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A 19' semi-dory
Here are some pictures of a 19'8" powerboat I'm building that just
passed the "roll upright" phase. I started w/ Gardner's plans for his 19'
semi-dory (The Dory Book), lofted in some "V" to the bow, and added a
raised deck forward. It'll have a small taditional-appearing wheelhouse,
and an inboard well for my 15 hp 4-stroke outboard. The beam is 5'9".
It's built using glu-lap/epoxy construction of occume ply on Phillipine
mahogany frames. The boat will replace a 16' Gardner semi-dory that I
built for the South BC coast (currently for sale). On our last trip we
made the mistake of trying to return from Chatterbox Falls, in 30 knot
headwinds, and subsequently my wife decided 16' was too small! The new 19
footer will take us to the Discovery Islands in '03.
I'm totally enchanted w/ long, narrow powerboats. The 16 footer would
plane at 8 knots (!) at half throttle w/ my 15 hp Honda, with virtually no
transition between displacement and planing speed. The 19 footer should be
even smoother, and less bumpier in chop with it's modest "V" in the
forward sections. Speaking of long, narrow powerboats, one of my favorite
boats is Bolger's "wide stern canoe" (Boats with an Open Mind). I built
that one (glu-lap on steambent ribs) a few years back and took it to
Desolation Sound to celebrate my 50th year. It'd plane at half throttle w/
my 5hp Mariner. All the "yachty's" in BC I encountered thought I was nuts
(some truth there perhaps), but I'm sure I had a hell of lot better time
than them in their aquatic RV's!
Mike Hillis
mlhillis@msla.net |
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