Hi everyone!
I've been lurking on these forums for over two years now, and I still have tons of questions. A few years back I had decided to build a Welsford Navigator. I ordered the plans at about the same time my second daughter was born... so obviously I did not get very far. Now she's two and playing nicely with her older sister, which frees up some of my time. So I'm back reading these forums religiously and planning my build(s).
Here is the quick question, and I'll provide some details below if you want to keep reading: I'm now thinking about building Houdini instead of Navigator. Will I regret building the "smaller" Houdini to save a few $ on sails/rigging and hours of work vs. building the Navigator? How comparable or different are they?
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A few more long-winded details if you feel like reading on:
I'm looking for a 15ft and below daysailer that can carry 4 and camp 2, if needed. I like the possibility of sleeping aboard. Both Navigator and Houdini fit that bill very well. A few years back I liked Navigator's looks, so I bought the plans. These days however, I'm drawn towards Houdini's simplicity. It seems easier to build and sail, and it still fits my requirements. So I bought the plans as well.
I live in Quebec so I'll mostly sail nearby lakes, the St-Lawrence now and then, Lake Champlain in Vermont and (about as far into the future as I can see) maybe the Maine Island Trail.
I plan to build two boats. A small one that can sail two (at most) for weekend fun on smaller lakes, and a bigger one that I'd take out as needed, particularly as the girls get older. I'm already in the process of building the small one (a 9.5ft Nutshell Pram) in my basement. I realized recently it JUST won't clear a 90 degree turn to get it out of my basement, so I'm down to building as many parts as I can this winter and assembling them starting in April / May in my garage.
Winters here are LONG though, so I'll be out of parts to build for the Nutshell before I start assembling, which is why I thought about starting on my 2nd build as well (I wanted to do them back to back, but an overlap also makes sense in terms of materials). I just don't know which 2nd boat to choose. I'm hoping to sail the Nutshell by the middle / end of next summer if all goes according to plan. I don't expect to sail the bigger boat for another 4-5 years from now though. I thought maybe a Houdini would be doable a year faster (3 years vs. 4 for me, or faster if by some miracle I get more free time).
Houdini is "lighter" on paper, but needs some ballast, so they even out. Navigator is prettier, but more expensive (sails and rigging). I like Houdini's sleeping platform more than the typical Navigator configuration. Navigator recovers better from a capsize, though with the sails it might be a bit harder to right. Houdini might be "just enough" boat for my needs, I'm not sure I need the added benefits of the Navigator... but then again, when you've already invested that long into a project what's another year? The deck and coaming on both the Navigator and Houdini are particularly well suited for a tent.
3-4 years is a big investment in a project, and I'm getting cold feet. I had no problem settling on the Nutshell (I even ordered the sail kit before I ordered the plywood) but this 2nd boat is a tough one.
Thanks for reading this far! Yes, I do want to *build* a boat rather than buy or buy/restore a CL16 or something similar. I work in front of a computer all day and I *need* projects like this for my sanity. I have also considered other boats, Ilur was high on my list but rather too complex to build I thought. Many others were rejected based on lack of space for sleeping aboard / cruise camping flexibility. And I have google searched these forums and the archives to no end, I still can't decide... it sometimes makes it worse hehe. There aren't many 13ft to 17ft boats I haven't looked at in the past few months, and some of them are SO pretty it's hard to stay focused on what you really need vs. what you want (one of each, please!)
Thanks again for your input!