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Old 11-10-2016, 13:27   #1
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Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Hello folks,

A little about myself. My wife and I are interested in getting into sailing. My wife sailed in college for a couple of years and together we have taken a few sailing classes. We bought a house on the water about 1.5 years ago and from day 1 we wanted to eventually buy a sailboat. The house came with a pier, and there is about 3 feet of water under the end of the pier in low tide.

The trouble comes in a few hundred yards from our pier. There is a low bridge with a span that at its highest is only 14 feet above the water at high tide. Any time we would want to take a boat out we would need to pass under this bridge and of course pass under it again to come back to the dock. This basically invalidates the vast majority of production sailboats on the market.

I have thought a lot about this problem and for a large period of time considered that my only option would be to build my own sailboat from plans. This is probably feasible for me since I do woodworking for a hobby. I am still considering this but my main hesitation is that I want something that will be very durable. I am not going to trailer this boat. I am going to leave it in the water. I may keep it on a lift or davit system, but it certainly will not be stored indoors. Fiberglass and other plastic hulls are better at enduring this then wood.

In order to get under the bridge I have basically settled on buying or building a small dinghy type boat that will use a gaff rig. That way the mast can stay under the 14' span but still have more sail then say a sunfish. Any boat I buy will also need to have a jib (the wife has made this a requirement)

Today while searching the internet I found a production boat that actually meets these requirements, the Bauer 10
Bauer boats 10 sailing dinghy - BAUTECK MARINE INC.

I was pretty surprised to find out that all of this actually existed in a boat I could buy for almost the same cost as the wood and rigging to build something similar. This got me wondering if there were other boats out there that would fit the bill?

So all of that was the long way of asking, do you guys know of a boat that
1) can fit under a 14' bridge without unstepping the mast
2) has a jib

In a perfect world all of this would exist in something a bit sporty and that had room for a motor mount as well since I need to navigate a creek before I reach the bay.

I have previously also considered tabernacles but after looking at a lot of videos, using a tabernacle on even something as modest as a 20 foot mast while underway twice every outing looks like more pain then I would like to live with.

Thank you for any help.
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Old 11-10-2016, 19:19   #2
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Might look into a Drascombe. IIRC they have a gunter rig, may or may not fit under your bridge. Could probably be shortened if need be. Came in various sizes, I used to sail a 16' variety I think, belonged to a friend. Centerboard, and a well for an out board.
I think Webb Chiles started around the world in a 19' Drascombe Lugger and almost made it.

Forgot: It was a yawl rig I believe.
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Old 12-10-2016, 01:19   #3
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

You need a Heron sailboat. 12 foot, Gunter rigged, light, 2 person, either ply or fibreglass hulls, wood or aluminium masts, very popular for decades in UK, Aus and many other places. You can get plans and make one fairly easily. I have one that I sail when I'm away from the bigger boat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heron_(dinghy)
Have a look at the Com Pac Picnic Cat http://www.com-pacyachts.com/trailer...icnic-cat.html
Theres one of them for sale on Sailboat Listings http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/61303
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Old 12-10-2016, 01:32   #4
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Do you have Heron or Mirror dinghy's around there?
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Old 12-10-2016, 04:28   #5
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, minorhero.
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Old 12-10-2016, 09:28   #6
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Lido 14's have jib and mainsail. Too long ago to remember how tall the stick is.
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Old 12-10-2016, 10:20   #7
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Hi. Before I scrolled down to read the first reply my immediate response was that this has Drascombe lugger written all over it. The snag could be where to get the plans? open the link below for more information.

About Drascombes

Most had an outboard motor well. and the vessel could be sailed under the bridge on fore sail and mizzen. the main could be raised after clearing the bridge. some were decked with a cabin such a version would keep out rain water while moored at the pier.
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Old 12-10-2016, 10:23   #8
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

We've got a Bauer 10 & it's a great dinghy. Full bilges & a lot of rocker so it's stable & moves along quite easily under sail or oar. It's also got a swing keel & kick up rudder which makes beaching a breeze. I would caution that at 10' it rows 2 people well but is more suited to solo sailing. If you're looking for a small stand alone sailboat instead of a dinghy for a bigger boat I'd go with a Scamp, the biggest little boat out there right now.

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Old 12-10-2016, 10:27   #9
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Mirror dinghy plans are available online, (just google it), and if you epoxy coat the ply, leaving it in the water would not be a problem. Not that it would be anyway, as long as it is well painted. A Mirror is an easy build for a woodworker. It probably couldn't be described as 'sporty' even though they're extensively raced.


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Old 12-10-2016, 16:32   #10
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Quote:
Originally Posted by minorhero View Post
Hello folks,

A little about myself. My wife and I are interested in getting into sailing. My wife sailed in college for a couple of years and together we have taken a few sailing classes. We bought a house on the water about 1.5 years ago and from day 1 we wanted to eventually buy a sailboat. The house came with a pier, and there is about 3 feet of water under the end of the pier in low tide.

The trouble comes in a few hundred yards from our pier. There is a low bridge with a span that at its highest is only 14 feet above the water at high tide. Any time we would want to take a boat out we would need to pass under this bridge and of course pass under it again to come back to the dock. This basically invalidates the vast majority of production sailboats on the market.

I have thought a lot about this problem and for a large period of time considered that my only option would be to build my own sailboat from plans. This is probably feasible for me since I do woodworking for a hobby. I am still considering this but my main hesitation is that I want something that will be very durable. I am not going to trailer this boat. I am going to leave it in the water. I may keep it on a lift or davit system, but it certainly will not be stored indoors. Fiberglass and other plastic hulls are better at enduring this then wood.

In order to get under the bridge I have basically settled on buying or building a small dinghy type boat that will use a gaff rig. That way the mast can stay under the 14' span but still have more sail then say a sunfish. Any boat I buy will also need to have a jib (the wife has made this a requirement)

Today while searching the internet I found a production boat that actually meets these requirements, the Bauer 10
Bauer boats 10 sailing dinghy - BAUTECK MARINE INC.

I was pretty surprised to find out that all of this actually existed in a boat I could buy for almost the same cost as the wood and rigging to build something similar. This got me wondering if there were other boats out there that would fit the bill?

So all of that was the long way of asking, do you guys know of a boat that
1) can fit under a 14' bridge without unstepping the mast
2) has a jib

In a perfect world all of this would exist in something a bit sporty and that had room for a motor mount as well since I need to navigate a creek before I reach the bay.

I have previously also considered tabernacles but after looking at a lot of videos, using a tabernacle on even something as modest as a 20 foot mast while underway twice every outing looks like more pain then I would like to live with.

Thank you for any help.
Call 757-718-2160 Beautiful little boat. We're in Norfolk, Va
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Old 12-10-2016, 18:12   #11
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Doubling the mast height should be easy enough with a long gaff ,high peaking with snotter(halyard )through a bee hole in the mast head, Gaff lies nearly parallel to mast when up and jaws slide on mast. Peak and jaw halyards are spread out for leverage.Sail is laced on gaff and lose laced or hooped on mast. I've successfully made these rigs on the beach in Thailand,using bamboo from the jungle. A bow sprit helps the jib be big as it can't be tall.
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Old 12-10-2016, 20:29   #12
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Of course, another approach is to have a Marconi rig but with the mast stepped in a tabernacle. In some harbours around the world, fairly big keel boats are so equipped, and routinely lower and raise their rigs every time they go sailing. The inner harbour at Santa Cruz (California) is one such place... many 30+ foot keelers waving their masts about like flyswatters!

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Old 14-10-2016, 12:00   #13
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

The 'Mirror-Dinghy' is a fun boat both to build, and to sail. I built two of them many years ago for my kids. Another boat for consideration might be the 'Passage-Maker' by Chesapeake Light Craft. It's quite similar to the Mirror in many ways but not quite as 'boxy' looking having an almost clinker-style hull, giving a more rounded look to the hull.
The 'Mirror' can be built in 100 hrs., while the Passage Maker will probably take a little more, depending on whether you buy the kit or cut the material yourself from plans, which are available for about $100. . . . I myself purchased plans for this boat a few years back but have never gotten around to building, due to health problems and other commitments. It's too late now for my own use, but I still have hopes of building this boat for much younger members of our family. This particular model can also be built as a nesting take-apart, which makes it a good tender for your cruiser.
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Old 14-10-2016, 12:31   #14
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

Another well respected sailboat with the kind of rig you're looking for is Welsford's Navigator.

Navigator - John Welsford Designs
Duckworks - Building the John Welsford Navigator Annalisa
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Old 14-10-2016, 13:43   #15
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Re: Need help finding a small boat with a gaff or gunter rig

[QUOTE=minorhero;2233071]Hello folks,

A little about myself. My wife and I are interested in getting into sailing. My wife sailed in college for a couple of years and together we have taken a few sailing classes. We bought a house on the water about 1.5 years ago and from day 1 we wanted to eventually buy a sailboat. The house came with a pier, and there is about 3 feet of water under the end of the pier in low tide.

The trouble comes in a few hundred yards from our pier. There is a low bridge with a span that at its highest is only 14 feet above the water at high tide. Any time we would want to take a boat out we would need to pass under this bridge and of course pass under it again to come back to the dock. This basically invalidates the vast majority of production sailboats on the market.

I have thought a lot about this problem and for a large period of time considered that my only option would be to build my own sailboat from plans. This is probably feasible for me since I do woodworking for a hobby. I am still considering this but my main hesitation is that I want something that will be very durable. I am not going to trailer this boat. I am going to leave it in the water. I may keep it on a lift or davit system, but it certainly will not be stored indoors. Fiberglass and other plastic hulls are better at enduring this then wood.

In order to get under the bridge I have basically settled on buying or building a small dinghy type boat that will use a gaff rig. That way the mast can stay under the 14' span but still have more sail then say a sunfish. Any boat I buy will also need to have a jib (the wife has made this a requirement)

Today while searching the internet I found a production boat that actually meets these requirements, the Bauer 10
Bauer boats 10 sailing dinghy - BAUTECK MARINE INC.

I was pretty surprised to find out that all of this actually existed in a boat I could buy for almost the same cost as the wood and rigging to build something similar. This got me wondering if there were other boats out there that would fit the bill?

So all of that was the long way of asking, do you guys know of a boat that
1) can fit under a 14' bridge without unstepping the mast
2) has a jib

In a perfect world all of this would exist in something a bit sporty and that had room for a motor mount as well since I need to navigate a creek before I reach the bay.

I have previously also considered tabernacles but after looking at a lot of videos, using a tabernacle on even something as modest as a 20 foot mast while underway twice every outing looks like more pain then I would like to live with.

Thank you for any help.[/QUOTE[

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