Duckworks/Small Craft Advisor
- Design Contest #7 -
Class IV Everglades
Challenger
ENTRY #1
JUICER
1. Boat Description
Juicer is a boat designed specifically for an event
called the Everglades Challenge, which is a cruising/camping
race over 300 miles of coastal waters near Tampa,
FL. The boat must be (a.) rowed or sailed, (b.) launched
from a beach at low tide from the high water mark
by the occupant, and (c.) contain all necessary supplies
for the duration of the trip, except for re-supply,
as allowed by the rules.
The design for Juicer was influenced a great deal
by WIAKA, a sail/row/camp boat described in the book
“Sailing Craft” by Frank Rosenow, and
the Rangeley style boats described in the book “Building
Classic Small Craft – Vol. 1” by John
Gardner. The primary characteristics of the design
are shallow draft, flat bottom, light and strong construction,
easy movement through the water with oars or sail,
protection of the occupant from the elements, moderate
cargo capacity and prevention of swamping and capsizing.
The bow incorporates a canoe bow, with a plum stem
and a “wave slicer” grip of ¼ inch
stainless steel. This bow should help to ease the
boat through the waves and give some tracking assistance
while being rowed. The rest of the under body is a
basic “U” shape leading to a tapered,
semi-circular section aft. The hull is intended to
be strip planked of 3/8 inch white pine, coated inside
and out with epoxied fiberglass cloth. Frames and
bulkheads are of ¼ inch hardwood plywood and
¾ inch white pine stock. The flat floor section
amidships is reinforced, inside, with an extra layer
of 1/8 inch hardwood plywood. The deck is 3/8 inch
hardwood plywood, coated with epoxied fiberglass cloth.
Foam flotation is provided in closed fore and aft
sections.
The cockpit is moderately sized to feel comfortable
and allow both rowing and sailing in comfort. A sliding
bench with built-in seat provides support to both
functions. A 5 inch high forward coaming and 2 ½
inch cockpit coaming should keep most water out of
the cockpit, which can allow the occupant to sleep
on the flat floor. The specific locations and heights
of the seat and oar ports must be adjusted to suit
the occupant.
A cockpit tent, with vinyl windows is provided for
bad weather. It is mounted on bows (of aluminum tubing,
wood, fiberglass or PVC conduit) and the “rollbar”
assembly mounted behind the cockpit. This “rollbar”
will give the cockpit tent firm mounting, provide
storage for the tent bows when not in use, and provide
mounting for a solar powered ventilating fan and a
running light (a small motorcycle battery is provided).
Turn button fasteners on the coaming complete the
tent mounting. Oar ports with removable hatches are
provided. Since boat trim, fore and aft, is important
for this boat, an inclinometer and level should be
installed and cargo shifted to maintain level trim.
The intended sailing rigs include a 120 square foot
spritsail rig and a 100 square foot square rig with
boom (for running), is set on a 8 foot cross spar.
A 18 inch wide leeboard of ¾ inch plywood (coated
with epoxied fiberglass) is provided. But the lack
of sufficient ballast (occupant and cargo only), small
beam and moderate stabilizing fin areas, mean this
boat will be tender. This is the compromise chosen
in light of the written reports of the Everglades
Challenge, which mention the value of a “clean”
underbody and good rowing performance.
For safety reasons (and a homage to the sunshine
State), I would paint the boat “International
Orange”, except for the off-white deck section
forward of the cockpit (easier on the eyes), and include
a band of reflective white and orange “truckers
tape” just below the rubrail. A fabricated ski-nosed
plywood “shoe” fitted under the stem grip
would assist the required beach launching.
2. Boat Data
- LOD - 18 feet
- LOA - 19 feet 8 inches
- Max. Beam - 4 feet 3 inches
- Draft - 7 inches (30 inches with leeboard installed)
- Oars - 8 foot spruce
- Design weights - 800 lbs. total
- Occupant 275 lbs.
- Boat 250 lbs. (estimated)
- Gear 275 lbs.
- Food – 30 lbs.
- Water – 80 lbs. (10 gal.)
- Safety equipment - 40 lbs.
- Sails/spars/line – 40 lbs
- Food equipment - 30 lbs.
- Cockpit tent and bows - 30 lbs
- Oars/ oarlocks (2 sets) - 25 lbs..
- Spritsail rig – 72 square feet, boomless
- Square rig – 92 square feet, set on hoisted
cross spar and deck mounted boom
3. Building Notes
- Grip – Stainless steel. ¼ inch plate,
inset into stem and bottom with epoxy and screws
- Planking – pine strips, 3/8 inch, coated
with epoxy and fiberglass cloth, inside and out.
- Deck – 3/8 inch hardwood plywood, coated
with epoxy and fiberglass cloth on outer surface.
Painted inside
- Movable, securely mounted water tanks, FDA approved
polyethylene, under deck. These will be moved to
adjust trim, fore and aft. Two 5 gallon units.
- Forward coaming - ¾ inch hardwood plywood,
coated with epoxy and fiberglass cloth on all exposed
surfaces
- Deck beams fabricated from ¾ inch hardwood
plywood, 2 ½ inches deep, with ¾ stock
on outer edges to mount beams to hull.
- Forward coaming – see #5 above
- 8 foot oars and oarlocks to suit pilot
- Sliding bench – slides forward for rowing
and sleeping, aft for sailing, resting and cooking.
- Oar ports – location and size to suit pilot.
Needs waterproof hatches to block openings in bad
weather.
- Side cockpit coamings - Hardwood plywood, 2 inches
wide and 2 ½ inches deep. Holes provided
to mount bows for cockpit tent. Sloping gutter routed
where this piece meets forward coaming for drain.
- Solar panels – Mounted both sides on swivel
hinges at top, to allow panels to flip up and twist
to adjust to the sun. Panels will charge small motorcycle
battery mounted on board.
- Ventilator fan – Computer “pancake”
fan mounted on center vertical side of rollbar.
Waterproof cover mounts in bad weather to block
opening.
- Headlights – High efficiency lights to
light forward path, mounted on top of rollbar. Cockpit
lights mounted under top of rollbar.
- White running light with stainless steel protective
cage.
- Lightening hole – 6 inch diameter in ½
inch plywood, coated as noted
- Transom – ¾ inch hardwood plywood,
coated as noted.
- Tiller assembly – fabricated from ½
inch hardwood plywood, coated as noted. Stainless
steel cable, 1/8 inch, runs from tiller to quadrant
operator.
- Rudder cheek – ¾ inch hardwood plywood,
coated as noted.
- Rudder – ¾ inch hardwood plywood,
coated with epoxy and fiberglass cloth, weighted
to drop easily. 1/8 inch stainless steel cable runs
to operator inside cockpit to raise/lower rudder.
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