Thread: catboat or skiff or ...?

Hi everyone,

Ok, I am stuffing around on the web last night looking at Micro sites telling myself "yes, you will grow to love it" and I show the better half a photo of one (the one with the lovely flat wake Mik) and she just looked at me as if to say "that's the best you can do after all these hours searching for a boat design"... . I cant blame her - i had the same reaction. It didnt seem to matter when I said encouragingly "those holes in the flat bow are boarding stairs honey". She is cool though and said whatever I choose is fine.

Designs heading the field at the moment are the Micro, Chestnut Teal and the Bolger Catfish Beachcruiser (updated version with revised sides and seating arrangement). I have taken the advice of many and made a choice to keep the size and/or complexity down otherwise I will be overwhelmed as a first project. So therefore the Chebacco and NIS18 are out for now.

I havent been able to contact Murray Isles as every one of the email addresses on his website bounces and I havent got around to ringing NZ yet. If anyone knows a builder/owner of a Chestnut Teal or Grey Teal I would really like to talk to them about it. I cant find anything on the web on the design other than on the designers website. These boats have a lot of features I like but there is nothing like real life feedback from an owner builder. It has been amazing how much I have learned about certain designs on this forum (thank you everyone), and by reading about owners building projects and sailing experiences.

I am looking at the Bolger Catfish Beachcruiser again with interest. I like the look of these and the bigger Chebacco. Just not sure about the camp style cuddy and what protection it offers. If it had a cabin like the micro or chebacco I would be even keener. The revised boat seems an improvement and has the option of centreboard or keel also.

Mark, your comments only inspire me to get going even quicker. It is those moments that my wife and I would love to experience.

Ok, back to my Micro therapy - I think I can, I think I can.......

Cheers, Brett.

Now to be heretical.

Thirsty, I share your pain. I would love to own a Micro for all sorts of snobbish reasons, but realistically all of the above are going to cost you money that you are unlikely to recover.

For a first cruising boat, why not something like this
You won't lose a bean, a tried and proven design, and you can be out there having fun a year earlier, learning what you really need for the next one.

Cheers,

P (ducking now!)

Have to agree with Midge, if your'e after an inexpensive t/s you couldn't go wrong with the Careel 18 to get started. You could never build an 18 footer for that price (supposing you have to buy all the material at retail prices). My 12.5 ft catboat will cost almost that much by the time I include the price of a sail, trailer and 2 hp outboard.

If you must build something and you want it prettier than Micro how about one of these Pocket Cruisers www.stevproj.com/PocketYachts.html My choice is the 17.5 ft Catboat.

Declaration of interest: (sort of).

We spent what seemed like an entire lifetime cruising every nook and cranny of Moreton Bay in a Careel 18, two of our kids were just about born on board, the eldest was three when we got it. Had to sell it when fitting 26 feet of Midges into an 18 ft boat for a week started to get a bit .... well let's just say they were underfoot!!

I've been a member of the Careel Association in Qld for nearly 30 years too, and what a stirling bunch they are!

(Just another diversion from all the other stuff! )

Cheers,

P

So Midge, do you mean that sailing the Careel made it seem like a lifetime!!!

MIK )

I like 'em actually - not the greatest of boats but not bad either in terms of moving a couple or a young family around in a simple sort of way.

So I guess the question is - are you a builder for the joy of it or is building a means to get on the water. Do you want something mainstream or do you really have to have something unusual.

I'd certainly make sure the sails of the Careel were in good condition - that's the biggest single area of expense for older boats that people tend to overlook.

MIK (still!)

Originally Posted by Boatmik

So Midge, do you mean that sailing the Careel made it seem like a lifetime!!!

Nah, it took a lifetime to get anywhere!

We used to carry a roll of dental floss for stitching sails on the run!


P

Well BM,
I just have this to say.
Little boaties, little boaties,
Little boaties all made out of ticky tacky,
Little boaties, little boaties,
And they all look just the same. (with apologies to Pete Seeger)
Cheers
Mark

Midge - theres a bloke spouting poetry about Careel 18s - it is time to wield the big guns and give him something to write poetry about!!!

Where's your light bulb?

Ah, there

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=22079

Crikey that was well spotted Mik!

I must borrow it back and get a decent photo eventually. Then do another one with the GIS in it I suppose!

Cheers,

P

OK youse asked for it
Second verse
"There's a blue one, ther's a yellow one,ther's one in a light bulb,
And they are all made of ticky tacky ,
And they all look just the same". ( More apologies to Pete Seeger)
I like the one in the light bulb though.
Cheers
Mark

Originally Posted by mark_dugong

Well BM,
I just have this to say.
Little boaties, little boaties,
Little boaties all made out of ticky tacky,
Little boaties, little boaties,
And they all look just the same. (with apologies to Pete Seeger)
Cheers
Mark

Mark - actually your apologies should go to Malvina Reynolds, the old folkie who penned that particular scathing/sweet ditty excoriating the cheap sameness that too often springs from the miracle of mass production. Though it's true, Pete loved the song (and Malvina into the bargain) and sang it often and well.

Actually, as Peter says, there's nothing wrong with a well-built used fg sailboat - if your intent is to get on the water without spending a lot of time and money. To those of us who like to build boats, maybe that approach is lacking. But even I am thinking about going that way for a ski boat for my two teenaged boys. At least the Oz & Kiwi versions of the small sailboat have a bit more character and function than all the designs on offer here is the US - where design is too often driven by the Marketing Department, and too seldom by the Naval Architect or boat designer. As, Mik would say, "horses for courses".

"Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get when you don't" -- Pete Seeger

G'day abordg,
Thank you for letting me know about the origin of that little song which says it so well about the contemporary (I hate the word modern) world.
Why don't you put the kids in a couple of ocean kayaks (it's cool) or river ones if that's relevant. It just seems such a waste hooning around in vehicles powered by infernal combustion motors-but then I am not a dad of teenage sons (good luck) but I have seen the damage done by propeller strikes to turtles and yes, dugongs and it's pretty sad.
Yes, and I am not a complete purist by a long shot and sailing in a Careel 18 is certainly better than standing on the shore dreaming about it. Nice to hear from someone on the other side of the pond.
Cheers
Mark
PS I saw Pete Seeger recently on TV -he was trying to pull the plug (actually he was after an axe) on another great folksinger/humdinger-Bob Dylan, at the concert when Dylan went electric.

Originally Posted by mark_dugong

about the contemporary (I hate the word modern) world.

My favourite Japanese writer refers to the same thing in Japan when looking at how a fishing village, portside precinct and beach he knew from his youth has been concreted over to make way for a freeway and a Love Hotel.

His line... "as you would expect of an 'advanced capitalist economy' ".

I'm not meaning to be overtly political here - more talking about endpoints of economic development. I guess younger people today will lament the way that things from their youth disappear too.

Or Kurt Vonnegut, "so it goes"

This sounds a bit maudlin - think of all that water and a breeze to go with the Martha Jane or the GIS or even a Careel 18. Sure, some are more ticky tacky than others but the wind makes them all come alive.

MIK

Hello everyone,

I turn my back for a week or two and everyone gets philosophical with kids poetry on me . Sorry I havent been around but I caught the dreaded influenza A virus and have been laying low - what a nasty little fella it is too!

Anyway, I have to confess that I have seriously considered a s/h boat and the careel was on the list. Not sure what other designs are worthy of being on a short list? Maybe I am a sucker for punishment - I dont know, but I keep coming back to building my own - the one that I want.

That and my best mate built his 16' runabout in 10 months with his old man. (Hey Mik, it was on display beside your PDR's at the Brisbane Working with Wood show. It is a Glen-L Malahini.) Nothing like that to get you fired up!

I have a couple of options I am considering but I know that if I buy s/h I will only get distracted from building one for even longer. And to experience the pride of building your own is a great reward having witnessed it first hand.

Cheers...