Launch day always seems to come
later than planned (the boat was sitting outside on the transport
wheels for the last two weeks). Trying to get enough people
together to show the boat with a full load of adults, and to
have someone to take the photos can be problematic at the Red
Barn. Also finding a sunny, or not so rainy day in the Pacific
Northwest in the winter time can be a hair puller too. But there
are people waiting to buy the plans, and I want them to see
what the hull looks like in the water before they order.
The boat has a 20" high transom, so you will need to
use a "long shaft" outboard, or make some changes
to the plans to change the stern panel height (but you lose
freeboard). There is an alternate seating arrangement in the
plans if you are only going to use an outboard motor (gas or
electric) and not sail the boat.
I was able to get my friends Bob and Armel to come down to the
lake to help me with the launching of the 10ft Nuthatch Pram.
You will recognize Bob from the FlyCaster build stories and
launch photos. He was very impressed with the way this boat
handled and floated, and so was I. This hull floated near the
same point that the model did in the water tank tests. Actually
a little higher, as I was using "supersize me" scale
weights placed in the model for the tests. The flickr.com photos
show the hull with the scale weights placed for the outboard
motor seat option.
I was delighted to see that the hull rowed along with little
effort, and could spin like a top when I counter pulled/pushed
on the oars. But the deep V kept the hull going straight when
I wanted to; with barely any corrections. The hull sets high
when rowed by only one person, and the transom corners just
barely go under when someone is setting on the stern seat.
I will update the Flickr site and send in a couple of photos
to Chuck for the Duckworks "reports" section when
I finish working on the mast, boom, and sprit pole. Then I wait
for a not too cold and windy day to take her sailing; if I can
find someone besides a newspaper reporter to take the shots.
The link if you haven't already bookmarked it is: https://www.flickr.com/photos/10ftnuthatch
I love this boat, and can't wait to get the sail rigged and
the 10ft Nuthatch Pram in the water on a windy day. For those
waiting for me to get the 12ft Nuthatch Pram off the drawing
boards and on some plywood sheets; your time will come this
spring, as I am redoing the lines a bit, and it will be a rowing/outboard
hull. The next hull up is the prototype of the 12ft O&P
Pod, and I will start working on it around the first of the
year.
Plans
for the 10 Ft Nuthatch are available from Duckworks
Plans include the following
PDF files:
- Printable Paper model - FREE
Download
- 50 pages of instructions
- 26 pages of detailed drawings (examples
below)