Amature builder needs advice
 

As a novice boatbuilder, I would like to take on a somewhat different
project. I would like to build a wooden craft as an almost carbon copy
of the popular Sunfish because of it's easy of opperation and
performance for a boat of that size. To make up for the likly increase
in weight, I thought it might be beneficial to increase the draft and
thus the displacement. However, I do not know where to begin and would
like some advice from someone more knowledgeable about boatbuilding
than myself. Thank you very much, Brian Vickers.

Amature builder needs advice
 

"Brian Vickers" wrote in message
om...
As a novice boatbuilder, I would like to take on a somewhat different
project. I would like to build a wooden craft as an almost carbon copy
of the popular Sunfish because of it's easy of opperation and
performance for a boat of that size.

To make up for the likly increase in weight,

Pound for pound.... Wood is generally stronger than GRP.

The wooden Plug that was made to produce the moulds for the Hunter
Sonata.... Went on to be fitted and sailed very well.
She had to carry some extra ballast to keep her in class as she was lighter
.... and she went slightly better to windward because the hull was stiffer in
the right places

Amature builder needs advice
 

(Brian Vickers) wrote in message . com...
As a novice boatbuilder, I would like to take on a somewhat different
project. I would like to build a wooden craft as an almost carbon copy
of the popular Sunfish because of it's easy of opperation and
performance for a boat of that size. To make up for the likly increase
in weight, I thought it might be beneficial to increase the draft and
thus the displacement. However, I do not know where to begin and would
like some advice from someone more knowledgeable about boatbuilding
than myself. Thank you very much, Brian Vickers.

Look at the Moonfish he
http://www.boatplans-online.com/prod....php?prod=MF14

Jacques from bateau.com

Amature builder needs advice
 

If you download the free hull design program frm www.carlsondesign.com I
think thre is a Sunfish hull example there. Sorry, can't remember for
sure. You can use the program ot modify the hull with the mouse pointer on
your computer and it will calculate some relevant numbers. Then you can
use the program to plot the panels on sheets of plywood, cut them out, and
assemble.

Brian Vickers ) writes:
As a novice boatbuilder, I would like to take on a somewhat different
project. I would like to build a wooden craft as an almost carbon copy
of the popular Sunfish because of it's easy of opperation and
performance for a boat of that size. To make up for the likly increase
in weight, I thought it might be beneficial to increase the draft and
thus the displacement. However, I do not know where to begin and would
like some advice from someone more knowledgeable about boatbuilding
than myself. Thank you very much, Brian Vickers.


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Amature builder needs advice
 

(Brian Vickers) wrote in message . com...
As a novice boatbuilder, I would like to take on a somewhat different
project. I would like to build a wooden craft as an almost carbon copy
of the popular Sunfish because of it's easy of opperation and
performance for a boat of that size. To make up for the likly increase
in weight, I thought it might be beneficial to increase the draft and
thus the displacement. However, I do not know where to begin and would
like some advice from someone more knowledgeable about boatbuilding
than myself. Thank you very much, Brian Vickers.

Hi Brian,

I wouldn't have thought that a wood/fibreglass version would
necessarily be greatly heavier than the a roto-molded poly-whats-it or
fibreglass version.

As you're looking at getting plans from a designer, you're sort of
taking on trust that the designer has designed with the construction
method and materials in mind - ie the plans will specify the type of
materials to be used (eg 4mm marine plywood), the design hs been done
with those materials in mind, and you shouldn't have to make any major
alterations to the plans.

I wouldn't make a change to any of major elements of a design (eg
draft) without eithier a lot of research, knowledge and care.
Better still, ask the designer first (many can be reached via email).

The Stevenson Projects minicup might be there or thereabouts what
you're looking for.
Plans and building instructions are a free download from
http://www.stevensonprojects.com/FastSailrs.html
It looks fairly similar to what I understand a Sunfish to be (Sunfish
are not common in my part of the world). This design is fairly old
now, and takes a little more woodwork than some of the more modern
"stitch and glue" boats.

I know of two other builders of this design in this group (other than
myself).
Google this group and the web for Stevenson Minicup for more info, or
ask away here...

Don't be too swayed by the fact that the plans for the MiniCup are
free - generally, the cost of "standard" plans will be a relatively
small part of the overall cost of any boat you would build.


Jacques Mertens (who also frequents this group) has a similar design,
the Moonfish, on his site at
http://boatplans-online.com/proddetail.php?prod=MF14
He even suggests that it is similar to the SunFish and MiniCup.

I'm sure there are other suppliers of similar designs out there.

Hope some of this helps,

Regards,

bookieb.

Amature builder needs advice
 

bookieb ) writes:

As you're looking at getting plans from a designer, you're sort of
taking on trust that the designer has designed with the construction
method and materials in mind - ie the plans will specify the type of
materials to be used (eg 4mm marine plywood), the design hs been done
with those materials in mind, and you shouldn't have to make any major
alterations to the plans.

I wouldn't make a change to any of major elements of a design (eg
draft) without eithier a lot of research, knowledge and care.
Better still, ask the designer first (many can be reached via email).

I think the Sunfish design is owned by Alcort. It was originally a plywood
boat, pretty obvious from the hard chines and flat surfaces. No idea if
they would sell plywood plans. Not difficult to make a one off copy. Lots
of board sailer plans avaiable. Phil Bolger has one that might be in one of
Harold Payson's books.



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Amature builder needs advice
 

"bookieb" wrote in message
om...
(Brian Vickers) wrote in message
. com...
As a novice boatbuilder, I would like to take on a somewhat different
project. I would like to build a wooden craft as an almost carbon copy
of the popular Sunfish because of it's easy of opperation and
performance for a boat of that size. To make up for the likly increase
in weight, I thought it might be beneficial to increase the draft and
thus the displacement. However, I do not know where to begin and would
like some advice from someone more knowledgeable about boatbuilding
than myself. Thank you very much, Brian Vickers.

Hi Brian,

snip I wouldn't have thought that a wood/fibreglass version would
necessarily be greatly heavier than the a roto-molded poly-whats-it or
fibreglass version.

The Stevenson Projects minicup might be there or thereabouts what
you're looking for.
Plans and building instructions are a free download from
http://www.stevensonprojects.com/FastSailrs.html
It looks fairly similar to what I understand a Sunfish to be (Sunfish
are not common in my part of the world). This design is fairly old
now, and takes a little more woodwork than some of the more modern
"stitch and glue" boats.

I know of two other builders of this design in this group (other than
myself).
Google this group and the web for Stevenson Minicup for more info, or
ask away here...

Don't be too swayed by the fact that the plans for the MiniCup are
free - generally, the cost of "standard" plans will be a relatively
small part of the overall cost of any boat you would build.


snip

I've built a MiniCup and am actually the guy who is responsible for the
plans being free. Stevenson Projects sold me one of their last copies of
the plans and then decided to discontinue them. With their permission, I
made an electronic form of the plans for another builder and of course, gave
them a copy too. They made the decision to make them freely available.
This puts these plans in a slightly different class from other "free" plans
in that this design used to be a commercial design albeit one from the
1970s.

It's still a fun boat thought and pretty easy to build. In comparison to a
Sunfish, it's a bit wider and a lot more stable. My hull weighs in at about
130lbs but it could have been less if I had had a clue about how to apply
epoxy.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, at the http://www.byyb.org
site, or directly to me.

--
Andrew Butchart

http://www.floatingbear.ca