I
like sailboats a lot. They offer that connection with the nature, the
free, silent, ecological source of energy. The infinite range. Then,
there is the physics involved: wind speed,
lift force, drag, buoyancy, equilibrium,
momentum … all fascinating terms. Even Albert Einstain was aware of
the beauty of the sailing activity
(https://boatingnz.co.nz/articles/the-universe-relativity-sailing/).
But not everyone shares these opinions, someone prefers the speed,
power, independence of the weather that motorboats offer. I also have
to admit that lately I was in situations then I wished to have a
motorboat (guilty), or more precisely to build one. I am free from
work mostly in summer, when here, in my waters, winds are weak and
irregular. I often embark some friends that do not know how to sail,
or do not have the time or patience to wait for the breeze. I use to
combine sailing to reach the fishing spot, and fishing. But if it' s
just the afternoon, after job, usually I have just few hours, so I
have to decide for just one activity.
Considering also the boat conception, small cabin sailboats are
really nice, but no boat can fulfill all the needs, or, there have to
be some kind of compromise. Sailing gear is somewhat cumbersome: long
mast to lift, heavy centerboard to lift, low boom to be hit with,
sails in the cabin...on a small boat reduces the space for the crew
and for other (fishing) toys. Also, usually sailboat hulls are
displacement hulls, so speed is limited to the displacement speed,
i.e. about 5 knots for a 5 m long hull. A semi-displacement or
planning hull can offer higher speeds, which is also an attractive
feature. It allows reaching further in the limited time. It allows to
escape bad weather.
After this introduction, I would like to present one of my plans for
a motorboat.
M 480 stands for Motorboat, 4.8 m long. My boats are often planed to
be 4.8 meters long because this length can be obtained by adding two
plywood sheets of the standard dimension of 2.5m in length. The lines
are pretty classic, similar to local boats. A 2.4 meters long and 1.6
m wide cockpit is the main living area. The double floor makes it
self-bailing. The cockpit is surrounded by seating benches, under
which there are storage volumes. A nice cockpit tent could increase
sun or rain protection. A 2 m long cabin in the front allows a
sleeping area for two. The cabin can also be used for gear storage,
for cooking, reading and rest. There is seating headroom in the cabin
and the entrance is wide and easy. There are also storage volumes in
the cabin. Overall it is a bit smaller than the mainstream
production, but it is lighter, easier to trail and to lift. It is
faster and more efficient. Most importantly, it has more character
and it is more beautiful, with visible wood finish.
On the transom there is place for an outboard motor. A conservative
power of 4-20 hp should be enough to propel the craft.
The hull is built from 8 mm thick plywood, which makes for a good
compromise between robustness and lightweight. The mass would be much
lower compared to a usual reinforced plastic hull, which means better
performance. The consumption would be lower, the power needed to
induce planing would be lower, and the final speed would be higher.
The drawings are not yet ready, since I do not still have the life
environment to build it. But if someone is interested, I could
develop the plans in short time.
Data
LOA: 4.85 m
Beam: 1.85 m
Draft: 0.3 m
Weight: about 200 kg
Engine power: 4-20 hp
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