I always seem to get antsy about halfway through a project. I start looking around for a new one. Makes it hard to stick to what I'm doing, but it did help me find this....
Whisstock Design 012
This is one of Whisstock's oldest designs. It is a bit heavy for her length. but she has nice balanced underwater lines and an easy run. She's not a preformance boat, but a solid cruiser, with a good bit of internal volume for her size. 2' of draft is a little deep for most shoal craft, but this eliminates the need for a centerboard. One note is the gunter rig, which is pretty, but not as efficient as a Bermudian rig of similar proportions. I know several have been built with the Bermudian main, but I don't know if the plans include this option. I also think the plans are a little pricy considering how old this full keel design is. She'd make a fine little cruiser.
Looks pretty straightforward to build, trailerable too. I really like the long cabin and the small cockpit. I don't see a lot of boats this size that make me think, "I could live a week or two in there."Â
Looking at this boat I had images of poking around those endless waterways in France and other parts of Europe, theoretically after a transatlantic journey fills my journal with captivating tales of whales, dolphins, Coast Guard intrusions, and no more than one or two frightening, but relatively harmless stormy days and/or nights.Â
I think the name "Rona" comes from someone really badly mis-spelling "Welsford Penguin", or I'll eat my hat. Go ahead and tell me that thing's not a Penguin, I won't believe you.
Well, OK maybe they're a LITTLE different, but I still think they are eerily similar. I actually like the yawl rig a bit better. More stuff to confound landlubbers.
Wow what a sheerline on that Penguin! They really mean it when they say "Character boat" on that one. There's a lot packed in there too, for such a relatively small cabin.
Flint, a cruising double ender with surprisingly large accommodations, good speed and super easy rig. A lapstrake version is also available, which still has the double thick plywood bottom panel, round topside planks. The cat ketch rig is about as easy as they get, but a Bermudian sloop or gaff sloop could be drawn up for her too. The centerboard is hidden under a cabinet, so the cabin floor is unobstructed.
Nice! I like the cat ketch (is that right?) rig and the unstayed masts. Interesting rudder. I honestly don't know much about rudder design, except what I learned in Parker's book about balanced sharpie rudders. Isn't that the kind of rudder that's common on catboats? Why did you choose this kind?Â
Cat boats don't use balanced rudders, though traditionally built sharpies do. This rudder is a barn door style and just for looks. A kickup spade rudder would be more efficient, but also has more parts to make. This rudder is as simple as they get and if desired could have a small kick up portion added to it, improving efficiency slightly.
The cat ketch rig (yep, your where right) is a very handy rig for several reasons. It has much less rigging, both standing (wires) and running (tackle). It has no stays or shrouds, which is nice and easy to setup. It has no boom vang, only a very simple 2 part tackle for the sheets, no down haul and if rigged with a fixed boom (not shown) there's no snotter tackle either. That's a lot of lines you're not tripping over in the cockpit.
The rig also has disadvantages to consider (just like everything else in yacht design). It can't carry a headsail, but it can carry a mizzen staysail (shown in gray, between the mast) when the wind is abeam or aft. The cat ketch also isn't as close winded as a sloop, but not much of a trade off. A ketch rig can be made to back up (yep goes in reverse) and when down wind, the sails can "wing and wing" easily. In fact, you can just release a sheet and the sail can go around 360 degrees.
The real nice thing is the handling. To tack the boat, you just move the helm, that's it. The sails flop from one side to the other and you're on the new course. No sheets to fuss with, just turn and go. If you've nosed up onto a beach, you can just back off, spin around and continue on your way. Try that in a sloop.
Okay, it's not as salty as a topsail schooner, but what do you want; a boat that setups easy, sails easy and is no fuss in maneuvering, or a salty beast that is a bear to tack and bitch to maneuver, but good and salty looking?
OK Paul, since you asked, I guess I would like one of each, please.
I like that "cat ketch". She looks plenty salty to me. I bet she's something to see with that mizzen staysail flying. Could she fly a small headsail on a sprit, or would that throw everything off-kilter?