Gyula, who built the first European OzRacer in 2008 wants to modify it for an outboard motor.
This modification will work for most OzRacers, Oz Goose, PDGoose and PDRacers.
Finally I finished the plan for the new OzRacer RV. It is a much simpler build of the original OzRacer concept so will be very attractive to people looking for a first boat. Plans are still the old $20 but even more detail than before. Order the plans for the simple and cheap OzRacer RV read more →
The OzRacer Mk3 has been rebranded as the OzRacer RV.
Detailed plan – a boatbuilding course in a book for $20 each.
So now racing sailors can use the OzRacer Mk2 and cruising sailors can use the OzRacer RV plan. The RV is no slouch though – it won the World titles in 2010.
The dot in the bay above is Perttu’s Microcruiser sailboat on a three day trip on the extensive Finnish waterways.
The boat is tiny – 8ft long and is based on my successful OzRacer design (formerly OZ PDRacer)
It is a brilliant concept and sails well upwind and down on inland waters.
First detailed sailing report of the Goose 12ft sailboat.
The Oz Goose is a 12ft sailboat derived from the smaller OzRacer/PDRacer/Brick line. It uses all the same running gear as the OzRacer.
Jim Post has built the hull of his PD Goose – a 12ft version of the OZ PDRacer.
He has done a nice job with a couple of nice additions. A seat in the middle and a stylishly angular splashboard on the foredeck. I am dying to hear how it sails!
Winter has been really harsh in North America.
It has even been snowing in Texas – and not just a little bit.
Kenny and family (more north than Texas) are really active on the PDRacer front but like many others are getting cabin fever from being icebound inside their houses.
So during one of the better days … there was boating to be done – but not boating as we know it, Jim.
The discussion on this topic went on.
Dave asked if people would laugh if they saw a PDR sailing in company with something more conventionally shaped.
Luckily I had a video clip to hand.
A little bit of writing how form in boat design seldom follows function in terms of what “looks good”. It was prompted by a discussion about whether the PDR is good looking or not.
My Podcasts on design also cover this idea to a greater depth – they are in the menu at the top of each page.
OZ Racer plan information The PDRacers have a saga published at Duckworks about the Texas 200 (the 200 mile sailing event up the Texas Coast). It is not by a Ducker but by one impressed by them. Extract The Mighty Ducks clung to the port, with all manner and various sort of other craft abeam read more →
A nice little article by Jackie Monies who is turning into the writer in residence for the PDRacers.
It posits the idea that because of its cheapness, ease of building and the creativity in the group that it qualifies as the “All American Boat”.
Actually I think it is the perfect boat for places that are water rich and cash poor. Anyone can afford to go sailing in these cool little sailing boats. The options of material and design solutions allow the boats to be built of local material just about anywhere. Very cheaply.
Peter Hyndman has made some PDRacer wallpapers that you can download for your iPhone and some other devices.
This is the second of my talks in the USA. It focuses a bit more on construction and some of the methods that can be used to keep a boat light and simple, but very strong and stiff.
It also discusses how there is a “creep” in boatbuilding and design that increases the weight of boats way over what is really needed for a strong structure.
This talk is the first hour of my exposition on boat building and design. There are two more parts to come. This covers some of the background and design issues. The second is more on the building side and the last is a bit more about why the Australian (and New Zealand) wooden boat tradition is different from the Northern Hemisphere.
You can stream the talks over your internet connection or download them as a podcast. From Al Zuger in Brooklyn, NY who is extending the envelope of operating his PDRacer. So I finally took my little ducky out in a real bay yesterday. I went down to the south shore of long island about an hour out of the big city, and man was it ever nice! Up until now read more → The main thing is that both me and my audience survived my talk. They all hung round too so they must have enjoyed it enough. David Graybeal wrote this … Just a quick update. Mik’s first talk – hosted by Harbor Woodworks, in Portland, Oregon, last night – went off quite well. A small, but read more →
From Rick The Canadian Nationals took place today at Summerland B.C. with 7 boats competing for the coveted title of ‘Canadian Champion’. Pictures are posted. We had a beach start over a triangular course that was 4.2 kms long, and, well, I won. A testiment to the fine design of Michael Storer. Canadian National Puddle read more →
Well, this is the first real post on WordPress and it is about my trip to the USA for the Puddle Duck World titles plus a couple of months of other boating adventures. I am thinking of moving the whole site over to it in the future. It will be more flexible than the existing read more →
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