1st Look: New John Welsford camp cruiser!

[Steve Paskey]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid63/p7d34a82a00f98b70aa50ded61d6e149d/fc0b801a.jpg

[ 05-30-2003, 10:31 PM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[Steve Paskey]

John Welsford has graciously agreed to design a camp-cruising boat to my requirements. I've just received the initial drawing -- see above -- and I'm absolutely thrilled.

My apologies for the lengthy post, but it should answer many questions. The basic requirements were inspired by Ben Fuller's quest for the perfect boat for the Maine Island Trail. I wanted a boat that would both row and sail well, with room enough to sleep one person under a cockpit tent, and plenty of enclosed space for storage and buoyancy.

John's design, like his rowing boat JOANSA, was inspired by the swampscott-style dory skiffs built by Chamberlain in the late 1800s. John notes, however, that in some respects she's more akin to a 19th-century canoe yawl, with a finer entry and updated rig. Basic dimensions are 16-5 LOA, 4-11 beam, with an estimated dry weight of 175 pounds, a total sailing weight (with crew and gear) of 600 pounds, and a sail area of 85 sq. ft.

As you'll see, the boat has a long, lean shape that should row quite easily and sail well up to hull speed (the ends are too fine to plane). The rig is a cat yawl with a balanced lug main and sharpie spritsail mizzen, the latter set forward of the transom for easier access in rough weather. Steering arrangements involve a pivot on the mizzen mast step and lines back to a yoke on the rudder head, all under the afterdeck. The daggerboard is offset, and there is a removable thwart for rowing. Three rowing positions permit rowing with one or two up.

There are long decks fore and aft, with benches down each side of the 9-foot long cockpit and enclosed space under the decks and benches. There is more than enough room for even a tall person to sleep comfortably on the floor between the benches. The cockpit tent is held up with a pair of conestoga wagon-style hoops, while roll up side and after curtains and a clear window facing forward allow rowing with the roof up on a rainy day. Construction is John's usual: ply bulkheads with stringers, and 4 strakes of clinker lap ply over.

Any comments would be most welcome!

[ 05-30-2003, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[Dennis Marshall]

So, Steve, this is the "camping dory" that I have heard rumors about. Nicely done, I'd say. Does this mean your long quest for a boat has finally come to an end?

Dennis

[Steve Paskey]

Will I build it? Absolutely! I'm getting married in a few weeks and remodeling the basement, but barring unexpected catastrophes I hope to have her in the water next spring.

Will I stop lusting after other boats? Not bloody likely. And I still have a longer term goal of building some sort of larger boat as a weekend cottage on the water. Or maybe I'll build something for a year-long voyage down the ICW. Who knows? One boat at a time -- this one first.

[ 05-30-2003, 11:02 PM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[Dennis Marshall]

Congratulations, Steve, on your immanent nuptials and the design. Welsford is excited about this design. Here are his comments copied from another forum:

"I have just got a commission for a boat that I have dubbed the " Maine Island Camp Dory" A boat that will row well, sail acceptably, sleep one aboard in fair comfort and carry enough gear for up to a month aboard. It had to be able to stow all of the rig inside the length of the boat, look pretty and make a good daysailer for 2.3 people in between cruises The proposal drawing has fired me up to a state where the design is going ahead regardless."

Enjoy!

Dennis

[DugT]

I'm getting married in a few weeks and remodeling the basement, but barring unexpected catastrophes I hope to have her in the water next spring.:eek:
...can she swim? ;)

[imported_Daniel]

I'm getting married in a few weeks.

The basic requirements were inspired by Ben Fuller's quest for the perfect boat for the Maine Island Trail. I wanted a boat that would both row and sail well, with room enough to sleep one person under a cockpit tent, and plenty of enclosed space for storage and buoyancy.

Hmmmm.... getting ready for a little alone time already huh? Trust me, good plan.

Kidding aside, congrats on the upcoming nuptials, and receiving your design, she looks like a lovely craft. Keep us posted on her progress, and the boats as well!

[Wild Dingo]

Steve!! flamin ripper mate! :D gawd all yer chrissys at once eh? marriage and the blessed final decision bein made! :cool:

From what we can see its obvious John's done good work again :cool:

Congrats and all the best for the big day! may the weather be perfek the bride the most gorgeous and the groom sober :D cheers and all the best for the future mate!

Gawd a tear in me eye already :eek: ... aye it warms the heart seein a young fella get hitched and a fine boat bein designed and builded... aye it do! :cool:

[Leon Steyns]

Without being able to see any design details - so at the risk of being rude: I think I like Jacques Mertens' CK17 better... :rolleyes:

http://www.bateau.com/images/boatpics/full_up4_250.jpg

Link: http://www.bateau.com/plans/sail/CK17_study.htm.

Greets, Leon Steyns.

[Steve Paskey]

The CK17 is certainly a good-looking, roomy, and well conceived design, but she's a sharpie with a 6-foot beam -- not a boat I'd want to row far.

There are plenty of nice camp-cruising options for someone who is willing to use a motor or who doesn't want or need to row any distance. I wanted something that I could happily row for hours at a time in a calm.

Besides, I love the shape of round-sided dories. Here's a blowup of the transom and a couple of sections. The midships section (#5) is to the right. Imagine the sweep of the laps from the transom to midships -- I think she'll be a real looker.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid63/pa76c627700122cca92e2fdaed6e63e81/fc0b8017.jpg

[ 05-31-2003, 11:52 AM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[Steve Paskey]

By the way, thanks for all the good wishes. At 42, I'll be shifting gears a bit, from being a bachelor in a small condo to having a wife and two wonderful stepchildren, plus a dog and two cats (there's talk of a rabbit or hamster!), and a 3-bedroom brick colonial (my fiance's house).

No garage, but I wisely negotiated permission to build a boat in the back yard before I moved in . . . :cool:

[ 05-31-2003, 11:51 AM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[Scott Rosen]

I agree with you Steve. The lines of your camp cruiser are beautiful.

[john welsford]

Steve, if things go well and you make some converts to dinghy cruising among your new family, with the striking of the main mast this boat will sleep two in that long centreline footwell. If both are not as tall as you that is.

John W

[Todd Bradshaw]

I like it. Well done John. Hurry up Steve, we all want to see the pictures. Just think of all the extra hands you'll have to help work on it.

[Leon Steyns]

Ah Steve,

Forgive me my rudeness... In the end, I believe form should follow function. Besides that, important point, I'm lazy by nature. That and being Dutch makes me love sailboats... :D :D :D

The dory indeed does has some beautiful gentle lines.

Greets, Leon Steyns.

[ 06-02-2003, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: Leon Steyns ]

[Gavin Atkin]

Frankly John, I think it's perfect. I wouldn't change a thing, and I'm sure that with a little promotion and a little luck you could have a winner.

Gavin

[Ken Hall]

Sweet. Excellent choice Steve (plus congratulations), and excellent work John. :cool:

[Alan D. Hyde]

Way too many boats blot the beauty of the waters they sail on.

Steve and John, this camp cruiser will do just the opposite. Congratulations!

Her artful melding of form and function should delight the eyes of onlookers while also (one hopes) stirring the spirits of those who sail her.

Alan

[garland reese]

Yeah, What Alan Said!!!

Beautiful..

[john welsford]

Almost there with the drawings, thanks for the compliments.
For those who are wondering about the obvious question, the tiller pivots on the mizzen mast step which is an alloy tube running from deck to keel, it can fold up and lies against the mizzen mast when folded, the rudder yoke is connected to it by lines running through under the after deck and the lines are held by little jamcleats so the assembly can be taken apart to dismount the rudder etc for trailing. It will take a couple of hours to build but will ook nice and tidy.
JohnW