pinked stern

[Dave Williams]

I am considering adding a pinked stern on my 30ft. Swampscott dory. Traditional lapstrake planked. She is rigged as a schooner with junk/fully battened balanced lug sails. At present there is a fairly tall "boomkin" assembly which is the sheeting point for the main. The raised bulwarks which would create the pinked stern would replace this.

My main reason for doing this would be to create a space for a retractable outboard motor braket at the stern. The rudder would be hung on an inboard rudder post to clear the motor. There are long overhangs so there is room for this.

I was thinking the raised bulwarks would offer several advantages. It would hide the ugly outboard when raised! It would provide additional security when working on the stern deck. The raised topsides at the stern would I think be in keeping with the junk rig which I know is a matter of taste.

Any thoughts apreciated. Also any ideas on how to structurally carry these bulwarks would be helpful.

Thanks all,
Dave

[Wiley Baggins]

I assume that the bulwarks you speak of will really just be an extension of the uppermost plank beyound the original transom. This essentially leaves you with a small non/low load bearing area in the form of a box without a top and missing the side towards the boat.

A liberal sprinkling of knees and extending the inside rail should handle any likely loads. I would imagine that placing knees where it joins the transom and at the joint between the end of the planking/bulwarks and the small (false) transom at the end of the pinky stern would adequately address your concerns. I am assuming that the pinky stern is planked on the bottom with the exception of a cutout for the motorhead.

Edit: If (as you said ;) ) these are true bulwarks, the approach still holds, although the longitudinal may have to be added, rather than being an extension of an existing rail.

[ 03-22-2003, 02:18 PM: Message edited by: Wiley Baggins ]

[Dave Williams]

Wiley,

Thanks for the reply.

Maybe I wasn't clear about my thoughts. At present there is only a large flush stern deck extending from transom to just forward of the mainmast and containing a small selfdraing steering well. This sterndeck only has a small toerail all around.

I guess what I picture is to replace this toerail with bulwarks (if that is even the correct term in this case) This structure would be low at the forward edge of the sterndeck and sweep upward towards the stern above the deck to replace the boomkin.

I suppose one way to achieve this would be to penetrate the sterndeck with posts that would effectivly extend the frames to carry this structure. Or simply apply these post to the outside of the planking and at the transom.

I can't post pictures but could email some to you if you want or there were some photos on here some time ago "2000 Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival pictures" I guess that would require a search and click on "Interesting big Junk rigged dory" or something like that. I think this should get you to the site. www.boat-links.com/PT/PT2000/index.html (http://www.boat-links.com/PT/PT2000/index.html)

Photos I'm sure would help explain what I'm thinking. If you are able to see them keep in mind the esthetics of what I propose.

Thanks again.

Here's to kindness,
Dave

[ 03-23-2003, 11:19 AM: Message edited by: Dave Williams ]

[Lazy Jack]

So thats your dory! I downloaded a picture of it when cruising the PTWBF photos a long time ago to keep in my files. (Green hull, junk schooner, bright sheerstrake?) A great looking vessel IMHOP reflects a graceful creative blend of several maritime traditions yet is one of a kind. I know that strange stuff can happen to performance and seaworthyness when a traditional vessel is scaled up or down significantly and undergoes significant modification of original rig, but that boat is intriguing not only by virtue of its good looks but also by the rig attached to it. I would love to know how it sails and what it's seakeeping abilities are like. I, personally, think that it looks great as is. In order to lift a pink stern up high enough to maintain the origional sheeting angle, it seems to me it would appear swept too high in the stern. Part of it's grace to my eye is the proportionate hight between the stem and stern. As a practical consideration however, the stern deck would probably feel significanly more secure with a bullwark to brace your feet against if not sitting with feet in the well. Perhaps the hight of a pink stern could be offset by a bowsprit and a small jib. Again, it is a great looking boat that provokes much thought.

[Dave Williams]

Lazy Jack,

Thanks for the complements. I think she is very pretty myself! I wish I could say I built her but I didn't. I'm not totally sure of all of her history but I know Martin Mills a Port Townsend shipwright and friend did some major repair work on her before she came into my ownership. Right now she is in my shop for some repair and finishing out.

The main reason for the pinked transom idea is that I am removing a motor well which is intrusive and causing some leakage issues and I don't want a smelly noisy motor nearly in the cabin. I was hoping to mount a bracket on the stern to cure this and the boomkin is a problem. Also I want to hide the outboard! I think I will try another season without a motor at all. Although while she is in the shop it would obviously be nice to do as much of the work as possible. She also has a big Yuloh for aux. power and I'm adding a pair of big sweep oars. But currents are an issue around here and if sailing on a limited time frame and the wind fails a motor would be helpful. Otherwise we have sailed her quite a bit without a motor.

Believe me I am concerned about maintaining her sweet lines. Although if you study other junks it may be that having the stern shear higher might not be totally out of place. I am trying to be carefull! I have thought about adding a bowsprit and small jib but that would probably need some standing rigging and she is so friendly now I hesitat to do that.

As far as the rig; I have become a total fan of the junk rig and being a schooner she is very easy to handle. Reefing,furling,gybing, tacking,running and reaching are mindless. I was out sailing with some friends at last years festival and the wind was picking up. I was fooling around with the sails and I took a reef in the main and the fore and no one noticed until one friend looked up and said "When did you do that!" Havn't sailed her in truely tough weather but have been out when others were saying it was tough and I was surprised how casual things seemed. The big stretched dory seems very slippery to me due to her lean lines. This also gives her long overhangs and lots of extra bouyancy which I think makes her nice in a seaway. She has a big steel centerboard, maybe 450/500lbs worth which gives her some weight down low.

Anyway,hope I havn't told you more than you wanted to hear but I am very excited about this boat and I'm not completly new to this.

If you are ever out our way come for a sail.

To kindness,
Dave

[Wiley Baggins]

Originally posted by Dave Williams:
Wiley,

Thanks for the reply.

Very pretty boat, and I see that you are really talking about adding true bulwarks. You're quite welcome for the reply, and my advice is worth every penny you paid for it. ;)

In that vein, I have to say that it looks like a tough proposition. I'm reasonably comfortable with my original premise, but that looks to result in an awfully small deck, and one that is a long way off the water.

Hopefully, someone else will have better, and more positive assessment.

Good luck.

[Matt Middleton]

Hey Dave- maybe you could have a look at the Daniel Bombigher website (http://www.classic-yacht-design.com/1intro/intro.html) and get some ideas. Some of his designs have features similar to what you've described.

Nice boat, BTW. :cool:

Matt

[Ian McColgin]

I think she'll look nice with a pinked stern, but I do wonder at the effect of putting the motor weight that far aft.

Maybe another year with sweeps will cause you to abondon the rock crusher. . .

G'luck

[Dave Williams]

Ian,

Always good to hear your opinion. I have wondered about the weight myself but I'm only talking about maybe a five hp motor, probably less than 100 lbs. Still a consideration.

I have wished for you to talk me out of the motor in the past so thanks again for that; however I am not getting any younger. Definately the trick is to not be on a tight schedule. We would not use it casually. We'll try another season with the sweeps.

Good to hear your thoughts on the esthetics of the pinked stern also.

To kindness,
Dave