Thread: A beak for a Duck!

Originally Posted by Kaiser Soze

And yes I know, it is no longer a PDRacer AND i am adding weight but I like the less abrupt bow shape.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean here, but the important thing is that it would no longer be legal for PDR racing events - the rules specify the flat bow - apologies if that's what you meant.

I'm no designer either but for what it's worth, I can't see your modification achieving anything because you sail the boat with the bow out of the water and any chop that's going to slam into it is going to bounce off your beaked bow too.

On the other hand, if you're not going to be disappointed when you find you can only race unofficially and if you prefer the looks of your version, go for it and make it work - individualism is always good

The most attractive Mouseboat in the world belongs to our very own Hawk, who hated the look of the flat decking and in a fit of nautical lunacy, made his Mouseboat with curved decking. It doesn't go any better, but looks far sweeter ... though the dog now slides off instead of neatly balancing up front.

Richard

so I am tempted to just leave the design alone. Is the racing scene for PDRs very popular in SA?

Originally Posted by Kaiser Soze

so I am tempted to just leave the design alone. Is the racing scene for PDRs very popular in SA?

Dunno if there's ever been a 'race', they usually just get together for a sail about and get embarressed by the fat old git in the funny boat with the spider on its bum.

Richard

Yup, my Redback has an appropriate beast painted on her transom

G'day Kaiser
I have some cans here I made up a year or so ago.
Haven't been used in anger yet.
Haven't built my PDR yet either...
PDR's haven't been around long enough to get wide following.

Don't think there's much point in putting a blunt point on a PDR.
Still lots of slabs for water to splat against. Sow's ears & silk purses.
Probably better to go for something designed with a pointy bit to start with.
You won't get the same stability in that length though.
What are the restrictions on your build - length, breadth, weight, price, transport, hand-skills, sailing skills, etc ?

And Daddles, I resemble that comment about the fat old git in the funny boat.
Redback is a sweet little thing. It's just the ergonomics that suck.

cheers
AJ

Originally Posted by b.o.a.t.

Redback is a sweet little thing. It's just the ergonomics that suck.

Mik has no troubles sailing Redback ... but he's half the size!
I was thinking recently that I'm actually enjoying rowing her, and this after a number of day's rowing. Then I took her out on my own and realised how horrible she is. With an adult and two dogs on the rear seat, she rows nicely, with just the rower in the boat, she's horrible

It's alright, she'll never be sold ... because my daughter loves the boat, tells people about 'her boat that daddy made for her' and raves about the wonderful spider I painted on its bum. See, someone loves the thing.

Richard

Originally Posted by b.o.a.t.

G'day Kaiser

Don't think there's much point in putting a blunt point on a PDR.
Still lots of slabs for water to splat against. Sow's ears & silk purses.

cheers
AJ

If I ever get a PDR in the water thats her name ... 'The Silk Purse'
(or will it be "The Sows ear")

Originally Posted by Daddles

with just the rower in the boat, she's horrible

Richard

I'll bring Teal along (if I'm not part way through open heart surgery on the centreboard case by then). See what you think of rowing her. Won't be in
the same league as MIK's Row Boat, but not bad for 11ft w/l. Before I put the thwart in her, when carrying a passenger I'd turn around and row her bum first.
Did a lot of km that way one year at Bribie while chewing the fat with little sister. But you can do that sort of thing with a point at both ends...
cheers
AJ

Howdy,

I have been tied up with other things. This is an interesting discussion. The thing is that boats never really meet the sea exactly front on.

For example when going upwind into a nasty chop - the time the boat is most likely to be slowed - the corner of the bow is pointing in the right direction so the angle of both the bow and the side of the boat to the wave is acute as possible.



Making an angled bow would possibly make the wave impact with the bow worse rather than better.

There has been a lot of yacht design history based around similar assumptions. For example many yachts have had very fine veed entries at the bow. But when the boats heel the side of the boat is not at a bad angle to slap and slam as the waves get bigger.

The reason the sharpie type hullshape - for bigger boats that heel upwind to gain the stability needed - is that they start of flat that looks bad, but as soon as they heel they present a deep veed shape to the water, so seldom pound or throw spray upwind.

Some modern yacht designers have twigged that this is the case and that a fine bow when the boat is sitting upright may not be so fine when the boat is heeled.

Another example is in Aluminium runabouts, Some have a tiny vee, which makes almost no difference how the boats ride in a chop. Bolger's diablo that uses a deep vee with a flat centre panel pounds less and is way more efficient than a deep veed boat.

It has its limits of course too. But the main thing is to actually picture what is happening when the boat is in motion.

Best wishes
Michael

Thanks for your reply Michael

I will bow to your design skills and tolerate the flat bow. (The GIS is soooo tempting right now!)

I did some research and found out the pic you supplied is in fact yours. I am curoious about the rig you have used. I dont think it's the one as supplied in your plans for the Duck but it looks great. More elegant.

Is that sail set-up drawn as plans anywhere and what do you call it? Another photo would be good if you have one too.

thanks again (This means I get shot for deviating from the original post i think )

Originally Posted by Kaiser Soze

(This means I get shot for deviating from the original post i think )

We hijack other people's threads all the time, so why wouldn't you be able to hijack your own

Richard

We can always shoot you gently. Actually it is not a big deal to swap topics a bit. We are still talking about the same boat.

The sail is the stock standard sail made to the plan dimensions.

MIK