Thread: GIS in rough water

The Goat is a flat bottomed boat. It is a very capable and most worthwhile boat, but it is still a flat bottomed boat. I have had mine out in all sorts of wave action, from large ocean swells, waves high enough not to be able to see over, to very steep and confused chop, 20kts+, most of it in salt water.

Obviously if you get the boat in swells that are longer than the boat, it will be a most fantastic ride. In the shorter and steeper stuff, especially to windward, you will need to maintain a slight heel to the boat and sail it in the sweet spot, where the single hard chine acts like a V and slices through the waves. This is possible, but takes attention, and sometimes in confused chop, like a harbor, it will be impossible to hit every wave right and you will take a slam that will make your fillings come out of your teeth, especially if the drop is deep and the wave action paced just a few feet apart. The conditions I'm describing ares pretty serious dinghy sailing at this point, it's not something most people would go out sailing in unless you're looking for thrills and spills.

I wish I had pictures, but I don't. Too busy sailing and bailing.

All that being said however, it's a trade-off, like any boat. You trade some, you gain some. In this case, you trade on simplicity of build, cost, a roomy cockpit, and some pretty sweet performance in most conditions suited to a dinghy, with the flat bottom on a beam reach or lower. My next boat is going to be a dory with better wave handling characteristics, but I'm not going to get her up on a plane and scream along with 1/2 the boat out of the water, you know? That's another trade-off, more seakeeping ability but less speed.

On a side, in the Goat there is lots of buoyancy and freeboard in the bow to help keep the bow from getting stuffed too deep if you're running downwind in steep shortly paced stuff, which is nice-- it does take a lot to stuff the bow.

It's a great boat, very capable, will do almost anything you ask of it within reason, easy to build, cheap, looks good, roomy, multi-mission capable, mizzen option, etc etc etc, but it's still a flat bottomed boat, and comes with some limitations, just like anything else you might want. Ye pays yer monies and ye takes yer chances.

Just to be perfectly clear-- I have not been limited by the boat to go anywhere or do anything I wanted to do. However, you'll get a good slam once in a while, especially if you're pushing the conditions.

There are lots of Goats where you are, you should find one and take it for a test sail.

Taking one for a test drive is an excellent suggestion. I will look into this. Is there anyone near Adelaide that is going sailing in the next few weeks or so?

Lots of Goats ... well in Australia there are quite a few - but they are spread out.

We have pretty much the land mass of the USA or China with the population spread out real thin because of limitations of resources - particularly water.

But if in Adelaide - contact Duck Flat [email protected] and they can contact one of the local owners for you.

MIK