let me get this straight... you're planning to row a boat that's carrying
300kg of people plus their gear?

may i suggest you reconsider and look at getting a nice little outboard or
at least an electric trolling motor..

hugh


"Paul Squire" wrote in message
...
Can anyone recommend a design?

I want to build a boat my wife and I can row with our whole family aboard.
It is a large family - 2 adults, 5 children (ranging from new-born twins
to
8 years) and 2 dogs of 20kg each. So we need a rowing boat carrying
almost
300kg of biomass plus lunch, drinks, spare clothes, towels, rain coats,
toys, outboard, first aid kit, flares, fuel, sun umbrellas, anchor, chain,
etc, etc ... That is a lot of weight but it is also a lot of feet, knees,
elbows and paws - which add up to a lot of space.

It will be a ply sharpie. I like the flat bottom for initial stability
and
the ability to put a window in it (I have visions of the toddlers peering
delightedly through it at the teaming marine life below. I like the
relatively narrow waterline for efficient rowing and the avoidance of
excessive heal induced by beam seas. I like the single side-plank for
ease
of construction. We don't plan to be out in bad weather but getting
caught
happens to the best. The boat needs to be able to handle estuary and
coastal conditions.

John Welsford's Mollyhawk
(http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans...index.htm#mlhk) is
attractive
but, I suspect a bit small. I have Carlson's design software and could
build a boat from the offsets it produces and would do if I felt capable
of
getting the design compromises right. In particular the compromise of
initial stability vs excessive, sudden wave-induced heal vs efficiency
under
oars needs an experienced designer's eye to my thinking and I have never
built a boat to my own design before. John thought his Walkabout design
would be perfect and he is probably right. However, the multichine
construction is more complex than I have in mind. Furthermore, as a
decked
sailing and rowing design the plans are more complex (and therefore
expensive) than I need. It seams a pity to pay for the design of a
sophisticated camp-cruiser then build it without decks, centrecase, rig,
tent etc. etc.

So I am open to suggestions for a basic flat-bottomed, single sideplank
rowing sharpie, probably about 20' long.

Paul.

Almost half of that weight will be rowing (i.e.; both adults). I'm certain
it's feasible in the right boat.

"hugh" wrote in message
...
let me get this straight... you're planning to row a boat that's carrying
300kg of people plus their gear?

may i suggest you reconsider and look at getting a nice little outboard or
at least an electric trolling motor..

hugh

"Paul Squire" ) writes:
Almost half of that weight will be rowing (i.e.; both adults). I'm certain
it's feasible in the right boat.

not so sure about that.
one hand for the boat.
one hand for yourself.
one hand for the kids.
one hand for the dog.

I think it's feasible if the kids row. One of those situations where a
large family is actually an asset, like farming.

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"Paul Squire" wrote in message
...
Almost half of that weight will be rowing (i.e.; both adults). I'm
certain
it's feasible in the right boat.

"hugh" wrote in message
...
let me get this straight... you're planning to row a boat that's
carrying
300kg of people plus their gear?

may i suggest you reconsider and look at getting a nice little outboard
or
at least an electric trolling motor..

hugh

Here is a link to large "bank style dory" The claim is "row-power-sail."
It's a 19 footer.
he http://www.spirainternational.com/hd_alas.html

Opps! try this link too. This page shows four average sized chaps hauling
in some nets into their dory....wondering if that equals weight of
dogs+family+whatever. Just another idea...not pitching a sale here..good
luck, Mike

Here : http://www.spirainternational.com/hp_gbdories.html

the tradeoff between the simple banks dory and flatiron skiff is draft and
floor space. the dory sinks deeper in the water because of its narrow
bottom and transom. you can't put a motor on a dory and get it to plane.
You may not be able to run a dory up on a beach and step out without
getting your feet wet.

I don't know how the dory and skiff compare on the amount of wetted
surface friction which is what determines the energy needed to row them at
the same speed. The free skiff program on my website computes wetted
surface so it can be used to compare the two. (A skiff is a dory with a
wider bottom and transom. Some of the rocker on a dory is removed by
shaping the bottom plank. Its described in the instructions for the
computer program.)

"Mike Brannon" ) writes:
Opps! try this link too. This page shows four average sized chaps hauling
in some nets into their dory....wondering if that equals weight of
dogs+family+whatever. Just another idea...not pitching a sale here..good
luck, Mike

Here : http://www.spirainternational.com/hp_gbdories.html




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hugh says:

let me get this straight... you're planning to row a boat that's carrying
300kg of people plus their gear?

That's only 3 reasonable adults plus soakage. ;-)
Not that painful with a good Whitehall-style boat beneath you. With a
flattie.....

Are unreasonable adults heavier or lighter?
;-)

"Stephen Baker" wrote
hugh says:
let me get this straight... you're planning to row a boat that's carrying
300kg of people plus their gear?

That's only 3 reasonable adults plus soakage. ;-)
Not that painful with a good Whitehall-style boat beneath you. With a
flattie.....

Paul Squire asks with a smile:

Are unreasonable adults heavier or lighter?
;-)

Heavier - they carry too much baggage and have large chips on their shoulders.
;-)

No... it's 2 adults, 5 kids, two dogs, plus a long list of gear. that's what
he said in the original post. there's no way in the world that will all fit
in a 17' whitehall style rowboat. to have a narrow boat carry that lot
you'd need 20+ feet, or a shorter boat with a big beam. in either case,
rowing is going to be a LOT of work, especially since he wants a boat that
can deal with potentially rough coastal conditions. you're not getting me
off any coast i know with 7 people and 2 dogs and a bunch of gear in any
whitehall style boat i've ever seen.....

hugh


"Stephen Baker" wrote in message
...
hugh says:

let me get this straight... you're planning to row a boat that's carrying
300kg of people plus their gear?

That's only 3 reasonable adults plus soakage. ;-)
Not that painful with a good Whitehall-style boat beneath you. With a
flattie.....