eBookFifth Edition, Fifth edition (Fifth Edition, Fifth edition)
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| ISBN-13: | 9781888671612 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Tiller Publishing |
| Publication date: | 05/01/2002 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 360 |
| File size: | 23 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Small Ships Fifth Edition
Working Vessels and Workboat Heritage Yacht Designs
By Jay R. Benford
Tiller Publishing
Copyright © 2002 Jay R. BenfordAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-888671-61-2
CHAPTER 1
KIYI
by Jay R. Benford
Reprinted courtesy of Pacific Yachting magazine from their May 1970 issue.
Like other boat nuts, I spend a fair amount of time wandering around boatyards, looking at boats — watching the way they grow into reality and the way they grow old, for there is much which can be learned by such observations and continuing visits over a period of time.
It was on one of these meandering trips last May that I found the Kiyi for sale at a marina in Seattle. She was the personification of my idea of what a boat could be, and I wanted to possess her. After exploring the whole of her, from stem to stern, and determining what was aboard and more of the details about her, I made out an earnest money agreement with the brokers.
The next two weeks were spent putting my financial house in proper order so that I could actually acquire her, in getting a haulout and survey (and doing the underwater painting at the same time), and getting sorted out with the finance company. It turned out that this was time well spent, for the whole of it was successful with the survey perfect, the finance company somehow being convinced that I was a good risk, and the ownership transferred into my name.
During this time and since then, I have had a number of interesting talks with various people about the Kiyi and her history. She was built in 1926 by Schertzer Brothers in Seattle for the Phillbricks. Schertzer Brothers had their shop on Lake Union in Seattle, right next door to where Vic Franck's is now, and their shop has been since used by the Edison Technical School for training young men in boatbuilding. At the time of her construction, the last owner, F.A. "Doc" Harvey had another boat under construction right alongside of the Kiyi. He had known and loved her for many years before he had his chance to buy her some years ago. It was only after his death that she came on the market again and I had an opportunity to buy her.
The Kiyi was designed by L.H. Coolidge, who has quite a number of boats to his credit also. Another one of his well known pleasure boats is the Sinbad, a black hulled 40-foot schooner in Seattle. She is now owned by Dick Wagner, proprietor of The Old Boathouse.
The construction of the Kiyi appears to be first-class throughout. Planking is one-and-one quarter-inch Port Orford cedar over one-and-three-quarter-inch square bent oak frames on ten-inch centers. The backbone and other structural members are of equally good proportions, and she has maintained her shape and structural integrity quite well over the years.
On deck, she has an electric anchor winch with an anchor in the hawse pipe to starboard with the chain going down into the chain locker in the forepeak. The wildcat for the chain can be declutched and the niggerhead used for hauling in lock lines and the like. On top of the trunk cabin and overlapping onto the top of the pilothouse is a flying bridge that Doc Harvey added, and it seems to blend in well. Just aft of that is the stack for the old dry exhaust, which now contains a fan for ventilation of the engine compartment or for drawing hot air off the overhead in the galley area, depending on how one works the controls inside.
The small boats are also carried on the top of the trunk cabin. There is a small winch on the boom topping lift for lifting them on and off. The canoe I added to the boat, and it gets most of the use for going ashore and exploring. The 9-foot Penn Yan dinghy has a fitted cover and makes a nice weatherproof locker for keeping gear out of the way. The dinghy doesn't get much use, and is soon to be replaced. The replacement is a most interesting boat. It is a handcrafted lapstrake, varnished 14-foot Whitehall pulling boat. These small boats are still being made by a young man in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, who is carrying on the tradition of producing fine small boats. Dick Wagner, at The Old Boathouse in Seattle, has some of these among his fleet of rowing and sailing rental boats and is sales agent for them as well.
Aft, on the fantail, we have a large beach umbrella which is used for shade on overly sunny days and for shelter in the rain. There is a small table with a hole in the middle that fits under it and deck chairs for sitting around it. At the extreme aft end of the fantail, there is a built-in seat with storage under one side and a 500 watt/110 volt generator under the other side. Inside the seatback a charcoal barbeque pit is stowed. This unit has a pipe leg that screws into the bottom of it and sits in the flagpole socket over the stern when in use. Below the fantail there is the quadrant aft, with the emergency tiller and various clam guns and the like. Forward of this is a water tank on either side, about 50 gallons each, with the pressure water set and stowage between them. This area is accessible from inside the cabin or from on deck.
Going down the aft companionway, there is a hanging locker each side of the ladder. Then, to starboard is a convertible dinette with a bookshelf outboard of it under the side deck. Opposite is a settee with similar bookshelf and stowage behind and under the seat. Proceeding a bit farther forward, we have the galley area, with range to starboard and sink and counter to port. Then, there is a box on centerline covering the engine, which serves as a buffet at times and presently is the home for the stereo set. To port of the engine box is the main head with a hot water shower — a great convenience since we live aboard. To starboard of the engine box is the electric refrigerator and more stowage. The passage along the starboard side of the engine box leads to the steps up to the pilothouse.
In the pilothouse, where a convertible settee used to reside, is my drawing board, with books and files and drawings stowed underneath. The forward end of the pilothouse has the controls for the boat, with the helmsman's seat to port. Just aft of this seat, there is a sliding door each side. Alongside the seat is a drop window port and starboard. Under the sole of the pilothouse there are fuel tanks and batteries each side, with stowage and access aft to the engine down the centerline.
Going forward from the pilothouse, one steps down into the focs'le. This is a private stateroom for two, with its own head and sink, and also a heater and the inverter for charging the batteries from shore power. There is a fair amount of storage under the berths, and some more bookshelves. In the forepeak, over the chain stowage, there is also some stowage space.
The original powerplant was a Hall-Scott 100-horsepower gas engine with a two-to-one reduction gear. The present engine is a Chrysler Royal, a flathead straight eight, rated at 143 horsepower. It has a 3.17:1 reduction gear and drives a 27x18-21 five-bladed Coolidge propellor. The engine will turn this wheel up to 2300 rpm, at which point it is fully loaded, with quite a stern wave following. Normal cruising speed is 8 knots at 1700 rpm, at which point she is burning two-and-one-quarter gallons per hour and has just over 10 inches of manifold vacuum. With a tank capacity of 200 gallons, this gives her a potential range of a bit over 700 miles.
With only 10 feet of beam on 50 feet of length (and 4-foot draft), there are some facets of her handling that are exaggerated from more conventionally proportioned vessels. Besides driving very easily when going ahead, because she carries practically her full draft up close to the plumb stern, the Kiyi tracks quite well and tends to be reasonably easy to keep on course while cruising. However, she requires care in backing situations, for the large wheel torque wants to move the stern to port. This can be counteracted pretty well in most situations by taking it very slow and easy, but with cross winds or currents in the wrong directions, it becomes rather tricky.
Another time in which the effect of the narrow beam becomes quite evident is in the manner in which she handles herself in various sea conditions. Waves coming at us from dead ahead back to practically abeam cause mostly an up-and-down pitching motion, usually of a quite gentle nature. Even in the kind of weather sometimes found crossing the Strait of Georgia or Juan de Fuca Strait, the Kiyi will keep driving right on through. When the waves come at her from abeam to back on the quarters, some rolling motion is generated, and in windy weather it is more comfortable to set the course such that this rolling motion is minimized. The clinometer on board has registered a bit over twenty degrees in weather like this — which may not be that unusual, but certainly acts as a good test on the stowage practices of the crew. In a following sea, a gentle surging motion is felt and heard in the engine.
The only way in which I can fault the boat would be a personal one. She is not a sailboat. But, nevertheless, she is as close as can be to what I think of as a sailor's powerboat.
In 1969 I purchased a 1926, 50' fantail stern cruiser, the Kiyi. I lived aboard for a very pleasant year (1970), and made the mistake of selling her. I thought that the expanding design business required moving to larger quarters. I should have just rented office space and kept on living aboard her. ...
These 34' and 38' Fantail Yachts were designed with the memories still fresh in my mind of this vessel I'd owned and loved years ago. With this thought and because she was such a fine echo of the practical vessels of years ago, I called the 34-footer the Memory. Built and outfitted in the spirit of her design, she will create many more fine memories for her owners and crew. Her light, easily driven hull makes for low construction costs, and low fuel consumption permitting long summer cruises to be a thing of reality again. She was originally built cold-molded, and a fiberglass mold was taken off one of the cold-molded hulls. The cold-molded scantlings are quite conservative, providing for robust structure.
In today's world, boatbuilding costs are calculated on a dollars-per-pound basis. This means that a boat that is a bit lighter should be a bit less expensive to build. This is because most material is sold by the pound, and the lighter boat will require a smaller engine and lighter gear.
Memory is a serious cruiser of lighter displacement which opens up cruising to those who previously couldn't afford a vessel this size. Economics and aesthetics can go hand in hand with her elegant fantail stern bringing in a classic appearance that will always be appealing.
In style, Memory is a smaller version of the Kiyi, with much the same appearance in a boat two-thirds as long. The Kiyi had the same beam as Memory, and was quite easily driven. Everywhere I went, the Kiyi was admired by others who agreed with me that she was very lovely. Boats built from this design are likely to have the same response.
Before the days of the horsepower race and before cruising became so crowded that everyone felt they had to rush to the next marina to get a slip for the night, there existed a much more economical style of cruiser. They were easily driven at modest speeds by small engines. My thoughts on this are expressed in more detail in "The Height of Fuelishness" chapter.
My comments on 10 knots being desirable, as quoted in the interview in that chapter notwithstanding, I'd suggest an even slower speed as being desirable and worth considering. This is particularly true with smaller vessels, such as the 34-footer shown in this chapter. A slower speed allows the shorter vessel to operate at a lower speed-length ratio, which is even more conducive to good economy of operation.
This 34' fantail cruiser is intended for speeds in the 6 to 8 knot range, with 6 to 7 being quite economical. We've specified a 22 ½ horsepower diesel, even though she needs only about 12 to 15 horsepower to reach her top speed. This will allow a margin for adverse weather conditions as well as towing another vessel, if aid is needed. She can be slightly over wheeled so the engine doesn't have to operate at full rpms.
The pilothouse has a two-person seat, raised for good visibility. The chart table is close to the helm, and is a onefold chart size. The sliding door port and starboard makes it easy for the helmsman to look out and check docking situations and gives good ventilation. Her forward stateroom has a comfortable double berth, with a large skylight overhead. This provides a good source of ventilation and makes the cabin well lit, as well as adding to the headroom and sense of spaciousness there, and lets the crew see what sort of day they have ahead of them before they get up. There is good stowage under the berth and in the locker to starboard.
The aft cabin has a convertible dinette, for guests to stay aboard. The galley opposite follows the slanted passageway to the aft door. The passage is offset to clear the engine, which is on centerline under the head sink. Keeping the engine aft, we've shortened the drive line, and kept the engine away from the pilothouse, so the pilothouse will be quieter. The enclosed head has a separate shower stall with a seat, so the whole head compartment won't be soaked every time someone showers.
The aft deck is at a comfortable sitting height from the cockpit sole. There is an outside control station for use when fishing. The aft deck is wide enough to serve as wraparound seating for outdoor living. The deck is self-draining and broad enough to permit using deck chairs for lounging. The fixed scuttle over the aft entry door gives headroom for going below and provides rain shelter for opening the door for ventilation in inclement weather.
Molded 'glass hulls are available to any stage of completion from Cascade Yachts in Portland, Oregon.
The 38-footer was designed for a client who admired the 34 and wanted a bigger version with a bit more room all around. Her displacement is 28% larger, which is a good reflection of the amount of space gained. Power requirement is about 17 hp for hull speed, and an engine in the 20 to 30 hp range would be just about right.
There's room for an 11' dinghy on the aft housetop versus 9 feet on the 34. There is a large hold space under the pilothouse again, giving room to carry all sorts of gear and stores on board. She'd make an excellent long-range cruiser and liveaboard. Her styling would mark her as a classic and appeal to practical sailors for years to come, making her a good investment too.
The second 38' version is another variation on our Solarium theme. The after end could be enclosed like on the 44, making a great living space. We've had interest in a Solarium 34, and this may be built soon too.
These are some of my favorite designs. I've enjoyed doing others like them in different sizes. The Solarium 44 is a larger version. For the last several years, I've been working on some 65' variations for ourselves, both to live aboard and to contain our office, and these are also shown in this book.
SOLARIUM 44 MOTOR YACHT
Design Number 272 1980 & 1988
To Err Is Human ...
Once upon a time, over four decades ago, I bought one of the loveliest yachts in the Pacific Northwest. Her name was (and still is) the Kiyi. She was built in 1926, planked with Port Orford cedar on oak frames.
I found her one weekend in the spring of 1969 when I was wandering around one of the brokerage marinas in Seattle. I was just browsing, looking for interesting boats and only poking around because I was curious. Discovering the Kiyi in one of the slips was an experience not to be forgotten. I ended up spending hours poking over her and through her and the discussions with the salesman turned into making an offer on her.
She was only for sale because the prior owner had died. The widow agreed to terms and we went through the survey finding nothing worthy of comment. Soon, I was the proud new owner.
Cruising in her made apparent something that continued with my decade living on Sunrise: anyone with a distinctive vessel has no trouble meeting people and making friends in new ports.
I progressed from using her for conventional cruising to making some modifications to the interior so I could live aboard and have my office aboard. Of course, the business was a lot more modest in those days, but I had two drawing boards, two file cabinets, a stack of plan files, and lots of bookcases aboard.
I lived aboard for about a year, living what seemed like an idyllic experience; cruising from port to port calling on clients and looking in on boatbuilding projects going on in the area.
However, this time coincided with a time of growth and expansion in my yacht design practice, and I began to have doubts about being able to carry on as I wanted on the boat. This led to one of the worst mistakes I can recollect making; I agreed to sell the Kiyi to a fellow who'd been inquiring about her for some time.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Small Ships Fifth Edition by Jay R. Benford. Copyright © 2002 Jay R. Benford. Excerpted by permission of Tiller Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Fantail Yachts,Kiyi article,
Revisions & Modifications,
Boatbuilding Materials,
The Custom Design Process, plus preliminary design ideas for more boats,
The Custom Design Contract Form,
Ferry Yachts, Houseboats & Excursion Boats,
Trawler Yachts, Cruisers, Strumpet & The Deadrise Boats,
Fishing Vessels & Power Dory Designs,
Tugs & Tug Yachts,
Florida Bay Coasters & Freighter Yachts,
Glossary,
Index,