Steve Redmond Flapjack questions

[Roy Morford]

I've been studying the Flapjack plans and just realized how little freeboard this boat has. OK for rowing but is it enough for sailing? Unless it's sailed upright I can imagine water coming aboard with anything more than a gentle heel. Has anyone had experience sailing a Flapjack? I love the design and I want a relatively light boat but may have to start thinking of another design with a little more freeboard. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[potomac]

Your concerns have been stated before, IIRC. The proportions of that boat are really nice for such a simple, flat-bottomed design. One idea that I have considered was trying to build the Goat Island Skiff, but with lapstrake sides assembled on the ground before going up. Mik has dismissed the idea as being overly-complicated and actually accentuating the slab-sidedness, but I'm a sucker for those lines and I think it goes a great distance towards giving Redmond's designs some grace. The Goat is a well-proven design, lightweight, and has been used in all sorts of conditions. The details of how Redmond lays out the planks on the ground are probably worth the cost, even if you don't build the boat, but apply them elsewhere.

[Sgali]

Have you looked at a Bay River Skiff from B&B .

http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/brs.htm

BTW. I added decks and bulkheads to my Whisp for dryness, storage,bouyancy and strength. Not exactly what Mr Redmond had in mind, but I would take this boat just about anywhere. Makes a terrific beach cruiser and looks cool too.

[Roy Morford]

I have plans for the Whisp also. A very nice design and little more curve in the stem makes it very attractive.

Since my first post I've been sketching (actually more like doodling) and I've decided to combine several ideas from a number of plans to come up with what I want. To start with it will have a couple more inches of freeboard. Then I plan to make the sides more rounded rather than the slab sides. I know it's more work but then my last build was an Acorn 15 so only three strakes and a flat bottom should be a breeze to build. I will also add watertight compartments front and back, carefully sized for some things I might want to take along (such as a cooler). And, finally, I plan to use a balanced lug because I think it looks cool and also for ease of handling.

I'll start a new thread once I've started and have something to show.

[potomac]

Oh, you are planning something way more complicated than I originally thought. In that case... I'd throw Arch Davis into the mix. Sand Dollar and especially the Penobscot 14 and 17 are beautiful.
http://www.archdavisdesigns.com/davis2.html

Ross Lillistone too. Periwinkle and Phoenix III are lovely.

http://www.baysidewoodenboats.com.au/

None of those are flat bottomed. It seems like curved hull shape to flat bottom wouldn't be any easier than just curved hull shape, but maybe easier to trailer?

How do you like your Acorn? I think that boat is a knockout.

[Roy Morford]

I love my Acorn. The lines are beautiful and she rows like a dream. This time around I want what I believe is sometimes called a beach cruiser. Something that sails reasonable well, rows nicely, will carry two easily and has a flat bottom for easy beaching. I don't like the slab sides of the Goat Island skiff which is why I was drawn to the Flapjack, Whisp and Laughing Gull, whose sides, though essentially flat, have the illusion of something more complex because of the overlapping strakes. I've also looked at John Welsford's Joansa and a bunch of others. All have something I like but none quite fits the bill. Hence trying to come up with my own design. I've never tried this before so it should be fun. I'll keep you posted.

[Hunky Dory]

I just built a Flapjack and the sides are not built flat on the floor but built one plank at a time on a mold. I have done limited sailing as the water has been cold since completion. The times I did use the sail it seemed very stable even when healed. There is a fair amount of flare to the hull and I havn"t taken any water over the side yet. I am about 225 lbs. and can stand on one side of the floor without taking water also.

[verbooten]

I built one ten years ago and still own my Flapjack. I love it. I don't have tons of experience in other boats, but I can attest to only sipping in a bit of water in very high winds and I had to work to make it happen, just to see if I could. It is a fun and very stable boat. Hope this helps.

Ben

[Roy Morford]

Thanks for all the comments. It's good to know how it behaves in real life as opposed to my imagination. I think I'll stick with the basic Flapjack design but still with a few minor mods. And I apologize in advance to all those who feel the designer knows best and fiddling with things can only make it worse. My name is Roy and I'm a boat design fiddler. There, I said it.

[stromborg]

I sail mine in the expansive but protected waters of Eagle Harbor so we haven't seen much wave action. The winds tend to be fluky, she's heel over pretty far without taking any water over the sides. If I were going to venture much beyond the mouth of the harbor, I'd definitely want to install some positive floatation.

Steve