Justin's Otter/Lissa

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Justin Pipkorn
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Justin's Otter/Lissa

Post by Justin Pipkorn »

We finished the rowing version of the Otter/Lissa in July. This last weekend, we tried out the Honda 2HP. As you can imagine, the boat is primarily a rowing boat and tends to squat under power. When we adjusted the balance, we saw over 6 K on the GPS. I found that I can row the boat a little over 2 K without straining my 77 year old body. We will soon have two pairs of oars and see if two can row a little faster or longer. I think I'll be using the outboard more than a little.

Check out my gallery for some pictures: http://gallery.bateau2.com/index.php?cat=13941

I'm working on the sailing rig. She will have a gunter rig very close to the original plans. If she sails as well as she rows and motors, I'll be very pleased. She is an impressive design.
Justin Pipkorn
Vagabond+ Just Right
http://www.amateurboatbuilding.com/justright/index.htm
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1281
Otter/Lissa
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1197

ks8
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Re: Justin's Otter/Lissa

Post by ks8 »

Thanks for the link to the gallery. She looks wonderful on the water. :)

Image

Image

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tech_support
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Re: Justin's Otter/Lissa

Post by tech_support »

Justin, thank you for posting the pictures. I like the yellow :)

Did you happen to weigh her?

Justin Pipkorn
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Re: Justin's Otter/Lissa weight

Post by Justin Pipkorn »

I weighed the completed hull at about 130 pounds. As I remember, the oars were 6 pounds. I'll provide the weights for sailing parts when finished.

I used the Lissa plywood scantlings for hull panels. 6MM bottom panel, 4MM side panels. I used the Otter 16 scantlings for frames. 9MM. Other internals were a mix of 6MM and 9MM with some fir framing. I used 12 oz biax inside and outside the hull with the glass carried up to the gunwales at ends. I used some 9 oz and some 12 oz biax to tape seams. I used about 4 gallons of Silvertip resin and most of the 1.5 G Quick Fair. Rub rails are four layers of fir, cedar, and oak laminated. The boat is painted with S3 primer, 3 coats, color coat 3 coats inside and out and two coats of clear gloss on the outside. Inside doesn't have clear (easy to repair?) I did double the transom plus the half transom inside the top since I hoped to use my small outboard. The mast partner is two layers of 9MM and is permanent. I used a 2.5 in dia plastic pipe for the mast tube.

The thinner plywood than the Otter may have saved perhaps 15 pounds. Covering with the very heavy glass was perhaps overkill. The Lissa scantlings called for 9 oz cloth as I remember.

The boat rows easily and tracks strongly. The boat seems very rigid. While some might consider the boat initially tippy, I am very comfortable with the stability. We've only had the boat in flat water so far. I'll be anxious to see how the boat performs in more of a sea.

I did come up with several new twists on the basket mold but that is another story.
Justin Pipkorn
Vagabond+ Just Right
http://www.amateurboatbuilding.com/justright/index.htm
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1281
Otter/Lissa
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1197

jacquesmm
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Re: Justin's Otter/Lissa

Post by jacquesmm »

120 lbs with all that glass is quite good.
The boat looks great.
Which sail plan will you end up with? We discussed so many variations that I don't remember what you decided.
I like the gunter rig but nobody else does . . .
Jacques Mertens - Designer
http://boatbuildercentral.com

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sitandfish
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Re: Justin's Otter/Lissa

Post by sitandfish »

It all looks spectacular! :wink:
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Justin Pipkorn
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Re: Justin's Otter/Lissa Sail rig

Post by Justin Pipkorn »

Which sail plan will you end up with? We discussed so many variations that I don't remember what you decided.
I like the gunter rig but nobody else does . . .
After talking with you, I decided on the gunter rig. I am building the rig very similar to your Otter design but with a few changes. Like the Lissa rig, I have a grooved sail track on the yard rather than lacing. The scantlings for the spars are lighter than the Otter and closer to Lissa. I used your Otter daggerboard design. I want to make a lifting rudder because of all the shallow water here. I want to try using an over center shock cord to hold the rudder down or up. I added a PVC mast tube since I thought it would be easier to align the mast when stepping, particularly on the water. The solid 10 foot mast weighs about 8 pounds. I'll add Dobler's lazy jack/topping lift. The halyard will come down along the mast and through the step and back to a belaying pin on the starboard edge of the forward seat.

I discovered that I picked an incorrect rake angle for the mast so the mast is more vertical. The mast position is also a little different than either Otter or Lissa. I decided to just go ahead and complete the rig and see how it balances out.

I don't have any experience with a gunter rig and have read as much as I can find. I'm sure I'll be making some changes along the way.
Justin Pipkorn
Vagabond+ Just Right
http://www.amateurboatbuilding.com/justright/index.htm
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1281
Otter/Lissa
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1197

Charlie
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Re: Justin's Otter/Lissa

Post by Charlie »

Thanks for the fine report ,Justin. Publishing all the intimate details will certinly be helpful to future builders of this design. And 130 lb. for a boat that substancial is certainly outstanding. You are entering the relm of a certain Australian design.
Any chance your pictures and text will be posted on the Woodenboat site?

Justin Pipkorn
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Re: Justin's Otter/Lissa

Post by Justin Pipkorn »

We towed the boat up to Lake Altoona this weekend...400 miles. Compared with towing the Vagabond, the 130 pound boat on an aluminum trailer is a dream. We managed to get 20.5 MPG towing at about 70 MPH. We went up to see the Puddle Duck Regionals. This was the first time that both Edith and I rowed together. The boat is a delight to row. With two rowing, the boat just surges ahead on the pull stroke. Still no real rough water test but we did go through a few power boat wakes. I added a picture of Otter/Lissa at the event. The boat now has numbers and a name. http://gallery.bateau2.com/index.php?cat=13941

The boat is light enough that Edith and I can lift the bow up to the trailer roller and skid the boat on the trailer. I hope I don't have to put the trailer in the water to launch the boat.

We got lots of favorable comments and lots of interest from the Puddle Duck builders.

I doubt whether I would publish at Wooden Boat. I don't spend any time at that site. I would like to add the boat contruction story to my Just Right site. It needs lots of updating. I would like to finish the sail rig before spending the time to put a story together. I hope that Jacques comments elsewhere that the gunter rig is basically a "get home, downwind rig" suitable for the OT16 rather than the CK17 will be changed by some actual sailing results.

I did come up with a new stability test: try sitting on the gunwale and wash the Georgia red mud off your feet without capsizing. While initially tippy, the hull stiffens up nicely. Should help when sailing.
Justin Pipkorn
Vagabond+ Just Right
http://www.amateurboatbuilding.com/justright/index.htm
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1281
Otter/Lissa
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1197

Justin Pipkorn
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Re: Justin's Otter/Lissa

Post by Justin Pipkorn »

We took the boat down to St Augustine and launched inside the barrier island. Both of us rowed into what turned out to be a 10-14 K wind with small waves up to about 8 inches. Boat behaved just fine but it was nice to have two rowing. Downwind was easy.
Justin Pipkorn
Vagabond+ Just Right
http://www.amateurboatbuilding.com/justright/index.htm
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1281
Otter/Lissa
gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=1197

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