Bought Boat - need advice

[Patric]

Hi all, hope to get a few ideas from you concerning this little project!
I recently acquired this Benford designed semi-finished 30ft sailing dory. Read some of the usual books e.g. Ted Brewer, Dave Gerr, Pardey, Roth, Bolger and- quite obviously- Annie Hill.
As I just mentioned Tin Hau requires some finishing, both in- and outside. Installing bilge pumps might be a good start before going anywhere ;)
However there are two problems that I haven't been able to solve yet. Number one certainly is the cockpit (or lack of) design. Guess I could just cut the deck aft and build a snug deep cockpit. On the other hand a 'flush deck' design may have its advantages and a proper cockpit would have to be made self bailing.
Number two on my list and closely related would be the outboard setup. I definetly like the idea of using an o/b but as it is the open well would create a lot of resistance (and possibly lots of fun when pounding)! But since the well is also open on top, as to let the exhaust fumes out and fresh air in, it would again have to be made self bailing.

Cruising area will be estuary and costal waters with some offshore capability so seaworthiness is of concern.

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/4562/image059mn1.jpg

The cockpit:

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3681/image053nu1.jpg

outboard accomodation:

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/9441/image041oq1.jpg

not to scale sketch:

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/8007/thsketchmz6.jpg



Thanks for your help!

Patric

[Ian McColgin]

I'd keep this little jewel as designed. The boat is designed to be runnable from safety below when it's really stinky and dangerous on deck and you need the reserve bouyancy. When it's nicer, the flush afterdeck is a lovely hangout.

On the motor well, you may find that you have to be careful the keep the motor small enough that you don't have hydrodynamic problems for the cooling water intake. The exhaust through the hub should be fine. You may also find it well to force more air down there, don't know. Mostly, don't use the motor much.

Great choise. G'luck

[JimD]

Its quite common to attach a plate onto the outboard motor shaft to plug the hole and keep water from backing up into the well, thereby eliminating a lot of the resistance. As for the cockpit you wouldn't need much of one. A foot well a couple feet by a couple feet might do, maybe.

Outboard motor looks like this:

http://atomvoyages.com/images/OutboardWell09kb54.jpg

http://atomvoyages.com/projects/outboard.htm

[mike hanyi]

a plug to fill the hole when sailing is good advice.

another which I also just used is DO NOT go make major changes for the rest of the season, let the boat teach you why things are arranged the way they are, then after the boat is pulled you can rethink your new ideas.

just last year I got a little 15 footer that had so much spagehtti and camcleats that I was ready to start ripping it apart before sailing it. after 2 months my list of changes went way down. I figured out that the spar was way too heavy which causes the bow to go down and slow the boat.

reshape the bow? well first I will make a lighter stick and then see what is next.

patience

[JimD]

DO NOT go make major changes for the rest of the season, let the boat teach you why things are arranged the way they are

Yeah. Looking again at where a cockpit might go it's possible one reason there isn't one is because from a cockpit visibility might be very limited. Its nice to be able to see where you're going.

[Andrew]

Why not contact Benford with your questions?

[Patric]

Thanks for the suggestions, especially the one to refrain myself from pulling everything apart! Know exactly what you mean.

What concerns me about the current cockpit layout is that I'll be very exposed when I have to get out in rough weather. Windvanes for example can fail, making it necessary to steer by hand which unfortunately cannot be done from within. Though a fully protectet internal helm à la Galway Blazer would be charming.
However a more conventional cockpit won't do either as JimD pointed out it would leave the helmsman, which would be me, without good all round vision. I will need something to sit on though as steering from the cockpit sole isn't an ideal position exactly! Perhaps using spare battens or oars as backrest might be an option?
This is where I got the inspiration from:

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/5186/ccbhy1.jpg

(customised cornish crabber)

As for the outboard (thanks for bringing atom's voyages up, one of my favourite sites!), yes fitting some sort of plug/flaps will solve the hydrodynamic problems. Since the opening is well under the waterline it'll be constantly filled with water and provide no buoyancy at all. Leaves me feeling a bit uneasy if you know what I mean. The entire o/b motor well is however properly insulated from the rest of the boat so might be ok. Currently there's a Tohatsu 4 stroke 6HP on board. Seems a bit weak to me as the Humber runs at 6 knots and Jay Benford also recommends 9HP, but I'll leave that to field experiments.

This is what it looks like from the inside:

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/184/image024if2.jpg

There's a little opening behind the companionway ladder, perhaps I'd better make that water proof. The holes to both sides of the ladder lead aft (the second one is obscured by what the plans call the loo but since it's unfinished and I much prefer the bucket and chuck it method it`ll probably just be a wet locker). Not sure about that either. At least the one to the starboard side is where the sink should be. Means finding yet another clever solution or live without a sink. Hmmm. :rolleyes:

Patric

[Mrleft8]

Sell boat. Run away.... ;)