Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Dinghy Design; A Singlehander for a Really Big Guy

I got this in the inbox about a week or so ago.........

"I got in contact with Bill about the Classic Moth he built based on your station molds. I too am looking to build my own sailing boat, with looking to start on a smaller project first (~200 hours), and fell in love with the Classic Moth design, especially the curved tanks in the cockpit.

I'm 6'5" and around 260 pounds (118 kg) so not sure if the boat would sail ok with me in it! Do you have any suggestions on an appropriate design and where I may be able to get the plans from?"

C


And my reply.............

"Your size will make it hard to make it work in a Classic Moth. You need a design with some displacement and nothing like some extra length to give you that.

There's no stock design in a 14 to 15' length, easy to build, that immediately comes to mind. One of Chesapeake's Light Craft's multi-use sailboats/rowing dinghies might do the trick.

I probably could draw something up that would fit, but boat design is a hobby and I have no time for it right now. I would think that something like the US1 sailboat class (no longer built) that was a singlehander based on the Windmill hull would fit you nicely."

R

An interesting design problem as "C" is looking for a racy singlehander, easy to build and a design that would float a guy the supersize of an American football player.

There are singlehander classes that have been designed for the larger sailor; the Finn Olympic dinghy, Bruce Farr's MegaByte, and from England, the Phantom dinghy and the SuperNova. But all these classes are production glass hulls and still not big enough to fit Mr. "C".

The US1 mentioned in my reply was an American class, built by Advance Sailboats. The Internet says 450 were built out of fiberglass and a quick Google shows one or two for sale even as I write this post. Advance took the simple V-chine, easy to build Windmill hull, cut some freeboard off the hull, added some rolled tanks and a large (90 sq. ft) main. Since the Windmill was sized to carry two adults (at say 300 lbs combined), it would be safe to say that the US1 could probably handle one at 260 lbs. And, since the Windmill class was designed for homebuilding in ply, an enterprising boat builder could replicate the US1 concept in plywood.

The US1 class is no longer active. The best webpage on the US1 that I came across was an ad selling a US1 ...even had a movie.

A picture of the US1 I stole from the ad......



What the US1 doesn't completely solve for a big guy is lateral stability. When you weigh 260 lbs (118kg) small dinghies have a tendency to lean radically into the skipper, particularly when the wind eases up. A big scow, say the MC scow, with less of a tendency to roll around might be a more pleasant sail for Mr. "C".

Here's a picture of the slightly larger C-scow........



In Internet browsing for this post, I also discovered a California builder who is supplying part build Windmill hulls .

8 comments:

George A said...

Hey Rod: How about an OK dinghy? Those are a hard chine trainer for the Finn, can be home built from ply and should be big enough to float you new friend "C".

There's even an Aussie association: http://www.ok.yachting.org.au/

Romain BERARD said...

Why not build a Goat Island Skiff? Even though it has no curved tanks in the cockpit, it should carry some weight and is designed to be home built

Peter Belenky said...

The Hadron dinghy has received attention lately:

http://www.bluelightning.co.uk/Hadron/Hadron01.shtm

Tweezerman said...

Wow! All these suggestions. Let's see. The OK dinghy. You're right George, it was designed as a Finn trainer, it is easy to build but 1) I don't see a 6'5" skipper being able to get under the deck sweeping boom and, 2) the ideal weight for the OK is similar to a Laser, about 170 lbs (77 kg.) considerably shy of 260 lbs. Romain, I thought you were going to suggest the International 12? I agree a floaty cruising dinghy in line with the Goat Island skiff would do the trick but I think "C" was looking for something racier. Peter, the Hadron singlehander (featured over at the blog "My Woodenboat of the Week", linked on my blog list) certainly looks floaty enough for a big guy, though coming from a Merlin designer, it may be a tad tippy with a big skipper. As an aside, as a young pup, I crewed on a Callaghan multi-chined 14. Link over to my post; http://earwigoagin.blogspot.com/2009/05/one-minute-20-seconds-of-fame-other.html

Romain BERARD said...

I love the dinghy 12' and it would carry a heavy guy (as it carries 2 adults without problems) but I do not recommend it for self construction... a clinker with 12 boards on each side of the hull would be rather complex to build

rudderman said...

I am also 6ft5 and over 18 stone and have absolutely no problems sailing a home built wooden Phantom which I took to runner up position in the UK Nationals. As I recall there are a couple of Phants being built in the US from plans provided by the Designer's daughter

isleofwightlen said...

BigFish ?

Noodle said...

Finn. That's the right size for ya. It is simple, affordable, popular and it was Paul Elvstroms favourite.