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sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:08 pm
by jwassdo
Hello, all. I am looking at a new sailing project but I need some advice on which boat I could build, with slight modifications to meet the following qualifications:

I live on a tidal creek in Florida with about 20min of no-wake zone to traverse before I get to the intracoastal waterway.

1. Need a small, light boat that I can drag onto the bank of the creek or onto a small floating dock. Therefore must have daggerboard or centerboard, preferably flat or semiflat bottom.

2. There are two bridges between my dock and the ICW. There is about 8' clearance from the typical high tide water line. Therefore I would need the mast to be converted to a tabernacle. I like the Cat-Ketch 17 in general but I don't know about TWO masts that would have to be converted.

3. I need to be able to outfit it with oars, which pretty much all the choices on the website would have, but also be able to put a light outboard or electric trolling motor (and battery!) on it.

4. I built the RB12 but I would say it was a little beyond my skill level at the time. I'm looking for something a little easier and quicker this time around.

I have seen other designs on other websites but I would much prefer to modify something from here if I can. There are four people in my family including two teenagers. Seating everyone would be a bonus but not crucial. I could live with a boat that seats 3-4 and only sails with two or maybe three if I had to. I am not a performance sailor but we do get some light air around here so I'd need something that can handle light airs.
Does anyone have any ideas? My dream boat would be to build something like the Com-pac picnic cat, although I'm not expecting to match anything like that level of style or detail.

Thanks,

Jeff

Re: sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:16 pm
by Jaysen
v12 all day.

Unless you need a bigger boat. But then you aren't really going to be getting anything much bigger than the V12 up on a dock...

I'm very biased though.

Re: sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:52 pm
by Michaelz
I have a CK17. It will weight about 400 lbs so pulling it up on a dock is going to require a winch. If your two sticks are made of long leaf yellow pine (that you can find in any tree farm in north Florida) with the sails wrapped around them, they'll weigh about 30 lbs each and can be lifted out of the partners and laid flat along the hull for going under bridges. The trick is to keep the hull steady while you pull and reset the sticks; for that you do want to run the bow up on a mud flat. That boat will carry a 3-1/2 outboard easily for motoring around as a fishing skiff, but it will be in the way of the rudder when you're sailing (in that case carry a 40# thrust trolling motor).

If you could settle for 2 people at a time, I'd consider the OT16: yeah built one of those too. Lower the spar on the gunter rig and the mast would likely clear the bridges, and if you beef-up the transom it will hang a 2-1/2 HP outboard with no problem. That boat is light enough to pull up on a dock.

Re: sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 10:40 pm
by jwassdo
Good suggestions!

Michaelz, I'm just not sure about having to remove the motor on that ck17 when I want to sail. I would conceivably by myself when I make that changeover on the water. I'd be in the ICW when I made this change, there's a fair amount of boat traffic. I would much prefer an arrangement where the motor can be tilted up but left in place. Do you keep the sheets run through the blocks when the masts are down? I don't see how you could. Something else to do while floating. The description of the Otter 16 sounds like it isn't much of a sailor. Does it get up and go? It looks great, though.

Jaysen, the description doesn't seem to say how many you can get on that V12. How many adults can you get on there while sailing?

Thanks, I'm going to think about this. But I need to build something. I've got that itch again...

Jeff

Re: sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 11:07 pm
by Jaysen
V12 would be 2 adults.

You didn’t really describe the “type” of sailing we are talking about. Are you just ... like me (cheap) and don’t want to use $$ to get to a nearby fishing hole? Are you wanting to participate in local regatta or club races? Are you planning to go on a weekend camping trip with the boat as a sleeper?

All that plays a huge part in hull selection. The V12 is a solid little dingy that can deal with my type of stupid. But you may need something more performant or with higher capacity.

Re: sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 11:45 pm
by jwassdo
I want to be able to enjoy sailing for the sake of sailing in Sarasota Bay. I'm not really looking to get anywhere in particular. Just trying to catch bugs in my teeth every now and then. I won't be doing any racing but I definitely want it sail decently.

Re: sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 11:45 pm
by jwassdo
I don't plan on camping in it.

Re: sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 8:30 am
by Jaysen
V12 isn’t a rip snorter. Good stable workhorse but not a speed demon. Pleanty fast for me but I’m using it more as a one man fishing/camping platform than pleasure sailing. V12 is very comfortable in slightly rough water (I’m in the mouth of the port royal sound for reference).

I think the hard part will be getting something big enough that is still as light as you want it.

Re: sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 8:42 am
by pee wee
If you plan a sliding gunter rig you may be able to leave the mast up, just drop the sail and spar.

Re: sailboat under bridges?

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 10:35 am
by OrangeQuest
What about a CR13? I know nothing about sailing but seems light enough and in the pictures shows a guys standing at the mast so I am guessing it can be removed and installed while underway. Also states that it has a large transom for small motor. States also that it could go fast so as the teenagers get older they would enjoy it.


https://bateau.com/studyplans/CR13_study.php?prod=CR13