AD-14 Questions

Sail Boats 15' and up. Please include the boat type in your question.
BigDreams
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Re: AD-14 Questions

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Biney777 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2019 4:07 pm Hi BigDreams! Welcome to the forum! A lot of good questions. I have been researching the Oars vs. Motor decision. At my primary lake if I don't have a motor my boat does not have to be inspected or licensed. So I am Really trying to make oars work! The beam on my AR15 is 72"-74". Which is just a couple inches narrower than the AD14. Using a couple different formula's one from "The Dinghy Cruising Companion" I get a suggested minimum oar length of 11.4' or 11.6' Shorter ones will of course "work". But I figured I should try and find the "right" size to start with. I have found 1 source for 11' oars with a 27" detachable blade that with shipping are $470. That is a little $$$ for my wallet. Also at that length I will need to put access hatches in my transom so that they can be stored under my seats. The sculling idea somebody already mentioned is probably the best easiest solution for both our boats. Being stubborn tho, I am going to try making a pair of long oars just to see if I can do it. I will post some pics of that process on my build thread. I am going shopping for some clean straight lumber on my way home tonight. Again welcome to the forum, and no matter which design you go with I wish you luck and hope that you keep us updated on your decision and progress!
Hey Biney,

Yes, please let me know what you find out. I guess I could use a trolling motor, but I'd really like to make do without (or at least have another option).

Thanks!
Angus Rowcruiser, Prameke 78

BigDreams
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Re: AD-14 Questions

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Bogieman wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2019 10:06 am D Frame: I had planned to do the same thing you are talking about. I thought it would've been nice to have a built in cooler on one side and a place for gas cans etc on the other. What changed my mind was a conversation I had with Jacques when visiting BBC to pick up supplies. Jacques said it could be done but to do so would be weakening the design and reducing water tight integrity. He also told me there would be plenty of room for storage inside( he was right- she's big inside). So I decided to take his advice and I'm glad I did. It would be difficult to use the settee berths for sleeping if you leave D frame solid because the distance from cabin bulkhead C to D frame is only about 40". You'd have to sleep a balled up. Also, not having to worry about building those hatches really simplified the build.
Hey Bogie,
I see what you mean. I thought I could lay with my upper half out in the open cabin, but it will be safer to be enclosed with my full body under the settee. I think Jacques is a great designer and has really thought this one through well for simplicity and functionality. I've been looking at this thing for several years now, and cut my teeth on some easier builds.

So far as the lead, if I can find it for a decent price, it's no problem. I've never worked with it, and that centerboard is about the only thing that concerns me about building the AD.

I'm really looking forward to your splash. We might have to get together sometime; I work on Christmas tree lot down in Murrell's Inlet each November.
Angus Rowcruiser, Prameke 78

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Re: AD-14 Questions

Post by Bogieman »

Yes, by all means look me up anytime you're in the area. I'd be happy to show you the boat. And don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions. I understand your feelings about the centerboard. I haven't poured the lead yet but it was the most involved part of the build. This might sound funny but the part of the build that had me the most concerned (so far) was figuring out how to get the basket mold right.

Good luck. I'll be looking forward to following your build.

Bogie

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Biney777
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Re: AD-14 Questions

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So far so good. I stopped at HD on my way home, because I said I would be shopping tonight.... and Found a clean (no knots) douglas fir 2x12 - 12' long in the reject pile (forklift damage). So for $6 I think I have enough raw lumber to laminate up both oar handles. I will have to spend some time figuring out how long of oar I can actually store under my seats tho. Anyway, So grateful for the motivation this forum provides. I guarantee I would not have stopped at HD tonight if it hadn't been for saying in my earlier post that I would be.
Completed Danny Greene "Chameleon" a 10 1/2' nesting/rowing/sailing dinghy. Building an Alexa's Rocket 15 w/ optional retractable spinnaker pole.

BigDreams
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Re: AD-14 Questions

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Biney777 wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2019 3:43 am So far so good. I stopped at HD on my way home, because I said I would be shopping tonight.... and Found a clean (no knots) douglas fir 2x12 - 12' long in the reject pile (forklift damage). So for $6 I think I have enough raw lumber to laminate up both oar handles. I will have to spend some time figuring out how long of oar I can actually store under my seats tho. Anyway, So grateful for the motivation this forum provides. I guarantee I would not have stopped at HD tonight if it hadn't been for saying in my earlier post that I would be.
Are you going to wrap those with a fiberglass sleeve and epoxy, or do you think they'll be strong enough?
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Biney777
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Re: AD-14 Questions

Post by Biney777 »

Ha, I am not sure. I have fiberglass sleeve in my bateau shopping cart right now, but was kinda hoping somebody would have some suggestions as to which was the best way to build them. :D I built the mast and sprit for my dinghy out of redwood clear strips. On the mast there are scarf joints and I used 9 strips of redwood. It was the only clean lumber I could find at the time and actually had some boards in my garage that I had saved from a couple different decks that I built. It has held up in 20-25 mph winds when I should not have been sailing. But I also haven't sailed with it that much either. For now I am just going to get the 2x ripped down and see what I have and how strong the individual strips are.
Completed Danny Greene "Chameleon" a 10 1/2' nesting/rowing/sailing dinghy. Building an Alexa's Rocket 15 w/ optional retractable spinnaker pole.

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Re: AD-14 Questions

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BigDreams wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2019 11:27 am Also, if Jacques has any input, it would be greatly appreciated.
I was absent from the forum for a couple of days because of a bad cold, sorry for the late reply but you received some every good advice from the other builders. See my brief comments below:

1) Would it be any trouble (or even preferable) to leave frame D solid without the cutout and simply use the watertight compartment aft for storage, accessing it from the seat top? Do you really use the area for your feet inside, or is there plenty enough room to still lie down without that extra area past frame D?
It's up to you. I prefer to stay away from hatches but if you isolate a compartment to store a gas can or tank, with a sole baove the WL and a vent, it may be a good option.

2) With all of the difficulty and expense of obtaining lead nowadays, do you foresee any problem with securing weightlifting dumbells and/or plates to use as ballast instead of lead ingots?
It should be easy and cheap to find lead, for example from tire places that use them for balancing. It is easy to melt ingots.

3) How about an aluminum plate for a centerboard? Too much trouble/expense?
No. The CB is profiled and a flat Al plate would reduce the pointing ability in a bad way. Don't.

4) Does anyone have any true gps upwind tacking angles to report? I'm not expecting anything off the charts, but a general idea would be nice other than "it seems to do alright".
How close you can sail to the wind will depend very much on the rig, the sea conditions and the skills of the sailor. The AD's are not racing boats but they will sail upwind. Anyway, gentlemen don't sail to weather.

5) Any problem rowing this boat for short distances, either fixed seat or standing up? I'm not talking 30 mile days, just a couple hundred yards to the dock. I would rather do without an engine.
Don't think of rowing, the AD sides are too high for that but consider sculling. The AD is not too big or small for that: my son in law Peter Tangvald sculled his 50' schooner that way in the ICW when there was no wind.
Do a search with Single-oar sculling and you will see pictures. It requires some learning but is not too difficult.
Or check this page:
https://www.pbo.co.uk/seamanship/sculli ... tern-20811
Jacques Mertens - Designer
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BigDreams
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Re: AD-14 Questions

Post by BigDreams »

Thank you Jacques, that is a big help to me, especially about the sculling over the stern. I'm going to check into that. I really appreciate your input on these questions.
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Re: AD-14 Questions

Post by Netpackrat »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LDltfO3fI8

Also, probably a waste of time to ask tire shops for lead these days... Most of them seem to have an established relationship with a scrap dealer now. The days of cheap/free/easy buckets of lead from tire shops are mostly gone.

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Re: AD-14 Questions

Post by jacquesmm »

Thanks for the link showing the sculling. Great video, that's exactly what I had in mind.
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