Ian Malcolm ) writes:


Albacore details

As someone who has also raced Albacores it was not only nice to read so
much familiar detail but to recall the thrill of hiking out while keeping
the boat planing in a stiff breeze. I knew a fellow who went on a short
inland camping and cruising voyage in his Albacore. There was a photo of
him sitting in a folding canvas "deck" chair perched precariously on the
deck.

However I doubt a cruising dingy needs to be as intricately rigged as a
racing dingy unless the crusing dingy has a planing hull, and that would
be a racing/crusing dingy like the Wayfarer. In "Dinghies for all Waters",
Eric Coleman strongly recommends a heavier, high freeboard, dingy for
crusing as a light responsive boat is too lively for relaxed crusing. He
prefered converted small fishing boats for cruising to racing boats. I
belive his Roamer design was well accepted among British dingy cruising
sailors. I've seen a photo of one on the Internet.

Reading about the Albacore I realized I had forgot a useful feature of a
jib is the ability to drift with the sails hove to while eating, etc. I've
done that between heats at regattas, and for jumping overboard to cool
off.

While I'm on this topic I'd like to suggest for the home builder an
inexpensive wooden boom with an X cross section, a design pioneered by TF
Jones and described in his book "New Plywood Boats". He's had one on his
catamaran for some time. He describes inexpensive home made hardware for
the boom as well. I don't think his boom is made of plywood but I would
think it possible.

--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk [at]=@, [dash]=- &
[dot]=.
*Warning* SPAM TRAP set in header, Use email address in sig. if you must.
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Uffa Fox designed, All varnished hot
moulded wooden racing dinghy circa. 1961

There was a hot mouled plywood Albacore here in Ottawa, unique and very
attractive boat. The layers of plywood strips are laid 45 deg or so to the
waterline and 90 deg or so to each other. Light, strong, long lasting
construction.


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