Random thoughts and rants on boat design, boat building, and other boat bits for those in the 99%...
Something needful regarding methane, Shrinkflation is today's word, and in the "Like I don't have enough scary shit to keep me up at night" department...
I've been following the Rosie G build for a while and it's nice to see it all coming together.
More about the design and build can be found at Red Dog Yachts.
Listening to Jimi Hendrix
So it goes...
A very good (albeit depressing) point being made, backsliding on climate, and the "Climate game changer" deparment...
I'm pretty sure I've made no secret of my love of Harle's Muscadet design in the past but here's a new design that I like just as much.
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| Sure looks a lot like a Muscadet |
With a design brief that amounted to "A Muscadet of the future" and, with no inclination to throw the baby out with the bathwater, Chantier Brava proceeded to design a boat that took the Muscadet concept into the current century.
Better yet, it's a wood boat and wood, Dear Readers, is as close as you can get to an honest-to-god green boat as wood is a sustainable resource with as low of a carbon footprint as you're going to find.
The Brava 25 at 25 feet is a bit bigger than Harle's Muscadet which was just a kiss over 21-feet and the added length and beam makes for a much more livable and comfortable accommodation.
The deal-breaker for most is going to be the 1.5 meter (4.92 feet) headroom but I'll go on record as someone who's 6'5" that an interior like this is very livable. Face it, the only important headroom is based on what's needful 99% of he time when you're sitting. That said, I won't bother with the advantages of a flush deck in terms of windage and performance.
So, a boat that I find all kinds of exciting. There's a lot more information on the Brava website hat ou really should check out.
Listening to Lizzy McAlpine
So it goes...
Unacceptable growth in a finite system, why I still use a mask when needful, and in the "Pretty much says it all" department...
Every once in a while I find myself clicking with a design that I never quite grokked in the past. For instance, Bolger's Birdwatcher never quite made sense to me. While lots of folks really love the whole walk-through deck arrangement the only thing that I saw was one huge leak just waiting to happen.
Plus, building a Birdwatcher was, for me at least, a lot of extra labor and expense for a glorified day-sailor. That said, I still think the Birdwatcher is a very cool boat but just not for me.
I saw a bigger version, a Whalewatcher for sale, and it sorta/kinda clicked. The huge slot in the deck is still problematic for me but the boat at twenty-nine feet now makes sense and would make a great small cruiser.
Certainly a boat worth checking out.
Listening to a Captain Beefheart cover
So it goes...
Not suspicious at all, making the case, and about the need for American flagged boats...
I've always had a soft spot for the bilge-keeled Westerly Centaur design by Laurent Giles and think it is one of the most underrated cruising boats around.
As it happens, there's a Centaur project boat in Gig Harbor looking for someone who'd appreciate it with $500 in hand and the wherewithal to sort out the needful.
From the looks of the pictures all the nasty stuff has already been done which would make the actual needed work something of a slam dunk.
If it were down here in America's paradise I'd snap it up faster that you can say VolksCruiser.
Listening to Carla Morrison
So it goes...
Ringo has COVID (so much for it being over), needful stuff for folks in Ukraine, and in the "Ironic or what?" department...
Atelier Interface has a new 30-foot scow showing at the Grand Pavois that's quite interesting.
Well worth checking out the l'ACE 30 and you can find more info here and here.
Listening to the Iron Leg radio show
So it goes...
Some excellent solar thinking, regarding a specious argument of note, and in the "Seemed like just yesterday" department...
I just saw that Tomboy the Bolger Jessie Cooper that Chuck Merrell built is currently up for sale in the PNW. I expect it's well worth a look.
Back when I was building our Jessie Cooper (Loose Moose) at the old Charles de Gaulle airport just outside of Paris Chuck was building his in Seattle and we kept in touch as we did our respective builds. Sadly, Chuck is no longer with us and he is still missed.
Over the years I've written quite a bit about my love for the Jessie Cooper and still think it is one of Phil's best designs.
Yeah, well worth checking out.
Listening to an album's worth of covers
So it goes...
A rare quality, interstellar swimming robots, and an anniversary of note...
It's funny how a design can grow on you over the years.
The Shearwater from Edey & Duff, a Bolger design that I never quite liked way back when is now a boat that I find to be one of Phil's best designs.
Back in the day I considered it to be an overgrown day sailor with an over large cuddy that was neither a day sailor or a cruising boat. That said, I did really like the rowing ports.
Now, when looking at the design, I see it as near perfect example of a boat that is as simple as possible and able to do just about anything you'd care to do.
It would be my first choice to do the R2AK.
If I were contemplating a single handed circumnavigation it would be in my top three choices.
If I wanted a bug out boat to get away from whatever apocalypse (zombie or otherwise) I doubt there be a better boat anywhere.
It's not the sort of boat that the boating industry or consumerish cruisers understand or grok but, for those with an unhampered mind, it just might be the boat that makes the right kind of sense.
Listening to G Love
So it goes...
Cost effective power, losing teachers, and Wendig with an artifact of rage and frustration...
Bernd Kohler has a new version of his KD860 design...
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| The KD860 Open |
One of my biggest issues with modern multihulls is the lack of simplicity and the idea that everyone wants a boat that will do well in the charter market. A situation that results in multihulls that are big, heavy and expensive.
The KD860 Open is by it's very nature simple which results in a lighter better performing cat that is also a lot more affordable.
My want list for a cruising cat for a couple is pretty spartan. A good place to sleep,a comfortable place to hang out/work, and, multihull performance.
Which, is pretty much describes the KD860 open to a "T". I'll be checking out the study plans ASAP and have more to say about the design and rig once I've had a chance to price it all out. In the meantime, there's more info over on the K-Designs website that you'll want to check out.
Listening to some songs for a certain mood
So it goes...
Pay's up for some, apt thoughts on music, and something scary about salt...
A very cool little multihull.
Sébastien Roubinet is no stranger to adventurous pursuits and his choice of a sailing craft tends to reflect that experience.
More about the project can be found here.
Listening to Steve Earle
So it goes...
A needful read, senatorial insanity, and in the "Bought and paid for" department......
A bit more on the David Réard scow...
Listening to Red Rum Club
So it goes...
Everything you need for Friday, a gathering of assholes, what I'd like to see more of from Democrats, and in the "He had me at killer robotic polar bears" department...
I've been a fan of David Reard's designs for some time and with his new Ti Scow 800 design I'm all kinds of impressed.
I expect I'll be writing more on this soonish.
Listening to PK Dwyer
So it goes...
Some seriously scary shit, a selection of seaborne fantasy reading, and in the "How world domination and genocide is a cure for homelessness" department...
I heard that there was a Bolger AS29 for sale up in Canada and if you're someone who does the facebook thing there's information on the Bolger page.
Smaller than our Loose Moose 2 and bigger than our Loose Moose (a Bolger Jessie Cooper) it's fairly close to what I'd consider a perfect DIY VolksCruiser for a couple.
As the AS29 is really just a stretched Jessie Cooper, I've long considered building either an AS29 or a stretched JC but I''d stretch the JC out to about 32 feet allowing for a bit more load carrying, additional stowage solutions and be a bit faster.
I'm pretty sure I'd keep the lug rig and off-center mainmast over the AS29's gaff and give some serious thought to going with a junk rig for the mainsail. I'd also retain the single off-center dagger board as it worked just fine and why would I want to spend the extra cost and labor of having two off-center boards.
Still, a well built AS29 at the right price would be no bad investment...
Listening to Fairport Convention
So it goes...
A WTF moment of note, a good example of stupidity, and something I'd like to learn more about...
A photo of a dinghy that actually impresses me.
Listening to an album's worth of Dead coverage
So it goes...
A scary read, the current normal, and the impact of fishing at a favorite spot...
J. P. Villenave has, for a long time, been one of my favorite French designers.So, not really surprising that his MiniJonque designed with Dimitri Le Forestier is my favorite junk rig design.
J. P. Villenave also wrote an exceptional book "La Construction Classique Contreplaque" as well as the Loisers Nautiques version on building cruising sailboats using plywood which were my go to resources where building in plywood was concerned.
Sadly, the book is no longer in print and when available fetches a couple of hundred dollars. As far as the Villenave plans are concerned I'm unaware if they are still available but I'm still looking...
Listening to Mary Gauthier
So it goes...
About that new normal, somewhat worrisome, and in the "Heinous acts supporting profit" department...
There’s a CAL 34 for sale in Southern California on Craig’s List going for $2k that I find interesting. The pictures and description support a reasonable fixer upper.
Any 34-foot sailboat selling for $2K, it’s expected that the motor is not working and has things that need fixing. But, hey it’s $2K!
To be honest, I’d love to buy this boat and would even consider doing the deed sight unseen. I have a CAL 34 and know its little secrets and perversities. So I already know what needs to be fixed and improved on. A refit with the advantage of hindsight on a blank canvas would be a very pleasurable experience.
The cost of sorting out the boat from fixer-upper to excellent condition and ready to cruise would require the infusion of another five to eight thousand dollars. Not a terrible investment when you consider a cherry CAL 34 is going to cost somewhere between $13K and $20K.
The problem for me is that it’s in California. Resettling for two or three months is just too problematic to consider. Now if it was within five hundred miles of me, I’d have bought it already.
That said, anyone interested in the boat that would like some advice on the boat in question, drop me a line. I’m always happy to talk CAL 34s with folks of a like mind.
Listening to Gabriels
So it goes...
Some musings too close for comfort, John Scalzi makes a point, and a historical factoid...
Listening to the Lemonheads cover a Michael Nesmith song
So it goes...
Some good points, a bit of situational awareness, and in the "How long can you tread water?" department...
A design that's caught my interest.
There's a lot more information on the Flow 25 that's worth checking out over on Voile et Moteur.
Listening to Neil Young
So it goes...
EBM finds a must watch interview, voter hijinks from the usual suspects, and some depressing news regarding libraries...
Michael Schacht is keeping busy.
Looking good.
Listening to an album's worth of steely Dan coverage
So it goes...
When being number 1 is a bad thing, an apt quote, Sailing Anarchy making a good point, and in the "Well as long as we're banning books" department...
I've long admired this design from Kurt Hughes.
Listening to Fatoumata Diawara
So it goes...
Defunding FOX news, regarding deliberate ignorance, and a very good question...
Gaff rigged, shoal draft, and water ballasted sorta/kinda has me doing the happy dance.
More info on the Pabouk 700 can be found here.
Listening to some Tiny Desk/Globalfest goodness
So it goes...
