Drake 19 Design Work Continues

Drake 19 Rowboat Project

Oar-and-Sail Tandem Rowboat and Cruiser with downwind sail

Drake 19 Rowboat with "squgsail" for off-the-wind sailing. Drake is primarily a rowboat (no board; rudder not shown above)

The 19 is essentially a stretched Drake 17 with the hull lines tweaked to support tandem rowing and fast, camp-cruising. The boat is being modeled currently and the hull lines tested next with a quarter scale model. Once the hull form is all set, the interior will be modeled and strongback prepared for kit-building. Im excited about this boat and look forward to setitng up the first builder. I always offer an intro discount for the first builder as they are providing me with the help of documenting the build and providing feedback. If interested in being the first builder, please let me know. You can be experienced or a beginner, but one project of experience is helpful as is some good ole problem solving abilities. The discount is generally 25-30% and the plans are free to the first builder.

Preparing the quarter scale model for the Drake 19. 

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NEW! Drake 19

On the Drawing Board

New Drake 19 for tandem rowing, cruising and expeditions

For Fixed Seat or Sliding Seat Rowing

This new version of the Drake Rowboat -- my first design/build project -- really combines all that I have learned as a designer and rower and builder over the years. She is intended with the following brief:

-- fast, stable cruising rowboat

--capacity for two people and gear

--fixed or sliding seat capable

--can sleep aboard on platform under a tent 

--sailing downwind is possible

Drake 19 modeled in Rhino

An important aspect of the boat is its simple sliding seat system : 7/8" o.d. stainless steel pipes run for and aft with 15" of separation on center. The pipes are integrate into the CNC cut structure. A plywood seat-roller floats over these pipes. Any oarlock system can be used, including leathered-round oars, Douglas oarloacks, C2 oarlocks, or the folding outriggers by Shaw and Tenney. However, I think for voyaging in open water that oar-on-gunwale will be the best way, using traditionally leathered oars in horn-oarlocks or to go with pinned oars. I do think 9-9 1/2 oars would be fine for experienced rowers, using folding outriggers to get the spread for the longer oars.

Midship section of the Drake 19 showing the sliding seat system.

The floorboards are show both sitting on the inner keel as floors and raised up and sitting on the pipes to make an over 8 long sleeping platform that finishes flush with the side tanks. These side tanks double as a sleeping platform and as flotation, making the boat self-rescuable in a capsize. 

Keep posted for 3D work which starts very soon.

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Cape Cutter 19 Capable Little Cruiser

The Cape Cutter 19 was commissioned by Nick and Lyndsay Voorhoeve as a GRP trailer-sailer, styled after the traditional working craft of UK. It was first built in South Africa, then the company was sold to Honnor Marine, who have built them in UK since 2003. To date more than 125 GRP boats have been built and we have also sold plans for nearly 70 of them, to be built from plywood.

These little boats have proven to be very capable little cruisers, with a surprising turn of speed. They have won the modern gaffer division of the Round the Island Race (around the Isle of Wight) a number of times. I designed the CC19 to handle the boisterous seas and winds found around the Cape of Good Hope, so it has proven quite at home in the sometimes rough conditions around the Solent.

Most are used for family cruising but some have made interesting passages. Top of the list must be the voyage that Jo Sinfield made on "Bandoola". She was built for him in Cape Town in 2002, then shipped to Myanmar (previously Burma), 1000 miles up the Irrawaddy River. Jo sailed her down the Irrawaddy River to the Bay of Bengal, across the Andaman Sea to Thailand then to Singapore.

Jo Sinfield and "Bandoola" sailing the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar.

Another remarkable journey was the fund-raising voyage that Mike Brooke made with his CC19 "Theos Future", to raise funds for research and treatment of a congenital eye disease. Mike is an ex Royal Marine and highly experienced dinghy sailor. He circumnavigated England in June to September 2008, with a variety of friends and family crewing for him on various legs. He raised more than his target and was able to buy important hi-tech equipment for treatment of the condition. Theo is Mikes nephew, who was born healthy but lost his sight to the condition within months. Mike continues to raise funds by selling his book about the voyage, "Fight for Sight on Theos Future - A Voyage of Hope & Endeavour". If you want to read his story and support this very worthwhile cause, you can buy his book at http://www.theosfuture.org/.

Mike Brooke sailing "Theos Future"

I have just read of another voyage by a CC19. This was a circumnavigation of UK, made by David Farquhar on CC19 #11, "Pipistrelle". David didnt intend to circumnavigate, he set off for a few days of sailing to see how his boat went, then just kept going. He harbour-hopped and spread it over a three-year period before arriving back at his starting point. David is now part-way through doing the same again and estimates that to date he has sailed about 4000 miles on his little ship.

David Farquhar and crew Fiona on CC19 Pipistrelle

These very capable little boats have wonderful character and are well-loved by their owners. It will be interesting to see where else their owners may take them (or be taken by them).

To see more of this and our other designs, please visit http://dixdesign.com/.

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Drake 19 hull 1 built on Cape Cod

I took a pleasant 3 1/2 hr trip down to Wellfleet, MA, way out on the arm of Cape Cod, to meet Walter Baron of Old Wharf Dory Co. and see the first ever Drake 19 "in the flesh".

Walt of Old Wharf, boatbuilder on Cape Cod

The boat looked great to me. I was so pleased. Even as the designer, I was struck by how much boat there is; it is 192" LOA afterall. Designed to be an open water, cruising rowboat for one, the boat would also make an excellent tandem rowboat for rows in the harbor or in more open water.

Drake 19 rightside up.

The interior has two side tanks on either side of the sliding seat system. The tanks will help the boat be self rescuable, with some additional flotation in the ends, The rails slide right into precut holes in the frames of the boat. Everything fits just so.

Sliding seat system integrates into the CNC cut structure of the boat

After this build, and with a few months to finish out the drafting and writing of the manual, the boat will be available as a kit.

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Cape Cutter 19 Launch in Cape Town

Nick Kulenkampff, of Cape Town, bought plans from us in November 2013 for the Cape Cutter 19, to be built in lapstrake plywood. I only received one question from him and that was on choice of plywood for the build. A few days ago I received another email from him, with launch photos attached. He launched his boat, named "Mimi", at Royal Cape Yacht Club, in February.

In his email, Nick said "thank you for a beautiful design and also for a set of plans that were spot on. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire process." From the photos it appears that he made a pretty good job of the build, which was also quicker than most at about 15 months.

This boat is available in GRP from Cape Cutter Yachts in UK. It is the smaller sister to our popular Cape Henry 21 design.

Here are some of Nicks build photos, with explanations

Making bulkheads. These are cut from full-size Mylar patterns, included in the plans.

Transom, laminated from multiple layers of plywood.

Bulkheads and transom set up on building stocks.

Bottom skin going on. Plenty of clamps needed.

Bilge panel gong on. Keel deadwood and wood bilge keels fitted. This bilge keel is to protect the hull when aground, serving purely as a support to keep the hull skin clear of pebbles.

Forward bottom panel. Fitting this panel is the most difficult part of the build, due to the amount of twist in the panel. The twist is what forms the fine bow for good performance.

Hull epoxy-coated, primed and ready for paint.

Building the cockpit. Nicks work is very neat.

Interior, looking forward, built  before fitting the deck.

Interior, looking aft. Painting in progress.

Deck stringers glued into pre-cut slots

Painted and brightwork being done. Almost ready to get wet.

This view shows why these little boats are so quick. That fine bow works vvery well.

Launch day. The yellow boat below the bow is "Black Cat", the Didi 38 that I built.

Afloat and waiting for her rig to be set up.

Thank you, Nick, for the set of photos. She looks good and I am sure you will have many good times sailing her.

To see more of this and out other designs, visit http://dixdesign.com/.

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