Peter Scandling wrote:

Yes Gary, it is more complicated than your build, but I am fortunate to have the skills and I enjoy this kind of work, unlike sitting in my office :(  To be honest I can't wait to start building............  

LWL is a matter of personal choice and what you, as an individual, feel to be essential.  I'm very much in the less is more school of thought. 

Peter

ps It's the 'Sundowner' modified to 24' not the Navigator.

                                                         Stavanger, Wednesday

Peter, I had your original Pioneer and the smallest Benford dory in mind when I talked about dories. The problem with the boats in the Swaggie category is that they make us want to hug them - they have so high teddy bear factor - just like some of the micro trawlers and tug boats from the drawing board of Benford and others. But they are slow.

Gary K is right in that I am a "waterline length guy". I am so because stretching the WL is the simplest way to make a boat faster. That however, does not mean that I like the big, wide-sterned and high-sided plastic fantastics - not me! It seems that costs follow the displacement of a boat more than that of its length, so for a given displacement I would rather spread the displacement over a longer and slightly trimmer boat.

One problem with the 5.5m Swaggie is that she is so short for her displacement that there is not really room for fitting a big enough JR. The planned SA/disp ends up at only 15.5 in normal full load state. Besides, with the shallow draught (0.80m) and the windage of the tall hull and pilot house, she will hardly move to windward at all, even on flat water. I understand that the complicated hull shape is well within your capabilities. What about asking the designer of Swaggie if he can draw you a 24-footer of the same displacement (or just a bit heavier) with a similar full keel, only at 1.1 – 1.2m draught, and the beam reduced to 2.2 – 2.3m. Such a boat would not only look cute on launching day, but would sail like a thoroughbred too. Unless you are a very patient sailor, you will appreciate how much better the 24-footer will perform.

The link below ( see next posting) shows the well-known double-ended sharpie-dory hybrid, Egret, found in a wooden boat catalogue. A very similar version adapted for plywood construction can be found in "The Sharpie book" by Ruel B Parker. I don’t suggest that anyone should build Egret with world cruising in mind. It just shows a long and simple boat at Swaggie’s displacement. With the CB replaced with a 1.1m deep longish fin keel with 500kg ballast and with a better rudder fitted, this super simple hull shape (slim line mini-Badger) with a slightly raised cabin and a good sprayhood could be a great short-distance (up to 500NM) offshore cruiser. Not posh for sure, but both quick and cheap to build and quick and rewarding to sail.

Cheers, Arne

Peter Scandling wrote:

..But the whole point of the exercise is to reward my hardwork with some adventure, and actually do something I want to do, as opposed to working 24/7. 

                                                                   Stavanger, Tuesday

Plan B, a container

All the proposed designs in this thread are in my eyes rather short, heavy and tubby and will make that long voyage slow and uncomfortable. I shudder when thinking of how it would be to tack up the looong Red Sea in a short, wide, over-loaded, dory. Much of the coast lining that sea means nothing but trouble either.

Peter, would it be an idea to check what it costs to hire an ISO container and have it shipped to the UK? In addition to taking your boat, this of course could also be filled up with your household belongings, furniture, books or whatever and make moving home easier. This could free you from looking for a mini round-the-world boat and rather aim for a boat you can use along the coast and rivers in both China and the UK. Just an idea.

Anyway, good luck!

Arne