Time for another build...

For those who don't know, last Christmas, Karla (my wife) bought me a Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) tandem wherry rowing scull kit. I jumped right in during the holiday, and over a series of evenings and weekends, I managed to pull together a nice little boat. It was about 150 hours in the making, whereby I had my first experiences building anything out of wood, the use of marine 2-part epoxy, fiberglass, and marine polyurethanes. But the entire build was amazingly enjoyable and the end result is something we've been using frequently since the boat was finished last May. 

Well the bug has bitten, and now I find myself getting ready to embark on another project. 

I've always wanted a sailboat. So I shall build one. The question of which one has consumed many hours of research. In the end, I decided on the John Welsford "Navigator" design. Welsford is a New Zealand small craft designer and builder. He has a number of very successful boat designs, and is something of a legend in the small wooden boat universe. 

Why the Navigator? 

1) The construction process is one that I now have experience with.

2) She's small enough to be built in my garage, and to be able to be sailed single-handedly.

3) She's large enough where 3 or 4 people could enjoy an afternoon on the water, or 2 adults could camp-cruise her.

4) Welsford has done a great job in creating a small boat with really lovely lines and a sheer that could make you cry, while at the same time designing a boat that will offer plenty of fun and performance and stability on the water. 

5) It's a design that will allow me to make a very traditional-looking boat, with modern materials and technical enhancements. For example, I'm planning to put an electric inboard auxiliary motor in her, and use advanced composites like kevlar and carbon fiber.

From what I understand, Navigator is one of the most successful small boat designs ever, with more than 600 built around the world by amateurs like me. There are all kinds of photos of Navigators out there. Here are a few screen caps that will give you an idea of what I'm about to try to put together. This is Robert Ditterich's "Annie" Navigator at rest. 

Here's the same boat in a fresh breeze

And here is a line-drawing of the Welsford Navigator  in a racing sloop configuration. I'm planning on building the gaff-yawl rig, similar to the images shown above. 

If you're interested in more information about this boat, check out Welsford's website.

So the project begins. I will update this blog with pictures, and something of a narrative as I have time to do so between work, family, friends, travel, and yes...boat building. I hope you enjoy the journey!