Subject: [harryproa] Re: Crazy rudder idea
From: Mike Crawford
Date: 11/6/2008, 1:22 PM
To: harryproa@yahoogroups.com.au
Reply-to:
harryproa@yahoogroups.com.au

Gardner,

  Of course your rudders would kick up in both directions -- obviously they'd be facing the right direction when running into anything.  I had the beam-mounted rudders in mind at the time, which I think do kick up in both directions, but didn't fully think before asking the question.

---

  I don't have any sketches.  I pretty much like Blind Date with a few changes: a collapsing system, probably beam rudders, possibly a schooner rig, a hardtop bimini with roll-up clears instead of the existing weather protection. 

  I'm also considering the same design in a standard Harry, which would cost less and could potentially be shipped inside a container.  If we're not planning to cruise for weeks at a time, why pay for twice the boat?  I can pee while sitting down if it saves $100,000.

  But every year my plans are still five years away.  It doesn't help that I keep spending money on other boats, and that my wife and I are building a house.  In the end, the delay will allow for more experience and innovation with items like rudders.

  I'm in Maine, by the way, and normally sail both a Norseboat 17.5 sailing/rowing dinghy, and a Stiletto 27 open-deck catamaran.  Each season I swear I'm done with upgrades, but then the next season comes and I just can't help but get new chartplotters, new electric panels, new rigging, and other gadgets.  For better or for worse, I love what I have, and that postpones the push for the next boat.

  However, we're about to have a daughter in February, and once she's a bit older, I'll want something larger and more seaworthy than the Siletto.  At 1200 pounds, tt's the perfect daysailer in light to mid winds, but the boat is too darn light for anything offshore.  It can be very disconcerting to fly off a wave and land softly, transom-first.  One big gust at the wrong moment and that boat will either capsize or reverse pitchpole.  Thus, we don't go out in big winds, nor do we go out far enough to where big winds could cause trouble before we could get back to safety.

  The two boats we've settled on for the "next boat" are a Harryproa and a Wharram Tiki 38. 

  While I just love lines and rig on the Wharram, I can guarantee that it will sail like a dog in comparison to a Harryproa, and there's no chance of breaking it down at the end of the season in order to avoid a $5,000 boat yard storage fee.  There's also the complexity and failure points associated with all that rigging, as well as the flexing structure (which some see as a benefit and others as a curse).

  The Harryproa or Visionarry, on the other hand, should cost less than the Wharram, offer two doubles or more for accommodations, might be more seaworthy for a variety of reasons, and could technically be stored on our own property.  Plus, while I don't feel the need to be the fastest guy on the water all the time, I will admit that it would be tough to give up the performance of the Stiletto and settle for the Tiki.  20 knots is fun once every year or two, but ten knots is fun most of the time.

  Thus, no matter how much I look at other boats (tri's, open-deck cats, etc.), nothing seems to come close to offering the performance of a Harryproa at anything near the same level of price, safety, and simplicity.


       - Mike



Gardner Pomper wrote:

I am also interested in a collapsing beam, but my boat keeps getting bigger and at the moment, it would only collapse to 16' so I am not sure if it is worth it.


The rudders are balanced, such that the water flow should always face them in the direction of motion. I guess if you were using your engines to back up and held the rudders in place with the wheel, they would not kick up, but I am not that worried.

I would think they would kick up at an angle, but if the angle is too acute, then (hopefully) the failsafe hinge up near the beam would release and kick up the whole assembly.

I have forgotten where you are, Mike. Can you refresh my memory? Do you have a sketch/drawings of your boat yet that you are willing to share? I would like to see the accomodations. Mine has just gotten too darn big!

- Gardner
York, PA


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