Sunday 22 January 2012

Allegro Alegretto

My good friend Cee Dubbs is nudging my elbow encouraging me to give an update on Katie Beardie. This may be because the designer is keen to see how this builder is interpreting his creation, but its also because, as first mate and chief medical officer he's trying to get a line on-board and tow me out of the doldrums. 
Suffice to say that life on the domestic front continues to be what you might call challenging with little prospect of improvement, which has left little time for boat work and even less emotional energy to write about it.  I do appreciate the sentiment though, so here, dear reader, is the latest on Katie.





I have found a little time over the last few weeks and so some progress has been made, but I must admit its been a bit sporadic and a bit like a military two-step, two forward and one back,and that's on a good day. Looking back I'm really not sure why I did things in the order I did or even why I did them at all but I'm sure I had a good reason at the time. I know I didn't have a plan.  
I decided from the off that this boat should have some buoyancy built in, and fixed, solid buoyancy at that, not that pneumatic kind which has a habit of escaping at the precise moment you need it. I did some experimenting with expanding foam, thinking that it would be easier but quickly gave up the idea once I realised that even with foam which will expand to ten times its original volume it would take a truck load of cans and an empty bank balance to achieve my ends.  
The theory here is to have enough buoyancy to keep me and the boat safe, thereby increasing my confidence, making me less twitchy and more relaxed thereby reducing the likelihood of a mishap in the first place. However when the inevitable does happen and I take a tumble there will be enough buoyancy to keep me afloat.  Well it makes sense to me. 


Its worth remembering that if this was to happen while in full expedition mode the holds will be full of camping gear significantly increasing the all up weight of the boat.


 I've deliberately kept the cockpit relatively small so that she will hold less water when  swamped.  I am quite glad to give up any suggestion I might want to sleep on board as I'm sure that with such a narrow beam the result would be vomit inducing. A nice firm bed on the cold hard ground is more my thing.



So the hull is split into five sections. The central cockpit, two luggage holds with hatches fore and aft, and an area of fixed buoyancy at each end.

With the hatches on and watertight there will be enough buoyancy to keep the boat afloat fully laden with the crew aboard and the cockpit swamped. Should one or both of the hatches be breached then It may not support my weight but at least I'll have something to cling on to.  



The additional floatation in the cockpit, under the side decks, is there to provide a little additional support when trying to get back in after a spill.  Some folks will say that you shouldn't have buoyancy so high up as it makes it difficult to right the boat if it turns turtle. This is probably true for a broad beamed dinghy but I don't think it will be an issue on such a narrow waterline, and I'm hoping it will in fact add some extra stability. We shall see during the capsize trials (!) 


You will no-doubt be admiring the cave lockers I have designed in. Once you are sitting in this type of boat it is damn near impossible to move around, so you'd better have all those little things you'll need close at hand. Drinks, snacks, bailer, waterproof bag with camera etc. 


I was going for a clean cut, Swedish furniture store look but I think I achieved 1970's  Austin Allegro interior trim instead.  The Allegro, was actually quite a good little car but will forever be remembered as the only production vehicle ever sold with a square steering wheel.


Next time, that damned coaming.  








7 comments:

doryman said...

Excellent!
Well thought out and executed. The handy lockers are a great idea. Much of the time the thing you need most is "way over there".
Last year someone gave me an old military "dry bag". As it tuns out these bags hold a lot of air, even when full of gear. So I don't carry duffel bags anymore - clothes, tent, sleeping gear - all go in dry bags which are strapped in so they can't float away.

robert.ditterich said...

I'm sorry to hear that things are weighing you down. With regard to one-step-forward-two-steps-back situations, I find it useful to consider it a form of dancing. Going round in circles, likewise. But I hope you are soon in a position to 'sit the next one out'...

There will be a point in the future when you are sitting contentedly in that boat, feeling enormous physical and emotional space around you. Hold that thought.

Graham Neil said...

Thanks for your comments guys. Its one of the modern wonders of the inter-web that you can post a message into the ether and get helpful and positive replies from people you have never met living in the Pacific North-West and Australia.
More Soon. Graham

Anonymous said...

Check out this site to get DRY BAGS http://www.army-surplus.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=Ortlieb+Dry+Bag+Medium&Category_Code=

Graham Neil said...

Thanks for that Anonymous. However those wonderful people at Aldi had a special offer on just before the first Thames Raid. 40ltr Drybags for something like £5.99 each which is why a very large number of HBBR folk including me all have matching yellow Drybags. They will be going inside the lockers to keep sleeping bag and spare clothes nice and dry.

Andy said...

Hi Graham, I really enjoy following your blog and this craft looks great and I like the lockers etc. Just a question, what is the bouyancy you have in the boat? I assume it is the grey infill under the side decks and in the lockers.

Regards, Andy from deepest Sussex...

Graham Neil said...

Hi Andy, I'm glad you enjoy the blog. The permanent fixed buoyancy is Jablite polystyrene loft insulation. It weighs next to nothing, is easy to work and cheap as chips so that fits my critera. I used a hot knife to cut it, which seals the edges as you go. It would only really be needed if the hull was punctured and water got into the chambers. Which I hope never happens.