Jumat, 29 April 2016

The conception of our project

In February 2008, while we were walking along the north shore of Flathead Lake, my husband Richard commented that he wanted to build a wooden sailboat and sail away into retirement. How else do travel junkies afford their habit, but take their house with them?

As the winters tend to get rather gloomy here in the Flathead, a long term project sounded great. We toyed with buying and refurbishing an older boat. A 30 year old hull, however, is still a 30 year old hull with its inherent weaknesses and problems after almost as much financial outlay to repair and update it. Besides the challenge of the building process, and the intimate knowledge of every aspect of our boat was something that appealed to us. The next hurdle was deciding what and where to build.

As Richard owns a custom cabinet shop, and has been working with wood for over 30 years, he really wanted to build a modern wooden sailboat, but with traditional appeal. After a lot of research he decided on the strip plank-cold mold method of construction. He wanted to build a vessel large enough to live on, but small enough to be a realistic goal financially and in terms build time. We also wanted a boat that could be easily handled by a couple, with shallow enough draft for poking around remote areas, but designed for bluewater and passagemaking.

The lengthy process of picking plans began....
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J 111 Review



Now that the Honcho is up for sale, were beginning to look for another boat and another adventure. Ive always liked J Boats, so I couldnt wait to see the new J/111, which we thought might be a fun high performance cruiser that would suit our needs. Well, after checking one out, we decided to keep looking because its not quite big enough for the voyages we are contemplating. But that doesnt mean its not a great boat. In fact, I think its one of the better boats J Boats has produced.
J/111 Outboard Profile

The J/111 is, in my opinion, a continuation of the J/35 theme...A fast, seaworthy boat that is offshore capable, but is most comfortable as a racer that a couple could easily spend a week at the island aboard. This is a type that J Boats excels at, so I though it would be fun to do a review of this design. A few years ago I spent some time cruising aboard a similar boat, an Aerodyne 38  called "Matador" and really enjoyed sailing across the southern reach of the Sea of Cortez from Cabo to Mazatlan aboard her. In 2003 we won our class in the Newport - Ensenada race in the same boat. Ill add some photos of both boats for your viewing pleasure, and Ill take this opportunity to credit Yachtworld.com for all of photos of both boats. I also encourage you to visit www.rodgermartindesign.com if youre interested in learning more about the A/38.


J/111


The J/111 reflects the state of the art in boats of this genre. With its plumb bow, long waterline, near vertical transom and bulb keel, the hull looks fast and its PHRF base rating of 42 looks about right to me. Interestingly, the Aerodyne 38 rates the same.

Aerodyne 38
Both boats have a deep bulb keel with a vertical leading edge and the all-important kelp cutter. This keel shape is one I have used in my own designs and it really is more efficient than, say, the keel on the Honcho.
J/111 Keel
The Aerodynes keel has a more torpedo-shaped bulb than this.

Both the J/111 and Aerodyne 38 have deep carbon fiber rudders and wheel steering. The wide sterns of these boats demand deep rudders to keep them from stalling when the boat is heeled at speed. Rudders on boats of this type are usually large relative to the keel as they not only steer the boat but help generate lift to weather as well.

I really like the aesthetics of both boats. The 111 looks more modern but that is to be expected. The cockpits are large and incorporate seating forward and wide open space aft. This is efficient for racing, but makes for a surprisingly friendly place to be if youre cruising, provided that the seats are long enough for an occasional snooze.
J/111 accommodations
Going below, the basic layout of the J/111 looks lightweight and efficient for racing. For cruising it would be snug. Notice that the head and V-berth are in the same cabin space. Id remove the cushions and relegate the V-berth to storage only. The quarterberths might be big enough for two and the settees in the main cabin would make reasonably good sea-berths if they were fitted with lee cloths. The galley is small, but probably adequate for short cruises and fixing simple meals for a racing crew. I like the nav station. Its big and has plenty of storage space.
J/111 interior
Light and open spaces abound


Aerodyne 38 main cabin
Engine is under the sinks

The Aerodyne, by contrast is oriented more for offshore racing or cruising. The layout incorporates a head aft to port and large quarterberth to starboard. The galley has plenty of counter space, with the Yanmar engine under the double sinks. The forward cabin is spacious and has a berth big enough for two.

The sailplans of both boats are similar. Big main, non-overlapping jibs, asymmetrical spinnakers on retractable poles, carbon fiber mast. Whats not to like here?
Aerodyne 38
High speed cruising

J/111 Under sail
Sweet!

I have not yet had an opportunity to sail the J/111 so I can only speculate on how the boat handles, but it is similar enough to some of my own designs and to the Aerodyne 38, which I have sailed, to expect that it will be very quick, with a light helm and fast acceleration out of tacks. The deep, high aspect ratio keel and fine bow combined with the lightweight and efficient sailplan will make it fast upwind. The high sail area/displacement ratio means it will be quick to heel in puffs and will require close attention to sail trim in windy conditions, but it will reward you with high speeds downwind. Overall, an exciting boat to sail. I can say the same for the Aerodyne, athough it will be a slightly more comfortable ride. My guess is that the J/111 will be slightly quicker in light air buoy racing and downwind racing. The Aerodyne would likely be a better choice for the longer downwind races like the Transpac.


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Morbihan 2011

This video was made by Voiles et Voiliers in 2010 after my visit there to meet and sail with my friend Francois Vivier. 
We sailed from Pornichet to the Gulf of Morbihan in his 25 gaff-sloop called Pen Hir  
and for 3 days sailed in company with thousands of boats during Semaine du Gulfe Morbihan. It
is an experience I will never forget and I cannot wait to return. 

Enjoy! You will see me at about 4:00. I dont remember what I said; if you speak French you can remind me!
You will notice all the Vivier boats sailing everywhere. That was not staged...there were simply so many Vivier 
boats that we were able to see the entire design catalog sailing and rowing, from 12 dinghies to 50 traditional
yachts! 

I have had a few complaints that the video did not load, but it seems to work. Give it time or check your connection.

Voiles et Voiliers 

La voile-aviron expliquée par François Vivier by voilesetvoiliers
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Orange Boat

I’ve written about this fast cruiser on Burlesdon Blog a while ago and was very taken by the design when we first saw her in the Mediterranian. Designed by French Naval Architect Jean-Pierre Villenave she is a Turbo 950.



France is one of the most exciting centers of yacht design where many small scale designers are applying lessons and technologies from racing yachts to produce fast and capable cruisers. The Turbo 9.5 is one such design, built with strip plank construction, she is light, fast and from the look of her a blast to sail.

The pilot house design and flush deck is rightly popular and highly practical for cruising combining as it does low wind-age forward with a spacious deck space for working, especially useful when at anchor.



Details like the swivel seats at the transom are a practical response to the wide stern hull shapes which gives the yacht its planning ability and speed. Compared with the complication and cost involved with the twin wheels which are so often seen on modern yachts, a comfortable outboard seat with a tiller extension is a very refreshing, not to mention low cost, low maintenance solution, something many of us strive for in a cruising boat.



We know from fellow blogger Robert Wise on Boat Bits that the Orange Boat has left the Mediterranean and arrived safely in the Caribbean after crossing the Atlantic.



Jean-Pierre has designed a range of yachts many for amateur construction using ply wood as well as his smaller version the Turbo 650 meter which is a fast, low cost cruiser which would get a young family on the water and having a lot of fun.
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Kamis, 28 April 2016

During a recent visit from Paul Hernes (builder of the first Phoenix III) I was able to take a number of still and video shots of the details of the balance lug rig on Pauls Phoenix III.

This was my first ever attempt at video filming and editing, so please be patient with the results. However, you may find some of the clips to be worthwhile as they do show how well the boat has been developed by Paul over the years. Here they are: -





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DDYD Mobile Website

Last night we went live with a new section of our website, optimised for mobile devices. You can access it via a link to it on our desktop home page or via the direct address http://dixdesign.com/mobile.
Screenshot of mobile website
This new site is fast and compact, to load pages and information as quickly as possible on mobile systems. It has most of the functionality of our desktop site, from researching designs through to placing an order through our secure order system.

It also gives fast access to our blogs, videos on Youtube, image albums on Flickr and to our social media pages on Facebook and Google Plus.

The boat design links for more information currently go to the design pages on our desktop site, which are best viewed in landscape mode if on a smartphone. Over coming weeks I will build compact pages for all of our designs, for better viewing of core info on mobile devices and linking to the desktop site for more detailed info.

Please visit http://dixdesign.com/mobile and cruise the new site. If you want to offer feedback on it, feel free to email your comments to me via the email links on one of our contact pages. Thanks for visiting.
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Rabu, 27 April 2016

Melon Seed Nancy Lee

Roger Rodibaugh of Lafayette, Indiana kindly sent us pictures of his delightful Melon Seed skiff Nancy Lee named after Rogers wife. The Mellon Seed has been a favourite ever since I first discovered the lines in Howard Chappelles book American Small Craft.



Roger tells the story - In the 1880s, in the bays and backwaters of New Jersey (USA), there developed a shapely gunning skiff called a Melon Seed. H.I. Chapelle imortalized the type in his American Small Sailing Craft. He and other historians suggest that the Melon Seed was a developmental improvement on the Sneakbox, better able to handle the open, choppy waters of the Jersey Bays by virtue of its more complex shape. Others argue that the Sneakbox, being easier to build, and therefore less costly, came after the Melon Seed. Whichever the case, it remains indisputable that this little skiff is a right virtuous craft, suitable today for easy singlehanding or a crew of two and a picnic.





Roger Crawford builds a version of the Chapelle skiff in fiberglass and teak in his two-man shop. Largely thanks to him and the over 450 boats he has built, the type has become more widely known. http://www.melonseed.com/ There are also a number of professional and amateur builders who have built carvel, plywood lapstrake, and strip plank boats to various plans.



I have sailed a Crawford Melonseed for nearly 20 years and can attest to her virtues. I live 50 miles from my sailing waters, so easy trailering and quick rigging are important to me. The 235 pound boat is effortless to trailer, and the sprit rig sets up instantly. She relishes a breeze, but takes well to the oars in a calm. Her diminutive size belies her toughness -- shes very capable, and seems to know just how to step through a chop -- and the side decks keep the green water out. All this, and pretty, too, with her hollow bow and saucy sheer.



Melonseed particulars:

length overall: 138"
beam 43"
draft 6" to 26"
displacement 235 lbs.
sail area 62 sq. ft.
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Selasa, 26 April 2016

A Month in Banderas Bay

Banderas Bay Sunrise


Finisterra has been in Banderas Bay for about a month, and it looks like well be here a few more weeks. Weve decided to spend the season cruising in Mexico instead of hurrying south to Panama this spring. Reasons for this are multiple, but the primary cause is that we had planned to leave California in November but were delayed a couple of months due to health issues. We considered various schedules for getting to Panama before the wet season starts, but they all would leave us without enough time to explore southern Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Costa Rica. So instead, well hang out here a bit longer, then head north into the beautiful Sea of Cortez. When hurricane season begins in late spring, Finisterra will be safely tucked into a slip in La Cruz and well go back to the States for a couple of months.

In the meantime, life here could scarcely be more relaxing and tranquil. We loved having guests aboard Finisterra and enjoy the friendly hustle and bustle of life ashore, but out here on the hook we have time to relax. You might think cruising in Mexico is one big vacation, but believe it or not, there is always work to be done, people to see, and places to go. But here in the anchorage on a peaceful morning all of that seems faraway, at least for a while. Here is typical morning aboard Finisterra:

I woke up around 6:00am. Sunrise isnt until well after 7:00. I fix a cup of coffee and go on deck and look around. The first streaks of dawn appear over the mountains to the east and I settle down in the cockpit to watch the show. The boat is gently rocking and the only sound is a few gulls in the distance. A few minutes pass and the sky is brightening, sending streaks of light through the morning clouds that are reflected in the water. I hear what sounds like a sigh and look over to see a couple of dolphins lazily passing by less than 40 feet away. Off in the distance I hear the sound of an outboard motor and see a panga with a couple of fishermen heading out for a day of fishing. By now the sun is about to burst over the mountains and the dinghy traffic begins as people aboard the sixty or so boats in the anchorage head for shore. A few minutes later, Lisa emerges on deck with a plate full of sliced fruit, and the day is in full swing.
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Design Evolutuion

Naval Architecture and small craft design as we know it today is a relatively new process in human terms. By that I mean the design of boats by the use of paper drawings and, more recently computer modelling. I do not know enough about the detail of the history to make any definitive statements without research, but broadly speaking I think that the last 300 years would just about cover the span of "paper" design.

Boatbuilding (and presumably design) in present day Vietnam. Photo courtesy Bill Bradley

Once again in general terms, small craft design lagged behind when it came to plans drawn on paper as the first step in producing a boat. Well into the twentieth centuary, and in fact right up until today, small boats have been designed and built by eye and intuition, coming together and evolving on the builders strongback.

Ive got plenty of boat designs in my own portfolio, but Ive only published a few. When I say designs, what I really mean is that I have a large number of lines drawings and finished computer models (even some carved half-models, of which the current computer models are a modern equivalent). Although the modelling of a hull, calculation of the hydrodynamics, and the drawing of the lines represents a large part of the creative side of boat design, the really time-consuming part is the detailed drafting of the building plans. Much modern design software deals with the detailed structural drafting semi-automatically, but I do my drawing manually, line-by-line in a simple 2D CAD program. Effectively, it is simply drawing in a conventional manner, but using an electronic drawing board - at least it makes erasure much cleaner!

This photo shows me making the lines drawing of Phoenix III. These days I do it electronically. 
For a number of years now I have felt uncomfortable about the number of plans being pumped out around the world for commercial gain. I know that people are always after something just a bit different, but in years gone by, existing designs evolved to meet the requirements of the customer rather than the market being flooded with new designs just for the sake of having a new design. The result was that bad elements were designed out and good elements were improved upon, giving rise to boats which were better and better suited to their intended function. It is with that in mind that I have been holding back on publishing extra plans.

In the last couple of weeks, I have been approached by a customer who had bought a set of plans for my Phoenix III design, asking whether the boat could be built using the glued-strip plank method.

The very first Phoenix III on launching day. Photo Rhonda Lillistone
Now, I designed Phoenix III from the very outset to have five wide planks of plywood planking making use of the excellent glued-lapstrake building method. My idea was to make use of the cross-grain strength of marine plywood, and to capitalise on the width of the available material. Also, I was aware that many people are intimidated by the thought of making a large number of planks, so I felt that five wide planks would provide a good compromise between a rounded lapstrake hullform and ease of building. The resulting boat has been very sucessful, and Im quite proud of the overall design.

Phoenix III has several different rig options - this is the balance lug, which sets on exactly the same mast as the sprit rig. Photo Paul Hernes

Because I designed Phoenix III for five wide planks per side, I drew the bulkheads and molds with a number of flats to take the individual planks. This makes it much easier for an inexperienced builder to determine the lay of the planks and makes spiling (the determination of the plank shape on the flat) much simpler. The problem is that it would not allow the customer to build the boat using the glued-strip-plank method. I was tempted to tell him to use a spline to simply draw a curve through the points of the flats on all of the sections, but I wasnt convinced that the resulting shape would be fair.

A half-section through the hull, showing how the wide planks lay against flats on the bulkheads and molds.
What I ended up doing was to import the existing hull shape into the DELFTship Professional which I currently use for hull modelling, and then altered the entire hull from one with five flats per side, to one with a fully rounded, smooth hull surface.

Phoenix III perspective

Phoenix III perspective

Phoenix III lines plan


I have since carried out a similar modification to my Periwinkle design, which was drawn in the same way as Phoenix III.

Periwinkle on launching day. Photo Paul Hernes
One of the side benefits of this process has been that I have been able to make variations to the hull shapes where thought beneficial. In the case of Phoenix III I left her exactly as designed with the exception of making the hull smoothly rounded. But for Periwinkle, I increased the height of the bow very slightly and filled out the sheer line forward in plan view a little. This was made possible because the smoothly rounded hull does not have to comply with the limitations of developable plank shapes, which is necessary with the five plank hullform.

So, here is an example of improving (hopefully) existing designs with small, incremental alterations carried out where experience indicates they may be beneficial.

Having said all of this, I encourage anybody who feels the urge to have a go at designing their own boat. Experience begins at the beginning!
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Senin, 25 April 2016

Here are a couple of photos showing three Phil Bolger-designed boats under construction in our old shed, all at the one time (there were three other boats being built as well!) To paraphrase somebody else, "I can remember doing it, but I cant remember how!"

The boats in the photo are two of Phils Hope design (see last posting) and a Harbinger. Phil Bolger has often been associated with what some people call "Bolger Boxes". Well, the boxes are works of art in their own right, and demonstrate a rare understanding of hydrodynamics, allied with the application of common sense - but none of the three boats shown here could be called boxy!

Two examples of Hope (foreground and upper-left) and one example of Harbinger (upper right)
Here you can see the wooden pattern I made to allow for the casting of a bronze "Y" shaped propeller strut.
The shapely bow of one of the Hope designs in slings. The cuddy-cabin design was mine, as was the clinker construction plan - but Phil Bolger was consulted in writing and approved of the alterations.
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www.storerboatplans.com/wp

"A Boatbuilding Course in a Book"


The Boat Plans

Calendar for Goat Island Skiff sailboat - plan and plywood kit available

STOP PRESS - the Goat Island Skiff Calendar

Put together by the Goat Island Skiff Group on Facebook - Heavy gloss paper - suitable for framing.  Goats in the USA, Australia and UK.  Sailing, Camping, Racing
$26 plus post 17 x 11"
Electric squareback canoe 6mph with an electric trolling motor - cartoppable

Quick Canoe Electric - for Minn Kota trolling Motor

Keeps the simplicity and low materials cost of the Quick Canoe Family.  Does 5 ot 6mph with good range with a 34lb thrust Minn Kota or other electric trolling motor.  Very detailed Plans $30

Goat Island Skiff - simple ply, modern performance

An excellent sailing skiff - light, fast, pretty.
Rows and Motors and will sail rings around other character boats.

Micro Sleep aboard Beach Cruiser by Perttu

A brilliant bit of industrial design. A tiny 8ft sleepaboard beach cruiser.  Easy to store, inexpensive to build, but uses all my highly developed Oz Racer parts except for the hull.
This takes you to the Duckworks website

Quick Canoe 155 - Simple build in a 2+ weekends.

First one took the builder 4 1/2 hours to get on the water - but me longer!  It has been designed to be as easy to build as possible while keeping some of the qualities of a good paddling canoe - in particular the ability to track. 

Eureka Canoe - a pretty, simple and classic canoe

Light on the land, Excellent distance touring boats. 156", simple construction 44 - 32lbs (15 to 20kg) - Click here for a comparison between plywood canoe plans.

Goose - supplement for a 12ft OzRacer/OZ PDRacer

The basic OzRacer sails well with two aboard, but some might like the extra space of the PDGoose.  Use the OzRacer plans to make all the bits but this supplement for a longer hull.  You can build one of each hull and then choose which one to sail.

15 1/2 ft Rowboat - easy pretty plywood rowboat

Simple, lightweight rowing boat for one person based on the Goat Island Skiff. 

"BETH" Sailing Canoe - simple, brilliant performance

A touch of the 1870s but fast and fun.
Racing dinghy experience recommended!  
ozracerRV - simplest possible sailing boat, detailed cheap plan

OZ RACER - simplest plywood sailboat - 2 choices!

The perfect first sailing boat - cheap, fast to build and an excellent sailer.  Plans $20 - a modern boatbuilding course in a book.

OzRacer Mk2 - the best simple plywood sailboat for experienced or solo sailors wanting very best performance - formerly the OzRacer Mk2

OzRacerRV - The simplest possible plywood sailboat build, more space in the cockpit for two people and cheaper in most countries.  And it aint slow!

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Passage to La Paz

As usual, we enjoyed Mazatlan more than we expected to. Every time we visit this city we find new and interesting places to visit, and meet new and interesting people . This place is working its way up toward my top five favorite places to visit in Mexico. But all things come to an end, and our time in Mazatlan ended at 1100 on Monday, April 20th as Finisterra cleared the breakwater at El Cid, and headed northwest along the mainland coast.

The forecast was for light northwesterly winds so we motored in that direction, keeping about 10 miles off the coast, with the idea that we would be in a good position to make a quick passage across the Sea once the wind veered around to North. We wanted to pass to the north of Isla Cerralvo and avoid the Cerralvo Channel, which has earned a reputation in my mind as a frequently unpleasant stretch of water.

By dusk we were some 50 miles northwest of Mazatlan, still motoring over flat seas in 2-3 knots of wind. Later that night we bent our course further toward the west, expecting the wind to shift north and build to a forecasted 15 knots. That shift didnt happen and we continued across the Sea under power through a beautiful night with a sliver of waning moon hanging low over the western horizon.

We motored along all the next day over the same glassy seas. By late afternoon, Isla Cerralvo was off our port bow. About ten miles before we passed the rocks that lie off the northern tip of the island, a wind came up out of the south. It wasnt what I expected but I was glad to have it and quickly unrolled the jib, thinking that if it lasted more than ten minutes Id hoist the main and wed have a nice close reach across the north edge of the Cerralvo Channel. Instead the wind, a Coromuel, piped up to 25 knots and veered SW and then WSW, bringing a lumpy head sea with it and erasing my thoughts of a pleasant passage through the San Lorenzo channel.
The San Lorenzo Channel lies between Isla Espiritu Santo to the north and the Baja Peninsula to the south.

San Lorenzo is a fairly short and narrow channel with hazards to navigation on both sides, and it didnt take long to get through it in spite of the Coromuel wind and rough seas. I knew that once we passed through the channel the wind would back around to SW and continue all night. So as soon as we were well clear of the channel we turned and headed southeast to Puerto Balandra. The wind was still blowing 25-30 as we approached the bay in pitchy darkness. We could see the lights of a few boats anchored there, but as we approached closer we were able to pick our way between them and came to anchor at 2330 in the southwest corner of the bay, about 100 yards off some low bluffs that offered good protection from the waves, if not the wind.

With the big Rocna anchor and 120 feet of chain down in 20 feet of water, we had a quick dinner and a glass of wine. Then Lisa turned in and I sat for a while in the cockpit watching the stars twinkling in the moonless night. I kept an eye on the GPS as well, just to make sure the anchor was doing its job, then turned in myself around 0100.  I was up again at 0300 and 0600, monitoring the GPS but the anchor, as always, kept us in place.

The next two days were spent in lazy solitude in Puerto Balandra, the Coromuel wind blew both nights, giving way each day to lighter northerly winds and overcast skies. After two peaceful days we got the anchor up and headed into Marina Palmira in La Paz, where well stay a couple of weeks.


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Little Egret under Construction




John Hockings has started construction of the Little Egret I designed for him, and he is making spectacularly fast progress and doing a wonderful job. This is his first attempt at Stitch-and-Glue, although Little Egret uses a combination of S&G and traditional skiff construction. Here is a link to Johns thread on the Woodenboat Forum - be sure to check all of the pages as the thread is already onto page two, and will soon be on a third page, I think.

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?139737-Little-Egret-an-Egret-style-day-sailer

Ill be continuing to watch the project with great interest, as this boat is significant.
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Minggu, 24 April 2016

How good are small boats

My three sons (one of whom built his first boat at thirteen, and a lapstrake sailing dinghy at age fourteen) seem to have picked up one of my bad characteristics - that is, having too many interests.

The boatbuilding boy is obsessed with sailing, model aircraft, engines, quality cars, and full-sized gliding. He recently confided in me that he had plenty of other potential hobbies, but time and space have already become critical. Welcome to life, I say!

Recently he and I went for a really good day of sailing in his recently-acquired-but-very-old Jack Holt-designed Lazy E (a.k.a. National E). We experienced 20 to 25 knot conditions, and had to work very hard indeed to keep the old boat on her feet. But what a ride we had! Lots of trapeze work, and lots of planing. At one stage as we were planing on a reach, my boy yelled from the tiller that if Green Island hadnt been in the way, we would have had to keep going to New Zealand, because it was too much fun to change tacks.

This reminded me once again just how much satisfaction you can get from sailing dinghies (dinghys? - I dont know how to spell it...). The interesting thing was that when I questioned this young man about which activity he would keep doing, if only one was allowed, he was emphatic in saying it would have to be sailing. This is despite the obvious attraction of the aviation and mechanical interests.

I have a theory that the human brain stores away the sounds, and sights of a days sailing, and that the beneficial effects last for weeks or months. It doesnt take much to keep me going, although more is always better.
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Rowing Sailing in France Finland Part 1

I recently returned from a wonderful 2 week business trip in Europe. The business in France was to sail and better get to know Francois Vivier and his designs. I felt it was a good idea as his sole US and Canada kit agent and boatbuilder to better understand the cultural backdrop to his boats. I had also hoped to get on many of the that I carry in my catalog but have not had the occassion to sail on to date. The plan was to sail in Pen-Hir to Semaine Du Gulfe Morbihan (photo left at sea), one of the premier boating festivals in the world with 100s of Vivier boats in attendance as well. The trip met and exceeded all expectations. Not only are Viviers small boats well represented but there were numerous large vessels of his design sailing in the Gulfe. I was able to get onto all the boats and gain a good feeling for how they row and sail.

While hove to in the 250-boat voile-aviron fleet (sail & oar), I was able to sail with Nicolas Vivier in his Morbic 12 and transfer to a kit built Ilur afterwards. It was a fantastic morning with this sort of activity, bouncing
from boat to boat and seeing so many Vivier boats in one place. It was like a
"live" floating advertisement for his boats!
The pictures dont do justice to just how many boats there were in the sail & oar fleet, one of 7 fleet
s in the Festival which took place over the whole Gulf and rotated night to night through the different p
orts. Other boat in the fleet were: Le Seil, Minhouet, B
eg-Meil, Ebihen 15, Ebihen 18, Aber, and Francois first sail & oar boat, Aven.

I was more taken with Aber than I had thought: she is beautiful, fast, and seaworthy.

If you speak French or even if you do not, it is worth watching a video about Francois and his work shot at the Morbihan week on board Pen-Hir and aboard Francoiss motorboat design, Koulmig, pictured in the background.

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