Here is a note posted on The Stevenson Projects Website.
Sounds interesting,
Quote:June 27, 2006
We've been busy with a few things lately, some related to Stevenson Projects' sailboats and some in other areas, all of which has us running a bit behind schedule on certain projects.
Peter Stevenson is busy building the latest design, now painted and about to be tested. The new sailboat fits in between the Weekender and the Skipjack, measuring fourteen feet. It's open-decked like the Skipjack, but has a bow more like the Weekender. We're experimenting with the rig right now, but there's a good possibility it will use the Weekender's sail dimensions! This will make it a more powerful, faster sailing boat, and it will mean the Dacron sail sets will work for both boats! We may bring out a lighter set for the new boat also, which would give Weekender sailors a Summer weight choice too...all thoughts we're going to explore. Pictures will be posted as soon as we complete testing. It's quite likely a new video will be shot for this boat focusing more on the specific aspects of building the smaller boats. As we're doing that video, we'll spruce up the existing Weekender video and release them both on DVD. We know many of you are anxious to get the DVDs, and we are too.
We're planning to move Stevenson Projects to San Francisco, or at least a large portion of our business, so that has us preparing to shift a lot of our focus and time to a new location.
A lot of stuff going on, as there are several other projects in the works right now, both Stevenson Projects related and otherwise, but we'll try to get everything going as soon as possible. In the meantime, we're still taking orders and shipping plans, so feel free to send your order any time you like!
Thanks!
Stevenson Projects
Yep. we/I think the new boat will be interesting. I fly back to Texas in a couple of weeks to see it and Peter and I will give it some shaking out. It's a short trip, but if it seems to warrant it, I'll fly back again for more testing (plus: there's a motorcycle for sale in Texas I may want to bring out...but that certainly wouldn't be affecting my judgement. (would it?) :wink:
I know we've been mired in the muck for a couple of years out here, but it seems the tide is changing (so to speak), and we're starting to break loose a bit and look forward to getting back on our way again soon.
I've been spending most of my time in San Francisco lately, and this past week looking at new warehouse spaces to rent with my sister. Part of this space will be the new home of Stevenson Projects. Last time we had a good sized space like this we got a lot done: The Weekender video (which involved two of them getting built), the final SoleXplor prototypes, restoratioin of the VW Woody, etc. I'm looking forward to more of the same.
It's been many, many years since I've had a boat of my own and I miss that. I've wanted something like what Peter's designed for awhile too: A Super-Skipjack. I'm really looking forward to testing it out, and then building one out here and exploring the small sailing areas around here. I may do a Weekender later, if it seems needed. We'll see. I think the idea of a more powerful (proportionally), lighter machine one can hand launch is more appealing to me right now. The cabin would be nice for SF Bay, but I think I'll try a good sailing suit first and see how that works. For the most part, I expect to be sailing alone and a smaller machine makes more sense and is much easier to transport and launch.
One of the eventual goals of this new project is to use it to form the basis of a racing class. Our boats are usually quick in the right conditions, but consciously on the underpowered side for beginners. This new Super-Skipjack (it has it's own name, but we'll see how it shakes out first) has the Weekender rig dimensions, but Peter's building it MUCH lighter. I don't have the final info, but I think he said the hull is around 180. I don't know if that's with or without rig and rudder; I doubt it. Still, it's half the weight of the Weekender or less! This should be a fast boat and will need reef points! It'll be a racey gaff-rigger: as usual, a blend of old and new. The rig is made of used windsurfer masts right now. There's talk of being able to set an assymetrical Jibbaker-type deal, which would be great fun in the right conditions. This boat will, hopefully, be the one people decide to start working up more toward a really fast machine, and we look forward to seeing how it develops.
I know we're woefully behind on the video-to-dvd project too. All I can say is it's been a weird six months. Good, but unexpected, and disrupting as far as Stevenson Projects goes. I watched the old Weekender video and have decided to "remaster" it, whcih will mean an complete re-edit from the original shooting tapes (which, thankfully, I found.) That'll mean only one generation loss (shot in Hi8, then it'll be all digital after I get it in the Mac); right now I think the VHS versioin is five generations of loss! It'll be good practice for the new video, and a good skill to learn regardless! So bear with us, as it's not forgotten but just buried under a lot of familial stuff.
Overall, it should be interesting to see what 2007 looks like around here...
Mike
P.S. Those of you who might have been watching Peter's Cyclekart activities will be interested to note that concurrent with the new Super-Skipjack and the ranch re-furb work, he's been making a new C-K too! I can't wait to check it out, as the pics are kind of amazing so far...
Mike:
I'm glad you're moving things ahead. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I wish you (and your sister?) good luck with the family business.
One thing to think of adding to the new boat as a though is an option to set up some sort of tent on it perhaps using fiberglass poles inserted into the gunwales and bent over and then covered with a tarp.
I thought I saw a picture of a small boat that participated in the 2006 BEER that was rigged my way.
Just my 2 cents.
I'm looking forward to seeing you completely up and running again.
Interesting idea for a camping mod. I haven't seen the boat in person yet, just a couple of shots which have been sent out my way. I don't know how much floor space it has yet, but it'd probably fit a sleep ing bag.
Thanks for the note, and I'll pass it along to Peter as well.
Mike
Hello Mike, I'm excited to see the new boat. I went out with Brit on his weekender for the shake down cruise on his "Mini Pearl" even though we suffered every failure short of sinking, I was amazed at how tough the weekender really is. I know your new boat will be just as well designed. even though the gaff rig is cool, could there be an optinal Marconi type rig plan
included? I like windsurfer mast, its cheap and esay to find. A taller more high performance rig with a genaker would rock! and in addition to reef points maybe some trap wires.? who knows. most of us inland sailors are plauged with light wind in the summer. Since windsurfer mast is so cheep, maybe a light air rig could be designed in addition to. just a thought. Many thanks to you and your family for all you do to keep boat building alive and people sailing. Randy
Randy:
I agree with a lot of what you're talking about, and am going to work on a bunch of that stuff on mine when I get ahold of the test plans. I was over at Oyster Point in SF yesterday and it was blowing a steady 15-plus and I really can't wait to get a little speedy 14 on the water. Now that I'm more in San Francisco, I get to learn about the windier bay conditions. Reef points are going to be a must (probably a speedy reefing set-up, as I expect to be single-handing this most of the time and want to be able to explore a lot of areas.) I want to also add the abilitly to hang a couple of us off the mast when we want to go skimming...This boat might be able to plane; we'll see. Gennaker will have to be tried too. I am thinking about a lighter weight set of sails for this boat, which would be usable on the Weekender too, but more as light-weight (non-cruising-type) sails.
I am a big admirer of the very vertical gaff set of the racing gaffers of around the turn-of-the-last-century. I am not sure a Marconi would be needed if we set the gaff pretty steeply (though this might shift the sail plan out of being usable by the Weekender, but that may not be a big deal...) Before we go to a more modern Marconi rig, I think some good tries with blending modern and gaff rigs are in order...Don't forget that the ultimate sailing speed record is still held by a gaff rigged ice boat, if I am still current...
Mike
Mike,
I think you will have a huge success with this new boat. A class racer is just what many of our members have been pining for. Every time we ask what kind of events skippers want to do at messabouts, racing is always the first thing mentioned. Good luck with with the new design! Keep us posted on your progress.
I am assuming this new boat is not a displacement hull, or it wouldn't be particularly fast. Am I right in assuming this is a planing design?