# Boat plans



## devonwoody (21 Feb 2008)

I have come across some interesting web pages on boat plans and construction, there might be a bit of advertising involved so await your interest before I post any links.


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## Gower (21 Feb 2008)

Yes please DW. Are they sailing or motor?
Cheers,

Gower


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## devonwoody (21 Feb 2008)

my apologies re the advertising content, but I have no monetary interests in the links.

http://homepage.mac.com/peterhyndman/PDRinfo/

http://www.storerboatplans.com/

http://homepage.mac.com/peterhyndman/GIS/


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## Travis (22 Feb 2008)

Definition of a boat:
A hole in the water where you pour your money!!

I know because I have one.   

Travis


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## boatmik (23 Feb 2008)

Howdy All,

Travis is kinda right. Some boats do take a lot of maintenance. But little simple boats built using modern materials can be more trouble free than a fibreglass one - and a lot cheaper to get a hold of.

For example the PDRacerss in the links above cost Australian $350 each and haven't cost a cent for two years. 120 to 250 sterling? Depends on relative costs.

We are coming up to make new sails - some polytarp and an evening's work - cost $45.

Every other part is in fine working order.

That doesn't mean that Travis and others are wrong - he still has a boat that he enjoys and probably loves so the satisfactions are greater than the costs for him too.

Modern wood construction is lighter than fibreglass anyhow - in the sizes above it can be half the weight - and nicer to work with - and impresses the onlookers (as all woodworkers know!)

Other things that people might find interesting in general.

These comments are not to say that this is the ONLY way to build a boat - but just to say that it is one of the accepted modern methods that CAN be used and some may not be aware of.

I apologise if this is all well known on this forum.

We don't use screws or nails permanently in the structure - this method is now common for boats up to around 120ft. We use drywall/plasterboard screws to hold everything together then pull them out after the epoxy sets up - means that you don't need a lot of clamps to build a boat.

We use epoxy for all glueing - it removes the necessity for tight joins and high clamping pressures as it is a reliable gap filler.

We also coat the surfaces of the boat with epoxy - three coats - that can be applied wet on wet in one process. This prevents moisture entering and leaving the structure except at very low rates with the result that the boat won't crack joins or paint. So paint and varnish last a lot longer - which is a nett money (and time) saver.

Anyway ... it is a lot of fun and need not be toooooo expensive - whichever building method is chosen.

The boats above are sheet plywood which is very labour efficient - but there are very traditional looking boats with more parts that use the same methods from other designers elsewhere on the net thus appealing to a wide range of people.

Best wishes
Michael Storer


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## woodbloke (23 Feb 2008)

Travis wrote:


> Definition of a boat:
> A hole in the water where you pour your money!!


Another one I've heard is... 'standing under a shower tearing up £20 notes'  or is that sailing? - Rob


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## boatmik (24 Feb 2008)

Yes - that is sailing.

But even with sailing there are some boats where you can tear up 10 £20 notes and then stop tearing and go sailing.

Canoes and rowboats and fishing boats can slot in at those sorts of figures too. 

Generally a modern wooden boat will be lighter than a fibreglass or plastic production boat of the same type and size. Fibreglass canoes probably centre around the 75 to 100 lb range for a 16footer. Wooden ones around 40 to 55lbs with no special care taken to lightweight them.

But in general to use quality marine products would probably have price ranges like this ... depending on how much machining of timber you can do yourself - these are rough translations from Australian Prices where all items are built from quality materials.

Shopping in the UK would probably reduce the costs somewhat. Only one of the below is my design - so I am trying to write in a general sense rather than advertising my wares.

There are plans for some of these types that are very good for first time unskilled builders - so a skilled person would eat them up.

Plywood canoe - £300 23kg for most well designed ones.







Cedar Strip canoe - looks traditional - more work than plywood - almost equally light £500+






Sheet Plywood Sailing Dinghy - many conventional designs based around racing have become expensive because of the manufactured bits required. This style of boat uses a minimum. The boat in the pic is about £1000 including all the bits and sail etc, but you can start much cheaper (ie smaller) than tthat - and you don't need all that money to start with.

These boats don't require jigs to build over - all parts are prefabbed and then assembled into the boat in the right order.






Traditional looking Plywood Dinghies - similar costs to the above (usually a little bit more expensive than plywood boats of a similar size because you have to build a simple temporary frame to build the boat over). 

These are much simplified over truly traditional dinghies - they are all glue joined so very unlikely to leak ever and live happily on a trailer. The consummate designer in this area is Iain Oughtred whose boats are great and whose plans are wonderfully detailed - lots of craft but nothing difficult as it is all worked out.






Small motorboats are divided up in the same way according to sheet or planked and are cheaper for the same length boat (no sails and other bits) but you have to add the cost of the engine. You can go fast or slow depending on the design.

The hulls are cheaper than sailboats but then you have to buy the donk.






I have focussed on smaller sizes as this is of the most general interest.

"There are two types of good boats
Those you live aboard, and ...
... those you stick on you car roof to take home."

This is an overstatement, but a grain of truth in there too.

Best wishes
Michael Storer


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## DaveL (24 Feb 2008)

Hi Michael,

Welcome to the forum.

Your pictures have been caught by our spam trap, this will stop once you have a few more posts, here they are:-


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## boatmik (6 Mar 2008)

Thanks for that Dave.

*BOATBUILDING METHODS PHOTODIARIES*

Seeing that people here are more likely to be interested in building methods here are some links to photseries on Flickr.





Sheet Plywood sailboat - Goat Island Skiff
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boatmik/se ... 972202430/





Sheet Plywood canoe - Eureka
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boatmik/se ... 053377705/





Timber strip Canoe - Rob Roy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boatmik/se ... 490801279/





Pot Pourri including the modern version of traditional clinker construction from a residential boatbuilding school - 10 days starting from nothing to having a substantial bit of boat at the end - this indicates the reduction in labour time and skill required to produce a good result because of improved plans and methods.

Note that only two of these people had built a boat before (moulded fibreglass) and only two had done much woodwork at all.

You can also get an idea of the relative speeds of the methods of building - though the little clinker boat was using a second hand temporary mould which saved a day or so.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boatmik/se ... 281214723/

Michael Storer


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## devonwoody (6 Mar 2008)

Thanks for post, made me wish I was young again.

I dont want to launch anymore boats.


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## deano (6 Mar 2008)

very nice thread guys, im new here and think the woodworking jedi in me led me here , i am a keen fisherman and spent my last 3 hollidays boating/fishing and run a small carpentry company and work as a benchand and this thread talked me into building my own boat (most exciting) my grandad was a sea fisherman by trade and done alot on his own boats, so this will be my next goal as soon as im finished my current mission 

thanx


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## devonwoody (6 Mar 2008)

So deano, are you down in the S.W.?


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## deano (6 Mar 2008)

im in middlesbrough, but hav been boating on the norfolk broad, lochness/caladonion canal


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## boatmik (29 Mar 2008)

Hi

On my website I have a page of methods relevant to wooden boats in the modern style.

For example we generally don't use permanent fastenings in the structure - only using drywall/plasterboard screws while the glue sets up.






The screws can also be driven in with a cordless drill and remove the need for the dozens and dozens of clamps that can be required for boatbuilding.

Most of my projects I only use a half dozen clamps - though the cheaper spring type clamps come in quite useful.

Also articles about preventing wood rot, restoring old boats, etc.

http://www.storerboatplans.com/Faq/faqindex.html

Best wishes
Michael


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## SketchUp Guru (30 Mar 2008)

Perhaps I'm a bit biased but I think wooden boats can be some of the most beautiful things. I've done two if you include the cradle which most readers here will be familiar with. I've been trying to settle on the next boat to build. There are so many designs and so little money and time.

I kind of think that every woodworker ought to consider building a boat even if it is only a cradle boat. They're a good way to get some exposure to boat building without having to have a huge shop or investment.

There are many methods that have been developed by boat builders that are good skills for any woodworker. I also think it is good excercise to be made to think about working with curves. 

For anyone who might be interested in building a boat cradle, take a look at this:




Click on the picture.


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## houtslager (30 Mar 2008)

Still looks great after all the time past ,when you first showed that cradle.
Could you please post more info again, as spring is definatley in the air here in East Friesland, and I would like to start on a simerler project for the summer.
Karl


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## SketchUp Guru (30 Mar 2008)

Hi Karl.

Thank you. That isn't the one I built though.  Here's a picture of that one. I did do a version of that stand though. It's sort of my own design with a nod to Gavin Atkin who designed a simliar looking hull for an 8' boat.






What would you like to know about it?


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## boatmik (31 Mar 2008)

Dave R":29vk20hk said:


> Perhaps I'm a bit biased but I think wooden boats can be some of the most beautiful things. I've done two if you include the cradle which most readers here will be familiar with. I've been trying to settle on the next boat to build. There are so many designs and so little money and time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I don't think it even vaguely qualifies as Bias Dave.

Rather nice!

Best wishes
Michael Storer


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## SketchUp Guru (31 Mar 2008)

Thank you Michael.


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## boatmik (9 Apr 2008)

I have been watching this thread unfold from early 2007.

It sort of encapsulates the whole idea of building boats for yourself ... keeping them small ... and making them out of wood.



> I am planning to build three boats from the plans, one for each of our three children. Actually they are doing the building and I am going to help them.



The next email was to make the adjustments to the foil templates to accurately shape the centreboard and rudder for a big jump in performance.



> I am helping my kids build three PDRacers.
> 
> The picture is my youngest child with his partially completed PDRacer. The second picture is of three partially completed hulls in the garage... visible in the back ground is the transom of my Marisol Skiff by Gifford Jackson.
> 
> THE BEST IS YET TO COME!


Here are the pics he sent.











About this time I realised that a couple of new registrations had crept onto the international registration site
http://www.pdracer.com/fleets/index.htm

*West Africa* 
#164 Isaiah Bornman
#170 Caleb Bornman 



> As we go more pictures will be on the way. I will be interested in seeing the cut down version of the sail. We have made one sail so far but not stiched yet. I will add the additional corner patches.
> 
> I will send many more pictures as we go if you are interested. I look forward to your response.
> 
> ...



THEN



> Here are few shots of our first attempts at sailing our just completed PDRacers. There was a stiff wind. We had fun but we also ran into problems with the rudders. The this 4mm plywood sides failed almost immediately on the first two we put in the water. The third boat never went got tested. I am sending you a picture. I would welcome your thoughts.



The reasons for the rudder breakages are explained here as well as the remedy.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=69280
Simply to glue the tiller to the sides of the box (it was free to pivot) and add one bolt at the bottom of the box.












Isn't that the coolest colour scheme - actually they are all rather nice - the Bornman family has very good taste indeed!

And here is the rudder breakage








> Thanks for you quick reply. My daughter wrote off several days ago to register her boat as well. We are looking forward to our next outing and will keep you informed.
> 
> One more thing I forgot the names...
> 
> ...


And this on the worldwide registration site

*West Africa* 
#211 Laurel Bornman "Watermelon"

The boats looked very cool in their different colour schemes! The kids must be thrilled - they certainly look that way.



> Thanks for the compliments, I will pass them on to the kids! The other boat is my Marisol Skiff a Gifford Jackson design. I built "Dolphin" in 2002-3 entirely with hand tools in a small desert town in northern Senegal (see Louga on google earth) about an hour from the Senegal River estuary where we sailed her. We moved to Dakar in 2007 and are now sailing in Hann Bay.
> 
> When we have our first "regatta" we will send you more pictures.
> 
> ...


And then TODAY!!!!!!!



> Title - *DAKAR FLEET SAILING*
> 
> Hey we rebuilt the rudder boxes and they are as strong as could possibly be. I am very happy with them. Today we got all three boats back in the water and has a great afternoon. The wind was a mild breeze, perfect for the novice sailors to solo. They all did great! After 10 months of working and waiting they were sailing! I hope you enjoy the pictures.
> 
> Jonathan













And while the one above is a little down at the stern the next is sitting a wee bit too far back. If the stern transom corner goes underwater it slows the boat up badly.






But the next pic shows the whole fleet in perfect trim!






Thankyou Caleb, Isiah, Laurel and Jonathan! (and probably a number of unsung heroes!)

Great story!

(Michael)


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## boatmik (17 Apr 2008)

I am helping with the teaching in a ten day boatbuilding school in Adelaide Australia.

10 boats 12 students - all off to a flying start.

Most are from interstate. Varying levels of skill. Most haven't built a boat before. A couple have woodwork or home renovation skills.







I will post more info here a bit later. Most boats are Oughtred - one Storer Eureka, a Lillistone Pheonix III and a beautiful Liz Rowing scull.

The last is like a bit of jewellery.





It is well worth seeing - goes until Thursday or Friday next week - visits welcome 9 to 4 (so we have time to tidy up before and after. We are in Australia - Adelaide

Boatbuilder heaven.

Here is the photo bucket
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boatmik/sets/72157604579153353/

I'll add a lot more each day and will gradually add some comments.

Michael Storer


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## boatmik (22 Apr 2008)

Boats being built at the Duckflat spring school

The Oughtred's Guillemot - sail and rowing compromise (in a good way) dinghy






Shearwater - by the same designer - plans are very detailed. Sailing Dinghy - can be rowed






Gannet - a bit larger than the Shearwater (around 14ft)






Acorn 15 Rowboat - stretched to 17ft - two place rowboat.






Fulmar - bulkheads, strongback (ie building frame) etc are being made up and taken back to Perth as a flat-pack on a trailer (2000km). It is a stretched version of the original - 19ft cf 17ft. Fast sailing dinghy






A Lillistone Phoenix 3 - a simpler sailing boat with good rowing properties. Simpler because it has fewer panels in the hull.






Storer Eureka Canoe - one of my designs - simpler still because of fewer hull panels. The builder hopes to get it finished in 10 days.






An old putt putt is being restored - without moving to modern glue and sealing technology this boat would probably be burned as too laborious to fix by traditional methods. Building a new boat traditionally would be less labour that repairing the old one the way it was built. So the modern technology will allow it to keep going for another couple of decades.






A Bassett Liz a fine rowboat is being built - single person - lady passenger with parasol type boat.






Some bits for a Hartley 21 - trailer sailer with sleep aboard accomodation
The owner is using a foiled centreboard and rudder for the performance advantage they offer compared to the original galvanised steel sheet construction. Also making the centrecase so he has the techniques necessary for building the boat.






All the pictures are here - I will sort some of them later.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boatmik/sets/72157604579153353/

Best wishes
Michael Storer


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## sallyxi (23 Apr 2008)

Can this boat work in the ocean, i doubt..


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## boatmik (23 Apr 2008)

Hi Sally,

I don't know which boat you are talking about.

The ocean can destroy any boat. However the owner can choose the right day and the right weather.

This is the ocean

And have good fun.

If the user of the boat is skilful then boats can go sailing in more difficult conditions.

Here is a picture of some children in very small boats that are skilful sailors on the ocean. From Argentina.











All these crazy photos are here
http://www.capizzano.com/Semana_de_Mar_del_Plata_2008/

The boats are Optimists (!) - small simple boats for kids that can be built in plywood

Best wishes
Michael
fanchuan


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## boatmik (13 Jun 2008)

At the moment there is a 200 mile (300km) sail in mostly small, cheap wooden boats up the US Coast happening.

It is called the TEXAS200.

I've been collecting news on it and will put some here.

Not that I would recommend anyone to be this crazy - but you can't keep those Yanks down!!!

There are two PDRacer in the Texas 200 - a 200 mile low key RAID event up the coast of ... Texas.

Here is a shot of the course - ending at Magnolia beach - a place much favoured by the US home built wooden boat crowd.






For a better idea of why this is a good choice ... look at the barrier islands protecting the coast from anything really big and nasty (except for hurricanes maybe).

There is a chain of Google Earth Images that can whet the appetite and the imagination. The coast is mostly ranches meaning that it is pretty untouched and isolated.
http://www.texas200.com/images/route-kellan/index.htm

If they get a northerly wind - it will be a lot of work!!! But anything from the south, East or West it will be a very easy sail - except for the distance involved - that is a 40 mile a day average in laden boats.

Something like this would be great in OZ, but the Norwegians and Swedes got all the Fjiords and the USA got all the barrier islands - Texas, Florida, the ICW. 

MIK

If you want to keep more up to date than this you can see the Duckworks race site
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/gatherings/tx200/index.htm
or the PDRacer main site forum in the USA - look for items labelled Texas200.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pdracer/messages


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## boatmik (13 Jun 2008)

There are similar events in the UK - sometimes called RAIDs.

*TEXAS 200 - from Sandra at Duckworks*
*June 10, 2008*
Yes, a little late--Chuck just called. I know, I know, I was supposed to put up Kellan's position last night, but this is a new thing, and I forgot. Here is the first one and I will post the second last:
*http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=26.8854,-97.4615&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1*
Latitude:26.8854
Longitude:-97.4615
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:06/09/2008 17:23:42 (GMT)
Here is what else is going on: As of 10.30AM, Chuck and Mike are at the mouth of Baffin Bay, and most other boats are ahead of them. 





The Miller family left the start late, and tried to make time with full sail, and capsized 






(winds were gusting to 30). 

The Martha Jane skipper, who also left late, found them and helped them get back upright and advised them to reef their sail, and they are okay, but still behind the rest of the group. The Martha Jane reached the first camp late yesterday evening.

Martin Adams--sailing his owner built catamaran, has not been seen since the start, and they are hoping to hear from him today.





_(if those are just ply webs from the tramp to the hull I can't see what is preventing them from sheering off - can't see enough detail - mik)_

There were 28 boats at the first camp--Graham Byrnes in the Southern Skimmer reached camp first around noon. He recorded a new top speed for him of 18 mph, which was helped slightly by a 1.5mph current in the land cut.






Chuck says everyone he has seen is happy and having fun. they are sailing fast, but when they catch up with Kellan (whose inflatable kayak is doing just fine), they will slow down and stay with him as they have most of his food and lunchtime is approaching. He said he will give me a longer report tonight--phone connection was spotty, lots of wind.






Here is Kellan's next position:
*Kellan's position:*
Latitude:27.1006
Longitude:-97.442
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:06/09/2008 20:24:49 (GMT)

If you want to keep more up to date than this you can see the Duckworks race site
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/gatherings/tx200/index.htm
or the PDRacer main site forum in the USA - look for items labelled Texas200.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pdracer/messages


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## boatmik (13 Jun 2008)

The smallest boats doing the trip are 8ft 2.4m PDRacers

The saga of the PDRs and others doing the 200 mile longshore event along the texas coast.

Managed to get some photos from yesterday from Jim Isbell who retains copyright but is allowing use here - thanks Jim!











*Texas 200 from Sandra at Duckworks*



> June 11, 2008:
> 
> No reports this morning, but I am guessing everyone had a good night's sleep after a good meal the night before.
> 
> ...













If you want to keep more up to date than this you can see the Duckworks race site
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/gatherings/tx200/index.htm
or the PDRacer main site forum in the USA - look for items labelled Texas200.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pdracer/messages


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## boatmik (13 Jun 2008)

Here we go again ... All the pics here are of home built boats.

From Jim Isbell (who has also provided these photos taken yesterday - they are copyrighted but I have permission to put them here)













> I just got the weather report for today. On Corpus Christi
> Bay....which they were crossing today...., we had winds of 50 mph and
> gusts to 55 MPH!!!!
> 
> ...



I don't think it was quite that strong around the edges of Corpus Christie Bay but it sounds like it wasn't an easy day for them











From Andrew Linn via Jeremy Nodsworth


> I got a call about an hour ago from Andrew. (he is in one of the PDRs)
> 
> His words (as close as I can remember them) were "Jason and I tried to
> quit today. We really tried. John left out before we did and we'd
> ...













If you want to keep more up to date than this you can see the Duckworks race site
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/gatherings/tx200/index.htm
or the PDRacer main site forum in the USA - look for items labelled Texas200.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pdracer/messages


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## SketchUp Guru (13 Jun 2008)

Thanks for posting the updates there, Boatmik.

A couple of weeks ago we had the Lake Pepin Messabout. There were a couple of PD Racers there. 

This one was said to be PDR #2





And this one clocked 6.5Kts on his GPS


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## boatmik (13 Jun 2008)

Howdy Dave, 

yes Mr Abraham's #2 "Ugly Duckling" was a lot of the reason we started to get interested in the PDRacers here.

It is a very seriously clever boat that clearly sails well.

However I do have a pic of one that has gone a bit faster than the other you show - in tideless, currentless water.






here was the GPS reading after the attempt






The average was low because the wind was about 25 knots and I had to go to shore to reduce sail area. I had to sail downwind (wind behind) into a narrow gap between two wharves and I didnt want to be doing it at 8knots!!!

For everyone else ... PDRacers have a whole series of "not too serious records" including the biggest fish caught and the largest number of people in the boat at one time.

Honest ... we are not COMPLETELY serious about our records (wonder what the wind will be like this weekend?)

Michael Storer


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## Tusses (13 Jun 2008)

some of the boats on here look easy enough to make

http://www.vintageprojects.com/


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## SketchUp Guru (13 Jun 2008)

Most boats really aren't that difficult to build. It's more about just starting it and plugging away at it until it is a boat. The "writing sideboard" shown in the Projects forum is an example of a piece of furniture that looks too complicated for me but I'm sure that if I just got started, I could build one too.

Boatmik, that definitely beats the speed of the other PDR but the day of that speed run the winds were only 10kts, gusting to 15kts.


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## boatmik (13 Jun 2008)

I'd completely agree with that - I've seen similar numbers - in flat water at least!

MIK


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