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View Full Version : An exercise in the beauty of constructing a racing puddle duck



Christopha
7th February 2006, 09:06 PM
Midgster, Sirrah..... your forum awaits!

Daddles
7th February 2006, 10:14 PM
Oi, cut it out. Now we have to hijack this thread as well :D

Richard

Cliff Rogers
7th February 2006, 10:22 PM
In an e-mail; it was said....

quote.

just decided to bite the bullet and build a puddleduck (www.pdracer.com (http://www.pdracer.com/)) this weekend.

end quote.

So you have to wait til Monday.

I'm dying to know if it does go faster when you lean forward (& phart) like the old coot in the pic. :D

bitingmidge
7th February 2006, 10:46 PM
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=18879&d=1139298753

Well chaps, with this much sail on board, I don't think I'd be game to eat any beans the night before a big event... turbo chargers are allowed, but won't be necessary methinks.

One of these things claims to have recorded 3.9 knots, but we think we can do that in a mere 5 knots of wind. (Which for the uninformed is about the same amount one normally gets on the renovation forums :D )

Roll on Friday night I say!

(and thanks for the new thread Christopha!)

P
:D :D :D

Cliff Rogers
7th February 2006, 10:51 PM
... (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=18879&d=1139298753)with this much sail on board, ....


Holy spit!!!! Are you going to have a trap on that thing?

bitingmidge
8th February 2006, 08:18 AM
Holy spit!!!! Are you going to have a trap on that thing?No, Boatmik and I think that our magnetic personalities will be enough to keep the birds on board.

P
:D :D :D

bennylaird
8th February 2006, 08:24 AM
Is it just me or do others have an aversion to:

Seriously Fugly Boats?

bitingmidge
8th February 2006, 09:27 AM
Handsome is as handsome does!

Define Fugly?

There are a few examples of the Puddleduck on the web which are something less than handsome to my eye I must admit, HOWEVER:

On the other hand, what the sport of sailing is desperately lacking is a cheap entry-level knockabout.

Sabots used to be that, made by Dad for not much money, then came the Optimist, even boxier and more basic, but in both cases a competitive boat is going to set the family back around ten grand now...:eek: :eek: :eek:

So.... here's a boat which we think we can build in a weekend, which will cost $150 if we buy all the bits (I've already used scrap fingerjointed pine to laminate the foil blanks - no cost), and we expect will provide a bit of a challenge to sail! :D

If the kids don't like it, or get tired of it after a week or two, we could use it for fuel for the snag-sizzle and we'd still had our money's worth! Several websites have photos of them being used as bookshelves during the depths of the northern winter- you can't get better value than that!

Besides, if Boatmik can't tweak it to make it look alright, no-one can!

So benny, I dare you to build one and turn up at the nationals.... or are you just a deck-shoe wearing, g&t sipping, couldabeen? Go on, put down the latte, and find out what it's like to smile again!

Cheers,

P
:D :D :D

Christopha
8th February 2006, 09:33 AM
Is it just me or do others have an aversion to:

Seriously Fugly Boats?

Benny, with heads like ours Fugly isn't somewhere we should go!!!!
And the Duck is a thing of unsurpassed Beeyootee!

bennylaird
8th February 2006, 09:34 AM
LOL Midge, didn't say it wasn't practical, just fugly. Like model aircraft a practical trainer is fugly but it doesn't take much to dress them up. Sure you can do the same with one of these, but, I intend to have a go at a Eureka canoe cos it appeals to my eye. I would have a go at sailing too if I find a "nice lines/unfugly Jemima Pyddle Duck". Must be something about?

Still looking for some gabbon ply close to home, any ideas?

bennylaird
8th February 2006, 09:35 AM
Benny, with heads like ours Fugly isn't somewhere we should go!!!!
And the Duck is a thing of unsurpassed Beeyootee!

:D My head on display out on a duck???? Would scare most people off the water.:eek: :eek: :p

bitingmidge
8th February 2006, 09:40 AM
Benny, :D

Marine timbers in Seaford (http://www.marinetimbers.com.au/), aren't close, but the delivery cost will be less than you'd pay in fuel to pick it up anyway!

I've had ply sent to me from there, good service, good product.

I've got my pretty boat (http://peterhyndman.com/GISintro.htm), and it's a ripper, but these'll be fun too!

I'm hoping you don't finish the Eureka before me though!
Cheers,

P

bennylaird
8th February 2006, 10:02 AM
I love the Weekender, the lines appeal. Anyone building one of these?

Auld Bassoon
8th February 2006, 06:02 PM
then came the Optimist, even boxier and more basic, but in both cases a competitive boat is going to set the family back around ten grand now...:eek: :eek: :eek:

:D :D

Ten grand for an Optimist! Strewth :eek:

bitingmidge
8th February 2006, 06:43 PM
Ten grand for an Optimist! Strewth :eek:

OK I lied!:p But from $3,750.00 new, (about the price of a Sabot foam hull!:eek: ) it may take a season or two to get to Ten :rolleyes: but at $350 for a centreboard, $700 for a sail......

On the other hand a basic bitingmidge/Boatmik style Puddleduck will set you back a weekend and say $200, less if you can scrounge materials.

We'll publish a full breakup of cost when they're done.

Cheers,

P
:D

echnidna
8th February 2006, 08:40 PM
Who wants ta race ducks in puddles anyway:D :D :D :D

Cliff Rogers
8th February 2006, 09:56 PM
These blokes..... (ducks)

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showpost.php?p=192446&postcount=1

bitingmidge
9th February 2006, 10:05 AM
While you chaps have been whiling away your time with flippancy, Boatmik and I have been busy little beavers indeed.

A big parcel from Boatcraft arrived today, with epoxy, bog powder, glass and primer.

Yesterday I bought the tarp for the sails ($40, but we'll get four sails out of it with a bit of luck), and we scrounged enough scrap timber to do all the framing, centreboard, rudder and even a mast or two.

Today I'm off to find some plywood.

Maybe we won't get them painted over the weekend (after all it does take time for epoxy to cure)... but things are looking promising!

Cheers,

P

silentC
9th February 2006, 10:14 AM
So if I made one of these things, do you reckon I could sail it out the mouth of the Pambula River, or does that stretch the definition of 'puddle' a bit?

bitingmidge
9th February 2006, 10:21 AM
So if I made one of these things, do you reckon I could sail it out the mouth of the Pambula River
Yep! Just after you finish rewiring your house using only advice from the reno forum!

P
:D :D :D

(Maybe on a quiet day.... and if you do die, the loss of the boat won't have much of an impact on the total value of your estate after all!)

bennylaird
9th February 2006, 10:48 AM
Who wants ta race ducks in puddles anyway:D :D :D :D


Specially when you can use them as tug boats?:D

silentC
9th February 2006, 10:52 AM
They went to sea in a Sieve, they did,
In a Sieve they went to sea:
In spite of all their friends could say,
On a winter's morn, on a stormy day,
In a Sieve they went to sea!

bitingmidge
9th February 2006, 09:46 PM
Silent,
Boatmik has just drawn to my attention, that under the class rules, there is nothing to stop you building a self-righting, full keeled version of the boat, which would be capable of sailing round the world.

I suspect that you would get quite lonely.

In the meantime, since this is a design thread, and we have now moved to the construction phase, please refer all future correspondence here:http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?p=264195#post264195

(Unlike the Eureka Canoe thread which seems doomed to stay in the design thread for eternity!)


Cheers,

P
:D :D :D

Wongo
9th February 2006, 10:04 PM
Oh man where have I been? :o

I have a damn river right in front of my house but I have never thought about building a boat.:eek:

Should I or should I not?:confused:

bitingmidge
9th February 2006, 10:12 PM
You know you have an obligation to your ancestors to carry on their great maritime traditions (http://www.1421.tv/index.asp)

Don't think any more......

Cheers,

P
:D :D :D

Daddles
10th February 2006, 12:26 AM
Don't think any more......

Why think at all? Works for Midge :D

Richard

Boatmik
13th February 2006, 10:35 PM
Oh man where have I been? :o

I have a damn river right in front of my house but I have never thought about building a boat.:eek:

Should I or should I not? confused

Dear Confused,

Be not confused!

During the 1960s there was a huge number of boats built of plywood in garages, sheds, kitchens and living rooms.

These boats and their owners formed the basis of the boom in sailing clubs that used to be in every bay and estuary around Australia.

Now sailing boats are So stupidly expensive that all those little sailing clubs have died out or are struggling against diminishing participation.

Now everything has become too serious - with basic boats for a kid or couple of kids costing between 5 and 12 thousand dollars.

Thus the drop in participation. As soon as a class goes to fibreglass the costs rise and rise.

As a kid I used to go down to the beach, rig my boat and go sailing during holidays, weekends, whenever - and there would be heaps of other kids doing the same thing in their boats. The boats were wooden and available relatively cheaply. My first boat was $70, my second was $250. I think my father was earning about $200 a week at the time.

As a teenager I was learned to paint, repair and make bits for my boats. Now if there are thousands of dollars wrapped up in the boat they have to go back to the factory.

Puddleducks avoid all this silliness - they put the ability to go for a float into just about everyone's hands.

Modest boats sailed for fun!

The Puddleducks are perfect for all the above reasons. The other nice things are

* They are small enough and light enough for two people to move around easily - or one person to move easily enough.

* If you can build a box (or a rocking horse) you will find one simple to build, repair and maintain (thats one of the reasons we decided to epoxy coat ours - it reduces the maintenance down to less than a fibreglass boat).

* They are so cheap that it won't be burden to own, it is cheap enough not to be precious whick makes it easy to lend to other people without becoming fretful. Why not build two so you can watch your friends or family sail the other one!

* They are so simple to rig that you can get home from work, see that there is a nice sailing breeze and be pushing out from the shore within 10 minutes.

* The best reason of all is that you are living right on the water. Lucky you!

You know you want to!

Best wishes
Michael

OkanaganDuck
14th February 2006, 03:12 PM
:) Dear sir,
With your permission I would like to give your post a home on my web site.

www.summerlandpuddleducks.org (http://www.summerlandpuddleducks.org/).

You have captured the spirit of the Puddle Duck to a T. I will also share it with the Puddle Duck Forum in the states. Eloquence such as yours must be shared.



Dear Confused,

Be not confused!

Now sailing boats are So stupidly expensive that all those little sailing clubs have died out or are struggling against diminishing participation.

Now everything has become too serious

Thus the drop in participation. As soon as a class goes to fibreglass the costs rise and rise.


Puddleducks avoid all this silliness - they put the ability to go for a float into just about everyone's hands.

Modest boats sailed for fun!

The Puddleducks are perfect for all the above reasons.
You know you want to!

Best wishes
Michael

Boatmik
14th February 2006, 06:07 PM
:) Dear sir,
With your permission I would like to give your post a home on my web site.


Please go ahead - nice website too! We will be making one later too.

Best Regards
Michael

Auld Bassoon
14th February 2006, 07:01 PM
Look forward to it BM :)

Auld Bassoon
14th February 2006, 07:05 PM
Oh man where have I been? :o

I have a damn river right in front of my house but I have never thought about building a boat.:eek:

Should I or should I not?:confused:

Slap a stick and a swatch of canvas on your bench, launch it and see if you like sailing :p :D