Scott's Boat Pages

Video: Assembling a Tiki 21 Between Tides

2012-01-17T16:30:00.001-06:00

I found this cool video on YouTube, A Wharram Tiki 21 catamaran being assembled and launched the way the designer intended, by hand and on the beach between the tides:

Cruising on $500 per Month?

2012-01-10T17:33:00.000-06:00

I first ran across the 185-page "Cruising on $500 per Month" thread on the Cruising and Sailing Forums from a link in a post on Boat Bits, a blog that often features observations on the cost of cruising and the cost of cruising boats.

That this thread could generate that many pages and 2767 replies (and still counting) is a testament to the amount of interest there is in the concept of low-budget cruising in these tough economic times. What many of the contributors to the thread have pointed out is that despite what the glossy sailing magazines would have you believe, there are lots of people out there cruising and even voyaging all over the world on simple, low-cost boats they have either built themselves or refit after buying cheap in a market that is saturated with neglected used boats.

Having made the transition over the years from sea kayaks to cruising size boats myself, both by the refit route and the home building route, I understand the appeal from the point of view of someone who would never consider boats of this type if I had to buy new at today's prices.

One of the biggest considerations that keeps resurfacing again and again in this ongoing discussion is the size boat you need to go long-term cruising. Again, if you believe the popular yachting press, anything under about 40 feet is unsuitable. But among those who are actually making the break from land and seeing the world on their boats, smaller boats are not nearly as uncommon as the magazines would have you believe. Boats in the 25-30 foot range are cheaper to buy, cheaper to refit and equip, cheaper to haul-out and maintain, and cheaper to dock if find the need to do so. Plenty of designs in this size range are seaworthy enough to go anywhere you might care to go. You might have to give up some of the comforts, but what is better - being slightly more uncomfortable while out there living the dream - or working year after year to get the bigger boat paid for and equip it with every modern convenience while never getting away from the dock?

Whether you want to try and live as cheaply as some on this thread advocate is another matter, but it can be done even today with the right boat and the right attitude, and some knowledge of which places to spend your time in and which to avoid. After buying and outfitting the boat itself, the biggest expenses for cruisers on any size boats are almost always associated with shoreside conveniences and services. You certainly won't be cruising on $500 per month if you plan to tie up to the docks of a marina every night, or if you want to eat most of your meals out in restaurants. Cruisers wanting to travel in that style will need a monthly budget in the thousands of dollars, rather than the hundreds. But if you don't mind doing your own cooking, and you're happier anchoring out in a secluded cove and rowing the dinghy ashore to ferry supplies to the boat, you can avoid most of the expenses that make the cost cruising so prohibitive in most peoples perspective.

The key to low-budget cruising and the gist of the thousands of posts on this thread can be summed up in a few points:

Choose the smallest boat that will accommodate you and your crew and safely take you to the destinations you plan to explore. Researching the proven voyages of others who have gone before you or are out there cruising now will point you to the best designs to choose from.
Keep the systems on the boat as simple as possible and make sure you have the tools and skills to do all of the maintenance and most if not all repairs yourself. Carry spare parts you anticipate needing rather than having to pay expensive shipping and import duties to get them later.
Carry a hard dinghy with oars rather than an inflatable with an outboard, as it is cheaper to buy, build or replace, less likely to get stolen and can be equipped with a simple sail rig if desired.
Plan on anchoring out 99 percent of the time, wherever you go. Good ground tackle is essential for this and should be your top priority in equipment purchases.
Shallow-draft boats open up many more anchoring possibilities than deep draft boats, making it much easier to avoid marina fees in popular cruising areas where there are few good, deepwater harbors. Shallow draft also lets you explore remote regions that see few if any other cruisers. Such places are often much less expensive to spend time in, as the locals are not used to making profits off of wealthy yachtsmen in their big boats.
Plan on cooking and eating aboard 99 percent of the time, and if you do eat out, go where the locals go rather to that to expensive tourist traps.
Acquire useful skills that you can use along the way anywhere you go. Welding, sailmaking, diesel repair and similar skills can allow you to cruise indefinitely without having to wait until you have enough money in the bank to live off the interest. Go now while you still have your health and enthusiasm for adventure.

These are the main points brought out in this thread, though I'm sure I missed a few. Many of the posts became painfully repetitive, with the same ideas rehashed over and over. The discussion also led to quite a few arguments about choices of boats: especially the same tired old monohull vs. multihull debate. But quite a few of those participating in the conversation extolled the virtues of Wharram catamarans, as well as shoal-draft sharpie monohulls - two of the boat types long-time readers here know that I post about most often. My own choice of a Wharram Tiki 26 catamaran as the perfect boat for me to build and sail was influenced by the same line of thinking that led to this discussion - shallow draft and simplicity being top priorities.

If you've got hours to kill, you can read the full thread on the forum and will probably find it both entertaining and informative.

Madness: A 31-Foot Proa

2011-12-11T19:43:00.002-06:00

In this video, John Harris of Chesapeake Light Craft makes the case for the proa as an alternative minimalist cruiser. This is one intriguing design, and the prototype shown here has since been launched and sea trialed. I plan to follow up with more on this Madness soon:

Cool Gear Received:

2011-10-30T10:37:00.000-05:00

I've got some new stuff in the mail to test and write about in the upcoming weeks. First, I was offered a pair of Margaritaville polarized sunglasses from the Margaritaville Store:

This style is the Havana, which retails for $159.95 and appears to be well-made. I've been wearing them everyday for driving and find them comfortable and the optics good. I'll put them to the test in the coming weeks with a couple of sea kayaking trips on the Gulf coast, and see how well the polarization works to reduce the glare. This is a good time of year to test that, as the air is clear and the light seems to be at it's brightest - making it a great time of year for coastal photography as well. I'll let you know what I think of the sunglasses here when I've had time to really evaluate them, but I can say at this point that I already like them a lot, and they come with some nice accessories, like a microfiber cleaning bag, an integrated leash system, and a nice zippered, hardshell case to protect them. Oh, and the palm tree logos on the ear pieces and lenses are a nice touch too.

I've also got a couple of gear reviews to do for Sea Kayaker magazine. One will be a round-up of the latest chart-enabled hand-held GPS units that I will get started on as soon as they are sent from the manufacturers. In the meantime, I'll be testing several different water filtration packs by Hydration Technology Systems. Of particular interest is the SeaPack Crew Emergency Desalination Pouch, which could be a good back-up system for sea kayakers and a valuable addition to a ditch bag or life-raft for sailors:

I'll be testing these to see if they work as advertised, and when the article is published in Sea Kayaker, I'll post a link to it here.

Tiki 38 Atlantic Crossing Video

2011-10-20T07:12:00.000-05:00

Wharram catamarans seem to get built and actually taken to sea on impressive voyages on a more frequent basis than just about any other boat I can think of designed for the backyard boatbuilder.

After five years of determined construction in the U.S., Jacques Pierret has launched his self-built Wharram Tiki 38, Pilgrim, and recently sailed her across the Atlantic from Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey to Marseille, France. The 4500 nautical mile passage took a total of 31 days, at an average speed of 6 knots, including stops, and a top speed of 16.6 knots. Here's a great video of the trip by the captain and his four-man crew:

More videos, lots of photos and journal entries about the passage can be found on the voyage blog at:
Pilgrim 38. Here's the route sailed and a few samples of the photos:

Bug Out Vehicles and Shelters: My Latest Book Now Available

2011-10-15T20:09:00.000-05:00

I've neglected my posting on this site for way too long, and part of the reason is that I've been so busy writing books. This has been my busiest year ever as an author, with two new non-fiction books released and a contract to write a novel that has to be completed by February. All of these new titles are in the currently exploding survival genre, but these latest ones also offer a lot to anyone interested in boats. Just last week, Bug Out Vehicles and Shelters: Build and Outfit Your Life-Saving Escape was released, and despite the cover image, it contains three chapters on waterborne transportation, as I am of the persuasion that in most situations boats are better options for evacuating danger zones than land vehicles.

Chapter Three: Bug Out Boats covers the kind of vessels I consider "escape watercraft". That is, both power and sailing craft that can quickly get you out of a danger zone while carrying everything you need to survive, yet are not large enough to offer self-contained, long-term accommodations. These boats include beach cruisers you camp out of, rather than in, and fast runabouts that quickly get you to a safer location in situations where you may not have time to stop overnight at all.

Chapter Six: Liveaboard Boats is in the section of the book dedicated to mobile retreats. This kind of boat provides a platform for long-term survival as well as transportation. Vessels suited for both protected brownwater cruising and offshore bluewater voyaging are included here, with an emphasis on simplicity, seaworthiness and reasonable cost. Outfitting and setting up such a boat as a mobile bug-out retreat is not much different than preparing for any type of long-term cruising in possibly remote locations, but special considerations for this use are pointed out.

Chapter Nine: Human-Powered Watercraft covers canoes, sea kayaks and rowing vessels, as this type of boat can navigate waterways beyond the reach of larger vessels and access remote wilderness areas where safe retreat locations can be found, as well as natural resources for survival. In the event of some kind of sustained shut down of the power and conventional transportation grid, such craft may be the most viable means of travel - especially if stealth and a low profile is needed.

I won't go into many details about the novel project at this point, but I will say that a Wharram catamaran features prominently in the story line. This should probably be expected by long-time readers here, who by now know about my enduring fascination with these Polynesian-style catamarans. A Reuel Parker schooner is also in the story, and a good bit of sailing and passage-making is part of the plot.

The other non-fiction book: Getting Out Alive: 13 Deadly Scenarios and How Others Survived was published back in March this year, and so is not news, but since it was not mentioned here before, I thought I should do so now as it also has some chapters to offer boating enthusiasts. There's a scenario on surviving a hurricane aboard a sailboat, a scenario in which ill-prepared power boaters get swept out to sea in the Gulf Stream, and a modern-day marooning on a deserted Pacific atoll. All these situations include real-life accounts of people who have actually survived (or perished) in similar scenarios.

SEABRIGHT 33: A New Reuel Parker Design

2011-05-01T21:43:00.001-05:00

Reuel Parker was kind enough to send me some study plans for an interesting design he drew recently that he calls the SEABRIGHT 33. This boat really caught my attention and he probably knew it would appeal to me as I am most interested in those rare designs that combine shallow draft with offshore seaworthiness. This really looks like a great boat: watertight bulkheads and built-in flotation, trailerable and not too expensive or difficult to build, yet offering cruising for four with standing headroom in part of the cabin despite a draft of only 1' 9".

Here are a few of the drawings from the study plans:

SEABRIGHT 33

LOD: 35' 2"

LOD: 32' 3"

BEAM: 8' 6"

DRAFT: 1' 9"

DISPLACEMENT: 5,000lbs.

BALLAST: 2,000 lbs. lead foil laminated in keel

WATER: 70 gallons

TYPE: New Jersey Seabright Skiff. Suitable for sailing in coastal and offshore conditions. This model is designed with watertight flotation compartments and accommodations for four with a small galley and head. The type has an excellent record as a lifesaving vessel, and can be used as an island-hopper, coastal cruiser and ocean voyager. Trailerable behind a vehicle rated for 6,000 lb. towing capacity.

CONSTRUCTION: Marine plywood covered with epoxy-saturated Xynole-polyester fabric. The hull is frameless, being built over bulkheads. Options for planking include lapstrake, chine log and stitch-and-glue. (Plans are drawn for stitch-and-glue). Skill level required for construction is moderate to high (lapstrake hull).

OPTIONS: An inboard diesel (2 cyl Yanmar 2YM15) may be installed under the forward end of the cockpit well as shown on a separate drawing. An outboard in a well is not practical for this model. This boat may be rowed standing in the cockpit or sculled using a 10' oar with heavy-duty rowlock mounted on the transom. Permanent ballast consists of lead foil laminated inside the keel bottom on both sides of the CB trunk covered with 1/4" teak & holly plywood. If trailerability is not desired, ballast may be increased to 2,500 lbs. Standing headroom under the sliding hatch (in the galley) is 6' 3"; headroom at the table is 5' 6" with exposed beams, and 5' 7 1/2" with the foam-core deck option. The deck may be raised no more than 2" if more headroom is desired. Additional rigs are available on a custom-design basis.

Boatsmith's Tiki 30 Reduced Price

2011-04-14T08:36:00.001-05:00

David Halladay has dropped the price on what is undoubtedly the finest and best-equipped Wharram Tiki 30 that has ever been built. If you're looking for a professionally built Tiki 30 - a catamaran that can take you on long offshore passages, cruise shallow waters off limits to most boats and daysail with a party on board, you won't find a better one. David says the boat has to go because there are new projects coming soon. This has been the demo boat for Boatsmith, Inc., and has been shown in boat shows from Mystic, Connecticut to Miami. At two years old, it has been meticulously maintained by the pros at Boatsmith and is ready for a new owner.

Here's his description of the boat and her inventory, as well as the reduced price:

Looking for the perfect boat to cruise the islands?
Boatsmith is now offering Abaco for sale for $50,000.

This is a stellar example of a professionally built James Wharram Designs Tiki 30. This boat has been our boatshow demo boat and is very well equipped.

There is a double and single berth in each hull with 4" foam cushions with Sunbrella covers The starboard hull also has the head and nav station with a storage area aft. The port hull includes the galley with a top loading icebox aft. There are two Bomar hatches and two opening Lewmar portlights in each hull for easy access and great ventilation. These all have screens as do the companion ways. The lights throughout the boat are LEDs. There are 6 lo amperage fans, a 1400 watt inverter, a 180 watt solar panel with controller.

The cockpit is shaded by a rigid anodized aluminum tube bimini with the solar panel mounted on top. The cockpit is fully outfitted with 2" closed cell foam cushions with Sunbrella covers. Fuel, batteries, fenders, lines, BBQ and propane all are stored beneath the cockpit seats. There is a built in beverage cooler under one of the cockpit seats. Under the fwd athwartships seat is storage for the boat hook, boat mop, fishing poles and spears. The forward deck is slatted teak and the aft deck includes two trampolines and a teak swim ladder. There is a stereo/CD/XM/Ipod and VHF and GPS chart plotter. The motor is a new Yamaha 9.9 HP with electric start and power tilt. The motor lives under an insulated box in the center of the cockpit.

This boat draws only 26" and the motor and rudders are protected when grounding. The sails are in excellent condition. The genoa is on a Harken roller furler and there is an asymmetrical spinnaker with a snuffer. The primary anchor is a 22 lb Rocna and there are two secondary Danforths. The boat has a matching 14' rowing dinghy and several large fenders and a full complement of mooring and dock lines.

To arrange a demo sail or for more information call (561) 632-2628.

Planning to Build a Reuel Parker Periagua 14

2010-10-18T06:37:00.001-05:00

I've decided on Reuel Parker's unique Periagua 14 for the dinghy that I'll be using aboard my Tiki 26 catamaran when I launch it next year. With an overall beam of 15 feet, I can accommodate a long, slender craft like the Periagua 14 on the forward deck area, without the ends hanging off the sides (although after discussing it with Reuel, I may shorten it by a foot or two). I want something long and canoe or kayak-like, that is easy to row, but with good load-carrying ability and room for two or three passengers in dinghy service. I have Bolger Nymph that I built for the monohull I had previously, and it's a great dinghy, but something longer and sleeker is more to my liking. Here are some photos from Reuel Parker:

In the photo below, you can see the pronounced rocker, the flare in the hullsides, and the pram bow. It's like a stretched pram in some ways, but also brings to mind the sharpie hull form, which is favorite of Reuel Parker, who is after all, the author of The Sharpie Book. This boat is very similar to my own Backwoods Drifter design, except that the Drifter is wider in the bottom and has a flat run amidships with no rocker. The Periagua 14 is a pure rowing craft, though Reuel says that he has modified his to accept a small outboard at times.

Although it is long, this is a lightweight boat, weighing in at approximately 65 pounds, depending on materials used. Here is Reuel Parker's description of the design:

PARKER MARINE ENTERPRISES

PERIAGUA 14

LOA 14’

BEAM 3’ 6 ½”

DRAFT 4 ¼”

WEIGHT 65 lbs (approx)

The PERIAGUA 14 is derived from the drawings in Chapman’s Architectura Navalis. The type was used as a lighter and ferry on rivers and in harbors in Sweden in the 18th century. She looks like a long, narrow pram, and is surprisingly fast, maneuverable and easy to row. Despite her narrow beam, she has much better stability than the DORY 14 on the previous page.

Like the DORY 14, she is built around bulkheads (or frames) and transom, for which patterns are supplied. The bottom and sides are drawn to scale with measurements supplied--all that is necessary is to transfer the measurements to full-size plywood sheets (no lofting required). She may be built lapstrake if preferred.

The PERIAGUA 14 also has only one solid wood component--the sheer clamp. It is made by ripping a slot in the bottom of a hardwood 1x2, which in turn slides over the plywood sheer.

"I built the prototype in my barn in Maine in less than 10 hours, ready for sanding and painting. Mine has only one pair of rowing tholes, while the plans show two. These were originally made from grown knees—mine are plywood, and they work fantastically well (I think of them as “out-riggers”—like those used on sculls). However, they are also quite awkward, and I ended up cutting them down and installing right-angle-fitting bronze rowlock sockets."

David Halladay also built a Periagua 14 as a tender to his Tiki 30, Abaco. Here are some photos of his under construction and on the deck of the catamaran:

New Photos of Reuel Parker's Schooner, Ibis

2010-09-22T06:47:00.003-05:00

Reuel Parker recently sent me a new selection of photos to post on his Ibis blog, which I will do in the next few days. Here are a few shots of Ibis afloat, some taken from his Bahamas cruise earlier this year. This vessel is also for sale, and Reuel will be relaunching her this fall when he returns to Florida from Maine. Details can be found below the photos. Here's one taken at the dock shortly after launch:

At anchor somewhere in the Bahamas:

Somewhere off Andros Island, Bahamas:

Reuel Parker, designer and builder at the helm:

A couple of interior shots that show the spacious accommodations in this shoal-draft sharpie schooner:

Here you can see just how shoal-draft this vessel is:

The following is taken from Parker's description and "for sale" ad on his website:

IBIS is the new prototype MAXI-TRAILERABLE cruising sharpie schooner. Construction is complete and sail trials have been made in the Bahamas. IBIS felt safe and comfortable during both Gulf Stream crossings as well as several other open-ocean passages. She exceeded my hopes and expectations, and proved to me beyond a doubt that properly designed and built sharpies can be seaworthy and seakindly. IBIS is presently hauled out for the summer. I will re-launch her in November of 2010. She will be available for inspection and sail trials during Fall and Winter.

IBIS is for sale for $179,950.

IBIS is 51' 4" LOA, 10' Beam, 2' 6" Draft (7' 8" Board Down), 42' LWL. Her displacement is 14,500lbs and her empty trailer weight is 12,000lbs. She has a box keel containing 2,500lbs of lead, an additional 500lbs of internal ballast, and carries an incredible 250 gallons of water in integral central tanks for an additional 2,110lbs ballast. Her lead-filled steel centerboard weighs 1,350lbs, and is raised by the same 12v winch as that used for raising the masts. The winch is mounted on the foremast tabernacle, and uses dedicated batteries charged by their own solar-charger. Fuel capacity is 80 gallons, providing over 110 hours of motor time, for a range of over 850 miles.

Sail Area is 753 sq ft in three self-tending sails (gaff schooner). Her masts are tabernacled using an electric winch and permanently installed A-frame. Her bridge clearance is 35'; With masts down her bridge clearance is less than 10 feet. She is powered by an Isuzu 3LD2 3-cylinder diesel, which powers her to a speed of 8 knots, consuming only .75 gallons per hour. This makes her more fuel efficient than most large pickup trucks! IBIS has a stern boomkin not shown on the drawings below. The boomkin supports the main traveler, boom gallows, flag-staff and GPS antenna.

IBIS is based on the Washington State halibut fishermen of the San Juan Islands in the 1880's. These were double-ended sharpies intended for use in all seasons. Construction is composite wood/epoxy/fabric, with hollow Douglas fir laminated masts and main boom (bird's-mouth method). There are five water-tight bulkheads making this vessel as unsinkable as possible. She can be sailed or motored to safety with any compartment flooded.

More details and additional photos can be found at Parker Marine Enterprises.

Boatsmith Inc.'s New Tiki 36

2010-07-27T21:32:00.000-05:00

David Halladay is now ready to move forward on his newly-drawn version of a Tiki 36 catamaran based on a scaled-up Wharram Tiki 30. The Tiki 36 will offer many amenities not available on the Tiki 30 while still keeping the sleek lines and coming in at a much lower weight than the Tiki 38 with the schooner rig. It will offer a longer waterline for faster speeds than the Tiki 30. Here are the main differences compared to the Tiki 30:

Hull beam increased to 5'
Overall beam increased to 19'8"
Sheer height increased 12"
Forth beam added
Separate head and shower compartments
Wider main bunks and larger forward berth areas
Standing headroom in galley and nav area

From David Halladay's description: The Tiki36 will weigh in at around 4300 lbs and will have a sail area of 600 sqft. They will be built of foam cored fiberglass and fit out to the highest standards. If you look at our spec sheet you will see that this is a well equipped boat and one that should be very comfortable as well as able to show her heels to many while keeping the rugged simplicity and seaworthiness that Wharrams are renown for. These will still be custom boats and there is very little that can't be modified on them to suit the owner. The helm pod for instance is very open to customizing to exactly whatever flavor suits you. This boat will fit into a single 40' container for easy shipping.

He's offering this fantastic cruising catamaran at an introductory price, and can provide a full spec sheet to show exactly what you're getting for your money. There's nothing currently in production that could compare to the capability this boat offers in this price range. For more information, contact david@boatsmithfl.com or visit his website at www.boatsmithfl.com

Mississippi Coast Oil Spill Photos

2010-07-10T14:08:00.000-05:00

I took the above photo near Waveland, MS on Thursday, July 8. It is one of many that I went to the coast to shoot for a magazine article I'm working on about the impact of the spill on the Mississippi Coast. To see a few more images from this series, click on this link to my Bug Out Survival blog here:

http://www.bugoutsurvival.com/2010/07/went-to-beach-yesterday.html

Hull Cleaning Tips for Boaters in the Oil Spill Zone

2010-05-06T17:05:00.000-05:00

Press Release from Interlux and Awlgrip: Here are some tips boaters who keep their vessels in the waters of the Gulf are likely to need in the near future.

Oil Spill Cleanup Tips For Boaters
From Interlux® and Awlgrip®
Tech Hotlines Also Open
Interlux 800.468.7589
Awlgrip 888.355.3090

UNION, NEW JERSEY (USA) – In the wake of what could be the largest oil spill in US history, leading yacht paint manufacturers Interlux and Awlgrip offer boaters in the impacted areas the following tips to help clean contaminated boats.

INTERLUX GUIDELINES: TREATMENT OF ANTIFOULING CONTAMINATED WITH OIL
The surface of an antifouling paint that has become contaminated with oil can become “blocked” i.e preventing the biocide from being released, which subsequently leads to premature fouling. It will also result in a contaminated layer that will make adhesion of new antifouling applications difficult.

Cleaning of contaminated antifouling surfaces:

For hard polishing and ablative antifouling paints that have been heavily contaminated the best method to use when treating the bottom is to use a paint-stripper such as Interstrip 299e to remove all the pollution and the paint, then scrub the substrate using Fiberglass Surface Prep YMA601 and a coarse Scotch-Brite pad. Rinse with fresh water. Repeat until the surface is clean (when the water cascades off of the surface with no beading or separating). Allow the surface to dry thoroughly prior to re-painting. The same process is recommended on metal boats however to avoid corrosion the metal substrate should be prepared by grinding or blasting after the cleaning process and prior to priming. To aid adhesion apply InterProtect 2000E primer per label instructions.

Sanding or sand blasting a surface that still has oil on it may drive the oil into the surface and cause a loss of adhesion of the subsequent coats.

If the coating of oil is light, powerwash and then use a household detergent with water to scrub off any pollution. Then scrub using Fiberglass Surface Prep YMA601 and a coarse Scotch-Brite pad and rinse thoroughly with fresh water. Let dry prior to re-painting. Polishing paints such as Micron Technology, may be re-launched without painting assuming the film thickness of remaining paint is adequate (2-3 mils dry after scrubbing) & the next application is scheduled within 5 months.

AWLGRIP GUIDELINES: TREATMENT OF TOPCOATS CONTAMINATED WITH OIL
Cleaning of contaminated topcoat surfaces:

Contaminated topcoats should be cleaned as soon as practically possible to minimize the damaging effects of the crude. If the surface of a topcoat is contaminated with crude oil, staining and possible degradation of the topcoat may result from the acidic nature of the contaminant. The recommendations below apply to Awlgrip®, Awlcraft® 2000 and Interlux® Perfection topcoats. If there is any doubt of the type of surface in question always test a small area first.

In the case of heavy contamination, the material may be a thick, sticky tar-like material due to its exposure to the elements. It is recommended that these surfaces first be cleared by wipe down with T0016, T0170 or Mineral Spirits followed by power washing, and then cleaned with Awlwash® at a 4 oz/gallon level (or household liquid detergents such as Dawn). The detergent washing step of the cleaning process must be done in manageable areas. Each area should be then be thoroughly rinsed with plenty of clean water before moving on to the next. DO NOT allow detergent solutions to dry on the surface.

Hulls exhibiting ‘sheen’ contamination may be cleaned with the regular concentration levels of Awlwash, though they too may benefit from a prewash wipe down with T0016, T0170 or Mineral Spirits to loosen the film.

In both cases, it is recommended that the newly cleaned surface be protected from further contamination with application of Awlcare®.

IN ALL CASES:

Contaminated waste water should be collected per local marina guidelines, local authority regulations and/or Clean Water Act requirements. Collecting the water and the emulsified crude will prevent spreading of contamination. Crude and solvent contaminated wipes must also be disposed of in a responsible manner.
For further assistance, call Interlux Technical Service, 1+800.468.7589 or Awlgrip Technical Service, 1.888.355.3090. For more information about Interlux products, visit www.yachtpaint.com/usa. For more information about Awlgrip products, visit www.awlgrip.com.

Mississippi Sound Article in Current Issue of SAIL

2010-05-02T15:07:00.001-05:00

One of my most recent magazine projects was an article for SAIL, that is featured in the current issue (May 2010). The article is part of SAIL's "Great Coastal Cruises" series, and highlights the Mississippi Sound and the barrier islands of the Gulf Islands National Seashore as a great destination for weekend or longer cruises on the northern Gulf Coast.

My friend, Dick Dixon, a photographer who lives on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and frequently sails out to the islands contributed this awesome photo of a Horn Island sunrise:

All of us who love these islands and the cruising grounds of the northern Gulf of Mexico are waiting with dread to see what will happen with the massive oil spill that is threatening to destroy it all. It seems at this point no one has the answers, only speculation about what will happen and how bad it will be, and whether we can do anything about it. After such a battering from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a blow like this is the last thing we need. All we can do his hope and pray for the best and that it won't be as bad as some predict.

If you don't have a subscription to SAIL, you can get it here: Sail

My Article in the Current Issue of Cruising World

2010-03-21T13:08:00.000-05:00

I have a short article in the current (April, 2010) issue of Cruising World, in the "Shoreline" section. The piece is about David Halladay receiving James Wharram's blessing as the first officially licensed professional builder of Wharram designs in the U.S. Hopefully articles like this will bring more attention to the beautiful boats David is creating in the Boatsmith shop and more sailors will consider a Wharram cat a viable option among the many choices out there. Look for it in this issue on newstands now:

I'm not sure how long this link will work, but for now you can click on the inside button in this embedded version of the article and view it at a readable size:

Switching from a Steel Mono to a Plywood Catamaran

2010-02-13T07:39:00.001-06:00

There's an article in the current issue of Good Old Boat that I found of great interest, particularly with my fondness for Wharram catamarans. This magazine is of course, primarily focused on restoring and sailing older fiberglass boats, which generally means monohulls simply because there are so many more of the them available in the used marketplace.

New construction is not often mentioned here, but in this issue there is an article by frequent contributors, Dave and Jaja Martin about their choice to sell their steel monohull, Driver, and build of all things, a Wharram Tiki 30. Now I've followed their writings for years and reading of their exploits such as sailing a modified Cal 25 around the world and cruising Arctic waters on Driver sometimes caused me to question my own choice of a plywood cat over a good sturdy monohull. But in this article Dave explains his rationale and the solid reasons he chose a Tiki 30 when he decided a multihull would be the best choice for the kind of sailing they intend to do next.

Not surprisingly, his list of reasons in his choice mirror my own reasons for choosing a Tiki 26 after losing a 26-foot monohull in Hurricane Katrina. The Tiki 30 works better for them, because they will be sailing as a family and they wanted the largest demountable cat that could be reasonably trailered and still powered by a single outboard.

In the next issue of Good Old Boat there will be another installment on this project where Dave gets into details about material choices in modern plywood boat construction. I will be eagerly awaiting it, and I especially look forward to the inevitable future articles that will likely be published in several of the major sailing magazines about the Martin's adventures on their new Tiki 30.

Boatsmith's Tiki 30 Abaco is on the Cover of Cruising World

2010-01-30T20:31:00.000-06:00

I should have posted this earlier in January, but it slipped by. If you subscribe you may have seen this cover image on the February issue of Cruising World. That's David Halladay's Tiki 30 Abaco, the Boatsmith demo boat I was involved with building and blogging about on Pro-Built Tiki 30.

This shot was taken in the Exumas by yacht photographer, Onne van der Wahl, after David Crawford and I sailed it over to Nassau back in June to deliver it to him for that purpose. Unfortunately, Abaco is almost lost in this sweeping wide angle of sand, sea and sky, but hey, regardless of that, she's a cover girl now, and Cruising World is nothing to sneeze at.

Building a Boat

2010-01-27T21:00:00.001-06:00

Stole this from Boat Bits. This is just too cool to pass up: Matt Mays from Terminal Romance. Check it out and then get out to the shop.

Reuel Parker's Ibis Sharpie Nearing Launch

2010-01-03T10:41:00.000-06:00

Reuel Parker is in the final stages of his 45-foot sharpie schooner project, Ibis. Here are some photos taken by David Halladay during a recent visit to the build site in Ft. Myers. It's not everyday that you see a flat-bottomed, shallow-draft vessel of this length.

This is Parker's concept of a "maxi-trailerable" sailing vessel. While Ibis is not something that you would trailer down to the lake for a daysail, she is a vessel that could be trailered if necessary, for off-season storage or maintenance at home, or for reaching distance cruising grounds in a hurry. To trailer this much boat, you will need a substantial truck, like one of David's work trucks parked alongside in the photo below.

Here's a close-up shot of the stern, showing the balanced rudder and how it is hung on the narrow stern.

The mast is mounted in a substantial tabernacle. Reuel Parker describes the advantages and the design of these in his book: The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding: From Lofting to Launching.
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This view of the bow shows the bowsprit and samson post, as well as a custom A-frame that is used to assist in raising and lowering the mast. When not in use for this purpose, it will be fixed in position at the correct height to form a bow pulpit rail. This is a brilliant example of multi-functional equipment incorporated in this simple vessel.

Designed for cruising the in the tropics, Ibis is equipped with plenty of opening deck hatches and opening portlights. The cockpit is also shaded by a bimini.

Down below, the interior has a spacious feel with white paint and light-colored wood trim. This vessel is designed for a simple style of cruising and living aboard in out-of-the-way places like the Out Islands of the Bahamas.

Ibis is based on the smaller 36-foot San Juan Island Double-ended Sharpie, described in detail beginning on page 141 of his definative work on the type: The Sharpie Book

The First U.S. Built Wharram Tiki 8-Meter

2009-12-17T21:00:00.003-06:00

David Halladay and the Boatsmith crew have launched the first of two foam-core/fiberglass composite Wharram Tiki 8-Meter catamarans they have contracted to build for a south Florida resort as day-charter boats.

These first two boats are modified from the orginal design to suit the needs of the charter company, hence the extra aft beam and aft steering station that gets the helmsman out of the cockpit and frees up more space for the guests. You can see this modification by clicking on the photo above to enlarge it.

The other significant modification is the rig, which replaces the Tiki gaff wingsail main with a fully-battened, loose-footed main with a boom. David says this configuration offers many more options for adjusting sail trim, as well as provides a larger sail area for light air, which is an important consideration for the variable light-air conditons typical of Florida's Gulf Coast. The jib is equipped with roller-furling. With this rig, both main and jib are easily furled and put away.

David is extremely pleased with how the boat sails. The video below should explain why. Look at it go in barey a puff of wind!

David and the crew trailered the boat fully assembled (with a wide-load escort) from the shop to the public boat launch at Burt Reynold's Park, on the Intracoastal Waterway. Compared to the Tiki 30, it was quick and easy to launch, and he says that stepping the aluminum mast was much easier as well.

Beaching is a snap. Note the kick-up rudders - another modification required by the charter company. The crossbeams are composite foam core/glass as well, making them much lighter than standard Tiki beams of wood and glass.

Although many builders, myself included, prefer the character that wood construction gives and the easier one-off building process, David expects that customers looking to purchase a finished boat will really like the low-maintenance of these composite Tiki 8-Meter cats. This is an ideal sized boat in so many ways for so many things, which is exactly why I chose the Tiki 26, the wood composite version, for my personal boat to build.

For more info contact David Halladay through his website: http://www.boatsmithfl.com/

Paddling the Pascagoula, 1954

2009-12-14T18:23:00.003-06:00

As I've mentioned here before, one of the greatest rewards of being an author is hearing from readers of my books about how reading one of them either inspired them to go out and do something adventurous or reminded them of a past pleasure from a similar experience.

This week I got an email from Mike Warnock, a reader of Paddling the Pascagoula who said he could relate to the narrative because he had made his own journeys down the river in the mid 1950's, along with fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 220 of Moss Point.

In the photo above, from 1954, Mike is the kid in the straw hat in the back of the second canoe. He said the longest trip they did on the river was 5 days and 150 miles. They saw few, if any people, and he doesn't remember seeing any of the sewer discharges or trash Ernest Herndon and I reported in our book from our trip in 2004, fifty years later.

Last summer Troop 220 had a reunion at a cabin out from Lucedale, not far from the river (see photo below). Mike is now living in Idaho and is still an outdoorsman. Their Scoutmaster, Sam Wilkes, now 83, is the man in the front center.

I told Mike that I envied those experiences he had at that perfect age for canoeing a river. Though I went on to become fanatical for many years about canoeing and sea kayaking, I never set foot in a canoe until I was 18 years old. Canoeing was almost unheard of around the small town where I grew up, and we did not have an active Scout Troop that did that sort of thing.

Ernest and I have often discussed the fact that Mississippi, a state blessed with woods and water, including thousands of miles of perfect streams for canoeing, just does not have a canoe culture. Even today, anyone paddling a canoe on the bigger rivers of the state like the Pascagoula or the Pearl is looked on with disbelief by the local fishermen in their John boats with outboards. This may never change, but for those of us who do recognize it, this state has some of the finest canoe waters in the country, and the Pascagoula River System surely has some of the finest in the state. I would have loved the opportunity to make such a journey down the river at the age or ten or twelve, but as it turned out there were plenty of opportunities later, and hopefully will be many more in the future.

Alberg 29 - A Great Deal in Texas

2009-12-12T13:01:00.005-06:00

Below: The Alberg 29 Jubilee, offered for sale in Rockport, Texas.

I can't believe this boat has been on the market so long, especially at the price it's been reduced to since October - just $21,500. I guess it goes to show how much of a buyer's market it is right now for things like cruising sailboats. The Alberg 29 is a bit of a rare item, and not very well known among fans of Carl Alberg's designs compared to the much more common boats in this size range such as the Alberg 30, the Pearson Triton and the Cape Dories.

This example was built in 1982, and while it is classic Alberg, (see the out of water photo below) the 29 was intended to be an updated, modernized version of the famed Alberg 30. There are not many of these around, and information about the design is scarce online. One resource is Twentynine, an owner website devoted to the design.

Below is a photo of Jubilee's nicely-finished interior, which is still in good shape, as all of the boat appears to be.

I've been wondering when this boat would sell, and I am quite surprised it's stayed on the market for this long. For someone wanting to go cruising in a moderate-sized bluewater vessel in the tradition of the boats described in John Vigor's Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere, this could be your vessel. Someone should buy it and send me a postcard from the Caribbean this winter.

Get all the specs and details on the owner's ad here:

http://www.sailingtexas.com/salberg29100.html

Winter Wharram Rendezvous this Weekend

2009-12-10T07:18:00.005-06:00

The Winter Rendezvous for Wharram Catamaran enthusiasts will take place this weekend in south Florida. The location has been moved this year from Hobe Sound to Peanut Island, near Lake Worth Inlet. This area offers a good anchorage, room to sail nearby, easy access to the ocean, snorkeling in the clear waters around the island and camping ashore. If you're out boating or kayaking in the area, look for the Wharram cats to be anchored near the northwest side of the island. The photo below is an aerial view looking north from south of the island.

David Halladay will be there with his Tiki 30, Abaco, and hopefully, one of the new GRP Tiki 8-meter cats he's currently finishing up. Guest will include another well-known British multihull designer - Richard Woods, as well as boat designer and author, Reuel Parker. Guest from as far away as Europe, British Colombia, Idaho and Rhode Island are expected. There will be a Tiki 46 on hand, as well as a Tangaroa, Tiki 26 and others.

If you are shorebound in the area and can't get to the anchorage, call 561-632-2628 or 561-632-5970 when you arrive.

Across Islands and Oceans

2009-12-07T14:39:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite sailing writers of all time is James Baldwin, of the Pearson Triton Atom. Over the years I have eagerly looked forward to his magazine articles in Cruising World and Good Old Boat, and have learned much from the great resources he has published on his website: Atom Voyages.
Certainly what has attracted me to Baldwin's writings on the subjects of ocean voyaging, choosing and preparing a boat for cruising, and finding ways to finance the lifestyle is his overwhelmingly can-do, positive attitude. Unlike so many of the the advertising-driven articles that make up the bulk of most sailing magazines, James Baldwin goes against the tide in writing about simple and modestly-sized boats, a simple cruising lifestyle, and an attitude reminiscent of Moitessier about work and money. Baldwin didn't wait for comfortable retirement and the means to buy a 40-foot plus yacht before going to sea in search of adventure. Instead, at the age of 21 he spent everything he had to purchase a 28-foot Pearson Triton, took some shakedown cruises to see what he needed and what he did not need, then sailed the boat around the world - not once, but twice.
James Baldwin has since been based in Brunswick, Georgia with his wife Mei, who he met on his second voyage. I've corresponded with him a number of times on various subjects ranging from publishing books and choosing a suitable cruising boat to discussions of Wharram catamarans.
He told me he intended to write a book about some of his experiences, and now he has gotten around to doing so, posting it online chapter-by-chapter where you can read it free of charge. At a later date he intends to offer it as a Print-On-Demand book on Amazon. I really hope he does this soon, as I will be one of the first to order it and it will reside on the shelf with my favorite cruising and adventure narratives.
To read Baldwin's online version of the book, go to Across Islands and Oceans. Sixteen of twenty-two chapters are now posted for reading at your leisure. I can guarantee that reading this book will make you want to cast off the docklines and go.

Virgin Islands Kayak Adventure

2009-11-22T12:40:00.005-06:00

As an author, it's always great to get emails from readers of my books who benefited in some way from something I have written. It's even better when I hear that something I wrote has inspired readers to go out and do some adventuring of their own. That's a big part of why I've written narratives of some of my trips, especially the account of my Caribbean kayak trip of twenty years ago:

On Island Time: Kayaking the Caribbean

About a year ago, I received an email from Scott Finazzo, a firefighter from Kansas City who read On Island Time while he was off from work on injury leave. He told me that the book gave him the idea of kayaking in the Caribbean and he passed on the inspiration to a handful of his coworkers and plans were soon made to spend a few weeks paddling the Virgin Islands.

Incredibly, despite the fact that none of them were sea kayakers or boat builders, they came up with their own designs for take-apart skin-on-frame kayaks, built them, and pulled this trip off in a little less than a year from that first email Scott sent me. Just a week ago, I received another email from him with a link to his blog, where he posted the above photo as well as a series of write-ups about their adventures and some video clips. I won't attempt to describe their trip here. Get it straight from Scott at his blog:

Lure of the Horizon

The photos and the descriptions took me right back to my passage through those fabulous islands. I'm really glad these guys got to go there and paddle and that my book played some part in it. I'll be looking forward to more in the future on Lure of the Horizon.