video -- well done!

Don't know what to suggest for the sailboat build - Mik Storer's Goat Island Skiff may meet their needs, just reef early and often.

switters
10-01-2009, 12:16 PM
best 4 minutes of the day so far, nice job on the boat and the video.

katiedobe
10-01-2009, 01:21 PM
I suggest the Core sound. Lots of good reasons. Great boat, performs fast, and if you need to run downwind to the dock or shore just let loose the sheets and the sails swing around the mast completely and just flutter.
I plan to build one of these, right after the two Penobscots I have planned.

Larks
10-01-2009, 08:59 PM
Welcome to the forum Chris and thanks for the link to the timelapse video, just brilliant! Looking forward to seeing some pictures of "Mady"

Larks
10-01-2009, 09:06 PM
Bye the way, they should be chasing some sponsorship at the very least for the adertising at the end - or even sell the video to Tooheys! (Or whoever it is that brews Stag, is it Tooheys? I don't drink it so don't know) Seriously, all the way through I was waiting to see them stop for a beer and the quick "subliminal" shot at the end was perfect!!!

ShagRock
10-01-2009, 10:36 PM
Ahh..the joys of boat building..Great video! The Green Island by Aussie Mike Roberts might also fit the bill..sails, rows, powers, self-righting, unsinkable..good article at link below:

http://www.woodenboat.net.nz/Boats/Boategret/Boategret.htm