Back in 2002, I received a request from a customer for a pretty Catboat. I cant remember the initial wish-list, but when I showed him Phil Bolgers Harbinger design, he was hooked. Harbinger is a Catboat of the New York model, rather than the better known Cape Cod model, and she has exceptionally fine and easy lines. ?
Fine lines
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Easy bilges
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Harbinger was designed with rowing as the primary source of auxilliary propulsion, and the New York model was much better suited to this than the more buxom Cape Cod hull-form. Phil had designed the boat to be built plank-on-frame carvel, but as the customer intended to leave the boat out of the water on a trailer, we had to come up with a different method of construction - carvel would open up when dry. The most obvious options were, glued strip-plank, glued lapstrake, and cold molded. I decided to go for strip-diagonal cold-molding, and wrote to Phil to get his permission. He was very happy with my construction plan, but indicated that he was frightened by the labour-intensive nature of the method.
?? The boat turned out to be very successful in construction and use, and Id love to build one for my own use. Very briefly, here are the primary stages in construction: -?????????
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MDF Molds set-up.
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7mm WRC strip Planking.
First of two layers of 3mm Hoop Pine diagonal planking.
Lots of staples needed in hollow sections - used a total of 18 thousand, put in individually and pulled out by hand.
Diagonal planking finished. Hull thickness 13mm (just over 1/2").
Shapely and massively strong hull.
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Launching day.
First sail.
Phil Bolgers Harbinger
When I can get around to it, Ill put up a photo gallery showing the construction in more detail.
In 2004 I built two versions of Phil Bolgers Hope, a 16 0" x 6 4" working lobsterboat.
A scan of Hope taken from Phil Bolgers book, "Small Boats" Copyright 1973 International Marine Publishing Company ISBN 0-87742-036-X
Both boats were built to order for customers here in Australia, but as is so often the case with custom-built boats, the customers wanted changes from the published plans. When purchasing the plans from Phil, I asked him about the proposed changes, and he was generous enough to trust my judgement with both the layout and the construction plan for my glued-lapstrake hull proposal.
One frequently hears of designers becoming irrate about changes being made to their plans without consultation and/or permission. A good designer will have thought over every element which goes into a design, and you had better be sure you know what you are up to before changing anything - even the smallest detail. Remember, when you purchase a plan, you are generally only purchasing permission to build a single boat to the design - the design remains the property of the designer. If you want to change something to make it your perfect boat, consider building a different design which doesnt need to be altered, or as I did, consult with the designer to see if he/she is prepared to allow the changes to be made. ??
The first Hope under construction in my Brisbane workshop. This one was powered by a Yanmar 1GM10 9.2hp inboard diesel, and was fitted with a small cuddy-cabin.
Over the years I found Phil Bolger to be an exceptionally generous person. Although I never met him he was my most important teacher (and continues to be to this day even though he has been dead for sometime). Knowing that he must have been overwhelmed with correspondence, I only wrote to Phil if I needed to purchase plans, or if I needed permission to alter a design in some way. However, busy though he was, Phil always answered me promptly with (mostly) hand-written letters of substantial length. Sometime after the two boats were built, Phil wrote this article in Messing About in Boats.
The inboard Hope back at the boat ramp the evening following the first launching. The customer had gone home, and I was ready to relax with a drink after what had been a very long day of preparation.
That is me in 2004 - tired but happy after the Hope launching
The second Hope was built almost concurrently with the first, but was set up to carry a 15hp four-stroke outboard. This boat was much quieter and smoother than the diesel-powered version, and was fitted with a light-weight timber sun awning at the request of the owner (after the boat was finished). Ive written about both of these boats in a previous post and in another here.
After eight years of using their Hope, the owners of the outboard-powered version are making some life-changes, and as part of that process they have put their boat on the market. Anybody who is seriously interested in this boat can email me via the address here , and I will put you in contact with the owners (Ill be away 2 November- 6 November, but the emails will be answered).
Here are some photos taken just the other day. The timber canopy is easily removable, and the cockpit is self-draining.
A little while ago I wrote a preamble in response to a request from Dennis Marshall for comments about Phil Bolgers wonderful Micro design - see http://rosslillistonewoodenboat.blogspot.com/2011/05/thinking-about-phil-bolgers-micro.html
Dennis request went as follows: - Dear Ross, I hate to commandeer your blog with all my questions and comments. I do enjoy it immensely. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to comment on Bolgers Micro at some future date. I would be very interested in hearing about your experiences with her and your assessment of her abilities. That was the first boat plan I ever bought. And ten years later, she still intrigues me.
My feeling is that Micro was designed while Phil Bolger was at his peak. Some of my very favourite Phil Bolger designs (but not all) come from that period, and include Black Skimmer, Micro, Long Micro, Martha Jane, Sparkler, Scooner (a.k.a Light Schooner), Otter II, Manatee, Surf, Folding Schooner, Harbinger, Dovekie, Defender, Light Dory Type V, Light Dory Type VI, Victoria, Thomaston Galley, Fieldmouse, Lynx, Monhegan, Yarrow, Nahant, Hope, June Bug, Burgundy, Pico, Apogee and Birdwatcher - the list goes on and on, and I really dont know where to draw my personal line. Suffice to say that of all the designers Im aware off, Phil Bolger has had the greatest influence on my thinking.
You may think it is a case of hero-worship, but I dont believe that is the case. It is just that Phil had such an open mind from a technical point-of-view that I am constantly discovering more thought gems. It is noteable that he said on a number of occasions that Ray Hunt was the designer who had the most influence on his own thinking, and that it was because of Ray Hunts open mind....
To Micro... well, where do I start? From the bow, I guess.
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Integral boarding ladder which makes the boat go faster!
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The first thing you notice is that Micro has a transom (or flat) bow with a couple of prominant holes. I believe that the reason for this is that Phil was attempting to match up the curve of the topside panels (in plan view) with the curve of the bottom panel (in profile view). If the bow was drawn out long enough to come to a point, the side panels would have been longer than two butted plywood sheets, and the heel of the stem would have been way up in the air adding weight and windage, but without any hydrodynamic improvement. So, he just cut the bow off at the length of two plywood sheets. The boat is faster and better handling as a result. Being a sharpie, she sails on her chine and doesnt need a sharp bow. The resulting flat bow transom has been turned into a superb boarding ladder - that is what the holes are for - and where do you push-off when leaving a ramp or a semi-submerged trailer? From the bow, of course! How many people have you seen struggling to get onto a boat through the pulpit? With Micro, it is simple, elegant, and (usually) graceful.??
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The self-draining, open bow well. This compartment is a superb amenity, and can be seen on many Phil Bolger sharpie designs. When standing in the well, one is well supported at hip height, so that working on the mast, halyards, or ground tackle is made into a two-handed affair - no need for the "one hand for the boat, and one hand for youself" routine
Well supported in the self-draining forward compartment
The Cat-Yawl rig allows the masts to be positioned at either end of the boat, meaning that the entire length of the boat is free for accomodations. A minor drawback is that the weight of the main mast is in the eyes of the boat, and therefore drugs her in a chop. But Micro quite full in the forward sections, and can stand the weight. I make my masts hollow, so weight is reduced. The mast step and partner arrangement is simple, reliable, and allows for easy stepping and lowering of the mast - all without the weight and complication of a tabernacle.
Micros simple, rugged, and easy-to-use mast stepping arrangement
The cabin and cockpit are overlapped. The lower legs of a person on one of the bunks in the cabin are under the butt of a person sitting in the forward part of the cockpit. Therefore, crew-weight is concentrated in the middle of the boat, while still having a combined length of cockpit and cabin which is shorter than the sum of the two. Think about how quarter berths work, but the Micro solution to accomodation problems is even more elegant.
Micros cockpit doesnt have a conventional foot-well. The cockpit is in fact a deck on which one sits, with a hatch in the middle through which you can hang your legs if weather permits. The hatch is on the centreline, so that even if she is on her beams end, the capsised water-line is below the hatch opening. The hatch also gives access to the enormous cargo hold below the aft end of the cockpit. If there were a foot-well, this superb hold would not be possible. The hold can also be accessed from within the cabin.
Right aft, there is another open, self-draining well into which the mizzen mast, outboard mount, outboard fuel tanks, ground tackle etc all fit. In the event of the cockpit flat being pooped, all of the green water can instantly run into the aft well, and the majority will pour out of the large outboard opening in the transom in an instant. The remainder will flow out of the drain holes and the opening around the rudder post.
Drain holes visible just aft of the tie-down strap, and around the rudder post
The rudder is mounted on the aft end of the keel, and because the rudder post runs up into the self-draining stern well, there is no need to worry about sealing where the rudder post goes through the hull - ever!
Convenient motor mounting which also acts as a super-fast way of ridding the cockpit of water
The keel structure is hollow other than for the middle section in which the 412lb lead ballast casting is located. The remaining hollow sections are free-flooding to make use of the neutral buoyancy of the water filling, and to obviate the problems of swelling and contraction of large timber deadwood components. In addition, solid timber deadwood sections tend to float (which the water filling doesnt) resulting in a reduction in stability when heeled. So Micros water and lead-filled keel is cheaper, easier to make, lighter, and provides more stability.
Just visible near the bow is one of the vent holes in the keel structure. The solid lead casting runs from approximately the first trailer roller to the third trailer roller.
There is a vent in the forward bulkhead, another one in the aft bulkhead, and a clever arrangement for venting under the companionway hatch. All of these are arranged to allow air in and out while keeping water outside the hull - even when partially capsised. Even with the boat totally closed up, she is well ventilated.
There are many, many other subtle details in the design of Micro, but Ive written too much for one sitting. A careful study of hundreds of Phil Bolger designs will reveal many similar examples of the designers genius. The great pity is that so many people see the simplicity of his more notorious designs without understanding the genius which produced them. As a result, the majority of the amateur-built PCB boats we see have been altered to a greater or lesser degree - usually without the builder or owner being aware of the design elements being violated along the way. What happens is that the crudities remain, but the genius is lost forever....
A few weeks ago, Dennis Marshall wrote to me asking for comments about Phil Bolgers superb Micro. Here is Dennis message: -
Dear Ross,
I hate to commandeer your blog with all my questions and comments. I do enjoy it immensely. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to comment on Bolgers Micro at some future date. I would be very interested in hearing about your experiences with her and your assessment of her abilities. That was the first boat plan I ever bought. And ten years later, she still intrigues me.
Well, I am keen to respond to this request, although I have to admit to being intimidated by the idea of making comment about the work of someone as well-regarded as PCB. I hope to write something this week.
Ive been very busy over the last week, and have also been away, so the writing has been delayed. However, I thought it may be appropriate to start off with a very short piece I wrote about ten years ago dealing with an imaginary cruise aboard a Micro.
The style is a direct copy of the type of essay which Phil used to write about cabin arrangement in issue #86 of Woodenboat Magazine. Although the trip is from my imagination, the information is based on experiences I have had over a decade or so.
Mike Rowe stood in the companionway of his small cat-yawl holding a mug of black coffee, which was now half-cold due to his habitual day-dreaming. He was at last starting to relax after the mental and actual turmoil of the preceding days. It seemed to him that the only place he could really unwind was on the water, and the current conditions were his favourite. A light north-easter was moving his keel-sharpie steadily past Earlando Resort and he was anticipating with satisfaction the first mental milestone of his outing – Gloucester Island.
Mike, who was approaching middle age with at least some grace, had calculated a speed over the ground of 4.63 knots since departure four hours earlier. Calculating was habitual for him. At this rate they should reach the rendezvous with his friend Ian by one pm the next afternoon, allowing for the present favourable ebb tide.
Although Mike’s coffee was now cold and unfinished, it had provided him with satisfaction beyond measure, just by having been prepared in the tiny cabin while the boat steered herself. How many times he had dreamt of such activity he could not have told anyone; but although long in the gestation, the situation had been as sweet as he had anticipated.
The other activity he had particularly enjoyed was lighting the kerosene navigation lights. These had come from a supplier in Canada many years before (he also habitually bought gear before it was needed, as though it would bring a cherished project to fruition ahead of time!) and promised to be a worthwhile investment as long as the contents of the reservoirs could be prevented from permeating the vessel. To this end, the skipper had stored the filled lights in a plastic nappy bucket. This he had chosen because of its robust construction and close-fitting lid. It normally resided in the aft free-flooding well, where kero spills could be washed away with seawater. They were more reliable than the corroded wiring of his mate’s GRP sloop – electricity had its place, but that place was not on a small boat.
Just after eight pm, Mike went below to rest. Had anyone else been present he would have justified his action on the grounds of tiredness – but as he was alone he could indulge himself for the real reason, which was that he loved to feel the little yawl steer herself. The feeling was heightened enormously when he went below. The wind was forecast to veer, so any unnoticed course change should be towards open water. A medium sized, spherical compass was mounted through the main bulkhead, so he could monitor headings from the bunks as well as from the cockpit. Danger of collision was his only concern, but during construction he had stuffed crumpled aluminium foil inside the hollow wooden masts to act as radar reflectors.
The hypnotic sound of water against the 6mm plywood planking lulled him into a short, relaxing sleep, but the novelty of this trip soon saw him back in his favourite position in the companionway. What had always puzzled him was why so few people followed the cheap and simple route to boating pleasure? Mike’s boat had cost him only a few thousand dollars, and six months part-time labour – yet she was built of the best materials and had an effectively unlimited life expectancy. His friend’s glass boat had been much more expensive (even second-hand) but gave little extra other than internal room. On the other hand, it was in need of major work to treat osmosis, and was a real handful on a trailer. To each his own – but Mike Rowe felt happy in the knowledge that his boat was simple to maintain, and that her total cost including trailer was less than the expense that Ian had incurred upgrading his vehicle to tow the second-hand GRP boat. The little wooden boat had no standing rigging, no sail battens, no stainless fittings, no winches – yet she was a true open water vessel. Self-righting, positive buoyancy, two full-sized bunks, dedicated storage hold – all very shipshape in her brush painted finish.
Mike Rowe’s advice to those who came to see his boat? : -
·Start building, even if it is smaller than the project of which you dream;
·Use high quality timber, adhesives, paint and tools;
·Keep up the momentum of the project – letting the job remain idle for even a few days makes it much more difficult to continue;
·Never leave anything in the construction which you don’t feel good about – no bad timber, no bad glue mixes, no bad joints etc;
·Seal all surfaces and joints;
·Follow the application instructions for the painting system religiously;
·Resist the urge to varnish;
·Keep it simple.
Here is a link to a youtube video taken from on-board a Micro. It was a very light day - 8 knots of wind max - but the little boat went very well indeed on the smooth waters of Wivenhoe Dam here in Queensland, Australia.
