Weekender Transom + Modifications

[SeaEagle]

Hi I've been reading this forum for sometime now and congrats to the contributors - it's a great resource. I'm building a Weekender from Stevenson Projects (A good first 'whole boat' project for me). I've fixed up a couple of boats in the past but this is my first boat from scratch.

I wanted to build a character boat (the weekender fits) good for the lakes around where I live and something that isn't too expensive to learn as I go (i.e. stuff-ups shouldn't cost too much in the scheme of things).

I plan to do one or two things differently - mainly as an opportunity to try/master a few of the techniques I need for a larger project I have in mind.

I would like to make some modifications to remove some of the ply-box characteristics of the boat. the chines at the waterline provide quite a bit of the performance for the boat so I don't want to change those - but I have thought about rounding out the transom - increasing the rake from the waterline and increasing the size of the deck on top of the lazerette at the stern.

I am considering laminating up the transom with some Vic Ash that I have from a previous project, and leaving it bright.

My question (finally) - As these changes are all above the waterline, will they adversely change the performance of the boat. Will they change the centre of balance(?) etc.

Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

[dale o]

I'd recommend that you go to the Back Yard Yacht Builders forum at www.byyb.org/forums/. (http://www.byyb.org/forums/.) This group has built dozens of these boats and have discussed every kind of modification to them you can dream up. The designer reports that hundreds of these boats have been built. The current design is based on a "continuous improvement" type of development. There are many builders with their own websites and posted photos listed. These boats were designed for simplicity in building, but it seems that almost every builder also wants to "modify" the design.
By the way, the current issue of WATERCRAFT magazine features the Weekender in the Grand Design section, along with Iain Oughtred's latest design, "Haiku", a 30 foot double ended sharpie.
Best wishes...

[Charlie J]

for a much more open group of Weekender builders, try-
http://www.messing-about.com/forum/

and go to the main forum. This is the group that got tired of the "stuff" at BYYB and splintered off.