new member, plans in hand, mod ideas running amuk!

[glwanabe]

Greetings ,

check out this lovely craft. Then check out it's lovely cost. I'll meet you below the link, let's talk.

     http://www.chipboat.com/shop3buzzardsbay.html


   Ok, I know that this boat is not that boat, but I believe there are several features that can be incorporated.

1. open cabin for sure.  

2. Widen the stern. Checked through several post and a few of you agree that a wider stern could be done here, but... how much wider? I'am thinking that keeping the same side linear measurement, and not curving it in as much, maybe 4" total. I'll have to do the math on the curve as well as read some naval design stuff. The top deck sides would be opened out a bit more leaving a 3" or 4" edge as opposed to the 7" in the plans. The goal here is to make a larger cockpit area for two adults to work from. Give me your ideas here for sure.

3. I really like the whole transom area on the linked boat. I think a flat transom could work. It would need to be 5/8" or 3/4" and properly braced
to provide the stiffness that the curved transom provides. I would also build the lazarette the same way, sunken below the top edge of the transom, and a little longer front to back for stiffness.  I could live with the curved transom if you all think it is important. Tiller steering of course!

4. Reshape the bow to look more like the linked boat. I would need to add more under deck bracing, and a chain stay to brace the bowsprit.  I think this is probably the easiest mod to do.

5. I like the idea of a centerboard so I would like to put one in, and fair the keel like Tim Diebert (sp) has done to his. I would like to eventually
take the boat into Galveston bay, when I have some experience with her.

   I know someone will say to build  John Welsfords "Navigator",  I thought about it, and really like it, but the cost is much more.
   
   The finish will be minimal brightwork, except for a nice cockpit coaming extending all the way to the transom. The spars and sprit will be bright, but thats about it.

    I've had my plans for over a year now, but have been working on my house. I've still got a few other projects to complete, but hope to start building within the next year. Actually I plan to start building small parts and buying hardware little by little. Major fabrication on the hull will be given a major push to complete once started.

[Barry Pyeatt]

Welcome to the group.  
I don't know of any here that wouldn't like a Buzzard's Bay 14'.  Classic in the broadest extent of the meaning.  Any of the Herreshoff family designs would be fantastic to own and sail.  
Trying to turn a Stevenson's Project boat into that is really stretching it a lonnnnnnnnnnnng way.  But incorporating some of the design features into trimming out a project boat is practical to some extent.  
If you have intentions of building a Weekender that is like the one Tim Diebert has modified, then go for it and let him be your guide.  That is ground that only he has walked upon.  That he is comfortable and happy with his modifications is great and of interest to some of us.  
I take it you are more interested in sailing conditions in and around the Houston area and then in the gulf.   Quite a bit different than what Tim is dealing with in the lakes of the inland Pacific Northwest.
I take it you are planning on building a Weekender.  Lots of them have been built and many of the builders have modified them in one way or another.  Most from a perspective of utilizing the existing hull form and design and modifying them from the out of water areas.  
I would like to see a wider transom by at least a foot and perhaps a foot and a half.  Open cockpit, sure.  From the get go more practical to me than just cutting off the bulkhead and outfitting it with more seating capacity.  There are a few examples of really well done open cockpit Weekenders and a few that were not so well done.  Tiller steering, no problem.  
Bill Paxton's is working out well for him and is well executed.  Changing it to incorporate a keel and centerboard such as Tim has done will probably require a bit more planning and work from the outset.  
If you want something that looks more like a Buzzard's Bay 14 and has a centerboard and open cockpit, then have you considered some of the B&B Coresound designs?   Why try to modify a successful design into something that is going to be a total unknown when what it sounds like you are wanting is more like what is already available and outstanding in its performance?  Also quite affordable to build.
If it is the Friendship influence with its lines and gaff rig that is something else again.  But it sounds like you want something else entirely.
Lots of help and opinions here and a good group to get involved in.  But it is quite oriented to the Stevenson's designs.  Most are first time builders of any boat and first time sailing participants as well. And these are pretty easy to build if you take the time and effort and they do handle quite well in widely varying conditions.  But yes, you do need to learn how to work with the limitations of any design.
Before you actually begin building, I would take the tome to locate a few (stock) boats and go out in them and see how they handle and what is involved with them.  
So jump on in and don't be bashful.  Frank has a great meeting place for some good people.

[kydocfrog]

Weekender is flat bottomed. The BB14 as a solid, traditional New England Hershoff design and really is an entirely different hull form. A more interesting parallel to Weekender may be Scruffie and Stornoway Weekender. Both can be seen at www.scruffie.com.

They are both v-bottom, but essentially still developed flat pannel designs. Another close relative is the Atkins design Red Onion. It can be seen on the Atkins co. web site. Also a shallow v design.  And Tim D's mods are really effective.

I'm a big fan of both the Scruffie designs and Red Onion, and everyone is probably tired of me talking about them, but then you're a "new guy"...      That's good, because it means now I'm not.

DocA in KY

[PAR]

As has been stated the Buzzard's Bay Boy's Boat (Herreshoff 14) is a very different boat. In fact 3 times the boat in volume, 10 times more difficult to build, near imposable for a first timer. I built one years ago (I'm an experienced builder) and they were designed for the heavy weather known for the area they are named after, meaning they'd be under canvassed and a poor performer in your area.

Weekender is an easy boat to build and well suited to the backyard builder with limited funds, tools, skills and time. It is very amendable to modifications and most are, but generally the changes should be with an eye on use or looks, leaving the shapes, and geometry alone. Adding a inch here and a foot there can easy result in a boat that doesn't perform well. An open boat is a fine idea, will save a good bit of weight and effort. A few have been done this way and the results can be striking, but there will be interesting engineering issues, you'll need to solve (the fun part) Major re-engineering should be performed by folks skilled in the craft. It's surprisingly easy to build a boat that is happier to float centerboard slot up rather facing down, if you're less then quite familiar with the design concepts necessary for success.

There are many round bilge, lapstrake or multi chine craft available in this size range (thousands) that will have the Buzzard 14 look. You may be well advised to seek these out. I'd recommend John Brook's 12' Ellen if interested in an easy build with the look and performance of the Buzzard 14. I even have a few of this style boat available if you'd like to drop me an email. Though nothing is as easy to build as a single chine, flat bottom, skiff like hull which Weekender has.

[kydocfrog]

Do not be taken aback here by replies. Weekender is one of those designs that inspires, if nothing else, a lot of "...what if I just sorta did..." thinking. Even though I'm a new guy on the list too, I suspect that just about everyone has thought that and has their favorite reply or idea or model or whatever right to hand.

Not only that, apparently, the Morningstar project and the open Weekender being two cases in point, you really can push, poke, and prod the design in all sorts of ways.

DocA

[Bill Paxton]

The Buzzards Bay 14 is very much like Joel White's Haven 12 1/2.
http://www.havensailboats.com/havenphotos.htm

These boats inspired by efforts to build an open Weekender.  If its any help to you, you can find my building photos at
http://pg.photos.yahoo.co...s.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

[glwanabe]

Thanks for the replies, I've written two differnet replies to better explain my changes, but lost both of them, ARRRG.

Anyway, I am not talking about a wineglass transom or an actual compound curve to the front of the boat. Rather on the front a simple arc instead of the faux clipper bow, and a flat, side to side instead of curved transom. These are all changes that I have read about some others doing and would just like to incorporate into my boat. I would lose about 5" of front keel wood on the bow area. I fully understand that this boat has limitations to the design. I'am just wanting a little bit less friendship sloop, and more towards a Herreshoff "12 1/2" profile. No radical redesign. The wider rear section would only be several pounds of material. I will model it before I build it.  

Bill, Your boat is one that I have had bookmarked for a while, as an example of what I want.

Ray I am sure Mr. Flanagan deserves every penny he charges for his product. It is still out of my reach. I only used that site because it was the first site I found of something close to the "12 1/2" model of boat. I have since found a haven "12 1/2" builders website.

After I do some math I will get back with some numbers. You all can then take turns shooting at me. Cheers.