Goat Island Skiff

bitingmidge · #1 23rd Oct 2005, 12:37 PM

I know that strictly speaking this is an "announcement" or even a "website" but I thought the GIS is a design after all, and here's as good a place as any to provide a link to my heavily updated Goat Island Skiff Web Pages.

The old site started as one page with a 250kb photo in 1998, were updated somewhat in '99 with a heap of small photos, and some basic headers, but it seemed like it was time for me to come to terms with rollovers, and CSS and stuff.

Since the pages are very much a learning curve for me, I'd appreciate feedback on how (if) they work, particularly with older browsers. Dial up users may need a bit of patience on the Diary and Links pages until all the images are loaded.

Oh, and any discussion on the boat would work in this thread too!

Cheers,

P

Wild Dingo · #2 23rd Oct 2005, 04:22 PM

Nice site midge...

one thing... the pics come up okay in all areas (Im on a very fast dialup) but the set up doesnt give you a nice long CLOSE look at them... also "could" the pics be clickable so you can see a larger pic for clarity etc??... Im sorta of the type that likes to spend hours checking out the processes that people go through... a slow look ie: the lofting process boards and plans side by side then pencil and batten drawing the lines next jogsaw and cutting the sections... then checking theyre all right setting them on the moulds... etc etc etc but others dont like that theyd rather take a quick peek and be done... no worries each to their own eh

Just ideas and thoughts... otherwise looks like a great wee boat with the potential for a heck of a lot of fun hootin around!!

bitingmidge · #3 25th Oct 2005, 04:04 PM

Shane,

Thanks, yep, she's a lot of fun!

I tried the click thing first, but didn't like it.... if you leave the mouse sitting over the pic, it should stay there as long as you like.

On the other hand, I know what you mean about bigger pics, and will do that eventually (with a click and a new screen), it's just that the pics I've got are not that good; I'm pushing the limits of their resolution now!

Thanks for the feedback, I'll work on the Dingo Changes in a month or two, once I've got the rest of the site done!

Cheers,

P

bitingmidge · #4 29th Jan 2007, 01:18 PM

For those interested, I've posted a few nice shots of "Gruff" with Michael Storer at the helm on my Flickr gallery.

I'm hoping to get to and re-hash the original web site mid-year, but don't worry, you'll be the first to know! Here are a couple of shots to get you going, there are a few more there now, and a heap coming tonight!

You've gotta feel sorry for Mik, I get him working painting my boats, and between coats have him out sailing my other boats so I can get decent photographs!

Cheers,

P

Wood Butcher · #5 29th Jan 2007, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

and between coats have him out sailing my other boats so I can get decent photographs!

Yeah, like he's complaining!

Wild Dingo · #6 30th Jan 2007, 03:10 AM

And would I?? Not a bloody chance!! hell id be there with bells on if I could get there!

Great day mate!! Well done to all

dennyinsequim · #7 16th Apr 2007, 02:03 AM

Hi, I have a few newbie sort of questions, going for a sail in an open boat in the sea of cortez has been on the list for a long time ( I've done a little nosing around there in kayaks and power boats) I've had my eye on the core sound series for a long time but I'm more of a user than a builder. I recently found this forum and the GIF and it really looks like a boat I could manage to build and I like the look. I'd be solo and the light weight would be a real bonus for getting her up the beach as well as being able to put it on top for the long drive eliminating trailer breakage issues. Thanks for any help, it's too late to keep this short but like all newbies I have a lot of questions and used the search feature pretty hard yesterday. denny

dennyinsequim · #8 16th Apr 2007, 02:58 AM

Having a look at my post I realize a never ask a question, I'm just looking for opinions on the suitability of the GIS for a trip like this. The wind in baja can come up pretty quickly and it's pretty remote. I understand that's not an easy one to answer because the drivers judgement is the main thing.
Honestly I suspect I'm going to order the plans and try to build one either way as the look and performance really appeal to me and I have a lot of water to sail on right here at home. denny

the link is to a couples page describing their trip and the conditions.

http://www.smallboatforum.com/PDFfil...uisingBaja.pdf

bitingmidge · #9 16th Apr 2007, 08:28 AM

Denny,

After reading the article, I'd say the GIS is at least the equal of "Loon" in every respect, and of course a little lighter.

The authors were well aware of the risks of a voyage like that, and I'd be very, very wary of takling it alone. Travelling alone throws up a host of new challenges, and certainly increases the degree of difficulty of the voyage.

While the GIS has full flotation as well, that wouldn't be a lot of use to you if you were injured and unable to get back into the boat!

You may also find that you'll need some special equipment if you are going to manage to cartop alone as well.

I think in summary, the boat is capable of carrying a well prepared and experienced crew on a journey like that, but a well prepared and experienced crew may choose to do it differently!

All the best, I'd love to see the pictures of your voyage, but come to think of it, there's another disadvantage of travelling alone, no one to take the pics!

Cheers,

P

dennyinsequim · #10 16th Apr 2007, 10:28 AM

Thanks for the response, I've enjoyed your website and of course your beautiful GIS, 95% of my use would be around here and would be trailered, it's just the baja roads are notorious. I'll spend a season or two cruising here before I head south so I'll have things pretty well sorted out. I'm also going a bit earlier than they did so the wind is more predictable and the fishing is prime.
I mostly wondered about how easily a balanced lug can be reefed and hopefully I can order my sail with an extra reef point.
I'm going to get some plans ordered up and try a build, I suspect I'll be back with more questions. thanks again denny

bitingmidge · #11 16th Apr 2007, 11:03 AM

I've alerted Michael Storer to your posts and he should be here shortly!

The Lug can be easily reefed, but it's a small boat and I wouldn't want to be doing it underway "when it was needed". You can easily beach the boat and do what you need or drop the sail while underway, but reefing in an sailing dinghy, no matter what the theory says is best left to dry land!

Looking forward to more posts from you!

cheers,

P

Boatmik · #12 16th Apr 2007, 01:17 PM

Howdy,

Thanks for the alert Midge.

It is always a problem for a designer as to what to say in these sorts of circumstances.

Like the GIS is a good boat that sails well and with my amount of sailing experience I would be happy sailing down the coast on good weather reports and after making good preparations.

BUT - and it is a big one - I really can't say whether it is safe for anyone else to do so.

If the weather was as in the article's pictures above ANYONE could do it - but I can certainly imagine that if I was doing the trip and the weather turned nasty then I could be in serious danger in some circumstances.

The downside of the GIS is exactly as the boat shown doing the BAJA cruise in the pictures - if capsized it takes a LOT of water and takes some time and effort to bail out and while I've done it several times with little trouble I don't think i would like to do it 5 times in a row! Probably I would recommend a second person be along for just those sorts of eventualities - one balances the boat the other bails.

With the BAJA boat in the cruise pictures - what happens to their outboard if they capsize - if it gets drowned in a capsize ... then what? How much does their idea of safety depend on the outboard?

You see the point is that if everything goes OK - then you can do any sort of trip in just about any boat - even a PDRacer - but if things go wrong you are very much on your own on that sort of coast.

If most of your sailing will be in other more populated places then that is enough reason in itself to build a GIS. Then as you get to know the boat and what it can do - and more important - get to know your abilities/limitations then you can extend what you are doing.

One modification i would consider is to enlarge the buoyancy tanks (or box in the middle seat) so that the boat floats higher when full of water and there is less to bail.

As far as lightness goes - the GIS is light - unladen I can drag her up Midge's beach and onto the grass - but once some cruising gear is aboard you will need an inflatable roller or two to move the boat by yourself.

One additional thing ... I am working on an extended version of the GIS which has a self draining cockpit as a RAID boat. It answers the main criticism I make above which is that if capsized it will come up with no water aboard and it will still be a lot lighter than the boat in the article above. I've attached a pic - the floor drains out through the back of the boat and the boat will come upright empty of water - so no bailing and a considerable increase in safety margin. There is also some chance of carrying some water ballast under the false floor in the midsection of the boat.

Best wishes
Michael Storer

Boatmik · #13 16th Apr 2007, 01:48 PM

By the way - I have put together a pictorial article that shows much of the stuff I have learned about setting up lug rigs over the last couple of decades.

Not only will it help with setting up a GIS but it will also help set up any lug rig - but particularly the balance lug which is has the best all-round performance of the variants.

There is a link to the new page here
http://www.storerboatplans.com/GIS/GISplan.html

Best wishes
Michael.

dennyinsequim · #14 17th Apr 2007, 01:51 AM

Thanks Michael, Your and Peter's websites are great and I don't know how I managed to take so long to find them. I'm going to get going and build a GIS and hope to enjoy the process enough to follow up later with the raid version as I suspect it's probably going to be just what I need for the trip.
I re-read both sites last night, really well put down information and a lot of the mystery's I had about the whole boat building process are clearly explained.
I'm lucky to live close to a great source for plywood and lumber (Edensaw) in Port Townsend.
As I mentioned above the trip south is a few seasons away and when I go there will be no time constraints, meaning if it's not right I'm on the beach. thanks again denny

Ziff · #15 16th May 2007, 08:51 PM

Hi everyone
Newbie here, just found this forum a few days ago and been reading a lot of it. I have just finished building the GIS two weeks ago which was a 10 month project, this is my first ever post so I hope these pics turn out. Im sorry I dont have any pics of the maiden voyage, in all the excitement someone forgot to take the camera what a dope.
My biggest problem at the moment is what to name it?
If I knew about this forum I probably would have taken more pics of the build however only have a few.
The maiden sail was fantastic, this skiff was far better than I had ever imagined and the lightest boat I have ever sailed, just glides through the water with very little effort.
I will post some more pics of the next sail if I can remember the camera.

Regards
Stephen