Intrepid: a Rowing/Sailing Hybrid Adventure Craft
I’ve been inspired by the Marrowstone row boat on Craigslist - see here. This is taking a riff on it, seeing where it could go. I agree that the BOA is a bit much for an outrigger, we don’t need hull beam for stability, only load carrying, so I cut it down from 4.5’ to 3’, with a 2’ beam waterline. Much slipperier.
This design is a 24’ row/sail, long-range adventure cruiser. It’s suitable for one or two crew. The basic idea is a muscle/sail power craft that would do well in the generally calm - but not always - Salish Sea of the Pacific Northwest. There is one rowing station - this lets one crew rest, navigate or make sandwiches, while the other rows - alternating - all the way up to Alaska and back.
Optimizing the boat for human and/or wind power raises some fun issues. Like maybe it doesn’t need to have much windward ability? If you’ve ever raced a kayak dead to windward in a Laser, you know how fast they can be - a beeline course makes up for a lot of high speed zigging and zagging. That said, an outrigger still makes good sense, providing immense stability with a very slippery hull. I wonder where the crossover windspeed would be, where sailing to windward is faster than rowing?
Details: Strip-plank hull and ama, plywood decks. BOA: 12’. Self-draining cockpit, room to sleep two, end to end. Piantedosi RowWing sliding seat unit. A pair of carbon windsurfer masts, but with easily reefed and furled sails, SA: 130 sq. ft. Newick/Brown dagger rudders.
1-14 UPDATE: This morning I woke up and realized that “Roa” had already been used by Rick and his ultra-light proa design! Oops. So a name change was in order. I chose Intrepid because it seems like a good name for a long-distance adventure cruiser, also the two-time America’s Cup defender, in 1967 and 1970.
I really like the concept here, Michael. I’m sure a proa could be a great rower. Usually, one must compromise rowing ability to get a better sailboat, and the converse goes as well. Here, it looks like the compromise has been narrowed. I have a couple sketches of rowing outriggers for a proa. The main problems I run into is that one must work around the sponson, the deck, and a mast. Here, the problem of the mast getting in the way is solved by going with a schooner rig. I note that the masts have been placed quite far apart, both creating cabin space and lessening the interference of the sails. What unweatherlyness the schooner rig has, is resolved by the weatherlyness of rowing! Maybe!
Slick.
Reading a whole lot of Phil Bolger recently, I got a lot of great info on the qualities that make for a great rowboat. Like Bolger, I’m a believer in the beauty of simplicity–like rowing. Also, I’ve always wanted to introduce Phoenician technology to the South Pacific. It could be a productive marriage. Having both paddled and rowed, all else being equal, there is no doubt that rowing gets you more distance per calorie. (I am not at all sure that the back-facing row style is Phoenician, but I would guess that our first attested form was probably that.)
Also, In the earlier post, I saw the name “Roa,” and I thought, “Well now, that’s a heck of a coincidence!” Thanks for clarifying.
Cheers,
Rick
Also, I’ve always wanted to introduce Phoenician technology to the South Pacific.
I think my head just exploded! I have Bjorn Landstrom’s THE SHIP, which includes quite a bit on ancient Mediterranean galleys. They were insanely narrow on the waterline (for a sea going monohull) so outriggers would only be natural. This is just my first go around the design spiral. More musing and I think the next design will probably:
1. Be a tacker, not a shunter. This permits a single sail and mast, a dedicated transom and rudder. All this will improve the rowing side of the coin, by adding lightness and simplicity, and slightly improving load carrying.
2. Allow space for two rowers. This will allow flexibility, add power in the event of an emergency (caught in the current just above a waterfall, for example) but mostly allow for the sublime experience of rowing in synch.
The huge downside to rowing is the facing backwards issue. I’m still wondering if a Hobie Mirage Drive isn’t the best approach.
A couple weeks ago, I was trying to find Bjorn Landstrom’s _The Ship_ on Amazon, but I could neither remember the title nor the author’s name! As a kid, I used to check that book out of the library over and over. Absolutely brilliant. I could remember the pictures, but I’d forgotten the words. (Typical of me.) So thanks.
What struck me about the ancient designs was their refined elegance. I was amazed that such a high degree of evolution had been achieved so long ago. On my computer I have the lines for a very early bireme, and what a gorgeous boat it is! Historians would probably disagree, but in 800BC, it looked like they were already part of a ten thousand year old tradition.
As to backward facing, in my opinion, seriously, that’s a non issue. We have many senses besides sight. I do not believe you will find many rowers who favor the contraptions that try to “fix” that. There is a beauty to simply “feeling” where you are going.
Getting two rowers into play could make for a really fast boat, though, so keep it up! One possibility: the sliding seats *could* be dispensed with for two rowers. That gets you more rowers per foot of waterline. This was the ancient way.
I’ve never been bothered by facig aft for rowing, but there are a coupld of alternatives if you just NEED to see where you’re going.
Rearview mirrors,
small webcam and display.
Turn yer head once in a while 😉
Tom
OK, we’re back after a winter storm and power outage.
I found THE SHIP at a used book store a few years ago and was really thrilled because I remembered it from childhood. On my to do list is to replicate some of Bjorn’s drawings in SketchUp - that would be a fun project. I agree with you about the design/build sophistication of the ancient mariners - when the ancient astronauts finally return to earth they’ll probably be sailing star proas.
I’m not so much in favor of the “rowing forward” gizmos and even the sliding seat is suspect. It’s not that I’m anti-technology but I like to see what we can do with less of it. I’ve had it up to here with stupid, gee-wiz tech. For instance, my neighbor just bought a brand new Ford F-150 and someone banged into his side view mirror - $800 to replace it because of all the electronic bullshit in it? It’s a side view mirror for crying out loud!
When you’re out expeditioning, simple and bullet-proof trumps almost everything else.
</sermon>
When you’re out expeditioning, simple and bullet-proof trumps almost everything else.
</sermon>
Sermon two: Though thoroughly in favor of simple it’s been my experience that when you go for bullet-proof Mother Nature and Murphy will always come up with a bigger bullet.
Also, I’ve always wanted to introduce Phoenician technology to the South Pacific.
I think my head just exploded! I have Bjorn Landstrom’s THE SHIP, which includes quite a bit on ancient Mediterranean galleys. They were insanely narrow on the waterline (for a sea going monohull) so outriggers would only be natural. This is just my first go around the design spiral. More musing and I think the next design will probably:
1. Be a tacker, not a shunter. This permits a single sail and mast, a dedicated transom and rudder. All this will improve the rowing side of the coin, by adding lightness and simplicity, and slightly improving load carrying.
2. Allow space for two rowers. This will allow flexibility, add power in the event of an emergency (caught in the current just above a waterfall, for example) but mostly allow for the sublime experience of rowing in synch.
The huge downside to rowing is the facing backwards issue. I’m still wondering if a Hobie Mirage Drive isn’t the best approach.
There’s a couple interesting boats you should check out. Google Roger mann’s trimaran or look at the JollyRoger blog at Watertribe. The other is a cat based on being able to use a pair of mirage drives. Interesting and cool stuff. I’m trying to wrap my mind around what might be “best” for my next boat—a solo + boat able to take anything from me + safety gear out for a paddle or daysail, me and an expedition load, or me and a friend. I’m wondering if the Tandem surfski’s or OC2’s might be a good place to start at where they design. Lots of competition has weeded out what doesn’t work. I’d want more freeboard than either of those, but I think there’s something to be learned there.
Adding space for two rowers might be difficult unless the boat is 24’ long. The current OC1’s are about 15"x21’.
Dan
Hi Dan, welcome to the forums! Thanks for the heads up about Roger Mann’s blog. He seems to be using a Mirage Drive in the 24 footer for the UFC. My boat isn’t a racer so has more WL beam and payload - room for two + supplies is the goal.
Different goals always end up in differen solutions. For my nest boat, I am looking for that single + 4-500 pound capacity max. I’m thinking of blending some of the Gary Dierking designs into what I want. I have a Raptor 16 sail, Tamanu bulkheads, some ply and stringers ready to go, but no plan yet. I’m thiking of soing something more single tacking outrigger or tri though. I love your design concepts and how it fires the imagination.
Dan
Not wishing to be cast into the outer dark for this suggestion, but I’m wondering if a tri might not be the better choice for the best rower. Certainly, such a specialist would want super low buoyancy amas and would be sailed using crew weight to keep the main hull driving rather than lifting up on the lee ama. Thus structural weight and stress could be kept down…
But that’s a whole other boat, huh? (Sorry)
No worries, trimarans are double outriggers so still germane to the discussion! I’ve been think of a trimaran as well, though I think the extra ama and beams would add weight, windage and a lot more BOA since they must ride outboard of the sweep of the oars. What got me started about thinking about the proa was that Kurt Hughes mentioned how he thought a single outrigger would have been even faster than the tri he designed for Team Hallin and their transatlantic record row boat.
Well, the outrigger would probably have less frontal area and only make two wakes….but the same could be said of a trimaran that only puts down one float at a time. Weight wise, the outrigger is probably a winner.
I’m +1 on the mirage drive. Those things are incredible! You might have to design new fins for it to “reprop” it for a larger craft. It might even be possible for two people to pedal a single drive, facing each other. And don’t forget, you can lock the mirage drive and use it as a daggerboard with a small sail.
My brother is an avid kayak fisherman who uses a hobie with a mirage drive. He is looking at getting one of these:
http://www.hobiecat.com/fishing/boats/pro-angler/
I keep trying to talk him into a lighter, stitch and glue design. I’m not a fan of rotomolded anything, let alone boats. Wouldn’t it be cool to put a mirage drive in one of these?
http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/rowboats/wherry_rc/annapolis-wherry-row-boat-kit.html
Upside of the hobie is that they have done an excellent job of building a fishing specific craft. Good on em.
Or, of course an outrigger would be my preference. My wife and daughter and I were paddling our 16’ Wa’apa on Richardson’s Bay yesterday it is AMAZING how stable and spritely it is—even with 3 of us in it—almost 450 lbs!
A 16’ Wa’apa type boat with a little less freeboard and a mirage drive would be a killer fishing platform. A narrow 24’ outrigger with a little bench on the ama side could make a lovely cruiser….
of course an outrigger would be my preference. My wife and daughter and I were paddling our 16’ Wa’apa on Richardson’s Bay yesterday it is AMAZING how stable and spritely it is—even with 3 of us in it—almost 450 lbs!
A 16’ Wa’apa type boat with a little less freeboard and a mirage drive would be a killer fishing platform. A narrow 24’ outrigger with a little bench on the ama side could make a lovely cruiser….
That’s not far from what two different boats in this year’s EC are doing. One it Teak’s dual mirage drive cat, and the other is Roger Mann’s tri. The option to mirage, paddle or sail is pretty nifty IMHO.
Dan
Well, I finally looked into the Mirage Drive to see what the buzz was about, and my first reaction was, “Wow! That’s a GREAT idea!”
But an all-else-being-equal test would be in order.
And the funny thing about designing boats is I often find myself getting really enthusiastic about a concept, working through a lot of design permutations, then, going, “Nah.”
Which is what I think about a tri as a sailing rower. As a pure rower, I think there’s potential, but as soon as you add a sail, everything just starts spiraling UP rather than down. Not so with the proa. In fact, I am determined to figure out how to incorporate oars into my five meter design—despite the central mast.
Here’s a fun test of the mirage drive. Sorry for the sad video quality.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5785430926604739706
stronger than one olympic paddler, not as strong as two. Here’s another cool video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42YYFVYU720&feature=related
You should try one, its an awesome invention! And, according to my brother, the new turbo fins are a huge improvement over the old fins….