Don't underestimate the benefit of living close to the designer, it can be a HUGE help.

I live literally within 5 minutes of Bob Oram, and being able to invite him to pop round for a beer (oh and just have a quick look at something) was invaluable.

Wow, that's an interesting situation, 44C. Ideal, actually. I'm sure your boat has to be perfect, in every way, given the designer was there looking over your shoulder.

Kurt has been extremely helpful to me over email. I think he'll be a good person to get plans from. He is very detail oriented. I'm really starting to get excited about ordering the plans. We still need to see where we will locate (wife will be picking), but as soon as we find a spot, I'm going to order the plans and get to work.

If I wasn't committed to finishing up this 44CC, Kurt would be on my short list of designers, too. However, if you are truly committed to this, get the plans now and use the time to review them.

Hey Sully, let me know if Texas is still a possibility. I drove around Kemah today, and there are storage buildings and warehouses by the gazillions. A dock neighbor told me where to have a look since I hadn't been over in that area. He has a business, and rents for $125.00/mo including electricity. It's not as big as what you need. He figured something big enough to build a 44' cat in, would be about $400.00/mo.

Nothing was open today (Sunday), but I got a couple of phone numbers to call. We even found what appears to be an abandoned warehouse with a bunch of old trucks and trailers outside, but the road leading to it was gated off.

Any of these places are within 2 or 3 miles from a public boat ramp. My dock neighbor launched his 36/38 foot powerboat there. Should be no problem for a cat.

__________________
"Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
--W.C. Fields

Hunter 36
s/v FUGUE
Kemah, Tx.

Will be ordering them fairly soon. I'm getting pretty excited. I picked up The Cruising Multihull and after reading it (yesterday) am left with one nagging thought:

How do the rudders on the KHDS 43 handle groundings, both intentional and not? I wonder if they're kick ups....

Thanks, Ralph.

It's on the list still. The wife is looking into it. We may not know until the end of the month where we can go. It's important for her to have her income up to par because if it drops off, I will have a very hard time completing the boat. The materials cost is our life savings. Rent, add ons, paint, etc... that's all coming from unearned future money.

Thanks for poking around. We'll know in a couple weeks. Real estate sure sounds cheap there... cool!

Likely not. But kick ups are tough to do well. Some designers have two or even three build options such as skeg or transom hung. That way the owner is left to chose what fits his needs best.

Hmmm... this is a bit of an issue because I tend to ground (purposefully) the boat often for various reasons. I had my Catalac on the ground all the time (mostly because of zincs and saildrive maintenance though).

So if I am ghosting along in the shallows, trying to find a spot and I ground, my rudder will be taking the full impact of the boat's headway? Yikes. Maybe I can keep the daggerboard down far enough so that takes the hit first?

Either way, this setup is wonderful for speed, but not so great for durability, unless Kurt has some sort of trick up his sleeve. (I've asked him about this and am awaiting a reply)

As to the various options you mention above, it's a tough call. I like the idea of skeg hung rudders, actually. Had those on the Catalac. Still, it seems the skeg would take the full grounding because there is so little rocker. Hmmm... quite an issue.

Sully I'm late to the show but this looks like a very intersting project. A 45' boat paid off in three years. Sounds like a pretty good plan. I am interested in doing something like that for my dink. It would be a nesting dinghy that can row sail and hold a 20 HP engine.

__________________
"Money is not the only thing one has to spend; the other thing is life. The difference is that you never know how much is in the bank, or what your balance is. Your life is your inheritance. As soon as you realize this, you start trying to spend your life wisely." - From "Advice to the Sealorn" by Herb Payson.

Thanks, Charlie. Is there a design for your dinghy (dink) you are using? I have been just dying to get a good dinghy that can be stable, row well and plane. These don't seem too common.

I'm tired of *de*-flatables Their shape doesn't allow for good rowing. The shape of the other dinghies don't allow for good motoring. Would love to see the model you are looking at.

I am considering just using an aluminum jon boat, since they do row and plane nicely. They aren't as stable as an inflatable though. I saw one on the back of the boat I'm looking at building in one of the pictures. I also used to see them used in deep Maine all the time in the summer, as main transportation from the many island homes to the mainland.