This is a link to a website called The Microship Project, in which a crazed geek named Steven Roberts expounds on the construction of a very interesting, albeit very nerdy, trimaran:
The author is some kind of crazed engineer, or perhaps mad scientist, who takes what should be a straightforward idea, like a recumbent bike or small multihull, and transmogrifies it Frankenstein-like into a human-machine hybrid bristling with electronics and clever mechanical gadgetry. If you are a geek like me, you will find the details fascinating, and perhaps even inspiring-- Mr. Roberts' treatise on cardboard-fiberglass composite construction led me to devise a simple treadmill desk, at which I am currently writing this very blog post (currently passing 4.3 miles).
Now, I know I posted previously about the evils of complexity. When & if I build a boat, it will have no systems more complex than can be repaired with duct tape and bailing wire. And possibly sugarless gum. But there is something deep inside of me that really gets off on triumphant engineering-- And this guy has done it in spades. The link I posted at the top discusses the engineering of the boat in great detail, and explains how & why everything was done. Even if you never try to build anything as wild as this trimaran, I feel that the thought process laid out on the site is worth viewing. The construction techniques are applicable to any boat construction project. And the boat itself is actually pretty cool.
For a while now, I have wanted to build a boat-- It's like this continuous background noise in my little brain. I am not quite ready to take the plunge and try and convince The Admiral to disburse funds, but the itch needs to be scratched. One thing I'm seriously tempted to try is to build a small experimental boat using the aforementioned cardboard composite construction. I love the idea of recycling a waste material, and the resulting structure can be made amazingly strong. Of course, I know that I'd be flying along at 12 knots out in the middle of the lake one day, hit a floating log or something, and be forced to try and make the shore before my paper boat dissolved around me. But The whole concept-- A carboard boat! Is just too cool to resist.
I have all kinds of goofy ideas regarding my dream boat, including a mini sampan, a HarryProa, and something like Tony Bigras' Miss Cindy. I think I could build something fairly cheaply out of cardboard as a proof of concept. Then I could take it to a local body of water and play with it, close to the shore, until I am satisfied that the concept is workable. Then I could remake the boat out of real boatbuilding materials (Home Depot plywood). I'll let you know if anything actually comes out of this lunacy. In the meantime, go check out the Microship project. It's some very cool stuff.
Here's a new 412-page book that is as close to a must-have reference book as there is for trailersailors and small-crafters. It's fresh off the presses and we're selling it through the magazine. —Eds
What appears to be a very well-designed power skiff offering remarkable performance in various conditions. Looks like they're coming aboard as advertisers. If you're interested take a peek at their website here.
So instead of doing all the outside work I should be doing...I'm messing around on the computer playing with the video camera Jo bought me for last Christmas! I know you work too hard so take another 10 minutes off and I'll show you how owning Dauntless has changed my life. She's showed me new places and made friends I would have never met. Next to marrying 'Jo I think she may have been the single best decision I've ever made!
Contributor Captain Howie has made a number of modifications or additions to his Sanibel 18 that should "maximize the years" he's able to use her. The premise: whatever is difficult today will be impossible tomorrow. He call's the process "geezerizing" the boat.
Received a note and interesting photos from small-boat sailor Dayton Altman. Posted here with his permission.—Eds
Craig, Josh,
Hope you and your families are well, in this economic tsunami.
Here on this side of the country they have really skinned the sheep, to put it nicely, but we're weathering well in this service based economy.
Great article in your last issue, the Howard Rice interview. I'm feeling his conflict on sailing offshore in a Typhoon, after sailing about 700 miles in our Typhoon in three years, mostly in Long Bay from Georgetown to Southport with one trip to Beaufort NC.
I believe in part three he'll mention the Typhoon with a 14-foot waterline to be too small a platform to be handled safely when leaving the cockpit, reefing, sail changes etc. I know this to be true especially after installing the dodger and bimini top, to be out of the sun and wind is important otherwise I'll end up like a giant cranberry after three weeks in the ocean.
There are about fifty things that can go wrong with the traditional rig. Carol Hasse suggested the strong track system with a new battened main and lazy jacks, a departure from the standard rig but I'll still be outside the cockpit.
This fall and winter I'll be installing a free standing cat ketch rig utilizing twin Hobie Bravo rigs with A-frames. The sails furl around a rotating mast, at 86 square feet each they can be furled from the cockpit in a seated position in about 10 seconds. Small offshore boat rigs tend to be odd looking; egregious is the word and easy furling is the game.
I know I'll be giving up windward performance with a twin rig, but with 15 gallons of fuel we'll have a 300 mile range, and by furling from the cockpit the chances of becoming shark doodoo are greatly reduced, compared to Howard's trip. I'll keep in mind, its only Bermuda!
Just got this question from the new owner of an American Fiberglass 16-foot daysailor...
I am hoping you can help me by answering my question or pointing me in the direction of someone who can. I recently purchased a 16’ 1975 American Fiberglass daysailer that has a water ballast system that I am not sure how to operate. The boat has a hole/plug in the lower transom and two hole/plugs in the cockpit. It would seem to me that I should open the plug in the transom and the plugs in the cockpit until water begins to come in the cockpit holes and then replace the plugs in all of the openings. This would fill the water tank and be certain the air was removed from the tank. The previous owner told me just to leave all of the plugs in place and the water ballast fills itself through some valve. When I leave all of the plugs in place I do get water in the ballast tank however I can not find a valve anywhere unless it is in the centerboard area. I am thinking I have a leak into the water ballast tank which I can not find.
I can not find much information about these water ballast systems and the company that made this boat is out of this business. I was hoping that you may provide some insight or point me in the direction of someone who can.
Thank You
Here is a picture of a sistership...
The interesting thing is that I can't find any information about this boat being fitted with water ballast! Bouancy tanks, yes. Water ballast, no.
Can anyone out there shed any light on this question?
Fresh from Sam Devlin's drawing board we were sent these drawings of a new stretched Dipper optimized for fitting into a 20-foot container for shipping to Europe to cruise on the canals.
