Melonseed plans

[Bellywamper]

Sep/Oct issue inspired me to take the "go for it" step. Bought the plans from Mystic. Not much info in the 3 sheets of paper. Only one had info on shape. Not good enough for a first time builder, anyway. Suggestions. Alternative plans. WB did not provide enough profiling info for me to know which to get. Wasted 40 bucks on the Mystic venture. Beautiful boat. BrianR is doing a great job with the Barto plans out of Smithsonian?

Don

[ion barnes]

I prefer the John Brady design myself.

[Ocean Spray]

John Brady Design?

[McB]

Don;
I like the John Brady design also. On page 54 of WB #180 it says that the plans are avialible through the Independence Seaort Museum. My son choose this design for his first boat. They do not have the plans listed on thier web-site, but my son will be calling them on Monday. I'll post what we find out.

Pat

[Steve Lansdowne]

As you have learned, not all plans contain the same level of detail. I have the Barto plans from WB and these are fairly detailed. 10 pages of plans with full size patterns for molds, stem, transom, tiller/rudder connection, and boom jaws. Also 2 pages of 30 steps in the construction sequence. These are plenty detailed, though if you've never built a boat before and haven't done a lot of reading or class-taking, you might want to start with a boat that has a "how to build" book or video to accompany it, such as the boats designed by Arch Davis or one of the boats featured in one of WB's how to build books.

[Wild Dingo]

What Steve said!!!

Some of them old fellas plans were NOT drawn for us amatures by gar! a few sheets to get yer started and then your on yer own me ol china!

cause some of them ol fellas also did them in weird scales to just to screw everyone but the "diehard do at any cost" fellas such as Art ...but for most some designs are best left to the frame hangin on above the bar ... beautiful but a way lotta nightmares workin out just what the old {now long dead} buggar meant! 2 of the worst I found were from the one ol fella where one was in such an obscure scale I had connipshuns tryin to work it out! {Art worked it out for his build but couldnt remember how!} the other was the lack of construction drawings for one Schooner named Fame everything else Thad got from the Peabody but that one dagnabital flamin sheet... ah well we used some good ol injenhooity and got that sheet from another of his 40ft schooner designs just not Fame so a tad different

Gotta also remember that many of the old fellas designed for professional yards... you know them fellas that KNOW everything about everything about everything and do it every day? them blokes so they didnt need to add too much detail the fellas at the boat yard KNEW already what was wanted

[ 11-14-2004, 11:19 PM: Message edited by: Wild Dingo ]

[ion barnes]

Re. Different scales. Thats why I advocate the photocopier technique. You sit down with the pocket calculater and quickly determine the enlargement or reduction to get a common scale and then enlarge from there an amount that gives you a decent working size as in 1 1/2" to the foot or the equivalent in metric. From there, you can draw your full size patterns for molds, you already know the spacing, so stand them up. Want ribbands? make it so!

Over the next month I am hoping to be happily making a model of a Crandall Flyer from plans that originated in Mechanics Illustrated, that mmd shot over to me. Those had to be expanded by 231%. It was not difficult, and cost me less than $5 for paper and an hour of my time in the store

[garland reese]

If you have a look at the Melonhead website, there is a set of pictures of a Devlin Zephyr. It is not a bad looking boat..... I think the guy who built it used the Crawford sail and spars.

[BrianR]

I purchased the Melonseed plans from our host. They were the most comprehensive set I could find. I wouldn't say I'm an accomplished builder either. I put together a Kayak from a kit provided by CLC, and I've put together a small pram using the ultralight method promoted by Geodesic, but that's it. So far, its not been a problem. Of course, I get lots of help from this group, and I paid a visit to Roger Crawford, and studied the boat whenever I could lay my eyes on it.

The John Brady boad is a beauty too. I took a couple of classes with John in his shop at the museum. Great teacher, great class, but I found the classes to be boat building in the "traditional" method. That method is not nearly as time friendly as I would require given I can only work an hour here, and and hour there, when my wife, kids, and work are not taking my time.

John's seed is longer than the 13 foot barto plans. In keeping with the "less is more" philosophy, and being realistic about my kids participation when I sail, I opted for the smaller craft.

I'm not an accomplished sailer either. I can move around in a sunfish quite well, but that's it. One of the reasons I chose the seed is because of its stability, and the sailing characteristics which I've only read about to date.

Anyway, good luck.

Anyway, best of luck to you.

[Philip Maynard]

I have seen the Zephyr plans, I would say the outstanding virtue of the design is ease of construction. The drawback is by moving the mast back and then the centerboard back the forward cockpit is bisected by the daggerboard case which is just where you would sit a passenger. It would be narrow on each side of the case, during tacking they would have to get over or around the case while the boom goes over their head. What would be interesting is if someone modified the zephy, - moved the mast forward as in the original, kept the centerboard or went back to a daggerboard but either way moved it forward out of the cockpit. Then you would have most of a melonseed with the least amount of effort, (apart from the modifications which usually require effort out of proportion to the change). There was an additional drawback to that design which is the plywood frames run across the floor. The other melonseeds have unobstructed floors.

[ion barnes]

Bump. Hey Pat McB? Did you hear from your son yet?

[McB]

Ion,
He called the museum twice, actually the store. They have never returned his call yet.
I will try them myself and see if I get through and post what I find later today.
Pat

[McB]

Ion;
I spoke to a human at the museum (or a very intuitive computer) she transfered me to the store. This "person" transfered me to the shop. At the shop I lost all contact with a human again. I left a message and hope that they will get back to me.
Pat

[ion barnes]

Any news Pat?

[McB]

Ion;
The last time I tried to call them was just before Thanksgiving. I have left them my E-mail address, cell phone and land line numbers, but haven't heard a thing.
My son ordered plans from the Stevens project people for a Sun-Fish type sail boat. We figured it would be a simple and fun first project for him. I think it is important that he succeed on the first project.
I probably wont try again until after the new year. If I hear anything I will post it.
Pat

[Steve Lansdowne]

There is a Devlin Zephyr on e-bay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW

[calebgrimshaw]

If you are looking for plans-check out the "RoRo" a seaford skiff at Mystic Seaport. Seaford Skiffs and Melonseeds are virtually identical. I have a particular affection for the RoRo, she was my sister's boat and I learned to sail on her.

[Steve Paskey]

I have a set of the RoRo drawings from Mystic. (They're #76.149, two sheets with lines, offsets, and a sail plan, but few construction details.)

She's a beautiful boat, and it must have been a joy to sail her. I'd love to hear more about the history, both before and after your sister acquired her.

[ 01-15-2005, 08:08 PM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[qm]

I believe, if my memory serves me, that the best plans for this and associated designs like the sneakbox, come from Howard Chappelle's Small American Sailing Craft. If you build the similar sneakbox( I have two old hulls in my shed) you can go see them being built in Barnaget Bay,NJ. I don't believe in these boughten plans. QM

[David Toner]

I found the Barto plans very complete and easy to follow. I built the 16' version and find it a very pretty shape. I only came across a few details which I felt were confusing. I am building a second one for a friend now. Good luck to you.