Hi Paul,

Nice to hear the boat has moved to fresher waters!!! No hosing down after sailing!

Is the speech on youtube. I’d like to hear.

MIK

Just wanting to keep you in touch with Gracious Me, the finest red GIS on the planet. She now lives at Yass NSW and will be sailed on Lake Burley Griffin and the Clyde River above Bateman’s Bay NSW by our daughter Myffy and her beau.

The Bilge Rat and I (+ victualers) have just returned from the UK (family wedding) and enjoyed the Beale Park Boat Show at Pangbourne, Berkshire UK very much. I made a first class speech at the wedding – just thought I should let you know.

Hope all is well. When are you coming to see us? Bilge Rat off this week for 17 days trekking with camels in the Outback. Give me water any day.

Best,

Bumboat Boy.

Hi Duncan,

(Duncan is referring to the discussion about alternative sailcloths for homemade boats

I think you would have to check with Peter Hyndman. My guess is that the “cloth” is too heavy for boats of our size. But I am interested in the report as well. Do you have Peter’s email still? Tell me if you havent and I will send.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/boatmik/sets/72157625420284887/with/5239354303/

Did you ever find out how that Bunnings clear/glass reinforced “sail material” from the Toowoomba boats went?

Duncan

Glad you found it useful Robert!

MIK

Appreciated your reply, helped correct my thinking…

Robert

Hi Robert,

BETH the sailing canoe is too narrow to make a good rowing boat without outriggers. Also the centreboard goes through the deck in front of the cockpit so there is nowhere to sit.

I think it pushes the boat away from the original concept too much. With my Quick Canoe design one of my customers uses a swimming pool bean bag chair to sit it and paddles with a single or double paddle.

For short distances I kneel and use a single blade paddle and Beth goes much better than most sailing dinghies under paddle power. Won’t stay with a properly shaped canoe though!

A paddle requires much less extra gear and doesn’t intrude on the sailing space.

Hope this helps
Michael

Hi Frank,

Thankyou for your comments. A number of things on this page are experiments – over time we will find out what works best and the page will be updated.

The big thing that most don’t realise is that the same lessons apply to lug and all traditional rigs as to all modern rigs. The big advantage of many traditional rigs is the simplicity and cheapness – much less gear for adjustment. It is nice to try and keep that.

The battens are something my clients wanted to try. My approach during design was to assume the sail would be a little less efficient and increase the sail area to compensate. I think a little more area is more beneficial and much cheaper than battens.

But I support my customers when they are doing sensible experiments like all the ones we are cataloguing here.

Nice to make contact.
Best wishes
Michael