Sunday, July 16, 2017

Why Small...

For me, I’ve always felt that the amount a boat is used is inversely proportional to its weight. I like ‘small’.  This post is about how others feel about ‘small’.

Robin Lee Graham, who, starting at age 16, sailed alone around the world in his sloop, "Dove":
"At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much."

RLW of the Boat Bits blog, in a post called "So many boats..." on March 31, 2017:
 “…for me what makes a perfect boat to go cruising in is really quite simple...
  • It floats right side up
  • It does not leak to excess
  • It sails well
  • It's simple
  • It does not require you to go into debt to buy or maintain it
  • It's owner fixable”
I especially love the last point... if you can’t fix it, or can’t replace it with something else, maybe it shouldn’t be on the boat.

Howard Rice wrote in his blog... (as of 2020, the post is no longer available. Following is my copy of it as of November 2016.)
"Small boats in the hands of a conservative sailor may offer a few advantages larger boats cannot.
  1. They are affordable whether new or used.
  2. They can be kinetically controlled by movement of body mass by the sailor when underway.
  3. They can be easily self rescued if set up properly.
  4. Perhaps most importantly they can be hauled on shore when nasty weather looms.
“I have chosen to voyage aboard a small boat for a number of reasons primary of which are, ease of use for the type of voyaging I prefer (some open water crossings to remote and interesting shorelines). Ocean passages are fine but in my experience they can be a bit boring. Most passages aim at getting boat and sailor somewhere to explore. I prefer to get there more quickly, perhaps by trailer and get right after the exploring part. In my case with this voyage (sailing among the islands of Tierra del Fuego) … my boat (a Welsford SCAMP) is being shipped… 
“I also prefer small recognizing ease of handling given my “theory of thirds”* approach and resultant higher degree of safety. Safety is often equated with larger boats but if one stops to consider the question it may be argued that for some applications small may be better than large and this is particularly true for some solo sailors. Safety ranges from handling while upright to the ease and ability of righting the boat if capsized. My boat does feature an inflatable cuddy cabin aimed at keeping her at least on her side when she goes over. I believe she can withstand a 360 roll. 
“*(Theory of thirds)… I think of small boats in terms of thirds, me, the hull and the power generated by the sail rig. In the smallest of boats I can kinetically over power and thus control the hull and power generated by the sail rig.”

Mark G. from Ottawa wrote to me in response to a post requesting thoughts on cruising in small boats (used with Mark's permission):

“What are the positive aspects?"

  • easily handled by one person
  • can be cartopped (no trailer required)
  • great for poking around in thin water
  • can carry at least 2 weeks worth of supplies for one person (can probably push to 3 weeks)
  • agile/nimble and responsive to rower inputs (I've taken mine through rapids)
  • can be pulled from the water at the end of the day (esp. if bad weather threatens)
  • low maintenance
  • easily righted after a knockdown
  • no trailer required, no launch ramp required
  • no motor needed
  • allows you to get to some great areas that have no marinas
  • very buoyant and stable in rough water

"The negatives?"

  • rowing speed is about 2 - 2.5 knots
  • not really suitable for more than 1 person
  • difficult to sleep aboard
  • need to find a way to rig a sun shade

"Is the slower speed (due to shorter water line length) an issue for you?"

  • not really as I'm not out to get from A to B as fast as possible; I'm there to enjoy the surroundings and the experience of being out on the water
  • I can keep up with boats in the 16-18' range

"Do you feel they are practical for ‘weekend’ cruises in relatively protected waters?"

  • absolutely!
  • I think they're good for 2-3 week cruises as long as you like camping

"Would you want one?"

"Why, or why not?"

  • Even though I'm planning to do a lot of extended (1-2 months) cruising in my Marsh Hen over the next 10 years, it won't beat the simplicity and ease-of-use of the Shellback.  I can reach a lot of areas more easily, faster, and cheaper. In that regard it's a great boat for exploring.  A good step up from sea kayaking, which I also do.”

From the Classic Marine site, in an article entitled Small Can Be Beautiful, the author first identifies the reasons that people don’t use the boats they have. He then proposes an answer that responds to virtually all of the reasons people don’t use their current boat. His proposal is to buy/build a small boat… here’s why:
  • “Lower initial outlay, or higher quality for the same outlay, or, a solution a number of people find rewarding, a “bespoke” boat for the same outlay. There has perhaps never been as wide a choice of custom - or semi-custom - built boats as there is now. Many are the sort of craft which can give real pride of ownership. 
  • Lower maintenance costs - partly because you will need smaller quantities or sizes of items which need replacing - i.e. rope, rigging, paint and so on. It may also be that many of the maintenance tasks could now be done yourself, even if time is short. 
  • Lower storage costs - especially if the boat is car-toppable or trailable since you might be able to be based at home, in which case finding the time for maintenance becomes that much easier. 
  • Fewer things to maintain, so the boat tends to be easier to keep in good shape, thus increasing seaworthiness and eventual re-sale value. 
  • Shorter trips seem more adventurous in small boats , and you can explore smaller creeks impossible for larger boats. Short trips are good for involving the family - if you reckon on 15-20 minutes per year of age maximum per trip for children, you stand a good chance of keeping their interest and enthusiasm, even if you do lose them to the racing circuit for a few years! 
  • Finally, the consequences of a minor error of judgement such as unscheduled contact, either with terra firma or someone else’s belongings, are usually less serious in a smaller boat.”

Dave and Mindy Bolduc talk about cruising in small boats in their Micro Cruising Guide, in their case, Matt Layden’s Little Cruiser. The whole guide is well worth reading for its insight on two people cruising over 10,000 miles in a boat 15’ (4.6 m) long. Following are excerpts from the Guide related to ‘why small’:
“…Though many people would consider this fifteen footer to be a little Spartan for two, we've found that the boat's small size is one of her strongest virtues. We've trailered her long distances with our aging four cylinder Honda Accord, and we've found it easy to launch the boat at any ramp due to the boat's 9-inch draft. Little Cruiser is simple to sail and to maintain, and her flat-bottomed hull along with her robust construction has proven itself over 10,000 miles (16,093 km) of sailing in all kinds of weather. Most importantly, this miniature yacht has carried us safely six times to the Bahamas. We have enjoyed gunk holing in the shallow and incredibly clear waters in this sailor's paradise, and we have explored many pristine islands and beaches not easily accessible by larger craft.” 
“They track straight, and they will pretty much take care of themselves. Things don't tend to happen too quickly either. If you make a mistake, like an unintentional jibe, nothing horrible occurs. Nothing breaks, and nobody goes for a swim. In addition, these boats don't seem to make a lot of fuss while going through the water. This is probably because they are so narrow, small, and frankly, pretty well designed. What we find most amazing, though, is that we regularly have an easier time going to windward than larger cruising vessels. Because we are so short, we can often fit in between the wave troughs that larger boats aren't quite able to bridge.” 
“Over the years we have thought about moving up to a larger boat to get a little more elbowroom so to speak. However, after watching other sailors handle their big sailboats, we probably won't change a thing because it looks like too much hard work. Cranking on those big winches while tacking back and forth could give us some real nasty blisters, and hauling in those heavy anchors might strain our backs. Moreover, coming into a dock with a large boat could be a real nightmare when there is a foul current running or a strong breeze blowing. You'd better have your fenders and lines ready when you need to stop a few tons quickly. We usually just fend off with our feet and hold on with our hands. Running aground looks like another real headache too. If you can't get free right away, you'll have to jump into your dinghy, lay out an anchor, and kedge off while using your sails to heel the ship over. If that doesn't do it, and you're not in any danger, then you have the pleasure of sitting out the tide on the side of your boat. No, we prefer just stepping off our tiny craft and pushing.” 
“Over the years, one of the nice things we've noticed about having such a small boat is that you simply use it more while you are out cruising because it is fun to sail. These boats handle as easily as a dinghy, and the shallow draft is perfect for exploring up creeks and rivers. Running aground is never a problem when a simple push is all that you need to get going again. We can easily pass under low bridges by dropping our mast to reach new cruising grounds, and we can even land on deserted beaches for a picnic. We've noticed that the typical forty-foot cruiser one sees in the Bahamas tends to drop their anchor and to stay put until they make their next passage. And who could blame them? It's a lot of work to get all that ground tackle down and then back up again. We often move around daily to enjoy the scenery, and we have the luxury of choosing any anchoring spot we like most of the time. In the end, we'll probably just keep cruising along in Little Cruiser because she's easy to handle and she gets us where we want to go with the minimal fuss, the lowest cost and the least effort.”

Sunday, July 9, 2017

CLC’s Expedition Wherry

Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) has a wide collection of small boat plans and kits. The  Expedition Wherry is one example.

CLC's Expedition Wherry by Olav Y. in Stord, Norway

Expedition Wherry using X-Ray vision...
Specifications:

  • Length: 18' 3" (5.6 m)
  • Beam: 36” (914 mm)
  • Weight: 92 lbs. (42 kg)
  • Max Payload: 423 lbs. (192 kg)
  • Cockpit length: 7’ 6” (2.3 m)
  • Water Line Length: 16' 9" (5.1 m)
  • Water Line Width: 28" (711 mm)
  • WLL/WLW Ratio: 7.2:1
  • Hull Speed: 5.5 knots, 10.2 kph, 6.3 mph

From CLC documentation:

“This fast, shapely wherry is intended for serious sliding-seat rowers who are looking for open-water ability and enough payload for camp-cruising.”

Design: “I'm [John Harris, designer of the Expedition Wherry] working within the limitations of a hull design that's really easy to build from a kit.  But I think I got the distribution of volume in the forward third of the boat just right.  It's quite fine down at the waterline, for speed, but with a pronounced 'shoulder' up near the deck to help the bow lift over waves. It's subtle but you can see that feature working in the video footage."

Safety: “Most of the boat is decked in, with only a small "sump" area beneath the oarsman's heels to gather bilge water. An optional Elvstrom-type bailer can dispose of any water that gathers there. There are four separate watertight compartments, all accessible through hatches for gear storage.  The boat has enough stability, and the compartments provide enough buoyancy, that it's possible to climb back into the cockpit after a capsize, bail out, and continue on your way.”
Speed: "At a gentle cruising pace, about 50 percent pressure and 22-23 strokes per minute, you're doing 4.5 knots, or just over five miles per hour. The equivalent of an easy jogging pace on shore. Even with a couple of long breaks, you could cover 30 miles in a day, no problem…The boat is topping out for me around 6.5 knots, or 7-1/2 mph, but I'm not much of an athlete compared to some rowers. A strong oarsman could keep that up for longer than I could!"
Construction: “The Expedition Wherry is a multi-chined plywood boat, with a six-panel hull reinforced by six bulkheads.  The hull is mostly 4 mm Okoume plywood, with fiberglass applied both inside and out.  The computer-cut kit is intricately designed and highly evolved to suit fast and easy construction, including by first-time builders.  Hull panels are snapped together with "puzzle joints," and all of the holes for the temporary wire stitches have been drilled in advance.  Plans builders are provided with full-sized patterns for every part.  An elaborate step-by-step instruction manual, with photos and drawings of every step, accompanies both kits and plans.” 

...Plans overview.



CLC has produced a video of the Expedition Wherry with the designer, John Harris, rowing and commenting on the boat.

For me, a row cruiser means you can sleep on board. To do that in the Expedition Wherry, a custom sliding seat would need to be built rather than using the Piantedosi unit that CLC recommends. A sliding seat could run on rails attached to the sides of the hull. One could also eliminate the sliding seat and row only with a fixed seat and outriggers.

I would see two alternatives for providing a flat surface for sleeping aboard:
  1. Add a folding platform that spans the (approximately) 3’ (0.9 m) between the two waterproof compartments inside the cockpit. While sleeping, your CG (center of gravity) would be above the bottom, but lower than when you are rowing.

  2. Redesign the two compartments (that are inside the cockpit) to provide room to sleep on the bottom (with floorboards), but still maintaining the maximum amount of flotation/storage in the two outer compartments. 
Regardless of which alternative, provision would have to be made for a temporary shelter tent to provide rain protection.

Summary-Pros:

  •        A cruising speed of 4.5 mph (7.2 kph) for ten 45" sessions per day results in 34 miles (54 km) a day cruising.
  •        Can be rowed with either sliding seat or fixed seat.
  •        Designed water-proof compartments for plenty of storage for supplies and emergency flotation.
  •        Fully decked and low profile makes her very seaworthy and little affected by cross-winds.
  •        Long narrow boats such as this can be car-topped by one person.

Summary-Cons:

  •        Some conversion is necessary to make the Expedition Wherry a (sleep-on-board) Oar Cruiser. 


The Expedition Wherry would probably be the fastest of all the oar cruisers we’ve covered in this blog, capable of handling rough water, and with enough capacity to handle at least a week’s worth of supplies and equipment.




Sunday, July 2, 2017

Bolger’s Thomaston Galley, an Oar Cruiser


Actually, it's an Oar-Sail-Motor Cruiser.

Phil Bolger designed the Galley about 1970. Harold Payson had been pushing him for years to design a good rowing boat that could also be outboard powered. The result was the Thomaston Galley. Plans may still be available from H. H. Payson & Company, although they are no longer listed. The plans and description are also in Chapter 8 of Bolger’s Small Boats book published in 1973 by International Marine Publishing Company in Camden Maine. Bolger’s notes and the photos in this post are all taken from the book.

Bolger's Thomaston Galley...

...and sailing with the sprit rig...


...and demonstrating freeboard with 2 people and motor aft.

Excerpts from Phil Bolger’s Commentary

(Regarding the design) "It seemed to me that some deadrise would have to be used to combine enough stability to be reasonably safe and comfortable with the motor in use, and a clean bottom to row pleasantly. With plywood planking specified, that meant a long bow overhang if a hard knuckle in the forefoot was to be avoided. I thought about sneak boxes, where this problem is solved by making the hull very low and building up the sides and ends in way of the cockpit. Eventually it struck me that there was no need to cut down the stern, that in fact if it was built up into a sort of quarterdeck it would produce just that extra buoyancy that was needed to carry the motor, and moreover the combination of low bow and high stern would balance her up in windage and stop the bow from blowing off as it does in most rowing boats." 

(The design in use) "…mine lives on a light trailer in my garage and is used almost entirely for rowing… I average 3.5 mph (5.6 km/h) in good conditions for two hours… I can spurt 5.5 mph (8.9 km/h)… By starting in the morning calm, rowing, and sailing when the wind came up, I’ve more than once covered 25 miles (40 km) or so in a day… She is intended strictly for protected water, of course; by trimming her by the stern she can go through or over a tolerable chop without much trouble under sail or power, but rowing her to windward in open water is a wet and nasty business I take pains to avoid….but in smooth water the Galley rows as well in a calm and better in a breeze… 

(Construction) No problems with the construction have developed in several years of frequent use, including any fair day in winter in my case… The boat is noticeably flexible under sail, the thrust of the leeboard twisting the side in and out in the puffs, but there doesn’t seem to be any harm in it." 

(Cruising) "[She is roomier inside…] As to the last point, the movable rowing seat (idea from L. Francis Herreshoff) makes plenty of room to lie down and the sail neatly covers the open part with the sprit for a ridgepole (also lifted from L.F.H.), but I’ve lost most of my enthusiasm for camping out in the New England climate in open boats." 

(Conclusion) "I admit to being quite proud of this design; apart from being the only successful attempt at a row-sail-motor combination I ever came across, it tends to blow up a designer’s vanity when an unusual solution to a troublesome problem works out exactly as expected."

Specifications

  • Length: 15’ 6” (4.7 m)
  • Width: 4’ (1219 mm)
  • Weight: approximately 140 lbs (64 kg)
  • Water Line Length: 12' 8" (3.9 m)
  • Estimated Water Line Width: 35" (884 mm)
  • Est. WLL/WLW Ratio: 4:4.1
  • Hull Speed: 4.8 knots, 8.8 kph, 5.5 mph

Bolger's Thomaston Galley Layout Plan...


...Table of Offsets and Construction Plan...

...Optional Sail Plan.

Using these plans from the book, I built a scale model of just the hull, building it as I would build the full sized boat, I found no issues in construction.

Scale Model (Hull Only) of Thomaston Galley (T. Clarke)

Summary-Pros:

        Thomaston Galley is a ready-to-go Oar Cruiser...

  •        She rows very easily as result of her deep "V" bottom and low windage. In the photo above, note the minimal wake behind the transom and yet Bolger is really pulling hard on the oars based on the swirl of water around the oar blades.
  •        She has plenty of room for equipment and supplies in water-proof bags.
  •        She's large enough to move around in, not feeling confined as in some other Oar Cruisers.
  •        She sails well (with a sail, rudder and lee-board that Bolger designed) which would extend her cruising range.

Summary-Cons:

  •         The weight of 140 pounds (64 kg) would make car-topping difficult... trailer would be appropriate.
  •        The open design (except for the fore-deck) would require a large shelter to provide dry sleeping.
  •        The open design also makes her subject to spray and/or large waves boarding her.