This design came about as a direct consequence of the pleasant handling and satisfying speed of the sail-and-oar beach-cruiser, Phoenix III.I guess this will come as no surprise to those who know Phoenix III - a slim hull (L/B ratio of about 3.4:1 in the case of both Phoenix III and Periwinkle) with a five-strake-per-side glued-lapstrake (clinker) half-decked hull arranged for oars as the primary auxiliary, and a self-draining outboard motor splash well mounted off-centre on the transom in case motorised propusion is considered necessary.
Phoenix III was my very first lapstrake design, and marked a huge step forward in my self-education in small boat design. I had started drawing many years earlier - around 1990 - but it wasn't until 2003 that Phoenix III started to take shape on my very basic 2D CAD program (AutoSKETCH 8 by AutoDESK). Until then, my design work had been for personal learning so that I would be able to better understand the work of established designers.
Drawn at the unexpected request of Paul Hernes, Phoenix III came along at a time when domestic circumstances prevented the use of my large drawing board, so I took the leap into 2D CAD, treating it as a combination electronic drawing board and very accurate scale rule. Paul Hernes did a miraculous job of turning my sketchy drawings into a functioning boat named Willie Wagtail.
Paul Hernes sailing his Phoenix III in the early days
Paul's sailing attracted a number of like-minded people on the beautiful "Sunshine Coast" of Queensland, Australia, and before long there was a regular group of semi-retirees sailing on Tuesdays.
...a Tuesday morning
One of the regulars was John Shrapnel, and although he was well-equipped with his own boats, John took a shine to Phoenix III and Paul found it difficult to get a sail in his own Willie Wagtail!
John Shrapnel sailing Paul's Phoenix III in an enthusiastic manner. Note the excellent longitudinal weight distribution, and the nicely setting sails. The rig is free-standing, but the compression in the sprit puts the head of the mainsail in tension, which is in turn transferred to tension in the luff of the flying jib. This is one of the few un-stayed rigs which will allow a flying jib to stand effectively without back-stays or angled shrouds.
John soon decided that he needed his own boat of similar design, but he specified that she be slightly larger than Paul's, and that a condition of the design specification was that Paul Hernes must be beaten in every sailing encounter. Another preference was for a split rig using balance lugsails. I was unnerved by the design constraints, because balance lugsails are not known for being either close-winded, nor particularly fast when hard on the wind. John was philosophical, and liked the romance of the cat-ketch lug rig - so Periwinkle was born!
Design Elements
1.Easily-driven Hull Just like Phoenix III, I wanted the new design to be an effective sail-and-oar boat, so correct rowing geometry and a slim hull were essential. At 17ft LOA and 5ft beam, Periwinkle is relatively lean and long. Although being a bigger boat than Phoenix III by about 132% volume and carrying capacity, she is pleasant to row as long as proper oars and oarlocks are used. A critical part of using oars in a boat such as this is to get the rig down completely, and keep the centreboard and most of the rudder up;
2.Choice of Rigs As with many of my designs, I laid out the mast locations and position of the centreboard so that a number of quite different rigs may be used without having to perform carpentry on the boat. It takes a bit of effort to work through the compromises and proportions, but it is well worth the time.
Sail arrangements possible with the standard balance lug Cat-Ketch. The boat has a third mast stepping location inbetween the normal main and mizzen mast positions.
Mizzen left at home, and the main-mast moved to the third position. In this configuration the boat sails superbly well, with good hull-balance and an uncluttered rig.
Mizzen set on the main-mast in the third location, although the mizzen mast could have been used. With just 51sq.ft. of sail set, the boat recorded up to 8 knots by GPS this particular day. But speed is not the aim - safety and comfortable sailing in a hard chance is the desired outcome.
Just the mizzen set in the middle position. John is sitting comfortably inside the boat in a relaxed manner. Believe it or not, he was actually overtaking the boat in the background. This is a good lesson in physics. Once the wind gets to a certain speed, a boat will often be capable of higher speeds if the sail area is reduced! Read "High Performance Sailing" by Frank Bethwaite for the science.
Some of the possible rig options, all of which use existing mast locations, and all but two of which use the same main mast
3.Ability to cut through a chop and remain dryPeriwinkle (and Phoenix III) have very fine sections forward. I drew them this way because I grew-up on Moreton Bay, which is known for its short, steep chop. Having spent my youth getting soaked by water smashed into the air by conventional bow shapes, I was determined to keep everything sharp and fine up front. The clinker laps also help by performing the function of a series of spray-rails - it is amazing just how much water they knock down.
Topcoat on the hull and primer on the deck. This shot shows how fine she is in her forward sections.
Plank laps working well as spray-rails. Note the flat and undisturbed wake behind the stern.
I consider that for comfortable cruising, this combination of fine forward sections and clinker laps is of great importance. In a racing dinghy one doesn't worry about getting wet, but for cruising, it can mean the difference between a happy or a miserable day!
4. Emergency Buoyancy Being able to right a capsized boat without external assistance is absolutely critical to safe and responsible dinghy cruising. Racing boats are designed to be righted by an athletic crew and sailed away instantly without bailing being required. The situation is very different in a cruising dinghy or recreational day-sailing boat. Carriage of supplies and equipment dictate dry-stowage volumes which are easily accessible, while at the same time being effective emergency buoyancy.
Many people make what I consider to be the mistake of using side buoyancy tanks and/or enclosed side seating. This sort of emergency buoyancy is fine for a racing boat because it keeps her floating high in the water after a knock-down and means there is little water aboard after righting. For cruising and day-sailing there are several problems with such an arrangement - the mast is held high above the water at deck-level, and the tip touches the water at quite an angle. This means that the boat is floating at well over 90 degrees to the surface - say 100 or 110 degrees - and there is a strong tendency for the boat to continue to roll given that only the tip of the mast is floating on the surface. Not only that, but when the boat is righted, having taken little water, she floats at her normal water line. A strong nineteen-year-old may have no difficulty getting aboard, but for someone like me (in my mid-sixties) it can be a real, life threatening problem.
In Periwinkle, the emergency buoyancy is contained within two bulkheaded compartments - one forward and the other aft. In the event of a capsize, the boat settles much lower in the water than would be the case with side tanks, and the bow and stern buoyancy compartments mean that she is longitudinally-stable. The lower floating condition means that the masts are floating for most of their length, making them - in combination with gaffs or yards- very effective outriggers. Vulnerable members of the crew can simply swim or roll into the flooded hull before righting and then the skipper simply puts weight on the centreboard to right the boat.
Here is a video from Gerry Lavoie, who built a boat from my First Mate design. Although First Mate is much smaller than Periwinkle and Gerry was playing in smooth water, the principles I've described are well demonstrated.
In the case of Periwinkle, the aft tank is unusually large, providing exceptional buoyancy and storage space in a part of the boat which is easily accessed. The main hatch is on centreline so that even if the hatch cover is left open, the opening is above the capsized waterline.
Large aft buoyancy/storage compartment. Note how the hatch is on centreline, which means it is unlikely to take water in a capsize, even with hatch-cover removed.
During capsize trials, my procedure was:-
release the main-sheet;
swim the bow head-to-wind;
right the boat;
tighten the mizzen sheet to hold the sail tightly on centreline. This ensured that the boat would reliably ride head-to-wind;
push down on one gunwale to bring the deck close to the water-line and simply roll into the boat;
sit comfortably on the aft seat (stern sheets) and bail at my leisure.
Secure and comfortable aft seating. During capsize testing, I found it convenient to sit on the seat and bail between my legs at leisure. Note the handy open storage under the seat. When lying on the floorboards, this space is very easy to access, and it can hold a lot of loose gear
Good ergonomics for camping aboard. The nice floorboards and the gentle curve of the planking make for a secure sleeping position with easy access to the stowage under the aft seating.The centreboard case makes for a sense of privacy from someone on the other side! I'm just an inch short of six feet tall, and you can see there is still length available at my feet.
5. Simple Mast Stepping The easier it is to set and strike the rig, the more often you will actually get on the water. Almost all of my rigs (not just for Periwinkle) are fee-standing - i.e. no stays nor shrouds - and the result is a rig which can be erected and lowered in minutes. The heaviest component is the main mast, and when placed in the normal location, it is simply a matter of popping the heel into the mast step and pushing the mast forwards into a horse shoe-style mast partner.
The main-mast steps on the keelson and is simply pushed forward into the mast partner at deck level. In the forground you can see that if the third mast location is used, the mast has to be lifted to thwart level and dropped through the partner in the forward thwart.
Third mast location in the foreground
The setting-up of transport supports for a rig can be a real pain, but in the case of Periwinkle, the short length of the masts, and the lack of tangled stays and shrouds made it fairly easy.
6. Other rigs in use I mentioned earlier that most of my designs make provision for alternative rigs, using existing masts and mast locations where ever possible. Here are a few photos and videos in what is an on-going journey:-
Original rig a few days after launching
Launching day
Original rig
Original rig
Gaff-Headed Cat Rig
Gaff-Headed Cat Rig
Mizzen removed - original main-mast and mainsail moved aft to third mast location as a balance lug
Mizzen removed - original main-mast and mainsail moved aft to third mast location as a balance lug
Mizzen set in the third location
Bruce Drever's beautifully-built example of Periwinkle sailing with the gaff-headed cat rig with small jib set flying. This is one of the rigs featured in the plans package
Bruce Drever's beautifully-built example of Periwinkle sailing with the gaff-headed cat rig with small jib set flying. This is one of the rigs featured in the plans package
John Shrapnel trying out a windsurfer rig just for fun
John Shrapnel sailing Periwinkle with the mizzen removed, the mainsail left in the forward (standard) location, and with the tack of the sail pulled aft to the mainmast. This makes it a Standing Lug, and John says that if he is going out for a solo sail, this is his rig of choice. John has found that when sailing alone, a 25kg (55lb) ingot of lead secured on the keelson is of great benefit.
John Shrapnel's Periwinkle sailing in very light conditions, but showing just how easily-driven is this hull.
John sailing his Periwinkle with only the mainsail set, arranged as a standing lug. The boat behind is an Oughtred Fulmar with one reef tied into the main. Note that Periwinkle is holding boat-speed, while getting up to windward of the Fulmar. The mainsail of Perwinkle is only 104 sq.ft., which is a very modest sail area.
I will be writing some more about hull forms, so you will be hearing more about Periwinkle.
As part of my attempt to learn how to use a 3D CAD program, I have been using my Three Brothers powerboat design as an exercise. Although the design is still under development, I thought that some people may be interested in seeing a stage-by-stage stitch-and-glue assembly sequence.
This assembly sequence is only one of several approaches to stitch-and-glue construction, but most have a common theme of not requiring a strongback or mould set-up. The shape of the boat is determined by the accurate design, marking-out, and cutting-out of the primary parts - if everything is done correctly, the boat assumes the correct three-dimensional shape without a strongback and set of station moulds, greatly increasing the speed of construction.
Three of the six main panels cut from plywood and laid on the floor. The accuracy of the design and cutting of such panels is the key to a successful build.
Two bottom panels stitched together along the stem (bow) and centreline of the bottom. Stitching is carried out with the two panels laying on each other, and when complete, the panels are opened up 'book fashion'. The assembly will sit on the floor as shown, but it is sensible to have some cradles for a project of this size (details will be provided in the plans).
Pre-fabricated bulkheads, frames, and transom are positioned on station marks and loosely sewn into location using cable ties.
Topside panels stitched into position. By this stage the glass-taping of joints will be taking place.
Cabin sides, including coamings, stitched into place.
Longitudinal webs glued and taped into position. Ventilation holes are suggestive only, and may be changed depending on style of emergency flotation employed
Outboard motor splash-well structure added.
Floorboards and other horizontal panels introduced.
Longitudinal deck-beams and roof structure in place.
Fore-deck and aft-deck panels attached.
Plywood cabin roof and front panel of cabin attached.
Gunwales, outer stem, and structural trim around cabin and coaming finish the basic job.
This is a very quick illustration of the basic assembly method. For more detail, I suggest reading Sam Devlin's wonderful book on the subject, "Devlin's Boatbuilding.
In 2002/2003 I was becoming increasingly aware of my lack of bench space in the Wynnum workshop.
At one stage we had six boats under construction at one time, and when commencing the planking of a glued-lapstrake (clinker) sailing dinghy, I realised that I simply did not have the bench space to scarph together 8ft x 4ft sheets of plywood into 16ft x 4ft sheets, which had been my standard procedure.
The space being taken up by 16 foot-long panels had been on my mind, but on this occasion the chickens had come home to roost! Necessity being the mother of invention, I experimented with an alternative approach, and the result was highly successful. A recent call for help from a builder in America has brought the subject back to mind, and I thought the method may interest others.
Lapstrake plank patterns laid out on a 16ft x 4ft panel in my first rented workshop - that is a lot of space taken up!
In order to produce accurate planks from separate 8 foot-long sheets of plywood, I decided to capitalise on one of the by-products of my favourite method of spiling (i.e. method of determining plank shapes when laid out on the flat), and that is the production of lattice style spiling battens. You can find this method of spiling in a number of text books, but it is also shown in illustrated form in the instructions which accompany my plans. Here is a brief explanation of the method I use to produce accurate 16 foot-long planks from 8 foot-long sheets of plywood. Not only does this method save bench space in the workshop, but it also allows for more efficient utilisation of the plywood - i.e. less wastage. (click on images to see full detail)
Here is a plank pattern laid on a single 8ft x 4ft sheet of plywood in a manner which produces minimum wastage. The pattern shown uses diagonal truss-type bracing, but I often use rectangles of thin MDF hot-melt glued to achieve the same result more quickly. See earlier photo above. Trace accurately around the pattern with a sharp pencil or a fine ball-point pen.
Where the pattern crosses the edge of the 8ft x 4ft plywood sheet, carefully and accurately mark the pattern as shown above in red.
Next, mark a line eight times the thickness of the plywood from the edge of the next 8ft x 4ft sheet. This line is drawn to allow for the amount of plywood which will be taken up by the chamferred edge of the ply to allow for a scarph joint. In this case, the plywood is 6mm thick, so I have shown the line 48mm from the edge (if using butt-straps or a "Payson Glass Joint", just make sure the marks are clear of the edge of the sheet). Lay the remaining portion of the plank template on this sheet with the red marks which were added in the previous step inside the line.
Adjacent to the marks on the pattern, and inside the line marked eight times the distance of the thickness of the ply from the edge (or from the edge itself if using a butt joint), mark the plywood accurately as shown by the black arrow-heads in this drawing. Then trace accurately around the rest of the pattern.
Remove the pattern to leave the tracing on the plywood and mark a line eight times the thickness of the ply beyond the arrow heads. In this case, with 6mm ply, the distance is 48mm (see drawing above). If the joint is a butt, disregard the last mark.
Cut the half planks from each of the 8ft x 4ft panels, and plane an 8:1 scarph on each half of the plank (disregard for butt joints).
Glue the plank halves together using the scarph or a butt-joint and before the epoxy has cured, lay the plank template over the assembly to ensure that the two halves line-up accurately with the full template (ensure that you place waxed paper or plastic sheet between the glued panels and the template to prevent gluing them together).
This procedure is more difficult to illustrate and explain that it is to carry out. I can assure you that with the application of common sense, it is a simple and practical process which will save you time, space, and plywood.
One of the subjects I deal with frequently in email correspondence is the question of increasing sail-area of that shown on plans. The answer, of course, is that sail-area can be increased as much as you like, but is it advisable?
Here is part of the text of a recent email exchange on this subject which may be of interest:-
I have plans for the First Mate , bought a couple of years back before we bought and started to renovate our workers cottage here in Germany. I am nearing completion of the of the major work on the house and will have time to build the boat for myself and the rapidly growing 2 kids we now have.
We live in a land locked position with several large lakes to sail (10 suare km not to Somerset standards). However the winds are usually very light as a general rule. We can drive to the Netherlands and sail the inland waterways again this involves making a weekend of the journey. ( 6 hour turnaround).
The other use will be some trips down several of the main rivers that flow into the north sea. The planned trips back to Denmark and Sweden.
I have looked at and bought several sets of plans but have always come back to the Phoenix III/ First Mate as it will do everything without a fuss.
Sorry about the long winded explanation.... Could I squeeze up to 10 square feet more in a lug design? I'm looking for a rig that we can drop very quickly when we sail in the river and for when the kids get older, for them to sail on there own.
The author of this message is a knowledgeable and sensible fellow who was asking about a quite modest increase in sail-area (about 15%), but there are more things to consider than just the increase in area. Below is my reply:-
I can definitely draw you a larger Balance Lug rig, to any increment within reason. The issues are that as the rig area increases, the yard and boom lengths increase as well, and therefore they increase in cross-sectional area and weight, meaning that storage issues become more of a problem and the boat has more weight that needs to be driven by the sails - and so on in a cascading (well, slightly rippling..) manner. In addition, space under the boom becomes an issue, and you need to look at increasing the length and diameter of the mast.
What I put your way for consideration is the standard Balance Lug rig, with the standard spars, but with the heel of the boom pulled aft (I can show you the details of the rigging) almost to the mast, turning the Balance Lug into a Standing Lug. The aft end of the boom cocks up high, helping with room underneath for the helmsperson, and a nice consequence is that as the longer aft part of the boom swings out when eased, it is higher above the water. This helps to prevent the boom end dragging in the water, and sailing the boat over no matter how much the sheet is eased.
Not only does the boom move aft and up, but the centre-of-area also moves aft relative to the centre-of-lateral resistance. This allows one to set a jib to bring the centres back to the correct location, and provides much more boost and windward performance than a larger lug would have done. This is all achieved with virtually zero increase in rig weight and length of spars, as the jib is set flying i.e. not hanked onto a fore-stay. A jib set this way can be flashed out and in an a matter of seconds, and does not require silly roller furlers and such like. You still have the original Balance Lug available in an instant, simply by loosening the boom parrel. If required, you then move to reefing the Balance Lug normally, and there are few rigs better adapted to reefing than a Balance Lug - the Chinese Lug (or Junk) rig being a notable exception.
Let me know your thoughts - I'm happy to draw the bigger lug if that is your preference. I've attached a PDF to show you the idea.
We are now getting some time up on the Phil Bolger 'Hope' I built back in 2003. Here is a link to a youtube clip shot on Sunday November 27 2016
Damaged piston and the replacement, complete with new rings
After having suffered an engine seizure due to salt water in the cylinder, David Lillistone (son) and I carried out an overhaul replacing the piston and piston rings, exhaust valve and seat, plus a multitude of other components. In addition, I had a new bronze propeller made by Austral Propellers, with consultation and calculation provided by William Olds and Sons (Olds Engineering) in Maryborough. The service provided by Olds Engineering was exceptional, and they acted on my behalf in dealing with Austral. http://www.olds.com.au/
Three generations of the family worked on the engine overhaul...
The engine is now starting to be run-in, although I believe she will continue to improve for a long time yet. The original propeller was a 12" x 10" re-pitched to 12" x 8". The blades were of the Yanmar pattern, but the replacement is a 12" x 8" from the start, with about a 55% disc- area ratio.
Original Yanmar-pattern propeller....
....and the new Austral prop supplied by Olds Engineering
Performance is continuing to improve with use, but the boat has gone from a top speed of 6.1 knots/7mph to 7.3 knots/8.4mph. That is at maximum engine speed of 3600rpm, but at maximum continuous of 3400rpm continuous speed falls back to about 6 knots/6.9mph and at my preferred cruising speed of 2800rpm, we run at about 5.5 knots/6.3mph. Those 2800rpm speeds are quoted from memory, but I have got them recorded somewhere.
When we are bird-watching, or just cruising the shoreline, or favourite engine speed is 2000rpm - the engine is like a sewing machine and the boat runs at a very pleasant 4.7 knots/5.4mph.
In my previous post, I presented a hand-drawn illustration of my preferred method of setting up a yard parrel (in this case a Snotter).
The drawing shows the parrel/snotter (drawn in red) simply slipped over the mast and the halyard, but in the text I mentioned that the parrel can be attached to the rolling hitch which secures the halyard to the yard. For the entire time - at least three decades - that I've been using this parrel system, I've always secured the parrel to the halyard or the yard, but when I was preparing the drawing, it occurred to me that it may work simply slipped over the mast and the halyard.
Well, just two days ago I did a rigging job for a man who had built a beautiful Paul Gartside-designed lapstrake (clinker) dinghy. In the process I tried out the method as depicted in the above drawing, and although it worked, the parrel had a tendency to hang-up on the mast due to friction between itself, the mast, and the halyard. I quickly re-rigged it so that it ran under the rolling hitch, and everything was fine.
So lightly attach the snotter to the yard or the halyard where it is secured to the yard. That way, the parrel/snotter will lower positively with the yard.
My old boat setting a balance lug, with the yard snugged up against the mast
A problem which many people encounter when using a
balance lug, standing lug, or a Chinese lug, is arranging a method to hold the
yard close to the mast.
Some designers advocate a method where the halyard is
attached to the yard towards the heel, and then leading along the yard (and
around the mast) to a pulley-block at the normal halyard attachment point.
The theory is that as tension comes onto the halyard,
it automatically pulls the yard in against the mast. I've tried it, and (for
me) it doesn't work. The amount of force holding the yard against the mast is
small, and much more importantly, the yard is largely free to move forward and
aft through a significant arc.
Here are two photos taken on a day when we tried it on
my sailing canoe just for fun, and as you can see, it wasn't worth a cracker!
Yard with the normal halyard attachment point hanging aft by close to a
foot
Halyard doing a very poor job of holding the yard close to the mast,
even though the downhaul and halyard tensions were high.
Another popular option is to use a loop of line,
bronze rod, or stainless-steel rod around the mast somewhat like a conventional
mast hoop on the luff of a gaff mainsail. If you follow Jim Michalak's
suggestions for a loop of line, it will work OK, but is prone to jamming when
the sail is raised. You can confidently follow Jim Michalak's advice about
almost anything regarding boats, but in this case I believe there is an even
better way.
The metal ring method has problems in that it makes it
very difficult to get the yard aft when lowering, until you can reach high
enough to lift the yard off the hook which usually forms the attachment to the
ring. If the sail is boomless, it may not be too much of an issue - but when a
boom is involved, it is very important that the yard is free to move fore and
aft while still being attached to the halyard.
The system I prefer is simple, light, and highly
effective. Here is a drawing which should be self-explanatory. Click on the
drawing for a clearer view.
The loop (shown in red) can be simply dropped around
the halyard, or can be attached to the yard by the halyard rolling-hitch.
Raising and lowering the sail is no problem, because as soon as the yard is
lowered, the loop automatically loosens, and when being raised, the loop is
loose until the yard reaches the raised position. If you need to reef, lower
the yard to the required position, and simply re-tighten the lower end of the
snotter (a.k.a. Yard Parrel) and the yard will be held snugly against the mast.
No need to make it tight - just snug.
Below are two photos showing the system in use on a First Mate. In this case, we had the snotter line knotted into the halyard rolling hitch on the yard, but it isn't necessary - the system shown in the previous drawing is fine.
Blue line is the halyard, and the buff-coloured line is the snotter
(yard parrel).
The system is simple, light, and reliable. I've used
it for years without any problems.
