Thread: New PDRacer in Brooklyn, New York

Dude, is that what I think it is!? A girl? In your boat? Yeah, way to go man! Empire state building AND girls!

That settles it ... I am going to America!

Land of Opportunity!

So I finally took my little ducky out in a real bay yesterday. I went down to the south shore of long island about an hour out of the big city, and man was it ever nice!
Up until now i Have only taken it out near my shop on a small estuary of the east river. It is still a lot of fun, but the wind is unpredictable and the tidal current can be very strong. Not to mention there is a decent amount of barge traffic. (though the tug crews get a pretty big kick out of the little guy and are very friendly)
This time i was out with my friend who grew up sailing, and skippers a 40' charter cat in the Caribbean (dirty job but someones gotta do it!) and we had a blast. The wind was good and strong with puffs that really made the duck get up and go. Hiked out a few times it felt like we were up on plane! I had been out with two before but only in lighter wind and always fighting a current, so in contrast this was unbelievable. No one around there had seen anything like it, and the passers by couldn't believe it when one person hoisted it off the car, then 10 min to rig and we were off. My buddy loved it, and wants one as his dinghy on the big boat. I keep getting more and more impressed with the simplicity and ease of the design, and can confidently say that i have caught the bug!
One thing i have found though, is that especially with 2 full sized adults in a strong breeze tacking back and forth, is that it is hard not to get tangled in the tiller. I'm gonna make a second rudder box with a pivoting tiller and see how it works soon. I don't think it would take much to get the handle up out of the way a bit, and make it easier for me get under it without having to go so far forward on every tack. Just an idea.
Gotta say I'm super impressed, and haven't had this much fun with something in a while! I have to start my Goat this winter, as I've been checking out the charts and waterways around here and have found a bunch of little islands and waterways perfect for weekend long beach camping expeditions with my fiancee.
(Callsign- that is indeed a girl in the boat with me, but just so no one gets the wrong idea, she's a good friend, and Sasha, my girlfriend, and as of very recently fiancee, took the picture. Sash is quite entertained by and supportive of my newfound obsession with boat making and sailing)
Best,
Al

Just found this...where has it been hiding?

Great pics and very nice box boat you have there. You'll love the Goat.

I told MIK I was going to bring mine up to Atlanta in October and try to sell it.... due to health issues. But what the hey, I might just keep it and see if I'm up for giving it some hard use next season.

BTW--I had assumed that huge brickwork wall was a stadium but someone else suggested a prison. Is that Riker's Island?

Originally Posted by alzuger

This leads me to the name I have chosen. I hope Robert who is working on YuanFen appreciates it. I live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn which is a predominately Polish neighborhood. My business partner, and a number of other friends from around here grew up in Poland and are fluent in the language so I have picked a few words here and there. I was putting the first of many coats of varnish on her the other day and the name came to me in a flash. I'm glad i waited. She will be called Drewniak which as i understand it, means "woody" or "stump". It is kind of tongue in cheek cause it is something you can call someone that is something like "dummy", but in this case, I mean it very affectionately.

Albert,
"Drewniak" in Polish means:
1) sabot, clog (wooden boot)
2) wooden house
and - in colloquial (house hold word) and in figurative (metaphorically) means:
woody, stump, dummy...

Hi MAM,
That large brick structure is a big warehouse building just across the creek from my shop. Until recently it was a Budweiser beer distributor, but since a few months ago it is empty. I guess it is a good thing though, because it would be too tempting to sail across the river to see how much "ballast" the duck can handle. Rikers Island is up the East River a few miles through a stretch called "Hells Gate" which is known for very powerful and shifting tidal currents. For now i just stick to the creek you see in the pictures and edge out some into the river at slack tides. I am still quite a novice at the tiller and don't want to end up in a dangerous situation out in a river full of barges and ferries. I've canoed a decent amount on the east river, and it gets pretty hairy in alot of spots. I think i'll wait on the big rivers and New York harbor till i have a GIS with a proper set of oars, and a little outboard.
Also, dziekuje bardzo Robert your Yuan Fen build is looking very nice!
Off to work,
Al

Originally Posted by alzuger

Also, dziekuje bardzo Robert

You are welcome!

Originally Posted by alzuger

your Yuan Fen build is looking very nice!

Thank you too

Originally Posted by BobWes

Uh, oh... a landmark photo... puts the pressure on the rest of us...

Golden Gate Bridge or Alcatraz? Maybe both?

Bob

How about a PDR painted in jailhouse stripes sailing in front of San Quentin

Really cool report on getting on the "big water" Al.

Amazing how many get this great buzz out of the OZ PDRacer. I think it feels extra good because it seems so improbable!

MIK

I rather belatedly (as usual) found this thread while searching for info on 'Duck lug yard measurements.

Those lug-rig photos are great, Al :). Makes me glad I made the mistake with my dreadful paulwonia mast project after all! I would have done the sprit rig first, otherwise.

Any Sydney-siders want to have fits of laughter and fall about the place as I'm run down by a ferry/speedboat/liner/freighter and take photos of the 'Duck, the HB, the OH and GI all in one (including all the said craft bearing down on me ;), at the same time? Assuming that I get the 'Duck finished any time soon...

Cheers,
Alex.

Hi Alex,
I wouldn't worry about anyone bearing down on you too quickly once you get her built and rigged. As long as there is a good breeze my ducky moves with the best of them. I've got her clocked at 5.9 mph at slack tide (no current) Nothing like MIK's showing, but not too bad for an 8' yacht. The sail area of the lug also means she does a good job in light breezes, just be prepared to reef when the wind gets strong. (sometimes hard to do solo in a 4 knot current with aforementioned stiff breeze) I guarantee you will not be disappointed with the PDR regardless of what you use for the mast or which sail you go with. Just keep a paddle on board, and if you break anything, paddle home, fix it and try to break something else! I did a hack job in all aspects of construction last year, having never sailed before and just wanting to get on the water, and she has performed like a true champion. In retrospect i wish i had taken more time so she looked nicer but performance is unaffected by sloppy epoxy work. Get out there and have fun!
-Al

Originally Posted by alzuger

Hi Alex,
I wouldn't worry about anyone bearing down on you too quickly once you get her built and rigged. As long as there is a good breeze my ducky moves with the best of them. I've got her clocked at 5.9 mph at slack tide (no current) Nothing like MIK's showing, but not too bad for an 8' yacht. The sail area of the lug also means she does a good job in light breezes, just be prepared to reef when the wind gets strong. (sometimes hard to do solo in a 4 knot current with aforementioned stiff breeze) I guarantee you will not be disappointed with the PDR regardless of what you use for the mast or which sail you go with. Just keep a paddle on board, and if you break anything, paddle home, fix it and try to break something else! I did a hack job in all aspects of construction last year, having never sailed before and just wanting to get on the water, and she has performed like a true champion. In retrospect i wish i had taken more time so she looked nicer but performance is unaffected by sloppy epoxy work. Get out there and have fun!
-Al

Hi Al,

Thanks for your reply to my sort-of invasion of your thread! I've now got all the bits for the sail cut out, and ordered some sail-thread today. Mast is almost finished, and the painting (well, priming) has begun. I'm itching to get it finished!

Your comments about your boat's handling characteristics are highly encouraging - I can sail, but it has been a long, long time since I did so.

Cheers,
Alex.