Bolger Bobcat oars or Sharpie or Peapod?

[Brian Kelly]

I found a Bolger Bobcat for sale, and could not resist the great craftsmanship and traditional gaff rig.

However, after my first sail, I lack some confidence in the ability of the electric trolling motor to bring me home should I want to venture into Lake St Clair. I am considering putting some oarlocks on her, combining them with seats that would make sitting on the coaming more comfortable. The seating position will be a bit cramped, but it an pinch it may work. A gas motor didn't strike me as practical.

Before I risk the beautifull lines of the boat, I am seeking the wisdoom of this forum to see if the idea is practical at all.

Or should I keep the Bobcat for daysailing on smaller lakes, and add to the fleet a Bolger Peapod (more row than sail) or a sharpie like the 14' Reuel Parker design. How stable would the sharpie be in comparison to the Bobcat under sail?

Can you raise and drop the rig in a Bolger Peapod or sharpie while afloat?

If not, can you row either of these craft into the wind without being an olymic athelete?

Most of my time sailing the last few years have been on schooners. Capsizing or rowing isn't much of a concern on a 72 ton vessel. My small boat experience is an Optimist pram (amazingly stable for a 140 lbs guy) and the Bobcat. I look forward to input from others for next summers boating plans.

Brian

[Thorne]

One of the Bobcats that was for sale was listed with a 2hp outboard -- that sounds a lot more practical than trying to row a boat that wide and with that much windage.

Alternately you could go with a two-battery trolling motor setup, which should get you back home rather slowly as long as you don't go more than a few miles from the dock. Cost might be close to that of an outboard, depending on what you have already.

My experience with sailboats is that they don't row worth a damn -- only good in places with no wind and for short distances, or where motors are not allowed. Otherwise just get a stainless steel adjustable motormount and carry the outboard.

[maa. melee]

Just a hunch here but are those Bobcats notorious for having bad seating arangements? This might add to the frustration of rowing too. A wide boat is hard to row and will swing way too easily. However, the amply keel of the Bobcat (no CB or DB) might save you on this. I'd second Thorne's idea of having a good trolling motor or a few horses of gas OB to putt putt you home. The Bobcat is a small boat, and like any small boat, should be used in protected waters in the safest of manners. Stay safe, always.

[Brian Kelly]

I had thought of a second battery, and that certainly would be an elegant solution. The expectation is to sail back close the launch site, then maneuver, or motor back in a calm.

The gas motor vibration and the 1/4" ply transom seemed like a precarious combination (all inutition speaking). Also, 30 lbs at the far back corner was enough to upset the balance of the boat a bit. The battery for the trolling motor is near the mast, and the trolling motor can easily be removed until needed.

Seating options are limited, but I found the aft seat comfortable facing forward. I need to make a new tiller that will allow it to pass above my thigh to make this position more practical.

I have done some sea kayaking. After paddling for a while, the urge to put up sail is strong. I want to sneak up into the small bays of Lake St Clair (like Muskemoot) but be safe as well.

I think you have already confirmed the voices in my head that the Bobcat is a great small lake daysailer. But more distant adventures require greater seaworthiness. like perhaps the peapod? (Bolger's can be rowed swamped, and the sprit sail rig looks like it stores aboard).

Thanks for such fast input!

Brian

[maa. melee]

Another note: The Bolger Bobcat is also know as the Tiny Cat. This might help you find some articles on it. Take a look at your library for Build the Instant Catboat

[Jim Budde]

Brian .. consider sculling your little Bobcat .. stand in the stern, sing some Italian melodies and , as bob's your uncle , off you'll go. That's the way I get around on mine when the wind dies down ... made an oar from some old ash I had laying around; installed a very simple temporary wooden oar lock I affix to transom when needed.

[Brian Kelly]

How long is the oar that you scull with? Do you have the oarlock centered or off to one side? It sounds like a great back up plan. If the battery dies I won't feel helpless.

Brian

[mcdenny]

Hey Brian, you can walk home from lots of those places in lake St Clair!

Seriously, have you tried a different prop on your trolling motor? If you are running a 12v motor a second battery will give you more than double the range but no more speed. Also note, a fresh deep cycle battery, properly charged, can have a lot more power than and old one your cousin gave you. I would think a fresh, decent size (50-60 lb) battery would run your motor for 60 to 90 minutes, more if you throttle back. 4 or 5 miles ought to be doable. If its windy you can sail back.

Those motors are designed for 2000 lbs bass boats. The resistance of the bobcat may be so slight that the motor is not pulling near its rated amps. (Volts x amps / 746 = hp.) More pitch will load the motor more increasing amps. I've seen an aftermarket prop from Kiowah but can't find it on the web right now. I'm probably not remembering the name exactly right.

[Jim Budde]

Oar lock is on starboard side .. convenient for me because I am right handed. Boat (w/oar) is in a barn south of town. I will measure it this weekend and send you the dimensions

[Brian Kelly]

Jim, that would be great! No hurry on the dimensions. I like the idea. Maybe the trolling motor will be the backup!

[ErikH]

You can always use a sculling oar, They're fun and work well on larger boats.

[Jim Budde]

Brian

Went to the country and measured my sculling oar for the bobcat .. it is just a tad over 8 ft long with a rather thin blade. My oar lock is right of center over transom ... if you can find the following magazine articles, you'll get a lot of information on (a) sculling and (b) making oars appropriate for sculling small boats.

Sculling,Parts I and II by Ben Fuller in Small Boat Journal #45 Oct/Nov 1985 and #46 Dec/Jan 1986.

With a little practice you can get in and out of tight spots with ease .. going forward and going backward.

[johnw]

That 14' sharpie should row far better, and the rig is light enough to be easily removed by one person with a moderately bad back. I owned the 18' version of this boat at one time.

[Brian Kelly]

Thanks Jim. The ideas that modify the boat the least are the ones I want to try first. On my to do list is create a sculling oar. I'm thinking I might just be able to create one that is curved to fit up into the bow and tuck out of the way along the side of the floor boards. Maybe a nine foot oar would be practical this way. It would come straight out of storage and over the stern. I'll let you know how it works.

Brian

[Alan_Speakman]

Hi Brian,

You initially asked, "Or should I keep the Bobcat for daysailing on smaller lakes, and add to the fleet a Bolger Peapod (more row than sail) or a sharpie like the 14' Reuel Parker design. How stable would the sharpie be in comparison to the Bobcat under sail?"

I'd vote for the addition of a Peapod in your fleet... Here's my reasoning...

• First, as the old addage goes, the best way to mess up a good boat design is to try to make the craft do something it wasn't intended to do in the first place. Granted, there are obvious exceptions to this, but it's still something to keep in mind.
• Secondly, in his book, "Build the instant Catboat", Dynamite Payson mentions "wedging" his photographer into the craft... From all I've read and seen, it looks like the Bobcat is a single-person boat.
• Third, the stability is a consideration... Dynamite talks about rowing the boat standing up. There's got to be some stability there.
• Forth, I built and have used the Peapod... On the first time out, I think I rowed 10 miles in 6 hours with ease. And that's with a 350lb load in all kinds of winds and waves...
• Fifth, short of the Great Lakes in a real chop, I doubt that there's any lake that would scare me in the Peapod... I think Peter Spectre put it best in WoodenBoat issue 104, when he said that the Peapod has enough "oomph" to take you "...through the Cape Cod Canal no matter how strong the tidal current might be." I don't think I'd try that in a Bobcat.

Lastly, it gives you an excuse to build another boat!

Hope this helps,

Alan Speakman

[Brian Kelly]

Alan, I had come to that conclusion. I'm keeping my eye out for a used 'pod, as I also want to build a double paddle canoe for the tiny lake down the road, and figure that is more realistic for my time available. Especially working alone and planning ahead to turning the hull, working with epoxy and around my asthma.

Reading about all the boats, it is hard to weigh everything. I have to say the Bobcat is pretty in person, moreso than the pictures. But I did come to the conclusion during the first sail that there was no good place to put a passenger, especially when you factor in that they should be live ballast. Two people moving on a tack looks tricky.

The layout of the peapod opens up cockpit style for sailing. For knocking about, I am also a fan of a small rig. Less mass, less inertia, less lifting.

I started out looking for a boat with oars as propulsion, and I think the 'pod fit the bill better than the cat. Your email really mirrored my thoughts.

All that said, when I want to SAILING, the cat certainly was lively. And having sailed gaff rigged schooners for the last three years, the traditional looking gaff rig is just cool. I have a lake 1/2 hour from me that I'm told is the lake for small boat sailing. The cat might be perfect for it. And the sculling oar may prove to be at least a decent backup. It is hard to mount the trolling motor where the sheets don't tangle with it. I am lucky in that I got to try out a Bobcat without having to build it.

Fortunately I have room in my garage for both, and the canoe can fit in my basement.

Thanks for all the input.

Brian