Thread: Trailer sailor

I don't doubt that there were mistakes in some plans and fully agree that it is not up to what I would be happy with if I bought some plans with factual errors. The specifics of any one design or designer I can't and would not comment on, not having seen them myself.

There isn't a designer in the world that doesn't have errors and omissions in their drawings. Most happily revise drawings when these things come up. I recently sent out an updated profile view of a construction drawing, that showed a major longitudinal stringer in the incorrect location. I had sold 12 sets of this particular plan when the issue came up. The 12th builder called for clarification and this is when I caught the problem. The other builders also noticed it and many fixed it on their own, with a few not have gotten to this point in the build yet. They all got some free mail.

There are also several different types of plan sets available. With the exception of a few small boats, my plans include a disclaimer about expecting the builder to have certain fundamentals in wood working, tool safety/use, working environment, and building skills. On the other hand I do usually supply a guide to using epoxy, making different type of fillets and a general building procedure guide.

I do have a few plans like Michael which I refer to as the "hand holding" sets. This include a complete building guide, material descriptions, tool use, assembly instructions and a pat on the back when you're done. These are reserved for the smallest of designs, as this level of wet nursing on a larger design, would encompass a book or two.

And yes, the only thing a yacht designer really has to offer is their opinion.

Originally Posted by PAR

There isn't a designer in the world that doesn't have errors and omissions in their drawings. Most happily revise drawings when these things come up. I recently sent out an updated profile view of a construction drawing, that showed a major longitudinal stringer in the incorrect location. I had sold 12 sets of this particular plan when the issue came up. The 12th builder called for clarification and this is when I caught the problem. The other builders also noticed it and many fixed it on their own, with a few not have gotten to this point in the build yet. They all got some free mail.

There are also several different types of plan sets available. With the exception of a few small boats, my plans include a disclaimer about expecting the builder to have certain fundamentals in wood working, tool safety/use, working environment, and building skills. On the other hand I do usually supply a guide to using epoxy, making different type of fillets and a general building procedure guide.

I do have a few plans like Michael which I refer to as the "hand holding" sets. This include a complete building guide, material descriptions, tool use, assembly instructions and a pat on the back when you're done. These are reserved for the smallest of designs, as this level of wet nursing on a larger design, would encompass a book or two.

And yes, the only thing a yacht designer really has to offer is their opinion.

Spot on Paul, and this is why I'll be happily ordering plans from you one day. It's the willingness to sort out issues and to correct plans that's important.

Richard

Originally Posted by PAR

I do have a few plans like Michael which I refer to as the "hand holding" sets. This include a complete building guide, material descriptions, tool use, assembly instructions and a pat on the back when you're done.

Just on a personal note here,

Hand holding = good

I will readily admit that for my first boat- my first major wood project period- with no one locally really to turn to, hand holding (hand pulling!) me up the learning curve has put me on the path to building my own set of skills, problem solving abilities, and aspirations of future boat builds. I think without an initial set easily laid out, I could have thrown my hands up in frustration and walked away.

I'm glad I stumbled on a thorough set of plans. The boat-designer community could really push these as "breakthrough" designs that get kids and dummies like me past the security guards and into the building, and from there we can find the stairs.

I think the designers that do a good job are like "doormen" (doorpersons?) and the ones that are not so careful are like security guards.

A few are like prison guards.

MIK

Hey Mick, I see you've had a bit to do with the NIS. You cagey bugga! Talk about hiding your bushel under the lights

Norwalk Island Sharpie 18 Ketch and Yawl - Michael Storer Boat Design

Howdy,

When I worked with the original version of Duckflat in the early 90s I put them on to the open back rudder, better shaped foils, flaps to seal the centrecase and the lightweight spun tapered aluminium masts. As you know, there is nothing really new there, just normal raceboat practice.

However the original foil templates used to be printed on my dot matrix printer on a long sheet of paper. I wrote a program to print that out back in the late eighties.

Robert has developed them all a lot more since and has made a move to carbon spars because he (finally) lost patience with the guys who do the spun tapered masts. Good product but their delivery frameworks were largely of their own imagination.

MIK

MIK

A larger boat is one of many options of what to build next after the Tirrik of which I have still failed to post pictures and for which I once again present a grovelling apology.
Anyway if I may quote Mr Storer potentially out of context, but which may move this debate along.

The quote is from Australian Amateur Boatbuilder #55, page 71, paragraph 5. I quote "My feeling is like every architect has his chair, every yacht designer has his Sharpie."

This was a review of the Iain Oughtred sharpie Haiku. The Haiku is really too big and heavy for comfortable trailering, whilst something like the Norwalk Island Sharpies fail the affordable rig test.

Just a thought ... (back to the Tirrik?)