Beachcomber Alpha Dory, Swampscott Dory, Build

[Daniel Noyes]

Hi all
I have just begun a Alpha/Beach build and can already see what a special boat this is.
We are building in Marine ply.
I am working straight from Gardners drawings, minimal lofting.
The bottom has been cut to shape. The frames are cut and glued together and we are hoping to get them and the stem and transom screwed to the bottom and ready to go on the building bed by this weekend.
Will post photos soon.
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[TerryLL]

I am so totally jealous! The Beachcomber-Alpha was my dream boat 40 years ago, but I built Gardner's modified 16' Swampscott instead, due to shop space limitations (actually my ex's cramped basement). Have built two other dories since, but that B-A makes my heart thump every time think about it. Keep the pics flowing.

[Daniel Noyes]

Hmmm a basement...that could pose a problem!
I can sympathize with you on the space issue, I'm building in a shop 10'x20' yes the doors are open and the stem is sticking about 3' out. I have my machines on wheels so I can roll them out side to handle akward sized materials.
Yesterday we got the centerboard, rudder cut to shape and the frames stem and transom knee attached to the bottom, the finished assembly with transom attached is called the "skillet"
I hope to have the garboards and a couple planks on by sunday evening.
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[TerryLL]

The build in the ex's basement truly cemented our disunion. I'm currently in a 24' x 36' shop with 16' ceiling, 12' garage door, 220 power. Heaven on Earth!

I had planned to start on a Caledonia Yawl in October, but all this talk about the Alpha-Beach has me thinking in that direction. I've been following the Alpha-Beach threads in the Designs/Plans section, and I'm eager to seen what Clint comes up with for an alternate rig. All my sailing experience has been in dories, on the salt, from Seattle to Southeast Alaska. The big lakes here in N. Idaho are pretty darn placid compared to the outer Pacific Coast, lots of calm, lots of light air, so I'm looking for a fairly big sail plan that can be quickly shortened down.

[rdrishel]

Thought I was posting a picture of my dory but this is the best I can do for now. I will keep trying.

[rdrishel]

Look at that I posted the pic ture twice. The learning curve is steep.

[rdrishel]

This may be the best photo so far.
[IMG]http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2376/10382833/18599627/294287532.jpg[/IMG]

[rdrishel]

[rdrishel]

Well would you look at that. Thorne will be proud of me. Unfortunately I do not have any of the boat in the water. Maybe one day I can have a chase boat. This boat is as close to Gardners as I could make it. It has a cypress bottom, natural crook live oak frames, douglas fir planking and cb box, mahoghany cb, and douglas fir spars.
hope this helps you in your build.

[Thorne]

Gooooood Forum member -- give yourself a donut!

;0 )

How's about some pics of the interior, Cyberdude? Sounds lovely.

Also you can go to any of your previous posts and click the EDIT button on the lower right, which allows you to edit pics, improve spelling, and otherwise change history -- I use it all the time (particularly the spelling bit).

[TerryLL]

Hey, nice dory. Get that puppy in the water so you can tell us how she behaves.

By the way, my sincere condolences on your storm damage. I spent 4 years at Biloxi in the early 70's, owned a home in Gulfport. I hunkered down for two or three small blows, but never went through anything like Katrina. The pictures were terrible. Hope your losses were not too dear.

[rdrishel]

Terry,
Thanks for the kind words. Had four feet of water in the house and church I pastor was wiped out. Has been a long three years. Saltwater flood does intereesting things to high quality hand tools. I have sailed the boat. I spent ten years building and it is about five years old now. It is really alot of fun and is quick in all kinds of ways. I tried to gently warn our friends in the forum that the rig is well suited to the boat as Gardner drew it. I have yet to take a an overnight adventure but I have aspirations for this fall if we have no more catastrophic disruptions.
Awhile back I posted inquiries about dory ballast as suggested by
Gardner but have since decided that it is just fine the way it is. The only problem I have is that the boat really needs to live in a wet place. It dries out real quick sitting on a trailer.
The folks in the northeast can go by mystic seaport and see an original in their collection.
Thanks for the interest and I will do as Thornes suggests and try to get some interior shots. Not too close because some of my gorilla work is not real attractive.
Rod

[TerryLL]

Rod,
I'd like to pick your brain about the rig. I notice that you've got a row of reef points in the main. I was under the impression that the traditional alpha-rigged dories were fairly difficult to reef. I can't remember seeing reef points in any other pics of this rig. Can you tell me how easily or effectively the main is to reef. Have you had the opportunity to put in a reef while bouncing about in a sudden squall?

Gardner speaks highly of the alpha rig, but mentions that other rigs are worth considering. I'm a strong believer in a rig that can be easily and quickly shortened, and I had ruled out the alpha rig for that reason.

[Daniel Noyes]

Rod I am also interested in how the reef works. I also like the ability to shorten sail, Im not sure it would be a big issue on the rig Gardner has included with the plans as the area is small to begin with, Gardners #s for the Alpha rig are 15' on the hoist and 15' on the foot, a sunfish sail is 14' X 14' thats on a 14' sunfish and the Alpha is 21' and 5' wide !! The sailing grounds Marble Head) of the original Alphas are known for great wind so I think the rig is very conservative to start, I get the impression that the rig would be managable in anything short of a gale. I plan on trying a sail 18' X 18' and see how it handles, will also include some flotation in the hull.
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[rdrishel]

I am sorry to say I have not tried the rig with the reef. I am not an experienced sailor nor rig designer so my opinion may not be worth much. I do know that when the breeze gets up the boat wants to heel over and I did on one occasion dip the rail. As you know the boats are very tender but stabilize well once heeled. The reef points are there because I sent the sail specs directly from the book to a sail maker and back it came with the reef points installed. I do know that increasing the sail area will increase mast length and that may create a new set of problems with the handling the rig. I am able to rig the boat by myself with the current set up. As Gardner says I could carry the rig home on my shoulder if I needed to.
All these questions are going to require a sailing trip with an eye to finding answers. I appreciate the motivation and will reef the main just to see how well it works. When I sail alone and need to move around the boat my weight shifting will send the boom swinging. It can be hairy. If I pull in the mainsheet to stop the boom the boat takes off sailing and I never get my lunch.
The shape of the sail allows headroom in the sternsheets but it makes the out haul a little awkward too.
I appreciate the interest and will let you know what the answers may be.
Rod

[rdrishel]

One more thing. My plan for shortening sail is to let the halyard go and sail with the foresail alone. Which is a lot more sedate pace if you don't mind the boom in your lap.

[TerryLL]

Dan,
How's the alpha-beach progressing? I'm eager to see some photos! I get the impression that your are setting up with frames and moulds, or perhaps just frames. I was thinking that the hull would be quicker to build and easier to plank with just moulds, with frames added after the hull is turned. I'm not sure frames are even required in this hull with glued-lap construction, maybe just one at the fwd end of the CB case. Lots of hulls that are built glued-lap do just fine without framing. Of course, having the boat look like a traditional dory is reason enough to put the frames in, even if they're not reguired for strength and stiffness.

[Daniel Noyes]

Hi all
the alpha is coming along, we had a big weekend, the Garboard and #1 planks are on and Ive got the next 3 sheets of ply scarfed and glued for the last 3 planks. The centerboard box is glued up and the rudder is ready to be epoxy coated and have steering yoke and hardware installed.
What a incredible boat, it is small for 21', so long and narrow, delicate, it really is a typical 18' working dory streached!
Jole and I are pushing the build, he is hopeing to finish the boat for the Small Reach Regatta... well see... thats Aug 14!
Rod, how straight was your #3 plank?, the one after the first nuckle and just below the sheer plank.
Terry I am building the dory like we did at Lowells using traditional process but cutting everything out of ply. there are no moulds just the 4 sawn frames of 3/4" ply. epoxied, sanded and painted these frames will look like the original hackmatack grown crook frames.
Im taking photos, try and get them up tomorrow.
Dan

[rdrishel]

Dan,
Sorry to say my memory is fuzzy on some of the details but I remember being relieved that one plank did not need to be so wide. It took me about five years to do what you have done in a week. I worked alone and riveted the planks as I went along. I just remember that I busted alot of lumber in the process of fitting the planks.
I had/have the same impression of it being a really small big boat. It is big sitting in the shop but crowds up when you get all your gear aboard. I would love to have seen how a fisherman used them back in the day. I hope you get the pics posted. I thought for years I was the lone looney to try to build one of these.
Rod

[Daniel Noyes]

Hi all
finally a few photos. Jole has the ones of the bare building bed so starts with the skillet almost complete, frames, stem but no stern. the last photo has the garboard and #1 instaled, ive since got #2 & 3 on hoping for 4 towmorrow, see if time permits.
Dan
more photos + a recent session with the Ipswich Bay 18 in a local creek at http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[TerryLL]

Dan,
Thanks for the pics. Looks like you are seriously space-challenged, but looking good nonetheless. I'm surprised to see you building ply-lap right side up......be curious to hear your thoughts on that decision. Keep the pics flowing.

[Daniel Noyes]

Hi all
wanted to update, we just pulled the hull out of the shop about an hour ago, got the rails and seat risers cut out today and the sheer planks on also lots of clinch nailing done and the seat stock cut and planed to thickness. the boat looks great with that pronounced sheer and #3 strake, a little hollow to the forward sections and tumble home in the sheer strake at the stern really pretty and very light so far.
Ill post photos soon
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[Daniel Noyes]

rails on, rudder and yoke assembled, working on hardware, seats done ready to go in, need to sand interior, prime and flip over to glass bottom.
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[rdrishel]

Sounds good. You must be setting a record for build time!!!

[TerryLL]

Dan,

I don't mean to be critical here, but you started this build, what, two weeks ago? I'm real happy if I can get a boat done in a year. You're making us all look like lazy butts. More pics please.

[Daniel Noyes]

hi guys
fiberglassed the dory today, sanding towmorrow and hopefully some primer by thursday! Im really crankin on this thing, pound it out.
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[Daniel Noyes]

http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[Bill Perkins]

Here's another Beachcomber with reefpoints .



It looks like she's got a topping lift . This can be rigged so the boom can be topped up tight against the mast with the sail brailed up in the lift .

[Clinton B Chase]

Bill, Great shot. We just took the Compass Project Alpha-Beach for a row with my 3 1/2 year old...major flood tide to row against coming back with a dirty bottom then the little guy bit his tongue and got upset just as we were going under I295 where the current was strongest and the wind came up against us! But it was a great outing!

Each time I take a crew of kids or the family out I have a fresh thought about the boat and how to make it good for a recreational sail-and-oar boat. Tonight's thought was, "this is a lot of boat for two parents and a little kid to take out" but part of that was rowing against adverse conditions and a bottom that I am quite sure is covered with goo. But docking it alone (Mom jumps out with the kid, I am solo) is tricky to in wind and current. Calm, no problem. Another recent thought was that the 2nd to aftmost rowing thwart is the perfect place to row the boat solo (no ballast or other crew inside). This allowed me to fix it's location in my drawings and draw everything around it. That leads me to another latest thought: I hade planned on putting in a 104 SF balance lugsail that I intend to build as part of a skiff project and using a leg-o-mutten sprit mizzen back aft. Total SA is about 130SF.

So the BIG question will be, is this enough sail area to drive this boat...the original main was about 115 and the jib 20...the drive came from the main however, a lug of 104 may be able to generate the drive of a 115 SF dory sail...I don't know, but can use some thoughts. I'd like to draw out all possibilities. I'll scan in and post the latest sail plan tomorrow.

(I wonder how much SA they had above!)

Cheers,
Clint

[Daniel Noyes]

great shot Bill
I wish we had a photo from a fewmunites later after they tied in a reef so we could see how it worked!
Hope to post a few photos of sailing on the small reach next week.
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[Clinton B Chase]

Well, I have to say I think I've pretty weel nailed down the sail plan (maybe within a fw square feet), but I look at this and want one with an original rig! My initial plan was to have the two rigs interchangeable but realized that to optimize mine, I had to change a lot.

Clint

[Bill Perkins]

Talking about docking single handed ; maybe the boat is big enough to benefit from a midship cleat ,or at least a bit of line secured to the framing there .When docking my 24 footer alone I sometimes find it handy to first secure a breast line when wind or tide is pushing her off (I've got a cleat ) . Then I can secure bow and stern line at my leisure .

I envy you your sailing waters ; sounds like fun .

[Daniel Noyes]

Hi guys
well we had the Alpha up ath the small reach regatta and got some great sailing in. when she came home we finished painting her and fitting out. I just posted a few videos of the finished Beachcomber-Alpha "Spear" sailing on her home waters in Newbury Ma. The boat is done now to build a proper sailing rig...
I have taken her out three times, a sail from Newbury to Gloucester for the schooner races, too much wind, last Sunday when we shot the video, and Monday, just enough wind to get back to the beach.
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[Daniel Noyes]

I really can see why John Gardner included the Chamberlain designed Beachcomber-Alpha in not one but two of his ground breaking books on traditional small craft, the ultimate sail and oar boat.
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com

[wtarzia]

Beautiful! Explain how that jib works, have always been curious. The mainsail with its upswept boom (which is pretty close to a Polynesian "oceanic sprit" sail, just an observation) has decreased sail area just where the jib has its growing sail area -- seems like the draft off the jib is going to affect a comparatively small part of the mainsail. I'm sure it works, because why else would people use it for so long, I just wonder that it does, very much. -- Wade