Bristol Channel Cutter Plans

[Nanoose]

Wondering if any plans for the Bristol Channel Cutter (Lyle Hess' 28' design, perhaps) are available anywhere. No luck on the web. Anyone know?? Thanks in advance. Nanoose

[paladin]

The plans are sold by Lyle's daughter Linda DeCoux.....it will take another day for me to find the mailing address.....

[Nanoose]

Thanks, paladin. Nanoose

[Nanoose]

paladin - I see you own a BCC, and I am wondering ...
On line, I only found the boats related to the Sam L. Morse company that is building Hess's designs as fiberglass hulls. Perhaps because of the Pardy's, I think of these as a wood boat. Any thoughts/recommendations...wood? fg? Perhaps Morse is only doing them as fg to keep costs down?, or no one wants wood anymore...

[MAGIC's Craig]

Nanoose:

Lyle sold the plans and the rights to build the FG 28' BCC to Sam Morse. I believe that Linda has the plans available for the wood 26' and 30' sizes (among others), but may not be able to sell you a copy of the drawings for the 28' BCC because the Sam Morse Company continues on.

However, do post to let us all know what you find out.

cheers

Craig Johnsen

[paladin]

Mine is wood, strip planked, cold moulded over with xynole epoxy covering...I drew my own plans from scratch.....I had seen two of Hess' boats in the 30 foot range, liked the idea, but larger.....
a couple of minor changes....Lyle Hess' boats were a little fine in the entry, I essentially added a little extra (a very few inches) of beam at station 3 and refaired the hull, 14 foot beam, 44 feet 9 inches on deck.
I don't have any photos here, but a couple of pages of the original drawings...if you are interested, contact me off forum and I'll make a copy and send them to you....it will give an idea of what was done...it's a bit larger than what you are looking for...

[Sailor]

A 44 foot BCC? WOW I'm impressed. You'll have to dig up or take some pics because that is something I would like to see. I always admired that type of vessel. I saw the article in WB about Linda something or other who buillt one. That was truly a work of art. Masterpiece. I'm trying to sell my brother on the BCC just so I can sail one, but he's stuck on LFHs Nereia. Can't say I blame him, I introduced him to Nereia as well.

[TomF]

Sailor, look through the search thingy a bit, and you'll come upon a thread about the Gloucester Sloop Boat. Much the size Paladin's talking about.

Drool.

http://www.woodenboatrescue.org/pagan3a-estimates.jpg

[RodB]

Hess's daughter has the plans for several models, I think the only ones that also come with a gaff rig if desired...are the 24 foot and the 30 foot (the model Pardey built called Taleisin ( he went with the sloop rig). I too would have to look up the address and phone number, but I'm sure someone here will beat me to it.

Good luck,

RB

Edited for clarity... the 24 footer and the 30 footer are available with a gaff rig if desired in addition to the bermuda rig...GEEWHIZ!

[emichaels]

I can provide that info on thursday morning. My wife and I just purchased the plans for the 30 cutter. Actually the boat Pardays built is not a gaff rigged plan, though the plans Linda sent us have many drawings of different sail plans and several different versions of the 30 footer. I think there were 4 or 5 different cabin arrangements and some "bonus" drawings of the some hatch designs for other boats. Linda's husband also has the molds for the lights so they can be ordered from him.
We are going to build the gaff rigged version without the motor (different ballast plan provided ) . It is a great set of drawings and Linda was very gracious, as she called to tell me she recieved the letter on her Father's birthday and that "this must be a good omen" , as she was sad on her Father's birthday and came home to find an order for his plans, and was brightened. I will post, here, the contact info on thursday morning. If I forget please email me and shout.

Eric

[emichaels]

A 44 foot BCC? WOW I'm impressed. You'll have to dig up or take some pics because that is something I would like to see. I always admired that type of vessel. I saw the article in WB about Linda something or other who buillt one. That was truly a work of art. Masterpiece. I'm trying to sell my brother on the BCC just so I can sail one, but he's stuck on LFHs Nereia. Can't say I blame him, I introduced him to Nereia as well.

Linda Smith is the lady that built 'Tenacity".

[emichaels]

Better to post now as I know I will be busy in the morning........



Lyle Hess Designs
Linda Decoux
5911 E. Spring St.
No. 360
Long Beach, CA 90808


562-595-7923

Call her first and then send a letter and payment (when ordering plans ).

The 30 footer is plan #177.

Eric

[Nanoose]

Thanks, Eric for the contact info, and everyone for the input!
Nanoose

[YMT]

Modern Channel Cutter. This is what Ihttp://www.brad.smugmug.com/photos/1985789-M.jpg call them.
Faster and more practical to build.

[JimD]

YMT, interesting Tanton design.

[kc8pql]

Interesting, but lacks the grace of the original. House profile reminds me a little to much of 60's vintage Pearsons.

[Don Kurylko]

Eric, you wrote:

“Linda's husband also has the molds for the lights (?) so they can be ordered from him.” I presume you meant portlights? If so, can you give us some more detail, regarding dimensions, costs, etc.?

Thanks,
Don

[emichaels]

Don,
No I cannot. Linda mentioned this fact when I spoke with her on the phone. I figure I am 3-4 years away from needing this harware so I just made note of the source. Call her, she or he can fill in the details you need.
Eric



edited to add: Yes I am refering to the portlights.

[YMT]

http://www.brad.smugmug.com/photos/5133943-M.jpgNew launch of a MCC 26'.
Without the dog house, the profile is more elegant and still offers full headroom throughout the boat.

[kc8pql]

Much better. Now, about that fin keel....;)

[Sailor]

Lookin good YMT

[JimD]

8M Modern Channel Cutter:



http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid204/p61f8320e03f74804f232d9bbd01ed776/ef6a12e5.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid204/p0288c6c789276405c04a8df0508ac1f5/ef6a12e0.jpg

[Norske3]

Is it a Sloop or a Cutter?...what little difference is it that makes it one or the other???...mast location, yes?

[JimD]

I've always gone with the simple explanation: If it has one headsail its a sloop. More than one and its a cutter. Some folks are not satisfied with that. William Atkin had this to say about it.


In a cutter the mast should be stepped two-fifths the waterline length abaft the fore end of the load waterline. The result is a small mainsail, short boom and a long bowsprit.

[Paul Pless]

Ooh goody! An old fashioned cutter vs sloop arguement. Can we also argue yawls and ketches? Is there someway we can include hermaphrodite brigs in the conversation too? :D

[JimD]

Paul:D
Norske3. The Tanton design looks to be a cutter by both definitions. It has two headsails and the mast is about at 2/5 of the waterline, forcing a small mains'l on a short boom. Compare to the Gloucester 'sloop' posted earlier which has 3 headsails but the mast is well forward so the main is large with a long boom. Sound about right?

[emichaels]

I always thought there was more to designate a "Cutter" along with the 2/5 WLL stepping of the mast, such as the plumb stem, and didn't the Cutters of the 1900's have gaff rigs pretty much all the time. Seems when looking at pictures of older cutters from England those where the characteristics I noticed.

Eric

[Sailor]

HMMM cutter is rig defined IE;2/5 wl back 2 headsails etc. Plumb bow is hull shape, They don't affect one another if you ask me. Now about that Hermaphrodite brig......

[MAGIC's Craig]

Since this thread started off talking about Lyle Hess' 28 ' LOD Bristol Channel Cutter design, I'll add in a link here to the final one drawn in Lyle's fine series: the 34' Falmouth Cutter. I realize, folks, that the hull is molded from that "other" material, however the shape represented the culmination of his design evolution of the series and these Falmouth Cutters should make lovely, seaworthy sailing yachts.

http://www.channelcutteryachts.com/boat8.jpg

Take a look at the photos shown at: http://www.channelcutteryachts.com/photos.html

Disclaimer: A client of mine is building a wooden deck/house/spars version with the first West Coast hull (and doing a lovely job).

Cheers,

Craig Johnsen

[Alan D. Hyde]

Thanks, Craig.

Alan

[jzeigler]

Nanoose,
I was shopping these boats last year and almost made a deposit on one. But FG is not a reason in this case to keep costs down. Sumio Oyo makes these the same ole way as the Sam Morse company and they are virtually built like tanks. I dont' think another FG boat on the market is built so sturdily. One inch thick hulls at the deck!!!
Figure almost $300k to buy one new. The resale is incredible, as is the boat. Good looks, enduring and seaworthy design, quality workmanship and equipment.
No other boat would make me feel safe offshore like this one. And no other would give one the pride of ownership, FG notwithstanding.
Now, if I can just hit the lottery to afford one!

[JimD]

Hard to find a smarter looking cutter than a Lyle Hess.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p9f9849755ce3646825a9a65709ebaad4/f080c13c.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid204/p0722618aee2e59e05f110ad1a3351ced/ef63a4de.jpg

[emichaels]

When we rec'd our plans set from LInda, we were suprised to find so many drawings of different interior layouts and sail plans. Different ballast setups for engineless boats (such as the Pardey's ). Also, there were numerous drawings of hatches, etc of several different length boats. Linda has been including these so people can see the various designs and choose what they like for their build.

Eric

[paladin]

Lyle Hess included them with the plans set as he used hatch drawings etc for more than one boat......

[Thad Van Gilder]

Nanoose,
It's too bad you are on the left coast. IVY is a real 1923 Bristol Channel cutter, and she is always ready for a sail.

-Thad

[Nanoose]

No, Thad...it's too bad you're on the right coast!...because 'left is best' (have you seen where we get to cruise??!?!! Amazing!).

[Sea Smoke]

Several years ago, I was nosing around Rockport Marine and was enthralled by a Hess 34' cutter that they were building, a beautiful creation in wood. I'm surprised that the owner could remove my drool stains from it. I've always liked Hess' designs, and own a modest one, albeit in FG, a Montgomery 17. Hess had a good feel for what made a boat perform well and his aesthetics are pleasing to my eye.

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

Thad, where on the "right" coast are you. I've always wanted to sail on an authentic BCC :-)

[Thad Van Gilder]

I am just inland of Ocean City, New Jersey, in Somer's Point.

This summer I'll be on the Chesapeake, though. you sailing down that way, Michael?


-Thad

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

Thad, actually hoping to go in the opposite direction this summer, up to Maine if I can get the time. However, a drive down to the Chesapeake some time isn't out of the question. Any boat shows you're planning to attend down there?

:-)

[Thad Van Gilder]

um.... I run band camp in August, so I think I will miss the one in st michael's


I don't know of any other ones.


-Thad