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#1
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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. |
#2
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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 |
#4
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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. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-freenet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned |
#5
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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. |
#6
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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. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-freenet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned |
#7
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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 |
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