You may think I'm crazy, but i am having fun. Join me with your comments. Your input will be very helpful to me.
I am converting a mariner into an open style launch. One of the prettiest features of the Mariner is its sheer line. With the cabin off this is accentuated.
The boat was a total gut job so I figured why not have some fun. It will not have any accommodations and the mast will become keel stepped. I have an extra extrusion to make the splice necessary and the mast will pass through a thwart so it will bend in a similar way as the deck stepped configuration.
The forward tank and cockpit sole will be composite, 3/8 foam between two layers of sheathing. Depressions for sink, head will all be eliminated as well as associated thru holes. I am going to have factory made access panels for keel bolt inspection and battery storage (west marine sells some decent large watertight inspection panels.).
The boat will have convertible rigs: Standard sloop and schooner. The mast currently is at station 2 (if you look at the waterline as a ten station boat) and this is where the foremast would go in a staysail schooner so I am going to build a second mast box for a mainsail at station 6. I plan on using carbon fiber spars for the schooner rig which will be free standing.
I also am going to put a small cabin aft to add more buoyancy when using the schooner rig and add dry storage when offshore. This cabin will be removable and low profile. It will be watertight. The boat should be unsinkable with this configuration.
I have done a fair amount offshore work so I know that which I am proposing and think this will be a nice little costal cruiser. It is not the size of the boat but rather how strong a boat is. The rest is seamanship and perseverance. Sailors are comforted by the presence of a raft on board, but in this case the boat is the raft and a better raft at that.
The nice thing about a boat like this is that you can shoot north (I am east coast) with following breeze and then trailer the boat back.
I am not much at figuring out centers of effort but I'm learning. In the jpeg of the schooner rig you can see my first blush (I am sure there will be an error in my thinking but its's a starting point. I'm open to any suggestions/knowledge in this regard.
Wood projects Include 5" laminated coaming, laminated curved thwart, cockpit seat backs and keel timbers. The rest of the framing to support the forward tank and cockpit floor will be light construction with 3/8 plywood floors, knees and bulkheads glued, filleted and fully tabbed.
I have read some about tiller construction for mariners. I think the best approach I have heard about is to use 2 x 2 pieces of wood, ripped from a single plank with each piece flipped so the glued-up plank won't cup and carve it into a nacra foil. This may affect the balance a bit but I see there is a company that makes nacre foils online for the Mariner so I am assuming it should be ok. If anyone knows of an organized way to approach this I'm open to suggestion. The challenge is to get similar surface area as the standard rudder without going too deep as I think it should not exceed the keel depth. This could be a trick. Twin rudders may be a solution because they point straight down on a heel so do not need to be quite as deep but it will complicate things. I may be able to find some twin rudders from a catamaran but I haven't really looked into this.
I am open to any and all comments, suggestions or tips and tricks. Also, If you have any parts laying around and you want to contribute to my cause let me know.
Here are some images. I will update the process as I go along.
Right now still grinding old tabbing and removing paint where I will be glassing.
I am converting a mariner into an open style launch. One of the prettiest features of the Mariner is its sheer line. With the cabin off this is accentuated.
The boat was a total gut job so I figured why not have some fun. It will not have any accommodations and the mast will become keel stepped. I have an extra extrusion to make the splice necessary and the mast will pass through a thwart so it will bend in a similar way as the deck stepped configuration.
The forward tank and cockpit sole will be composite, 3/8 foam between two layers of sheathing. Depressions for sink, head will all be eliminated as well as associated thru holes. I am going to have factory made access panels for keel bolt inspection and battery storage (west marine sells some decent large watertight inspection panels.).
The boat will have convertible rigs: Standard sloop and schooner. The mast currently is at station 2 (if you look at the waterline as a ten station boat) and this is where the foremast would go in a staysail schooner so I am going to build a second mast box for a mainsail at station 6. I plan on using carbon fiber spars for the schooner rig which will be free standing.
I also am going to put a small cabin aft to add more buoyancy when using the schooner rig and add dry storage when offshore. This cabin will be removable and low profile. It will be watertight. The boat should be unsinkable with this configuration.
I have done a fair amount offshore work so I know that which I am proposing and think this will be a nice little costal cruiser. It is not the size of the boat but rather how strong a boat is. The rest is seamanship and perseverance. Sailors are comforted by the presence of a raft on board, but in this case the boat is the raft and a better raft at that.
The nice thing about a boat like this is that you can shoot north (I am east coast) with following breeze and then trailer the boat back.
I am not much at figuring out centers of effort but I'm learning. In the jpeg of the schooner rig you can see my first blush (I am sure there will be an error in my thinking but its's a starting point. I'm open to any suggestions/knowledge in this regard.
Wood projects Include 5" laminated coaming, laminated curved thwart, cockpit seat backs and keel timbers. The rest of the framing to support the forward tank and cockpit floor will be light construction with 3/8 plywood floors, knees and bulkheads glued, filleted and fully tabbed.
I have read some about tiller construction for mariners. I think the best approach I have heard about is to use 2 x 2 pieces of wood, ripped from a single plank with each piece flipped so the glued-up plank won't cup and carve it into a nacra foil. This may affect the balance a bit but I see there is a company that makes nacre foils online for the Mariner so I am assuming it should be ok. If anyone knows of an organized way to approach this I'm open to suggestion. The challenge is to get similar surface area as the standard rudder without going too deep as I think it should not exceed the keel depth. This could be a trick. Twin rudders may be a solution because they point straight down on a heel so do not need to be quite as deep but it will complicate things. I may be able to find some twin rudders from a catamaran but I haven't really looked into this.
I am open to any and all comments, suggestions or tips and tricks. Also, If you have any parts laying around and you want to contribute to my cause let me know.
Here are some images. I will update the process as I go along.
Right now still grinding old tabbing and removing paint where I will be glassing.
