Caprice, a Robert Tucker bilge keel yacht

Last December I posted an article* to this Blog about Shane Acton who sailed around the world in an 18’ 4” plywood, bilge keel yacht. She was a Mk 1 Caprice, designed by Robert Tucker, built by C.E. Clark Limited of Hayling Island. A few of these 1960s classic boats are still around, which is a testament to the quality of their build, and the care given to them by numerous owners. As far as I can ascertain, there is no Caprice Owners’ Association**, and that’s a shame because there doesn’t appear to be a source where information can be found about the five different versions, from Mk 1 to Mk 5. I believe the Mk 2 was a composite boat, identical to the Mk1, except she had a fibreglass hull. I also believe the Mk 3 and Mk 4 had the same shaped hull with a chine as the original Mk 1, but they were made of fibreglass. I don’t know what the differences were between Mk 3 and Mk 4, but I think the deck moulding of the Mk 4 had fibreglass combings, instead of wooden ones. Finally, I think the Mk 5 was a round bilge boat moulded entirely in fibreglass. She was longer than the original Mk 1. I feel certain the builders of this larger 19’ 10” version offered a fin keel option. Now, I could be wrong about MUCH of the above, and if I am, please get back to me via the comments section. I’m sure there are a several people who really know what the differences are between the versions.


I remember responding to an advert for the sale of an Mk 1 model. I was impressed by the ‘solidity’ of everything. The construction, in choice wood, was well done, and the rigging was most impressive with twin backstays, double side stays and two forestays. I’m not sure if that was normal for the Mk 1, but everything I looked at was put together to last and to withstand hard use. Inside the cabin there was a satisfying, snugness; a warm homely feeling, and yet the ergonomics were just right for the practical working of the boat. As Shane Acton remarked in his book, ‘Shrimpy’, all things were within his reach when he was sitting or lying on his bunk. Without a doubt, Robert Tucker designed a boat that was a ‘peoples’ boat, affordable, yet seaworthy, and not lacking in performance. The original twin keel version could happily occupy a mud berth, because she was well-supported by her twin keels and skeg. Her transom was strong enough to take a substantial outboard motor and storage space within her cabin under the berths and in the lazarette was more than sufficient for a crew of two. I did not buy the boat because the owner would not budge on the price, which I thought was too high. Today, the Mark 1 can be obtained for as little as £500 to £700, but do have the plywood thoroughly checked for delaminating areas. After all, she will be four decades or more old. A well made, traditionally planked wooden yacht was expected to last for forty years, but plywood boats for no more than twenty years. Therefore, take a good, hard look before parting with your money.



*http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009/11/shrimpy.html


** This is a single page web site, ‘Caprice Owners Club’ with very nice photos

http://www.capriceownersclub.org/


Notes


Mk 1 Details


Length: 18 feet 4 inches.

Bream: 6 feet 2 inches.

Draught: 1 foot 8 inches.

Construction: Plywood.

Ballast: 250 lb in each keel.


The Book ‘Shrimpy : A Record Around the World Voyage in an 18 Foot Yacht by Shane Acton, was published in 1981 by Patrick Stephens Ltd., Bar Hill, Cambridge, UK.



Links


PDF Download of ‘Shrimpy’ by Shane Acton

http://members.lycos.co.uk/marybonney/PDFs/Shrimpy.pdf


A short YouTube Video of a Caprice Sailing the Solent (not a Mk1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5RYdD7vzuI

Raptor 16

Paddle Sailing
A quiet day
Expedition paddling
Fits OK on this big car
For Sale in Norway
'For Sale' being launched
Foils in action


Hydrovisions market two versions of the Raptor 16 outrigger sit-on-top canoe: the Competition model and the Expedition model. As the name of the boat suggests, these unique craft are approximately 16’ in length. They are described by Hydrovisions as being lightweight, high-performance sailing outriggers that can easily be transported on the top of a car. Either with or without her roller-furling sail, the Raptor 16 can be propelled with a single-bladed paddle. Unusually, for this type of craft, she has a specially designed foiling system named the ‘Dualift Foil’ which helps the helmsman keep his boat on an even keel - except she doesn’t have a keel! Exactly the opposite, because the reason for the foil is to reduce weight, and hence increase the speed of the vessel. Raptor 16 relies on a dagger-board to counteract leeway. To achieve her optimum speed, she uses her Bruce-type foil to lift her float clear of the water. This reduces water drag, while adding to the stability of the craft. Her very narrow hull causes little resistance to forward motion. Her outrigger hull is mounted on her starboard side, and when she is on the starboard tack in winds above Force 2, the helmsman should adjust the foil to keep the float hovering over the surface of the water. While on the starboard tack, when the wind is less than a Force 2, the foil does not need to be deployed, because the float alone is sufficient to prevent the boat from heeling to leeward - use of the foil would only increase drag and reduce speed. When the Raptor 16 is on the port tack, her helmsman need only deploy the foil if the wind is above Force 2, when it will help lift the float to reduce drag and prevent a capsize. According to the manufacturer, most novices can learn how to use the foil in less than 30 minutes, and after an hour of practice the process becomes intuitive


The primary use of the Competition model is for racing, but the racing rules for the Raptor 16 Class include the use of a single-blade paddle when the crew believes it will be advantageous. The boat can be raced in paddling events without her sail. It was envisaged that the Competition model would also be suitable for those who just want a lightweight, but fast boat for messing about, beach sailing and surfing. The Expedition model has additional features such as more storage compartments in the main hull and float, a roller furling mast step that allows the sail to be rolled up when not in use, plus extra blocks, cleats and fairleads for deep reefing of the sail. It also has the Raptor Sidecar that fits on the support beams for carrying camping gear etc.. There’s a choice of sail area, either 70 or 90 square feet. I like the fact that her main hull can be brought alongside a pontoon, jetty or quay, which makes getting ashore easy, and visa versa. Launching and retrieving her is not too much of a problem, especially if there are two of you, but her 16’ 9” composite hull only weighs 40 lbs which makes it possible for the solo sailor to do it when the conditions are right, e.g., a gently shelving sandy beach and the surf is not running too high.


I’m pretty impressed with the Raptor 16 models, but I have reservations regarding exposure to the elements for her crew. On a fine sunny day in warm climes this does not present a problem, but for the expedition sailor who may have to be out in inclement weather, he would need to be protected by wearing the very best watertight thermo- efficient clothing. Mitigating this to a certain extent, the Expedition model does have the addition of a Neoprene skirt that can be fitted to help protect her one man crew. My biggest reservation is the potential for capsizing, because, unlike the Mill Creek 16.5, WindRider 16, and the Hobie Island Adventure Trimaran, this outrigger canoe requires the skill of her crew to prevent her from turning turtle when the going gets tough. The float alone does not provide sufficient buoyancy to prevent capsizing when on the port tack, or enough weight to keep the boat stable when on the starboard tack. I acknowledge that her crew can furl away her sail, even stow the rig on a special fitting on the support beams, but that just leaves paddling as the crew’s means of propulsion.


Here’s a quote from the Hydrovisions’ Faq page;


“Tacking from port to starboard tack in strong winds is the only evolution that is a bit tricky and requires a careful coordination of foil position, foot pedal steering, and mainsheet control.
When the boat fills away on the starboard tack, the helmsman must bear off a bit and ease the main sheet until the boat attains enough speed through the water (about two knots) for the foil to take effect and keep the ama from lifting and causing the boat to capsize. After this evolution has been practiced eight to 10 times in strong winds, it too becomes more or less instinctive,” and, “Without the foil, the Raptor would capsize when sailed on the starboard tack in all but the lightest wind conditions. When sailed on the port tack without the foil, the ama would be forced low in the water, increasing surface drag and slowing the boat considerably.”



Notes


In the US a Raptor 16 Competition will set you back $4,700 and the Expedition model will require $4,995. There’s a second-hand one in Norway at http://homepages.rya-online.net/ocsguk/ocsg_for_sale_and_wanted.htm for £2,500.


Links


Hydrovisions

http://www.hydrovisions.com/home.html


Hydrovisions’ Promotional Video

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4133944266905701778#


Chakpak Video of an Expedition Model

http://www.chakpak.com/video/raptor-17.5-expedition/5506907


YouTube Raptor 16 Video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I_7uDYg0QQ

WindRider 16 Trimaran

Here she is
Going nicely
In shallow water
Two up
Profile
Jim Brown, the designer


Yesterday I was considering the Hobie Island Adventure Trimaran, and today I thought I would look at a small trimaran about the same size, i.e., 16’ LOA. The WindRider 16 is actually 16’ 1” by 12’ 7”. Her width provides excellent stability. In fact, the makers claim they have never heard of one being capsized. Stability is a major factor, and WindRider made it a major feature of their advertising campaign since the boat was first produced in 1995. Only recently did manufacturing of this model cease. She has been superseded by the more powerful Windrider 17, but there are sufficient 16s around to warrant me doing this personal evaluation. A few of these value- for-money vessels can still be purchased from UK dealers.


When she was manufactured in the late 1990s she was way ahead of the competition, firstly because of her revolutionary wave-piercing hulls, and secondly, because she was moulded in Polyethylene. Jim Brown, the designer of the very successful Searunner cruising trimaran, was the innovator who came up with these ‘new’ concepts and he put them into his creation, the WindRider 16.


Wave-piercing hulls reduce hobby horsing, and when you think about it, that means distance travelled over the ground must be less than if the vessel has to follow the curvature of every wave. Secondly, the action of wave-piercing hulls destroys the normal sine wave that is formed when a displacement hull passes through water. Long narrow hulls, like those of a trimaran also change the characteristic wave pattern generated by the action of a hull being pushed through the water. The result of these features is that a vessel of this type can go faster than predicted by the accepted formula of maximum speed equals 1.34 times the square root of the waterline length.


Use of the technique of rotational moulding with Polyethylene has the advantage of producing a uniform hull thickness. Polyethylene vessels are almost indestructible, totally watertight, and the material itself can be reconstituted through a specialized recycling centre. If Polyethylene is burnt, there are no negative effects for the environment. The pigmented colour remains consistent throughout the moulding, which means that if the vessel is scratched there is no need to touch up the surface, as would be the case with a painted boat. The fact that the hulls are individually made in one piece, eliminates the possibility of parts delaminating, as could be the case with boats that have their superstructure moulding bonded to their hull moulding.


She’s not as quickly assembled as the Hobie Island Adventure 6.5, but her floats can be joined to her hull in about 3 minutes, and assembled by the solo crew she can be ready for the water in 30 minutes. She can be transported on the roof rack of a car, but using a purpose-built road trailer makes the transition from the car to water easier. She’s no sluggard in her element, be it on the sea or a lake, and with the use of net trampolines, more than one crew can enjoy the experience. Like the Hobie 6.5 trimaran, WaveRider 16 can be steered by her foot pedals or by an optional front-mounted tiller, which makes her suitable for disabled sailors. A number of accessories such as a heavy-weather cockpit cover, a spray skirt, or a windscreen can make sailing the WindRider a more enjoyable experience.


Sailing the trimaran is a piece of cake, because she can be steered by using ones feet, and the sheet can be held in one hand. Her crew sits comfortably on a seat facing forwards and the boom is well clear of the crew’s head. Relaxed thus, he has excellent all-round vision, and if conditions are stable he can cleat the sheet and fold his arms! There is little to go wrong. Learners would find it hard to come to grief. Even if they were to bump the boat into a solid object, the impact would most likely cause little damage to the object because of the flexibility of the hull material, and probably the boat would not be damaged because Polyethylene has the amazing quality of shaping itself back to the original form.


I would certainly consider owning a WindRider 16 trimaran, for all the benefits described above, plus the fact that second-hand WindRider 16s here in the UK (when they can be obtained) are very reasonably priced, say in the region of £2,000 plus, up to £3,000 inclusive of a road trailer. I only wish they had been designed with retractable floats which would have made them more user-friendly.


Notes


Dimensions
Length over all 5,10 m
Length water line 4,85 m
Width over all 3,70 m
Weight 113 kg
Sail area 7,6 m2
Draft 0,41 m
Max weight capacity 227 kg
Constructionmaterial hulls polyethylene
Designer Jim Brown


Links


WindRiders

http://www.windrider.com/index.shtml


WindRider UK

http://www.windrider.co.uk/


Accessories for WindRider 16s

http://www.wrtri.com/products.html


WindRider 16 Trimaran Promotion Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp57TlwC7rU


WindRider 16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doq_7tYhVoY&feature=related

Hobie Island Adventure Trimaran

Those who have plenty of money and don’t mind parting with it, may consider buying a Hobie Island Adventure Trimaran. She’s a 16’ production, sit-on-top, lightweight sailing and paddling canoe fitted with retractable floats; she is also equipped with a Hobie Mirage pedal Drive unit and rudder system. Her dimensions are similar to the CLC Mill Creek 6.5 trimaran featured in yesterday’s Blog, but she differs considerably in construction and features. The Mill Creek is usually built by amateurs, either from a plywood kit or from raw materials, whereas the Hobie Island Adventure Trimaran is a plastic, factory produced canoe, made through the process of injection moulding.


The Hobie Island Adventure has several features lacking in the CLC Mill Creek 6.5, the most notable difference is her retractable floats, which enable her crew to bring the canoe alongside a pontoon and step ashore. Unless the owner of the Mill Creek modifies her by installing a Hobie Mirage Drive, as did Kellan Hatch, the only secondary means of propulsion is a paddle. Sail is the primary means of propulsion for both boats, but the crew of the Hobie can very easily reef his sail, simply by pulling a line. That is a tremendous advantage over the Mill Creek 6.5, unless the builder incorporates an equivalent system. Pedalling the Mirage Drive unit is not as taxing as paddling with a single or double-bladed paddle, and it is far more efficient. In light winds her crew can power-sail the trimaran, and if she stalls when tacking, a few rotations of the pedals will bring her round. A very unusual, but useful feature is her ‘Twist and Stow’ rudder, which stows on the aft deck, where it is less likely to be damaged, especially when landing on a beach. She also has a dagger board for good windward performance. Fishermen can used her built-in slots for stowing their rods, and her crew can keep a flask handy in the special recession moulded into the hull for that purpose. There’s also provision for a double wheel buggy that slots into the hull for making portages easy.


The big drawback of the Hobie Island Adventure Trimaran is exposure. Her crew is subjected to spray and douching by the odd wave as the boat makes to windward when there is a bit of sting in it. Dry storage is another problem, which is not the case with the Mill Creek 6.5, since she has ample dry space below her decks. I would imagine there is not much difference in overall speed between them, but I fancy the cheaper plywood canoe would be the more comfortable and protective vessel. For use in cold climes the crew of the Hobie would need to wear high quality protective clothing to minimize the effects of hypothermia, but the Mill Creek’s crew may get away with wearing a standard anorak as he sits comfortably in the cockpit fitted with a spray cover. The Hobie wins hands down, when it comes to maintenance, which amounts to the occasional polish. As to making a choice, the potential owner has to weigh the matter carefully. In my case the choice would be determined by how much money I would have available at the time, because if I had sufficient I would buy the Hobie, mainly because of her retractable floats which makes getting in and out of her easy and cuts down the amount of time required for preparing the trimaran prior to having a sail.


Notes

There are several outlets offering Hobie Adventure Island Trimarans both in the US and the UK. Just Google for them, but you’ll find they’ll cost in the region of £3,000 in the UK and the equivalent in dollars in the US.


Hobie Sport Dimensions

Length: 16' 0" / 4.88 m |
Width (Amas Extended): 112 " / 2.84 m
Width (Amas Retracted): 42 " / 1.06 m
Weight: 115 lbs. / 52.12 kg
Capacity: 350 lbs. / 159 kg
Sail Area : 57.5 sq. ft. / 5.34 sq. m
Mast Height: 15' 2" / 4.62 m


Links


Cheltenham Canoes

http://www.cheltenham-canoes.co.uk/products/hobie-kayaks/hobie-adventure-island.hm


Cornwall Canoes

http://www.cornwall-canoes.co.uk/hobie-adventure-island.htm


Hobie Kayaking

http://www.hobiecat.com/adventure-island/models_adventure_island.html


Video basic features

http://www.hobiecat.com/media/video/video_features.html


Video Hobie Adventure Island

http://www.hobiecat.com/media/video/video_adventure_island.html

CLC Mill Creek 6.5 Trimaran

Kellan's at Great Salt Lake
Kellan's looking great
Kellan's on his car
UK Fyne Version
UK Fyne Version being launched


An Internet friend, Kellan Hatch, wrote an article* for Duckworks Magazine featuring the building and sailing trials of his 16’ 6”, kit-supplied CLC Mill Creek 6.5 Trimaran. The title of his article was, ‘A Curious Boat for Questionable Adventures’. Kellan’s presentation was both entertaining and honestly informative. I’m sure his findings and insights will be useful to anyone contemplating undertaking a similar project. For him, the boat had to meet certain requirements. She had to be easy to build, be capable of being transported on the top of his car, be suitable for use on shallow water, and large enough for his whole family, i.e., he, his wife and their two small boys.


Chesapeake Light Craft have been very successful in marketing a wide range of kits and plans for the home boat builder. One of their early models caught my attention, the very same CLC Mill Creek 16.5 chosen by Kellan, but I was put off from obtaining the plans, because getting alongside a pontoon and disembarking from her would not be a simple matter for me alone. My local river is the River Crouch where access to the water is somewhat limited. My nearest slipway has a very narrow ramp, hemmed in by walls either side, which make it unsuitable for launching or recovering wide vessels. Kellan’s Mill Creek trimaran is more fitted to being launched and recovered from a gently shelving beach, and there are none that I know of with overland access along the banks of the River Crouch.


Despite her drawbacks for me, the CLC Mill Creek 16.5 has several attractive and sensible features. I especially like, her speed, and when she is not being used as a trimaran she can revert to being an ordinary two man kayak. I also like her stability when rigged as a trimaran. Kellan changed the method of joining the crossbeams to the hull and floats to prevent unfair loading at stress points. He did this by adopting James Wharram’s method of lashing the various parts together. Later he observed that Chesapeake Light Craft had modified their design in like fashion, but with a better arrangement that avoided water drag.

I would imagine Kellan had some hassle when loading the boat on his car. His photos show that he added a support beam at the rear of his car, presumably to make it easier for putting the boat on and off the roof rack. All things considered, he found the Mill Creek 16.5 suited him and his family for use on the Great Salt Lake. Any UK aspirants could look at the web site of Fyne Boats (see link below) who produce a kit for the Mill Creek 6.5. I’m not sure if they do the crossbeams and floats, but they sell the plans to make them. If I were to choose between Derek Munnion’s ‘Sharpy’, featured in yesterday’s Blog and the Mill Creek trimaran, I would opt for Derek’s monohull, because she would suit my situation better. I’m convinced she would take less time to set up for sailing, and disembarking or getting aboard at a pontoon would be far easier, on the other hand she would be slower.


* http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/02/articles/curious/index.htm


Links


Chesapeake Light Craft

http://www.clcboats.com/


Fyne Boat Kits/Plans

http://www.fyneboatkits.com/trolleyed/6/16/index.htm

'Sharpy', 15' drop-keel Sailing Canoe

‘Sharpy’

‘Sharpy’ is a 15’ by 2’ 6” drop keel sailboat for a crew of one. I know of no other boat that can be transported on the top of a car, and yet is self-righting by the action of her keel. She’s like a decked, flat bottom canoe with a single chine. In effect, she’s a narrow sharpie. Her hull weight is only 85 lbs, and she has a lateen sail of 47 square feet. Derek Munnion, the designer of ‘Sharpy’, exhibited her at the Beale Boat Show where there was a fair amount of interest shown by visitors, including Gavin Atkin who has the excellent web log, http://intheboatshed.net/ . Gavin mentioned ‘Sharpy’ in an article at Duckworks Magazine describing exhibits at the Show. (See link below) I was exhibiting my ‘Micro’, along with boats owned by other members of the Dinghy Cruising Association, when I had the opportunity of seeing what was on offer at the Show, and I came across Derek’s ‘Sharpy’. I was impressed not only with the build quality, but with the concept - for here was a boat that did not require athleticism, agility or strength to sail. Any person, novice, experienced, young or old could manage ‘Sharpy’ without being anxious because she might capsize. Naturally, she will heel over in a gust, but because of her 80 lb keel she will right herself. There may be an occasion when self-preservation will cause her crew to judiciously release the mainsheet in a hurry to ensure water does not enter the cockpit, but Derek assures me he has only infrequently experienced water overlapping the side deck. She’s also a dry boat to sail.


There are no time-consuming operations that have to be done before getting afloat, such as having to assemble and attach outriggers, as would be the case with a Chesapeake CLC Kayak. A small wheel can be slotted onto the skeg for transporting the boat to the water’s edge. Her rig is set up, just by sliding the short mast into the support tube and leading the halyard and sheet through a couple of blocks. Then she is laid on her starboard side and her keel is inserted into the box, ready for attaching the port side half of the lead bulb, which locks into place with a retainer. The whole operation takes only a minute or so. The boat is then put in the water, and the rudder is attached. At that point she’s more or less ready to go. Make sure the keel is fully raised, get aboard, sit in the comfortable seat, adjust the foot steering bar (if necessary), and that’s it! Using a single-bladed paddle, make out into deeper water; fully drop the keel, hoist the sail, and you are off! The lateen sail is never reefed. If things get a bit lively, spill the excess wind from the sail by easing the sheet, or by luffing. When returning to the slipway, first drop the sail, then hoist the keel before using your paddle to take you there. Incidentally, the rudder is held down by a bungee, and it has no means of being lifted. Derek tells me it just raises up when it comes into contact with an obstruction such as a shelving beach. He has never had any problems in this respect.


Because the plans do not give details of the precise locations of every screw, nut and bolt, and because the metalwork for the making the keel and the hoisting mechanism may require the help of an experienced craftsman, Derek, advises that ‘Sharpy’ should be built by those who have the requisite skills. I would say, do not be put off by this, because building the hull and deck should not be difficult for anyone with basic woodworking skills. The other bits requiring engineering skills and specialist tools can be given to someone who is able to do it. ‘Sharpy’ is certainly on my shortlist of future projects.


Study Plans comprising three drawings, along with construction notes and details of materials required, can be obtained for £4.00, including postage worldwide. A full set of plans consisting of six A2 drawings and building instructions may be purchased for £40.00 – this includes postage within the UK. Add £3.00 for the USA, Europe and elsewhere.


For more information, contact Derek Munnion, Genula Cottage, 5, Catherine’s Walk, Andover, SP11 7AS. Telephone +44 (0)1264 711144
Please note that if you live in a country having a different time zone to the UK, be kind enough to phone Derek when he is likely to be awake! During office hours, might be best, alternatively send an email to: janmunnion@tiscali.co.uk


Notes


‘Sharpy’ was featured in Water Craft Magazine, number 37, published in 2003.

Links


Gavin Atkin’s Article

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/02/articles/threemen/index.htm


CLC Kayak

http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/canoes/clc-sailrig-kayak-canoe-sailing-rig.html


Water Craft Magazine

http://www.watercraft.co.uk/


My ‘Micro’

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009/12/micro.html

'Lucky Town 7’, William H. Longyard

I guess quite a few of you will have read William H. Longyard’s, ‘A Speck on the Sea’, which is a well-researched compilation of epic voyages in improbable vessels by extraordinary men and a few equally extraordinary women. I have a complimentary copy of the book signed by William himself, with the caption, ‘To Bill Serjeant, who understands the beauty of small boats and the spirituality of the seas. William H. Longyard. January 4, 2005’. Well, that book has been an inspiration to me and I have used snippets from it to aid me with my articles here on my Blog. He doesn’t mention his own ‘voyages’ through parts of Europe in a single Folbot Aleut kayak, named ‘Pam’, after his wife, and a double Folbot Greenland 11, ‘The Mango Queen’. His web site http://pw1.netcom.com/~longyard/KayakinginEurope.html outlines his experiences in locations such as the Grand Canal of Venice, the Mediterranean coast at Nice, kayak camping on the banks of the Danube and Kayaking on Lake Como. He offers a video, ‘Kayaking in Europe’, with everything you need to know to follow in his wake. All this information is on a CD for $20.00, plus $3.20 for priority shipping. To purchase the CD contact William here: longyard@ix.netcome.com .


Within the pages of ‘A Speck on the Sea’, William does not mention that he spent 10 years designing and redesigning a small sailing boat for his own use. The result, after seventeen months building her, was a unique and amazing 14’ by 6’ junk-rigged trailer sailer he named, ‘Lucky Town 7’. He overturns convention by incorporating features you would never expect to find on such a small cruising sailboat. Yes, he does use a Hasler-type junk sail made from Polytarp, but it is rigged on an aluminium mast that can be lowered or raised in a matter of seconds. This he achieves by incorporating a spring-loaded mechanism into the base of the mast to act as a counterbalance when it is supported in a tabernacle to his own design. Another of his innovations is a plastic collar that goes around the mast with a stainless steel bolt attached to it for pivoting the boom (lower batten) so that the mast can be lowered without the sail bundle getting in the way. ‘Lucky Town 7’ is equipped with a 55 lbs thrust trolling motor powered by two Optima Deep Cycle marine Group 24 batteries. They are charged by a 100 amp marine alternator driven by a 4 HP diesel engine located in the lazarette.


This amazing micro-cruiser has sitting headroom, and within her cosy cabin there’s ample space for a six foot person to sleep on a self-inflating mattress that can be rolled away when not in use. In fact there’s enough space for two compatible crewmates to sleep on the cabin floor. Incredibly, this unique craft has a flush toilet and a holding tank! I understand that she may even have a shower! Besides all this, the rig can be handled from inside the cabin, and the same can be said for the 246 lb drop keel. Likewise, the aluminium kick-up rudder can be raised or lowered by the crew from inside the boat. I believe plans are in the pipeline for amateur builders at a nominal rate. You may not be attracted by the boat’s appearance, but don’t let that fool you. It’s obvious a lot of thought and effort has gone into the project, resulting in a design that meets the requirements of those individuals who enjoy their own company and who cannot find a production craft for creek crawling, inland waterway exploration, or coastal cruising during settle weather.


Links


William’s Kayaking Page

http://pw1.netcom.com/~longyard/KayakinginEurope.html


A good article by Thomas Armstrong, with the same illustrations I’ve came across elsewhere.

http://70point8percent.blogspot.com/2009/01/microcruising-part-8-bill-longyard-and.html


Book Review, ‘A Speck on the Sea’, by Brian Anderson – not all of it complimentary

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/07/reviews/speck/index.htm

‘Little Western’

'Little Western'


How little was ‘Little Western’? She was a 16’ 7” lapstrake, double-ended dory that sailed from Gloucester, Massachusetts to Cowes, England. Her crew consisted of Frederick Norman, a professional sailor who had served aboard the American warship, ‘Trenton’, and his friend George P. Thomas of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Together they commissioned and bought their tiny cutter and shared the costs of provisioning her for the voyage.


She left Gloucester on 12th June, 1880, cheered by a crowd estimated to be in the region of 30,000. A week later the Cunard liner, ‘Gallia’ drew alongside, and spoke to her brave crew. All was well. They had made good progress, but a day later they encountered adverse winds causing them to lose 60 miles! That was a drift of 2.5 knots per hour – about their average speed through the water when sailing efficiently. Why hadn’t they deployed a sea anchor? Maybe they didn’t have one, or perhaps their calculations were well out? On 30th June, they were spoken to by the steamer, ‘Bulgaria’, but they refused the Captain’s offer to come aboard. On 26th July, they raised Land’s End, after a voyage of 2,500 nautical miles in just 46 days. Their tiny dory had sailed an average of 54.4 miles a day, which was very good indeed for boat with a waterline length of probably no more than 16’. They continued to Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, arriving there on 28th July.


Having sojourned in England for nearly a year while touring and exhibiting their boat, the intrepid sailors stoically set sail from London on 15th June, 1881, to attempt a return voyage to Gloucester. After a very arduous and wet passage taking 62 days they arrived back in Halifax, having beaten the Andrews brothers’ record for sailing the smallest boat across the Atlantic. Not only did they break the smallest boat record, but on the outward passage from Gloucester, they knocked 3 days off the time the Andrews took to sail from west to east. To understand the difficulty of the return passage you need to note that their average speed had only been 1.6 knots, almost half of that on the outward leg. They finally returned to Gloucester on 16th September, 1881. They had become the first to sail both ways across the Atlantic in a boat under 20’.



Note

See JPG above.

The Nova Scotia Museum of Cultural History has a lithograph dated 1st October, 1881, depicting the ‘Little Western’ leaving Halifax Harbour bound for New York. (Date of departure, not stated.) The portraits of the two men are inset in the top-right corner of the illustration. Fred Norman is on the left, and George Thomas is on the right. Norman is described as from Norway, and Thomas as coming from Halifax. (Elsewhere, I have read that both men were British.) You’ll note that ‘Little Western’ was registered at New York. She had a bowsprit and a generous sail area with a high-peaked gaff mainsail. The sail panels were cut vertically, and she flew the Stars and Stripes at the peak. The boat had an almost upright stem and stern post. Take note of her high topsides which would have provided plenty of buoyancy, in addition to giving her the capacity for carrying ample drinking water in wooden casks, provisions and additional ballast (if necessary to keep her stable) for her long voyage.


Links

Nova Scotia Museum of Cultural History

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/

Struer ‘Limfjorden’ Racing Kayak

Me and the Limfjorden


Jørgen Samson was the designer of a range of racing kayaks used by Olympic champions, including the very first version of the ‘Limfjorden’. I bought mine in 1958, just before the design was upgraded with a rudder and an increased waterline length. Over a period of thirty years from the late-forties, twelve kayaks were designed by Samson and built by Struers of Denmark. They were successfully raced by eleven Gold Medallists. My classic Struer ‘Limfjorden’ kayak was one of the early versions. She was most probably identical to Karen Hoff’s boat, when she won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1946. I believe it was in the summer of 1953 that the Central Council for Physical Recreation sponsored me for a weekend course of sprint racing techniques at the Royal Canoe Club, London. I’m pretty certain the tutor, was the Swede, Gert Fredriksson, who had won a Gold Medal at the 1952 games. Gert had a smattering of English, sufficient to explain and demonstrate his skills. I was madly enthusiastic, but I lacked the financial resources to follow up what I had learned, and I was engaged on a course of studies at the Somerset College of Art, which was time-consuming.


Little materialized as a result of my tuition at the Royal Canoe Club, until 1959 when I was living in Exeter and joined the Canoe Club. There I met other enthusiastic canoeists, such as Dave Salter, Martyn Peart, Brian Davis and Dave Green. The latter pioneered the building of UK racing kayaks in the mid-sixties at his firm Kirton Kayaks, in Crediton, Devon, which continues to flourish today. Both Dave Salter and Dave Green achieved successes at racing, notably in the early years when participating in a series of long-distance races under the rules of the Hasler Trophy. Sailors will have heard of ‘Blondie’ Hasler, who was instrumental in inaugurating the Observer Single-handed trans-Atlantic Race for yachtsmen. He was also a survivor and leader of the Cockleshell heroes who raided Nazi-occupied Bordeaux in their Marine Commando canoes in 1942. (See link below.) Participating canoe clubs for the Hasler Trophy (named as such in tribute to ‘Blondie’) entered their teams in a series of races, usually over a distance of between 12 and 24 miles. These teams were comprised of single and double canoe racers. The Club with the winning teams at the end of the annual series of races was awarded the trophy. I remember participating in a race at Poole Harbour, another from Dawlish Warren to Exeter, and one across the Bristol Channel from Barry in Wales, to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset.


It was during the Bristol Channel Race of 1960 that I almost lost my life. If my memory serves me correctly, there were about 15 single canoes and possibly twice that number of double canoes taking part. The Race was run under the sponsorship and supervision of the Central Council for Recreation, and it was a disaster from the start. As the Mayor of Barry fired the starting gun, a South cone was being hoisted at the Coastguard station! That signified a gale was imminent. The start should have taken place an hour or so earlier, but due to delays in transporting canoes to Barry by road and ferry, the tidal calculations for the stand-of-tide midway between Barry and Weston could no longer be of use. Instead, by the time canoeists were in mid-channel, the ebb was at its fastest, running against an increasingly strong wind. That brought about chaotic seas. The conditions became so bad that only a few canoeists reached Weston. The others either retired of their own volition, or were rescued by boats in attendance, one of which was the Barry Lifeboat.


Dave Shanklin was the only single canoeist to finish the race. He had been a previous winner, and therefore I decided to stick close to him, with the aim of out-sprinting him at the finish, but my plan did not work. The rules of the race stated that competitors were to take a route between Flat Holm and Steep Holm. Dave knew the waters well, and to make the best of the tide, while seeking protection by being in the lee of Flat Holm, he chose a course to the North of the island. Determined to keep within the rules I held my course to the South of the island, but when I arrived at the south-western end, there was a terrifying tidal race causing dangerous breakers. Before I could escape, my canoe was sucked into the caldron, and by some inexplicable mystery I survived. At the moment of reprieve, a shaft of sunlight gleamed from between the clouds to reveal Weston-super-Mare. Joyfully, I assumed I had the race in my grasp, but suddenly the crest of a large wave capsized my canoe and I found myself upside down in a swirling mass of green water and bubbles.


There was nothing I could do to stay in the canoe. When I came to the surface, I found that swimming was almost impossible because the large spray cover around my waist was impeding my movements. I managed to get rid of it and saw that my paddle and seat were floating away. Taking a big risk, I swam for the paddle and tucked it inside the canoe. I wisely let the seat go. In practice, I had always managed to get back into the canoe after capsizing by climbing over her aft deck, but after three attempts I failed, and she was hopelessly full of water. Only because she was built of laminated wood, and because there were two buoyancy bags under her decks, did she remain afloat. I remembered the un-inflated car tyre inner tube around my waist, and decided to inflate it by blowing into the valve. This was impossible, because I just did not have the strength. I immediately discarded the tube and decided that I wasn’t going to let myself drown; so I removed the buoyancy bag from under the stern deck, with the intention of tying it to myself. As soon as the bag had been removed, the canoe’s bow rose into the air, and she resembled an enormous rod-fisherman’s float.


Distressed, and not thinking straight, I found enough energy to stuff the bag back in place, so that the canoe resumed her horizontal attitude. Had I thought clearly, I should have left her pointing to the sky, because she could have been more easily seen by others who may have come to my rescue. At that point it dawned on me that I may not survive. My body was getting colder and colder, and the sea was becoming rougher as the ebb current was taking me and my canoe towards Steep Holm. If only I could stay with the boat and somehow swim her towards the rocky island I may find a place where I could land. I began to think of my family and my freinds. I wondered how they would take it, particularly my mother, if my lifeless body were to be found washed up on some beach. Then I had this brilliant idea of praying! “Please God get me out of this mess!” Within five minutes a low-flying, single-engine monoplane passed over me, and banked its wings. Twice more it did so. Unknown to me, the pilot had dropped three yellow smoke flares, forming a triangle around me. I was really cold, and to conserve body heat, I rolled myself into a ball, while hanging onto the canoe.


I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the Barry lifeboat to windward. To my dismay, she was on a course heading away from me. I yelled at the top of my voice and waved my paddle furiously, but to no avail. “Well, that’s it!” I said to myself. I was wrong. A few minutes later the lifeboat turned around and headed directly towards me. My elation and joy was almost beyond telling. I had been saved!


Note


There’s a lot more to this story related to things that happened later in my life when I became a Christian. That was when I really began to understand the power of prayer and the greatness of God. I truly understood what it was to be SAVED by His Son Jesus!


John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’


Links


Kirton Kayaks

http://www.kirton-kayaks.co.uk/

Struer Kayaks

http://www.struerkajak.com/International-site/The-Story.aspx

Cockleshell Heroes

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/cockleshell_heroes_of_1942.htm

The Central Council for Recreation

http://www.ccpr.org.uk/

Exeter Canoe Club
http://www.exetercanoeclub.org.uk/

'Nautilus’ and the Andrews Brothers

Back in 1880, ‘A Daring Voyage across the Atlantic’, written by William Albert Andrews was published in London by Griffith and Farran. It chronicled the remarkable voyage of the two Andrews brothers who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in a 19’ lapstrake dory. With the purpose of outdoing Thomas Crapo, who did it in the ‘New Bedford’, they commissioned Higgins and Gifford of Gloucester to build them a dory shorter than Crapo’s. She was fully decked, apart from two cockpits which could be sealed with hatches - one for the helmsman near the stern, and another further forward for the other crewmember. Access to stores and the space where they slept was through the forward cockpit. She was much smaller than her overall length would suggest, because her bottom was only 15’ from stem to stern post. Imagine how restricted her crew must have been when sheltering under her deck during gales. Her total depth amidships was just 2’ 3”. Amazing! Her overall beam at the gunwales was 6’ 7”. Astonishingly, she was not fitted with buoyancy tanks. The brothers relied upon being able to pump or bail the water out. I suppose there was very little room for buoyancy in any form.


‘Nautilus’s’ mast was stepped well-forward, to carry an unusual club-footed lateen sail, which must have been a ‘pig’ to reef, but the brothers spoke highly of it, maintaining the triangular sail worked to perfection. The advantage of their lateen sail was that it could be reefed from the security of the cockpits and there was no need for her crew to go on deck. The sail would have had a least three sets of reefing points used in conjunction with the club-boom, capable of reducing the sail area by up to two-fifths. The flexibility of the lengthy yard would have absorbed sudden loading brought about by gusts. This club-footed lateen sail was very forgiving, because the leech was free to spill the wind – only being restrained by the sheet and the weight of the boom. In preference to the lateen sail, they set a square sail when running before the wind.


One of the secrets of their success was the use of a sea anchor secured to a three-hundred foot line. When it was deployed, they removed the rudder to prevent the boat from sailing at an angle to the wind, and to negate damage to the rudder and its fittings. They also deployed a temporary storm sail, presumably on a short removable mast near the stern of the vessel to feather the boat into the wind and seas. It was just as well they thoroughly prepared for gales, because they were subjected to fourteen of them!


It was 7th June, 1878 when William Albert Andrews and his brother Asa Walter Andrews set sail from Boston, Massachusetts on their attempt to take the record from Crapo. At 3.00 pm the ‘Nautilus’ departed from Mr. P. Coyne’s Wharf, City Point, bound for Paris, France. A large crowd cheered the valiant crew as the little boat made out to sea. The weather was perfect, with a gentle offshore wind, but that night they faced their first gale. After sustaining damage to their sole navigation lantern and the loss of their binnacle lamp cover, they put into Beverly the next day to effect repairs. On 12th June they bravely set sail again, not knowing what their fate would be. William was hit on the head by the boom and he was fortunate not to be killed. Rough weather caused their boat to drift dangerously close to Sable Island off Nova Scotia, but luck was on their side as the wind relented a little - enough to allow them to keep clear, by making way under reefed sail. Some days later they were surrounded by whales, much to the consternation of William, whose remedy was to put them out of his mind by going below and closing his eyes. Now and again the brothers were able to take sightings of the sun with their quadrant, and when opportunities arose they would seek confirmation of their position from those aboard passing ships. On 8th July they reached the halfway mark. Some days later Walter coughed up blood, and they were concerned about it, until they obtained ‘Friar’s Balsam’ from a passing ship. The medicine brought about immediate relief. By 26th July they were over the Great Sole Bank, 48 degrees North and 9 degrees West, and the shallow water combined with a strong wind brought about chaotic seas. After passing the Bishop Rock at the Scilly Isles, they put into Mullion Cove, Cornwall on 31st July, 1878. Only eight days later, and after calling into Falmouth, the triumphant couple were cordially and enthusiastically received at Le Havre, France.


Shortly after returning to the US, Walter died. In 1892 William sailed the 14’ 6” ‘Sapolo’ cedar and canvas boat from Atlantic City to Palos, Spain. This venturesome voyage gave him ample material for a second book, ‘Columbus Outdone’.


Notes

The black and white illustrations above were scanned from William H. Longyard’s book, ‘A Speck on the Sea’, by International Marine, 2003, 2004. ISBN 0-07-144029-1.

'Lisa', a Shipmate Senior

'Lisa' at St Mawes
'Lisa' at Feok on her trailer




I’ve been a very fortunate chap to have owned several small sailing boats – trailer-sailers among them. A much enjoyed trailer-sailer was ‘Lisa’, my Shipmate Senior. She was 16’ 3” from stem to transom. Her beam was 6’ 3”, and with her centreplate raised she only drew 11 ½ inches. I’m not sure how much she drew when her centreplate was down, possibly 2’ 6”. At only 340 kilograms she was a bit tender, which meant she had to be reefed early and her crew made a difference regarding trim, as in a dinghy. Sitting on the windward side was the best policy. She was like a dinghy with a lid, but her layout cleverly gave the impression of plenty of space within her tiny cabin. Nominally, she had three berths, two on the starboard side and one on the port. Both of the berths placed at the aft end of the cabin extended under the cockpit seats. I would not like to have had more than one other person aboard for cruising. There simply wasn’t enough space to store all the clobber for three people. Because she could be beached, there was no need for a tender, but care had to be taken where she was allowed to settle. Pebbles and shale were out of the question. She had a lifting rudder that was held down with a rubber strop and was raised with a hauling line. She was rigged as a Bermudan sloop. Her mast was hinged at the foot to a miniature tabernacle which made it easy to rig the boat single-handed.


The weakness of my Mark 1 Shipmate Senior was her lack of a self draining cockpit. Rainwater or seawater accumulating in the cockpit had to be bailed out by hand. I nearly came to grief because there were no drains in the cockpit. I was sailing to seaward of Mersea Island, Essex, when an unexpected strong gust laid ‘Lisa’ on her side. Water poured into her cockpit and I became alarmed, because when the boat sprang upright the top of the companionway step was only inches above the water. Getting the bucket from the forepeak to bail out the cockpit was problematical because my weight caused the bow to dip, and as it did so the water in the cockpit swept forwards and almost poured into the cabin. I made a quick exit with the bucket and rapidly bailed out the water. Because of the urgency of removing the water I did not have time to heave the boat to. I just left her to her own devices with the mainsheet loose and the jib sheeted. When I was satisfied she wasn’t going to be swamped by a wave I hove her to and I made a coffee to sooth my nerves. She had been dangerously low at the stern due of the combined weight of the water and me. That brings me to another slight dissatisfaction, the lack of sufficient room for galley equipment, and storage space as a whole, but she was only a small trailer-sailer, so what could I expect. She had sitting headroom and a sliding hatch that allowed the sunshine to enter the cabin on a fine day.


I can’t remember where I kept her anchors and warps, but I do recollect a farcical episode when I beached her at St Mawes. It was during the second year of my ownership, and I was enjoying a cruise in the Falmouth area, and the Helford River. Surveying the beach from the water I had the impression that it was pretty level, without too much of a slope, and that it was sandy near the high water mark. Between the beach and off-lying moorings, I could see there were patches of stringy weed rising upwards, a bit like kelp, and there were numerous large stones protruding from the sand at the low water mark. I planned my moves carefully. First I would drop a stern anchor and pay the warp out as the boat headed towards the beach; and when she touched I would jump overboard and draw her bow up on the sand; then I would take a second anchor and set it well above the high water mark. Afterwards I would manhandle the boat and float her around until her bow pointed away from the beach. (This was taking place about half-an-hour after high water.) All went well as far as setting the anchor at the top of the beach, but when I came to pull the warp at the stern I discovered the Polypropylene line had undone itself from the cleat and was floating twenty or so feet away. There was only one thing for it - swim with another line and attach it to the one that had come adrift. After stripping to my underpants I did it, but not without sustaining a nasty cut under my right foot. Blood spouted out like a fountain. Urgent action was required. I climbed aboard and hopped to the first aid kit, leaving a spattered trail behind me. I managed to stop the scarlet flow by applying a clean handkerchief held in place with a bandage. It was then I noticed how steep the beach was, but I could do nothing about it, because the ebbing water had fallen, making ‘Lisa’ hard and fast. As the water receded I also observed pebbles breaking through the surface of the sand. That night was uncomfortable. I suffered while trying to sleep on an inclined berth resembling a child’s slide, and as the boat floated off, there were the most horrible grindings that convinced me ‘Lisa’ was being torn to shreds, but a later examination of her bottom revealed only a few minor scratches.


I kept my Shipmate Senior for two years, and during that time I towed her by car to Plymouth for a fortnight’s holiday and to Falmouth for another fortnight. I week-ended, quite often exploring my local river, the River Crouch. She was good fun to sail single-handed, but she could not stand up to strong winds, and I was always cautious when the forecast was for anything above a Force 4. A bulb drop keel would have made all the difference, coupled with a rapid self-draining system for the cockpit.


Notes


Shipmates were designed by Norman Howard and built at Smallcraft of Blockley, UK. They were first built in 1960. Later models were produced by Seaborne. The Shipmate Owners’ Association has about 100 members.


Links


http://www.shipmate.org.uk/page1.php

Shipmate Owners’ Association


Rounding Pewit Island, Bradwell Creek aboard a Shipmate Senior

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Luz0J3lFcZs