Jeff Gilbert Design #C105 C105 Doc01

28ft Offshore Catamaran

A uniquely simple sheathed ply design for garage builders.

This boat resolves a standard planing hull form into a very simple structure, built traditional dory style
without frames, stringers, strongbacks or moulds. The build uses standard sheet ply sizes with few cuts
and hence minimal lofting, all basic. A traditional dory build is shown in Woodenboat Magazine #145
p76.

This write-up refers to the basic Hulls-only structure: -a person of average stature can complete all work
from the shed floor. Adding a demountable pod to the bridgedeck introduces clambering , vastly
increasing the build time.

The design is a way to obtain a capable offshore cruiser within the boundaries of a wage-earning life.
"Capable" means this catamaran can make shorthanded passages in safety and reasonable comfort
without the crew returning to work a week late.
 Drawings:
Hull Study
Pod Study
Interiors

Constraints met by design

1/ buildable by one person in a year part-time.
2/ buildable in garage or rentable area with flat floor.
3/ cost bearable as you build by disposable income from award-level wage.
4/ buildable with basic tools, skill and confidence levels.

Initial Compromises...

Minimalisation in all design decisions. (ref Bob Oram)

No expensive spinnakers, gennakers, prodders.(ref "Red Jacket",Hobart 99)

Build without the demountable pod, which is a social area only

- bow -indoor social dining with panoramic view (sitting HR)
- stern -outdoor -fishing/dinghy launching area

Ppassage making is safer without it anyway, dispersing water through the boat between hulls. (see
Wharram)

sitting HR only, but with full leg-room. (Across-hull seating is possible but cant stretch out)

Use a second hand rig.

Heavy CL plank crossing beams enables rig position tuning.

Other design notes/specs:

Not trailerable but demountable. Will fit trailer limits by reversing & overturning one hull. Difficult (350
kg/hull, curved decks -need lowloader).

Waterproof hatches and portholes only. No companionway = dry interiors.

Daggerboards 8’x 2’ 25mm shaped Marine ply held flat against inside face of hulls at CLR by rungs and
sacrificial blocks.

Fast run-off Bridgedeck(slats, net or tramp).

Cockpits 2' deep with 1.5-inch drains and slope (slight) to assist.

Main hull layout flexible, see attached schedule.

Cockpit bulkheads slope up to rear doubling as saloon/cockpit seat backs.

Note stern utility spaces -head, double berth, raft, anything bulky & light.
9.9HP OBs were intended auxiliaries. If cost permitted a 10hp electric inboard in one or both hulls would
suit, retaining a small OB for a RIB. The payload covers six batteries which, apart from usual uses,
would be handy for trimming if adjustably mounted in a low angle iron rack under the berths.

Specs

Ply: Sides, bulkheads 12mm, decks 2x6mm, furniture 6-12mm.

Dory hull bottom-soles, daggerboards 25mm Hardwood or marine ply.

Total ply is 1 cubic metre or 640kg.

Dry weight one ton without crew, cruising two.

Dimensions (ft) 28/28 x 5/18 x 0.8 @ 2tons.

HR max 53 in.

Suggested fractional rig with 100% FT on 30ft woodwing rotating mast with
swept back shrouds to outer of hulls and forestay to front beam. Roachy fully battened main. Total 500 sq
ft.

Build Method

Cut and assemble main 4 bulkheads and transom from 12mm ply and 50 x 12mm HW. These are flat
bottom. Sides 25mm flare in (no 1), straight (#2), curve out 25mm(3,4) and the transom is a rectangle 3ft
wide and one 9.9HP long-shaft OB leg high. Deck profiles are circle sections curved on various radii very
close to 3ft 6in (see station dwgs) and easily lofted with pencil and string. Highest is 15ins above sheer @
Saloon/Cockpit interface (NB no companionway to "Galley" Saloon, maybe to "Nav" Saloon. This is not
a design you want full of water, as slatted floor is the only bilge in saloons.

Scarf and cut 25mm bottoms 28ft long triangle, stern 3ft triangle base. Plane edges from vertical stem
(12mm wide tip) and stern using bulkhead angles.

Scarf 12mm sides, cut just over 28 ft long. No other cuts. Tack temporary chine logs on sides to position
rocker, which is flat under saloon rising 10in. to bow/stern.

Clamp and glue 75x12 stem-piece between sides leaving a 28ft long 4ft high plywood Vee shape (viewed
from above) self-standing upside down on the floor.

Fit the bottom into this, positioning down onto temporary chine logs, and minimally tack sides to bottom
planed edges (2x28ft of join).

Fit transom. Remember we are building sailing way-up.

Fit bulkheads, checking that this will true up any twist. If not brace the twist out. Here high quality ply
will pay for itself.

When satisfied with true run thin epoxy into all joins. Repeat when dry.

Fit permanent chine logs between bulkheads.

Measure cut and fit extra bulkheads 9inches from 1,2 and 4. Fix by sandwiching 9 inches of straight
(Xbeam) lumber running sheer to sheer with the fixed companion bulkhead. You now have your 3
crossbeam slots.

Fit beam-lashing cleats (with backing plates), even if you think you are going to bolt crossbeams (see
below). You’ll use them (tie up dinghy, tie up boat, raft up, tow log, jury rig, tie down/craning point for
demounting.

Fit furniture - seats, tanks, battery rack under berth, & berth base(38 x 96in). Put in cockpit floor/seats
with slope to boat CL and 40mm drain..

Roll over hull with ceiling beam block and tackle. NB max girth < 16ft.

Trim excess sides to bottom , sand and fair, glass bottom & sides, paint, roll back. Glass carefully around
cleats to strengthen. Glass cockpits.

Deck it all (except 5 x 5ft cockpit & the 9in crossbeam slots) Stringers, 2 layers of 6mm ply will take the
curve. Crossbeams will break up your eye if deck is less than perfect and you can even throw extra height
in the saloon, which is isolated visually at deck level (between beam & cockpit).

Build crossbeams. Note their size is a bit arbitrary, the main one is 18 in deep and you may want it 12in
wide instead of nine.

Carefully glass beam slots, it’s a rot point. Glue hard rubber mats in bottom.

Crossbeams can be bolted through hull bulkheads with one big SS bolt (flex) or 2 smaller (rigid). Use ply
washers to spread the load, lots of epoxy, and wall the holes with SS or plastic pipe. Reckon this will leak
slightly. If you cant live with that don’t do it, lash the beams (semi-rigid) to either side of each hull using
multiple loops of 6mm high quality nylon round cleats mentioned above.

Bolt 24ft long 12"x 1" plank in position up centreline. This is for tramp fixing, walking forr’d, and is
your mast-step, enabling you to rig the boat any way within reason including 2 masts. The mast-step
plank provides the flexibility to use a much cheaper 2nd hand rig. Fitting this plank will have to be
incorporated in design as the crossbeams vary in depth, the main one tall enoghto provide some safety
and shelter for the bridgedeck.

Performance

Cruising/Racing: Bruce # 1.36/1.66 SA/D 29/43 D/WLL 91/51

500sqft or 10 BHP o/b indicates 8kts @ cruising disp 2 tons (Race = 2500lb)

Calculations indicate an absolute maximum hull speed of 16 knots.

A stripped racing version souped up to 600sq ft of sail and weighing 1 ton indicates a base speed of 13kts,
at 2600 lbs 12 knots.

Intended changes from current plan…

Lengthen the six-foot long saloons to seven.

The 6-footers have 2 seats with 17"sq base pads that 6'6" people can sit side by side on with their backs
straight and fully supported. Replacing the companionway and lengthening the room a foot enables you
to repeat the arrangement giving 2 pair of opposing seats. Seats can be fitted to sit crossways if facing
fore and aft causes back discomfort, a problem in monohulls. However whilst the hull side is a good
backrest, you cant stretch your legs out. A 3ft minimal galley unit on one wall (cooker, sink, chopping
board) has a fold up table in front, a fold down seat opposite for the cook who faces outboard. There is
always one seat free for stepping down or looking out from the overhead inboard hatch. In the other hull
you can have a similar setup, Id be inclined to make it a master stateroom including the instruments &
large desk/navigation table.

To gain the additional foot of length in the stateroom(s) you can

1/ move the beam/ bed forward (this narrows berth 1.3 inches unless one increases the main b/head beam,
which also widens seats.)

2/ move the cockpit back

3/ lengthen the boat to 29ft without needing more ply for sides.

4/ Slope the rear cabin bilkhead to the rear at the top. This creates both a backrest angle for the cross-
seating in the saloon, and a foot-space so one can stand up to the windscreen in the cockpit-in effect it
gives an extra 6 inches in both cockpit and saloon.

Option 1 appeals as it is best structurally, plus simplest.

Option 4 would also definitely be adopted by the author.

Pod Option

Dimension OA 9x5 Min, could be bigger (widen boat) Rec only, sailing from hull cockpit. Front under-
cover half -roomy table/seats for 6 with panoramic view. Rear half -for fishing & launching tender it’s
for coastal stuff - id lose it for Ocean Crossing.

Summary

Design C105 is a good result against Dick Newick’s well known

Designer’s aim of comfort & high performance at low cost.

It should be remembered in the assessment of intangibles that the

folk this design are intended for are satisfied with the basics of food,

warmth and shelter rather than a glut of fashionable rubbish.

Though comfort is relative, performance and low cost are absolute

and this boat delivers both, especially with labour evaluated as a cost.

Jeff Gilbert Design

July, 2000
GUMBOOTS CATAMARAN
design by Jeff Gilbert
This project contends that simplifying the catamaran hull to 4 ply epoxy panels can
produce a fully ocean capable cruiser for an attainable price/build time combination. It
hopes to bring fast ocean travel to the wage earner.

Gumboots is a 31ft dory-hulled performance cruiser with kicked up rear to a curved

bottom at the transom simply to ease the exit, which would have been a straight line.
Nose is dipped in slightly for directional stability but will kiss the water if the boat is
unloaded to a 2 man skeleton (race) set-up at 3380 lbs. Entry is extremely fine with a
fairly bluff 2 inch bow which may be rounded, but the deck sheer plan generates massive
reserve bow buoyancy despite an absolute minimum of ply torture/twist. All verticals from
chine to sheer are straight. Prismatic Coefficient is in the offshore range at 0.62 and
hobby-horsing is made virtually impossible by the wide rear.

The centre of buoyancy is calculated twice by separate methods one a spreadsheet of

construction, one a spreadsheet of the loaded boat. In both cases it came out at 18.25
feet back from the stern, which is about where you stand at the galley, luckily for the
cook.

As the mast is both well rearward and raked, the boats centres of action are all close to
the cockpit and it would be possible to operate the kick up lee daggers from here using a
winch and a couple of lines, but its easy enough to hop up on the bridgedeck and drag the
boards up or down, as most of their weight is on the pivot. They will not be damaged by a
full speed beaching, or striking a whale etc.

The hull shape is the best compromise I can manage of ease of build, and performance at
a range of weights which will see the boat able to compete two-handed with an upwind
Bruce Number of 1.57 and cruise loaded with 4 crew and a months water at 1.37. Water is
stored in 10g bags around the hull, enabling fine-tuning of trim as the galley header tank
in the cockpit coaming is topped up. A reliable program indicates 250nm in racing mode
and 208nm covered in a seaway in 24hours, and while the boat is no dragster, Id expect
bursts in the high teens without any heroics.

The 20-foot beam ensures reefing down won’t be necessary until the boat is travelling
uncomfortably fast. Not directly comparable with any boat past or present, the nearest
would be to imagine one of the Woods cruisers minus the bridgedeck pod. The open
bridgedeck is a safety element, but the boat could be made a lot roomier by small pod
and bridgedeck cockpit, enabling the wide soled areas taken by the cockpits to be
converted into accommodation. There is both room and carrying capacity to do this.
However the build time is right out of scope for this project, which is a deliberate attempt
to see just how quickly an efficient cat can be built.

To this end construction, which should be indoors, is by female moulds spaced by the first
9mm layer of the dory bottom itself. Two 32 x 4 ft 9mm ply panels are slid down past the
bottom, sitting flush with it at the point of maximum draught, and passing it in slots ford
and aft. With the moulds levelled properly and the ten-inch rocker checked, the chines are
filled inside with thickened epoxy and the few permanent bulkheads filleted in. This swiftly
built 31 x 5 foot hull is joined last at the stem, which is specified exactly and is a sandwich
with a 12mm alloy plate at the centre to provide a fore beam strong enough to lift the
entire boat. The open hull can be fitted out to suit the builder, and the suggested cabin
height altered as desired to give headroom in the saloon and stateroom. Jim Townsend’s
boat has a shower in the stateroom entry, which governs the headroom. As no sole is
needed (a wooden grate is suggested) full HR is easily achieved (6.3ft in drawing).
However for cruising in heavy conditions a simple water ballast system may be added
beneath a sealed sole.

The hull can be raised in slings and turned to finish the bottom (cut off excess sides, one
final ply layer and glassed to above WL). Or the hull can be simply rolled over inside 2
circular-cut moulds. Or pushed over on mattresses. Many will prefer to do this before
finishing the cabin, it matters not, as the overall weight is well under 1000 lbs at this
stage.
The moulds are reused for the second hull, and the beams check fitted before this is
finally done on a launch beach. The bridgedeck features a central beam enabling some
variation in the mast position – thus the builder can save much by using a second hand
rig.

The open bridgedeck is surrounded by an 18 inch wall formed by cabin and beams, and
the boom is set very low enabling a large (547sq ft) sail area with a simple to tack blade
jib and just a 41ft small section 3 wire rotating semi-wing mast to be self-built in cedar
strip and glass, or built from a semi-oval section available
at an overall weight of 73.2 kg. The wooden wing would be
somewhat lighter. This rather unusual rig is still being
discussed, but this designer is all for it for simplicity,
beauty, and lack of overall air draft.

Prototype construction in Adelaide at the experienced

hands of Jim Townsend is expected to commence early in
2004, when I return from a 3-month spell of retirement
house building in Tasmania.

Any comments are of course welcome, but as I wont have

the opportunity to reply till February, please be patient. All
correspondence will be replied to eventually.

Jeff Gilbert
jgilbert@webone.com.au.

c
 Gumboots Update

The Original

Plans are afoot to commence building the fast cruising, open decked 31 foot Catamaran Gumboots in
Australia in 2005. This is the one from which building plans will be derived. Hulls are around 31 x 5
feet.

The triangle bottom shape in the drawing below (with 10.5 WL length to WL beam) may never be
developed to build plan stage despite my belief that it will outperform any boat hitherto designed
upwind. Weight is thrown onto the lee chines, which are angled 3 degrees upwind. These hulls
automatically fight lee drift. The triangle footprint makes builders nervous for the wrong reasons, the
boat has been shaped & balanced not to bow plunge, but the inevitable losses are in the exit waterflow
which is not as clean as a conventional hull.

The new bottom is still a dory, but faster at better than 12 to one. It makes the main cabins bigger and
the aft Head and Navigation cabins are a little longer and narrower in footspace only. You can still seat
4 in opposing pairs for cards, but two of the seats are fold downs and the big comfy 2 seater with room
to stretch legs right out is the go.
Transportable Version with New Bottom

Interest in a version of Gumboots that could be transported in a container led to a concept redesign,
involving a more conventional bottom shape to enable a narrower overall hull. Take away the 5-foot
beam & the accoms are a problem, eased by redesigning the bottom.

Some containers are as narrow as 91 inches. The space can be eased by putting the hulls nose past
nose, with centrelines offset a foot over the container length. With packing they cross 12 feet aft of the
bow where the hull is 94.3 percent of its beam.

The hulls I’ve sketched here are 4 footers and will go in a container 91 inches or 2300mm wide. Just.
No room at all left. Unless one can find a bigger container for sure the hulls should be on 3.75ft
frames, or else one may face paying for two.

A packed up 28-footer crosses at 83 percent of its beam and so can be much wider.

The safe options for guaranteeing container ability:

• 28 x 4.25 interior beam

(8540 x 1300 on a 700 sole/bottom)
• 31.17 x 3.75 interior beam
(9500 x 1145 on a 600 bottom)

I’ve sketched “Gumboots Alfresco” below to try and show what sort of space is available in a 4-foot
hull.

The 31 hulls packed simply cross too close to their point of maximum beam to get good hull width. Put
up with it or double the work with deck level accommodations.

In many ways I’ve drawn the wrong boat here, a 28 with wider hull beam would be the best way to go.
Not as fast as the 31, the 28 may as well make the sole wider and get very comfortable. It could thus
be comfy enough without deck pods. The missing meter would come out ford of the crash bulkhead,
the cockpits and the dining table, a bit everywhere and you wouldn’t miss it much except in miles
made good.

The “Galley” hull has an athwartships galley with the corner of the bench stepped on to get below. The
sink is off to one side; its structure supports the dagger case or outboard dagger rungs at bridgedeck
level. A stronger method would be an extra box beam from dagger case to case.

The narrower hull has angles which means very comfortable fold up seats can be created facing
outboard with an athwartships seat of 30 inch width in which 2 might jam if they were in love.
Otherwise it’s a great armchair. You wont be playing bridge without the 5-foot wide hull. The ford berth
is 84 x 34“ too tight for two.

The “Owner’s Stateroom” hull would have the berth in the wider part of the hull and high, losing a bit
of potential cabin space to get about a 43 inch wide double in the 28 foot version, and a 39 incher in
the 31. Still leaving enough room for a thru shower entry, and good dressing space. The drawing is in
one-foot squares, print it and have a scribble. There’s room for a deck accessed single forrd. Some
may prefer to raise the cockpit and put a single berth each end of a large open space.

Over the 31 x 5 hulls in a previous article, you lose nothing but the width to stretch. Gumboots is a
small yacht, really best for 3 on a trip, but very safe offshore with thru bridgedeck draining, high
clearance, deep cockpits and extreme stability.

I’m not saying it’s easy to build. I am saying it is possible for a human to do without wrecking their
life, where most offshore designs are not.
If you wish to move your Gumboots, it must be built in its simplest form so it’s demountable. You could
build independent deck pods containing double berths that lash on the deck slats, and take them with
you.

Gumboots Alfresco

A homebuilder’s Dreamboat, buildable from the bare and simple transportable model. You might do
this after sailing the basic Gumboots for many years, or accidentally having a family! I know it’s pretty
basic, but to my way of thinking it’s a massive job and this is why the boat can be built in stages. Note
that this could be done to pretty well any cat with 20 feet of beam. If she were 28-footer, the
bridgedeck eatery or a berth would go, as you couldn’t carry the beam comfortably.

Having transported Gumboots where you want to be, you will probably want more room. Gumboots
Alfresco is a two-stage idea involving putting doubles berths up on the bridgedeck.
The mast would be raised a foot as shown to cover the pod, but if you added the screen it would go up
a further 18 inches. The windspeed to raise a hull at 29 knots on the beam is so high that this simply
isn’t an issue – the beam of the cat makes it extraordinarily stable and she’s a very swift reacher as a
result. The screen covers a really nice central dining area that seats five, which is about the most you’d
take on the boat. Inside there is space to seat 4 or 5 around a table for dining or a game of cards, but
both outward facing seats and table fold down in halves with a cutout bulkhead, a necessary evil,
between them. You wouldn’t sit in for a long period, as unlike the other larger seats you can’t stretch
your legs out. The aft armchair provides bracing for the cook at stove, sink or chopping board.

On deck there is a substantial centre beam to build as a footwell; it could also take motor and fuel. If
you were sure to go this way you would already have built it in the original.

The biggest plus is the spray protection afforded the bridgedeck on this fast boat. Others are the
apparent room inside, giving a massive increase in resale value.

The biggest minus is your boat is no longer demountable, and that this is a massive job, taking nearly
as long as the original build.

How fast does it go?

This is as useful a question as “What colours does it come in? But I’ll try.

In a swift cat you invariably wind up on a reach as you pull the apparent wind onto your beam. On a
good day, reaching in the basic 2 ton no-frills clear decked 31 foot Gumboots with the sail plan drawn,
you would be cruising along happily with a 21 knot wind off the beam and the full sail plan up, alert for
gusts, and your sails developing 25 horsepower. You have a power to weight ratio of 200 lbs per HP
and you would in a conventional mono be travelling at speed to length of 1.85 if the hull could manage
it. These hulls can not only manage that, but also have a fineness factor on their side, which will boost
the S/L to 2.

I’d expect the boat to be cruising calmly at 11 knots.

The top end is fairly wide open and depends on skill, nerves and sea state. If you have a strong steady
25-knot wind and flat sea 15 knots plus is possible. Many claimed 20-knot boats will overturn before
Gumboots, which, sailed correctly, will sideslip if she lifts a hull, and won’t capsize at all. By this I
mean if you are trying to reach in gusty, lumpy conditions you should pull up the lee dagger board and
point a little more upwind. If a hull flicks up you will simply sideslip and drop back in.

Heavier Gumboots will be slower in light airs and relatively faster than a stripped light version in heavy
going.

Richard Boehmer’s respected “Base Speed” formula predicts seaway passagemaking in 24 hours as
follows:

• 28 foot container Boots loaded to 5000 lbs @ 181nm/day

• 31 foot open deck Boots loaded to 5600 lbs @ 206 nm/day
• 31 footer stripped to 4400lb (say a race?) … @ 232 nm/day

Immersion is around 660 lb an inch and you can take a ton of junk to sea.

Literally. But it will cost you 15 percent, 30 nm per day, or 1.25 knots.

Final Comments

The one to be built, Jim Townsend’s, is the best of Gumboots as it follows the creed of absolute
simplicity. It will be slightly modified to a more conventional bottom giving an improved aft run, a bit
more speed and improved accommodation space. No need of bridgedeck accommodation. The new
bottom allows the main beam to move forward up to 2 feet – I tried this to its full extreme in the
drawing above which has slightly longer cockpits as a result. The final position will be determined by a
weights study but will probably be at 10 feet to the old eleven (and the above nine). Moving this beam
gives a bigger cabin and more overall space especially over the berths. With the new bottom and the
five-foot hull beam they can be 42 inches wide not 39, sited right where designed below. The five-foot
hull beam does allow better damping and the boat will be plenty fast, and incredibly stable, able to run
with full sail in a force five. This is largely due to the low tack and wide beam, and roachy fully
battened main. I’ve just designed an almost identical sail for a 30 foot Simpson Little Bear, which will
be a good indicator. With Little Bear at 4 tons, the same sail will certainly move this 2-ton ship, which
is wider and lower in CE, and will handle it with ease but very speedy results. The main drawn this time
around is both slightly bigger and slightly lower in centre of effort.
You wont need any more than these two sails and a storm jib.

The main beam is the hardest part of the build in the demountable form. Were the boat not
demountable there would be much merit in simply building a sweep of accommodation across the boat,
boxing this monocoque structure front and rear into infra-beams.

Of course this still has to hold up the mast, meaning more infrastructure.

We will see what happens when Jim, myself and a few other champing at the bit Gumboots builders
give the boat our full attention next year.

Jeff Gilbert - 2004

Twin Lateen Motorsailer Rig
What is foremost in my mind is that I have seen novices reduced to tears by the difficulty and
danger of trying to control a powerful high aspect rig. Having spent the time and effort to build a
family cruising yacht, the family doesn't want an air of fear and frustration. Hence my attitude was
to design yachts which go very efficiently under easily serviced 4-stroke outboard power, and get
builders mobile as an affordable motor cat adding sail to taste. We are not talking about a
conventional fishing power cat, trailerable, 25 x 8 feet with high deep hulls. and twin 200 HPs on
the back giving 45 knots and scoffing juice like Billy Bunter..

In the Gumboot 28 case we are talking about longer lower and wider. Sail cats motor well, and
tris even better if you can afford a sail drive with feathering or folding prop. We have

• standing & elbow room galley (2 burner, sink and big chopping board at cooks height),
• A self composting head in a sealed ventilated aft room with a shower big enough to dress in,
& a sink,
• an office big enough to work in,
• a double bed and twin capsize bunks,
• a warm lounge-viewing-navigation pilothouse where 4 people can eat or play cards,
• a sheltered 8 x 6 cockpit, and 4 stowage holds.

Having built all this (or the smaller Alleycat) you can spend 20k on sails and come home from your
first sail shattered, disillusioned, and angry with the designer. Or you can say - "hell I'm about
stuffed I'm going to forget the daggers, rudders and rig for now and motor for a season". You'll be
on a mooring and surrounded by other far more expensive boats. Off to Ebay for a 4 stroke motor
from 15 to 60HP, or the dealer and drop it in to the cockpit nacelle, hook up the wheel in or outside
or both. Or use the tiller thru the door where the nacelle joins the cabin.

You can now overcome windage and tide, clear your mooring and motor for 50 nautical miles on a
jerrycan. You can learn the local waterway, where the winds blow, when & how hard, how the bar
works.You will have a great time and any reluctant members of the family will be converted or
seasick, at least you'll know. You can get to know & charge your electronics and how your boat
handles, practice "person overboard" drill and check how much lee drift she has. You can check
how she takes steep waves and balance her.

You can cruise about economically, and accumulate a tender with a motor big enough to act as an
emergency main. A modern 6Hp is ideal, weigh 25kg and use 1/2 gal per hour pushing Gumboots
at 6 knots. You can set up a bracket for it on the rear beam, and stow it in a hold. (Alleycat is its
own tender but you could use a spare light motor, even an electric with a bracket so you can run it
thru the dunny hole in a storm.)

In these boats you can cruise at 10 miles in an hour on an American gallon. and depending on the
engine a top speed of 12 to 20.

You'll have a great time and be real glad you built the boat.

As you cruise people will want to look her over. You say sure but I'd like to look at your rig. Do so
At the yacht club you'll find racing keelboat types who change rigs like we change clothes. They will
possess discarded rigs with masts "too heavy" and sails ditto. Some hardly used. The owners wont
want much, the gear will be stuck in shed roofs and out in the yard. Inspect it closely, measure it
up and post the dimensions on the JGBuilder's group with Urgent in caps. I'll see if it works.,
calculate speeds for force 2, 3, 4 , 5 and 60 percent of capsize windpeed. Replace all wire if you
use it.

As Gumboots/Alley barely need boards and the dagger design will be flexible, you can set a second
hand jib and main on the huge mast step area provided, raising it on a halyard box if it wont clear
the pilothouse. If you buy it off a local they should be curious enough to come out and help you
tune it

Or you can build wooden, or adapt a couple of alloy 20 (Alley) or 25 ft ('boots) masts to set up the
twin raked splayed "lateen jib" rig. You can sew sails or flip over second hand genoas.

I also should point out that if a conventional rig borrows from aircraft theory (half a plane on its
side) then this is the equivalent of a delta wing. Its notion is to obtain the necessary lift area while
decreasing the wingspan (mast height). This makes the plane more aerodynamic, or in the boat's
case makes it easier to motor upwind. Without a slot effect (low aspect blade jib directing high
speed spillage around the outside of the main to create low pressure) this rig isn't going to point
high but that's the thing - you'd only choose it for a motorsailer. Gumboots (like most cats)
presents so little frontal area at such narrow angles that it can be driven directly upwind efficiently
under power, instead of clawing your way upwind at 40deg tacks, with the bows being blown off
course every time you come over a wave. You'll go a hell of a lot fatter in Vmg going straight
upwind using a gallon an hour than you would with the best of rigs. Even if your course isn't
directly upwind I'd consider motoring straight upwind for an hour, so that the rest of the days sail
might become a fast beam reach. It's very like cross country skiing to a higher point - you take
your downhill skis and catch the lift to a higher point than your destination, then enjoy a days
downhill skiing instead of a days slog.

You'll also notice this rig has a separate forestay so you can drop the furled sail to the deck, coil it
up and put it in the fore-hold, still attached forrd if you wish. It would also be possible to rig a
small battened beach cat main on each mast if you cant live without them.

The rig is not dissimilar to what Volvo Ocean Racers (VOR) do when they break a mast - they rig a
lateen (usually no 2 jib ) off the boom or mast stump. It gets them home, often at 7 knots, but its
far under standard sail area. It is used because its easy to rig and control, and it does the job. The
longest sail edge is controlled and you can de-power, drop the sheet without hurting the rig Most
ocean Multihull capsizes occur because sailors can't get to the rope cleat quickly enough to let go
the sheet - they can't de-power the rig before the gust puts the rope clutch out of reach as hanging
on becomes a priority. . .

I think it would be possible to use light battens parallel to the forestay (luff).. I also think the TLJ
would work best if the foot and leach were equal length so that the stay is close to 45 degrees and
the sheeting angle is constant no matter how much you roll up the windward jib. Because of the
incredible wind pressure the rig can take without lifting a hull sails should be cruising dacron or
even canvas. Other possibilities are stowing a jib and hoisting the other on its "wrong" mast, thus
angling the rig up to 40 degrees across the boat.

A sophisticated version would see the tack on a forebeam traveler and the head on running tackle
between mastheads. The fore and backstay could go thru a masthead block so that each rig could
be tensioned by tightening the backstays, and bending the masts slightly. Note this also tensions
the mastheads which are slightly inboard of the hull C/Ls/. The mast steps are 4 feet from the cat
CL and the heads are at 7 feet.

It would be incredibly efficient to hang the foot of the lee genoa right outside the hull so that the
clew is lashed to the boarding step. Every last puff coming across the boat (usually at 45 degrees).
One of the biggest losses of power (and sources of annoyance) is the high speed wind funneling
thru the space where the humans are, between the sails (usually the boom) and the sea or
cockpit.

Jeff Gilbert 2007.

HOT CHILI
15’ 3” CATAMARAN CAMP CRUISER

design by Jeff Gilbert

Jim Townsend's project - Update1 - Update2

Update3 - Update4 - Update5 - Update6 - Update7 - Update8

Hot Chili is a strong plywood asymmetric catamaran which can be built by anyone who can measure,
cut and glue timber, can be towed by anything on four wheels, can be afforded by anyone with a job,
and can be used anywhere with a foot of water. Chili can be sailed, powered, or both; and can be
sculled over the stern. She can be camped on at anchor by 2 adults or a small family, or beached to
set up a campsite. Minimal extra build effort renders her unsinkable, in standard form she will float
swamped. Last but not least, Hot Chili is both striking and unique.

Jeff Gilbert Design #092

Imperial Specifications

LOA 16’-19’
LOD 15’ 03"
LWL 15’ 03"
Mast ASL 17’-28’
Bmax 8’ 2"
Hull Beam @WL 1’ 4"
Draft 0’ 6"
Deadrise 0 deg ( ½ Dory hull)
Interior HRmax 3’ (sit over hull berth)
Typical SA–Main 100
-Jib 50

Typical Working Disp 800 lbs

Recommended Powering 10 hp/ 17 knots
Aux Power (O/B) 4 hp/ 10 knots
Inch immersion 200 lb
Amateur Build time 250 hrs
Batteries 1 x 12v
Plan Cost $100 US*
Berths 2
SA/Disp (100%) 28
Disp/WLL 100
Tankage/Galley/Head Portable Camping
PLAN COST

The price will be 100 US dollars. Cost includes airmail. Australian customers may wish to contact Jeff
Gilbert directly. You will receive a wad of drawings with around 50 pages of text to help you
understand and use them. Photographs from the prototype build have been posted HERE. I will put
plan buyers in touch with all previous buyers who consent. When sufficient numbers have developed I
propose a Chili builders web discussion group on Yahoo so myself & builders can help each other along
without repetition.

CONSTRUCTION
Is fast, the boat being semi-monocoque, with a chine log but no stringers. The protoype is one third
complete after 60 hours. Time savings are inherent in the design’s conforming to the material – the flat
hull and cabin outer sides are cut from two joined sheets of 9mm ply. The sides are linked by an 8ft
square 2-sheet 12mm bridgedeck, to form a flattened “H”section, and thus define the entire outer
shape. The bulkheads are placed inside this, trueing up the structure and preparing for planking the
curved inner sides. The upper and outer edges of bulkheads are lofted in sheet corners, exploiting the
accuracy of factory-cut right angles. After planking they form a tunnel, angling from 45degrees at the
stern to vertical at the 6” x 1” laminated stem. The stem protrudes vertically to take the front cross-
beam if it is required for nets and/or a spinnaker prodder. Once the narrowish dory bottoms are on,
the boat receives a layer of glass below the waterline, the only glass used on the boat except for some
taping around the stem and other areas of end-grain exposure.

TYPES OF CHILI

Essentially you have an 8ft square level viewing platform which floats in ankle deep water and is easily
driven. From here the possibilities for personalising Hot Chili are so vast that I expect no two to be the
same. However there are two major themes for Hot Chili….
1. As a Sailboat with or without small Auxiliary:
The cheapest way to go about this is to build the bare 15’ 3” hull of Hot Chili (refered to as HC
throughout these notes) and transfer the entire sailing rig and rudders from an old beach cat. In this
way an older person like me can trade in his or her beach cat for a more stable and only slightly slower
yacht on which one can go camping, and sail all year round, getting wet only when one wants to.

Unless you are intending to use a prodder (bowsprit) to run assymetric spinnakers, you can build the
simpler wooden front crossbeam, use a beam from your old cat, or have no front beam at all, though
this sacrifices the chance of a net/tramp. The hardware should transfer directly though you may need
to lengthen your tiller arms, and will need to calculate your daggerboard position to match the rig. If
you email a dimensioned sail and mast profile to jgilbert@webone.com.au I will be happy to assist.

If you want an auxiliary motor, use one you can carry easily, the
smaller the better. If you are buying new try to afford a four-stroke,
they are kinder on ears and fuel. The biggest I recommend is a 6HP,
there are now several (Suzuki, Nissan, Merc) long-shaft 4-strokes
weighing under 58lbs. A trolling motor would make a passable
auxiliary for limited use, position the battery bank as final trim and
you have power for a wonderful camping set-up. HC is an ideal
platform to experiment with bigger electric motors, outboard or
inboard, even in one hull. Imagine fishing a mountain lake of a still
evening, not a breath of wind and your campsite a mile away. With
an electric motor its an easy 12 minutes, barely disturbing the scene.

The plans do not yet include a tabernacle as they need to be tailored to the particular mast and rig. I
will add a generalised design for an unstayed mast of around 20 feet.

Builders experienced and keen enough to experiment with their own rig designs will have a ball. Single
sheet “Easy Rigs” of the Rob Denney (see Duckworks design pages) persuasion are perfect for this
boat with the cabin peak to deck height offering adequate bury. Tabernacles would also brace to the
cabin roof peak, and offer an opportunity to use the mast as a tent ridge pole. I hope to find time to
design HC a gaff rig for home building, object being to complement the boats angular lines, whilst
maximising sail area on a low aspect rig. Some say this will be slow upwind, I say if you are late for
dinner start the motor.

2. As a Motorboat.
With its an 18 inch underwing clearance higher than the few comparable cats, HC will be quite at home
in ocean, lake or river. A 10HP motor provides close to 20 knots, so as a fishing boat shes economical
and swift enough to run for cover, and beachable when she gets there. She can be winched up a
beach, or lifted bodily by 4 adults.

With her hull space available for stowage, I see her best use as a weekend camper for two. A standard
tent can be adapted to fit her decks at anchor, she can be beached to set up a campsite, and in
extreme weather one can retire to her dry bunks. She can carry 1200 lbs of people and gear without
complaint and only a couple of inches lower in the water, but will performs better on her waterline,
with a third of this load. A 25 HP outboard will overpower HC unless she is carefully trimmed for
planing at over 25knots. I regard 15hp/20knots as a reasonable maximum, but would personally settle
for one of the many quiet and efficient 4-stroke long-shaft 9.9HP outboards available.

DESIGN BACKGROUND

Hot Chili was drawn by hand in 1999, aiming to be the most attainable 2-person performance pocket
yacht to date. By attainable I mean it can be swiftly built in a garage with the spare time and funds
from an average wage-earners job. The term performance includes both on the water (easily driven
and handled) and off (strength & longevity).
Speed and ease of build have been considered in every aspect the design.

Many will claim that HC is sturdier than strictly necessary & that it could be built lighter. They are quite
correct, and there would be some gains in launchability & speed. There would also be big increases in
both build time and ability to capsize. What is the point in perusing those last few ounces?? One can
see at a glance this is not a racing boat, it’s a fun camp-cruiser with a turn of speed. I’m a big guy with
big boots, & prefer boats strong. I’m not a brilliant sailor, but love coastlines and sometimes sail up
rivers full of rocks, intermittently clouting them. Plus I don’t like skittering 50metres sideways while
I’m fumbling with the daggerboard. You can tow the “heavy” HC with 4 cylinders and the lightest of
trailers, so build the version that wont break if you make a mistake!
The abundance of right angles produced by maximising use of factory cut ply sheets produced a tough-
looking design, yet one which calculated at less than one horsepower (HP) for displacement hull–
speed…Hot Chili could double as a sheltered-water motorboat, or trailerable motorsailer. In particular
she looked useful as a river commuter, -at worst Hot Chili would plane at six times sqrt(HP), so
wouldn’t require a big motor.

In 2002 I transferred the design to computer to fine-tune and optimise the hulls for loadcarrying &
performance. The hull bottoms were broadened & inner hull sides steepened from the original 45
degrees to facilitate building, optimise Bridgedeck (Bdk) clearance, & make HC both less tender and
easier to lift onto a plane. This development almost eliminated the original torturing around the bow –
the scarfed inner-side planking now just underwent a slight twist along an easy curve. Flexiply was
originally specified, its not needed now.

These developments don’t alter the extremely short build-time possible in HCs simplest iteration –
nothing in the hulls, an 8 x 7 deck with a cuddy offering both dry stowage & a double berth open to the
stars, or coverable with the huge hatch in case of rain or cold. No forebeam, simply an inverted “Y”
forestay to both bows, and swept back sidestays to chainplates at the cabin sides just behind the
windows. No spinnaker, simply the single-sail cat rig from such as a Paper Tiger, or the main and blade
jib from something along the lines of a Hobie 14, giving 100 to 150 sq ft.

I sat on the design over 3 years before finding a builder who would endure further simultaneous
development during the build! Thus these plans have the considerable building and sailing experience
of Jim Townsend seeded throughout. Thank you, Jim.

Hot Chili offers beach catamaran sailors the chance to stay dry and sail all year round, albiet at a
slightly reduced pace. Simply build your beach cat straight over onto a Hot Chili hull, using everything,
rig, rudders and even the net out front and daggerboards if you wish. On a reasonable wage one can
afford both the time and money to do this over a winter lay-up, losing no sailing time. If you don’t
have a beach cat, buy one cheaply in winter, if possible from a place that’s cold in winter (sails less
worn, boat cheaper). Its good to buy from racing types who usually have lots of sails, look after their
gear, and are realistic about value. In Australia you wouldn’t pay more than a thousand (550 US)
dollars. Huge possibilies open up for finding old garaged Pringles, Sol-Cats and the like. You could be
lucky and find a cheap one, say with a damaged hull. Try your Yacht Club, Ebay, the newspaper. If you
don’t mind building rudders, you might go for a dinghy, a Mirror or a Laser with its pop-in unstayed
mast might suit. Beware of ultra-high aspect rigs that are difficult to step, although with a lighter
person standing on the cabin you will be OK.
You can now have a dry boat you can camp overnight on, and can take mates sailing all year round
without handing them a dose of hypothermia. You can also take Chili wherever you go behind any 4
cylinder vehicle.

ALL UP COST
This depends on so many factors, not the least of which is your enthusiasm which comes in finite and
difficult to guage quantities, and can run out before you cut a panel. For this reason you should save
time by using basic power tools, router, saw, sander & drill. If you live in the Boondocks beg, borrow,
steal, buy or rent a small Generator.
If you are doing the most basic package referred to above, converting a beach cat, double the cost of
your ply and add the cost of your beach cat.

There are about 16 sheets depending on your lofting skills.

A full material list is being prepared.

OPTIONS
The plans provide for so many options that no two HC’s need be alike.
The most complex Hot Chili would take twice the build time of the simplest, yet may not be what you
want. Look at the optional items one by one and your Hot Chili will take shape.

1. Alloy Forebeam was conceived to carry the Prodder for a Screecher (Assymetric
Spinaker/Reacher) This high performance sail was a requested addition.
2. The standard design plan consists of building over a beach cat rig. If these have a jib at all, it is
likely to have an inverted “Y” harness to fix the forestay to the bows (SS eyes thru stems), and
carry about 50sq ft of blade jib.
3. For “standard” sail plans from a suitable (similar length) beach cat, one only NEEDS a front
cross beam to carry a net/trampoline. I’d use the 3 x 2” timber beam sketched at the top of
Drawing 5 , and sheath it in 6mm ply to hold a small upward curve and help the bond to the
stem stubs. I’d mount a tramp to cut spray.
4. No front beam at all is quite OK, especially for calm water use where spray is not an issue.
Many owners, especially of unrigged motoring Chilis, will never venture forrd of the cockpit.
5. Hull Berths, two at 80 x 21”.
6. Rear seat (increasing Berth convenience)
7. Footwells, mostly used sitting on the rear beam which can be up to 14” wide over the hulls.
8. Motor/sculling oar.
9. Fold-up side decks.
10. Rear steps

My choice would be a wooden front beam, no prodder and an assymetric cockpit. This means a
seat one side with the attendant larger hull berth having the larger permanent access opening
which would be covered by the hatch when in motion. A single footwell in the diagonally
opposite corner would complete the “high seat/low seat” cockpit. The secondary hull berth
would have a flush-fitting hinged lid where the outboard could be locked to secure the yacht.

DIMENSIONS

The boat is designed imperial for Australian and American ply in 8 by 4 ft sheets. I’m not going to
convert plan dimensions to metric and here’s why. If I do, someone will go goody, rush out and buy
2400 x 1200 ply, and start building in metric with these undersized sheets. If one converts the
dimensions directly by the usual 1foot equals 304.8mm then starts building with 2400 x 1200 its only a
matter of time before you get into an insurmountable mess. At best the last things you create will be
cumulatively undersize, at worst things wont fit at all.

Solution If you can only get 2400 x 1200 ply, build in mm and scale down the whole boat as you
convert the imperial dimensions. This is as easy as falling off a log. The design requires 8-foot sheets,
you have 2400mm sheets. Convert the plans at 1 foot = 300mm and 1 inch = 25mm. Voila. (Your boat
is 1.6 percent smaller than the design, bad luck, you live in a country that makes undersize ply!!!).
GET WOOD !
Start stockpiling timber now! Grab odd bits of scrap ply and pine offcuts, there are skips fiull at
building sites headed for the dump. Grab bits of oregon and hardwood,, you only need a 2ft 6
ins of 6 x 1 for your stem. Youll need an assortment of sizes for bracing, temporary struts,
measuring (a stick and a pencil dont transpose figures) and padding clamps (collect clamps
too). If you don’t have a ute, put it in your boot, tie it on the roofrack. Boatbuilders cars should
be sacrificial items.

The main structure of Hot Chili depends on the manufactured ply being true, try to buy it all together
from the same firm or preferably run, so its all the same. If you want a boat with incipient cancer, buy
the cheapest ply. Use the best you can find, at least BS1088 Boat Building Standard ply. This might
seem expensive, if check out Duflex panels or foam core FG and see the price of getting covered in
toxic crap. (They will tell you its easy, fast and fun, but you wont care what they say, because you will
already be too frightened by the price). Go back and buy the marine ply. You still need a bucket of
epoxy and 10sq m of 290g/sq m glass cloth, but only a tenth fraction of foam core or full FG layup.

Even if its further and dearer, a lumberyard which knows boats will save many tears, and you’ll feel
confident about your purchases. If you are in a multipurpose hyperbarn with a zillion grinning idiots
with uniforms and nametags, buy some cheap sandpaper and leave. You are looking for a yard where
they consider your project, have the time and knowledge to tell you what you are getting, and will help
selecting your own straight grained lumber and knot free ply. This last is probably superfluous, marine
standard ply has at least one good face, waterproof glue in the right amounts and no hollows.

DESIGN DECISIONS

1. Speed and economy of build are the prime objectives of the boat, and take precedence over
looks, comfort and performance in most decisions. Nevertheless the boat won’t obviously suffer
in any of these secondary areas. All but a few design dilemmas were solved by answering the
question:- “Which option is the easiest to build?”
2. An exception to #1 above is the 1.5” bend towards the centreline of the cabin top, making the
inside width of the roof 7.75feet to the bridgedecks eight. This is done to prevent leakage &
possible delamination at the top of the cabin sides (the cabin roof can now cross this exposed
end-grain) , to aesthetically relieve the constant right angles, to make it easier to work the
daggerboards without grazing knuckles, and to provide more width for crew on the optional
hinged fold-down side-decks.
3. Side-decks may either complement or replace the hinged roof as a means of forrd access. They
should hang from light (possibly plastic) chains & hooks (thus making their angle adjustable)
and sit at a slight up angle of about 80deg to the cabin side, ie 100deg to the hull. At this angle
they will make effective buffers. A long notch or slot in the side-deck edge where it hinges to
the boat side replaces the upper positioning rung of the daggerboard , implying that the
corresponding side-deck must be down for a board to be used. Side decks should be just wide
enough for crew to “sit out’ and balance the boat on a fast reach. They can be used for a spot of
mild hiking –you’ll need to build some timber hand-rails along the cabin-tops at a comfortable
distance between the edge and hatch.
4. Despite absorbing a foot of accommodation length, the integration of the Bdk with both
crossbeams is literally a design strongpoint. Additionally, there is far less work in setting up and
building the beams, they are ideally spaced at half boat length, and there remains enough
space (83.5” x 48”) for a couple to sleep longitudinally. Some crew find the motion of multihulls
makes sleeping athwartships uncomfortable. The answer is to beach the boat, it’s designed for
it.
5. Beaching Protection:
The last action before painting the upturned boat is to add some sacrificial 1 x ½” hardwood
laths to the bottom and optional rear fin. These could be capped with metal channel or
stripping, held on by a bedding material such as Sikaflex.
GENERAL
 PBO AMATEUR DESIGN COMP 1999 : KETCHUP

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

Ketchup is a 23 ft-7.0m trailerable Catamaran/Tunnel-hull, suitable for home-building from readily available
plantation plywood. She offers a practical blend of performance, stability and accommodation for a small group or
family. While attractive, fast & fun, this boat has been designed primarily to be simple to build. To this end there is
maximal use of right angles with minimal cutting & no torturing of ply.

Ketchup has been designed for Australian conditions. As these include cruising everything from placid inland lakes
to fighting the sudden squalls and steep-pitched waves of the South-East Coast, she would be an able coastal
cruiser anywhere in the world. Ketchup is not intended for major Ocean crossings, but because of her speed
potentiaI she would be happy Island-hopping in favourable conditions.

DESIGN & STRUCTURAL DETAIL

Ketchup is an asymmetric catamaran, maximizing the keel to keel "track" while staying within the 2.50m (8' 2.5")
legal trailerable limit. The 8' track is the same as that of a conventional cat 11' wide. The outside of the hulls are
vertical and a straight line from bow to stern, meaning that sections are fitted into a right angle between the hull and
the bridgedeck. The 10 station frames start with a quarter circle at the stern(stn 10), with the radius of curvature
increasing exponentially forward until by the front of the bridgedeck(stn 3) the arc has become a straight line at
45deg.(see Drawing 04, 'HULL SECTIONS') This angle is held through to the bow. This gives her a fine entry with
load carrying ability increasing aft. All arcs are 4' - the width of a plysheet. This shape also builds in 3.5" of rocker,
though this isn't visible in profile because the side/keel piece is left protruding to its full 4 ft width. This provides a
mini keel running 16 feet from 2" depth @ station #3 to 5.5" @ the stern(#10), giving a little more bite to windward
without even using the daggerboards. It should be remembered that the straight outer hulls also resist lee drift a lot
more than conventional hull shapes, a feature employed to great effect in the early Pacific Proas.

Frames start at width (&height) 30.5" at the transom (station10 @ 23ft, bow=datum) and increase to 34" at station 3.
Increments are half an inch/station.

Station spacing is 28inches with 2ft left between 9 & 10.( A supplementary station should be added @ 1' 0",
between datum & station 1),Hull width is increased 32mm to account for the keel piece, which is made of laminated
ply or hardwood, to form an on-edge plank 200mm wide. It is shaped right up to the bow, protruding an inch or so
beyond to allow for beveling off. Below the waterline it extends half an inch below the sides..it is not shaped but has
a 50mm aluminum or brass strip screwed to it to take the bottom for grounding, beaching, transport etc. (Note that
the fact that the rocker is hidden within the boats sides means that it will sit firmly and level along its two 16ft
side/keels, and means it can be transported on a flatbed trailer, truck, railway wagon or ship's deck. It would even be
possible to build a detachable axle to these keels making the boat its own temporary trailer.

Battens are run along the inside surface of the keel plank & the underside of b'deck to hold the inside sheathing ply
curve while epoxy sets. The deck is adequately supported as the tunnel "ceiling" is 2' 6'' Max width. Joins are
strengthened with strips of glass before a final complete layer of glass, epoxy then paint is applied across the sides,
bottom/tunnel & outboard pod. Painting should include Awlgrip or equivalent on the tunnel "ceiling".

CONSTRUCTION

Requires no strongbacks or jigs, but simply a flat area, a few sawhorses and the sort of tools most households
already have. Necessary tools are a power hand drill, jigsaw, sander, power saw & a dozen or more clamps. In
harsh climates much of the boat can be cut out and finished in a spare room, then outdoor assembled in a few days.
The heart of the boat is the 16' x 8' Bridgedeck made from 8 standard 9mm sheets of ply in two layers (one laid
athwartships, one bow to stern) edge glued with longitudinal stringers under and crossways stringers on the ends of
the deck. Ply bulkheads(12mm) are then stapled & epoxied to the underside of the b'deck -some are missed out or
cut out depending on the accom plan decided upon,. Those staying are epoxy-filleted in.

Each hull side takes 3 standard 9mm sheets, with 150mm scarf joins reducing the total length to the desired 23ft.
Keel pieces (32mm Hardwood or Layers of ply for taking the bottom) are fitted to the inside lower edge of each flat
outer side panel before attaching to the bridgedeck & bulkheads. Where the frames are removed for berth/stowage
purposes, the floors put in place adequately compensate, especially as the entire hull structure is made from ply
50% thicker than that used in many similarly sized production cats.
Sheathing is simple as the only cutting required is in the front sheet. Before bending this first sheet out to meet the
sides, fit the front plywood "box beam" to prevent bending the keel outwards and giving your cat a disastrous splay-
footed look! This beam provides emergency flotation (about 160lbs!), supports the front positioning block/clamp
which takes the removable wood or alloytube bowsprit/prodder, and lastly supports the front net. This mesh is a
great place to get a cooling splash on hot days, and makes a comfy hammock & even bed unless there be ferocious
mosquitoes! The twin foredecks have generous overhangs to prevent pitch-poling...these are drilled as fixing points
to lash on the net.

Fitting the inside-of-hull ply cladding should, if possible, be left until the cuddy accommodation plan has been
decided upon, as bunk floors & storage areas need to be installed, involving alteration/removal of some bulkheads.

Also flotation bags & tankage are now installed, & if required, access holes in b'deck positioned and cut, head
partition installed etc. etc. All this can be done after turning the hull, its just more difficult! It may be covenant to build
the boat over two winters...in this case all these decisions could be left & the boat sealed up & sailed as a large (and
fast!) beach cat for the intervening summer season.

Flotation bags are air-filled 4 litre wine casks in all flotation cells. Even if a compartment is holed it will take little
water...to prevent the casks popping out of a holed hull section they are encased in old fishing net...see your local
trawler fleet!

ACCOMMODATION

Cuddy: Best use of this is 2 permanent berths, a fold-up eat/cook/navigation table with seating for 3, and a
dedicated head with separate entrance & ventilation. The cook sits on the boat centerline at b'deck level, with feet in
the port hull under the table & probably resting comfortably on the auxiliary quarter berth which extends under the
cockpit! (This berth is only available if the table is folded up against the side window). The cook and/or diner(s) use
the head wall as a padded backrest. Most cooking will be done by placing the camp stove(metho 2-burner -no gas
bottle hassle) on the "cook box", under the boom tent. But under way one needs to cook out of the weather and
spray. A large flat-bottomed stainless steel bowl is the sink - sea water can be heated for wash-up/showers directly
over the stove. A SS bucket is used for retrieving sea water.Flexible fresh water tank is in the bilge below the Q-
berth....hand pump mounted on the rear cuddy wall.

The Navigation table is a flat oblong box with a hinged lid which can be temporarily set at any angle. It can be used
anywhere on the boat. Within are charts, drawing gear, torch, GPS, ship's log,. It slides into a rack on the inside of
the rear cuddy wall. From this position the map taped to its top is flush against the porthole in the rear cuddy wall, &
thus the helmsman can refer to it from the cockpit.

Windows indicated in drawings are in fact tinted perspex covers across two non-opening portholes each side. This
ensures that there are no leaks. The portholes siting and size are optional - the important thing is to preserve as
much "meat" as possible in the cabin sides to retain the integrity of the monocoque structure. If ventilation thru
hatch/doorway proves in adequate a rear-facing "Dorade" vent can be installed in the foredeck of either or both
hulls.

Berths: Two arrangements possible:

(1) For max sitting headroom, two single berths are placed forward in the hulls, with their foot extending under the
foredeck.

(2) For couples a double berth across the beam is more suitable..this is structurally stronger than (1) , and frees up
massive storage forr'd in the hulls, but at the cost of headroom above the bunk, which must be at bridgedeck level.
This berth forms an excellent 3rd seat forward of the table. Headroom problem can be alleviated a little by a
stargazer hatch above the bed-head, though foredeck access is best achieved via the foot-wide side decks.

Heads: 3' x 3' 6" Shower has nearly 5' HR -the head is forrd to give max HR over the shower. Shower choices are to
sit on a low bench or use a hatch swinging up with a rose attached under its highest point. This connects to a hand
pump on the wall via hose, another hose from the pump is plunged into the water bucket sitting on the floor or toilet,
wherever it fits. Boiling a jug on the stove then mixing with sea water is enough to give a nice hot shower. A camp
shower (canvas water bag + rose) would also work well from under this hatch (also from the boarding step, hanging
the camp shower from the wing)

Head/shower floor is high enough above the sea to self-drain via a bung.
There is room for a toilet holding tank low in the hulls. Porta potty/bucket & chuckit are options depending on local
laws. (A simple hole in the bridgedeck level is tempting as activity is hidden between the hulls! )

DECK, COCKPIT & BOOM TENT

General: The cockpit is 8' x 6' 3", and is great for sleeping, eating and general socializing. Rear of the cockpit a
bench seating 4 extends the width of the yacht. A large hinged table splits the seating; under this is the nacelle
holding the elec. outboard. Over the table is the tiller, controlling a large kick-up rudder. This is fixed to the 12mm ply
seatback-transom. The port seat back is free from the other seats, and hinged at deck level. When the seat-back
panel is unclipped & swung back thru 180 deg. the underseat becomes an access step between the bridgedeck &
the rear boarding step. Heaps of storage is available in the starboard hull(& port if Q-berth not used). below the
cockpit...hinged "lids" can be 45deg. bevel-cut as access. There would even be room to slide a slightly deflated RIB
in from a door in the transom-cum-seatback, launching it off the rear boarding step.(NB -an 8ft RIB could be carried
from the wing). It would also be possible to hinge the entire backrest & drop it into the water as a boarding ramp.

Boom tent: This waterproof canvas tent is stored in the huge locker accessed by lifting the hinged front half of the
rear wing top. The tent needs no special poles. It extends over the boom (raised 18") & lowered mainsail, and is
laced each side of the boat thru a row of small holes in the daggerboard which form the boom tent-cum-cabin walls.
Either end the tent is cut to slope into the cuddy roof and rear wing...it can be fixed to a row of domes along the back
of the wing, meaning the storage box remains indoors & useful. Windows are provided by the daggerboard handles!
(see Dwg # 01). In certain warm climes it may behoove one to frantically deploy the mossie net before and
underneath the tent to avoid the crew being eaten. This alone (quite apart from all your eating irons, tools & spare
chain winding up on the seabed) is a sound reason to forget slatted decks.

Side-decks : These are 12mm ply, a full foot wide ,& may be lowered in two sections when sailing. They are
supported by chains from the cabin-top & wing. When stored for towing they fold up against the boat side below the
window (front section) and become a cockpit coaming (rear section). If racing the rear section may be used for
hiking out on a trapeze. Both are coated with grip-paint (as are all bridgedeck/cabintop surfaces) Side decks are
further supported by hinged triangular braces which flip out & lock from flush with the outer hull sides. When side-
decks are in place a 3-ft by 1in wide leather-lined slot cut out of the inner side-deck edge guides & constrains
the......

Daggerboards: these slide down flush against the hull sides...the other fixing point is just below the waterline - a
wooden rung which will serve as an anchor point for inflatables/dinghies/visitors, and is handy for swimmers . The
front rung support is streamlined, while the rear support is built light so the daggerboard will blast out the back
without compromising the hull should the board strike a submerged object (such as the bottom!). Note that this is
made possible by the side-deck slot being a foot over-width - this last foot can be filled with lightly glued-in
polystyrene foam or other crushable material. Boards have a top lip (outer side only) of ply to prevent them falling
through.

At anchor the boards are used as solid boom-tent sides. They lock into position exactly above the raised side-decks
and between the angled sections of cuddy sides & wing side support (see dwg # 01). Holes in board sides are for
lacing tent roof. The boards are fashioned from epoxy-saturated 18mm ply, tapered to leading and trailing edges,
but shaped on the outer face only. A cut-out serves as both daggerboard handle and tent side window in its dual
roles.

BERMUDAN SCHOONER/ KETCH-CUTTER RIG & SAIL PLAN

• Rigged as Ketch-Cutter. (But could also be classed as a Schooner)

• Foremast 21' with
o 100 ft2 fully battened square-topped loose-footed Foresail, with see-thru panel.
o 37 ft2 Jib/staysail on three-quarter forestay with bridle to bows and furler above this.
o 107 ft2 Masthead semi-Genoa (extends 1ft behind mast) on furler. Attached to demountable 11ft
prodder clamped into seats on front beam & foredeck forr'd of mast. This sail is not necessary, but it
or an asymmetric spinnaker would be great in light airs.
o For downwind racing the 2 jibs can be replaced by an asymmetric spinnaker of 285 ft2 (490ft2 tot)
o Full spinnaker seems futile as the two mains running wing & wing downwind would rob it.
o Twin backstays clip to chainplates ss-bolted thru outer hull sides with 12mm ply backboards.
• Mainmast 23' (constant diameter) carries
o 105 ft2 fully battened square-topped main with 8' boom doubling as tent ridge-pole.
o Twin backstays run to eyes bolted thru the bridgedeck (again mountings strengthened by ply
backing plates).
• All stays on the boat have spring-loaded clip-ons, and screw adjusters are replaced by tensioned springs.
 • Both masts are aluminum sections with sail -track and halyard pulley built in below welded-on mast-head
containers each housing a standard automotive airbag pack. (See below)

Masts are stepped in tabernacles comprising a 2ft alloy pipe with diagonal braces to deck plus an upper leather-
lined collar clamp braced to the cabin roof. Beneath the pipe an equivalent diam.hole is cut in the bridgedeck...a
hardwood block or alloy pin prevents the mast falling thru the deck (more on this below)

CAPSIZE

Anti-Capsize Features: The boat is unlikely to go past 90 deg as when the mastheads strike the water they set off
masthead air-bags (pinched from automobile technology). The bags are packed into a special aluminum masthead
containers welded above and independent of the halyard pulley. They are identical to the car version except they
remain inflated once triggered. Two low aspect mainsails instead of one (high-aspect in most cats) produces a lower
Centre of Effort (Encircled "x" in Sail Plan -Dwg # 01) 260lbs of batteries low in each hull will be extremely effective
ballast. These would be removable for racing.

Recovery: Beneath the tube holding the mainmast foot is a hole in the bridgedeck large enough to push the mast
thru. Standing on the deck side (1ft wide), (prob up to your knees in water), drop the main & loosen the mast
clamps. Pass the main right thru the boat till the air-bag container stops you. Tighten the tabernacle clamp just
below the air-bag housing (large wing nuts with welded on extensions) and get the crew swinging on the wrong-way
mast plus dagger boards. As a last resort you could tie a few batteries on the end of the main, but they are pretty
helpful where they are. Dropping all other sails would help. The foremast could be freed to float about on its airbag
at the end of a line. The really serious type could fix pipes into the angled sections of the cabin side and wing for
someone to swing on! The spar from the cabin would make a great hand-hold while leaping up & down on the
slippery daggerboard.

Storms: If caught out and in trouble with windage in the bare rig the main mast could be dropped through the
cockpit deck to act as a bizarre 18-foot keel.

CONTROLS

Single large spade rudder mounted on the transom-cum-seat back. Kicks up for beaching. SOL-Z electric outboard
acts as an emergency rudder(it is designed for this) Also rudder control may be linked to the motor. Anchor and
drogue can be carried one each hull in the compartment between stations 1 & 2. There is adequate room for chains
& warps. Deployment is via a pulley in the centre of the triangular box forebeam. No winches are needed as no sail
is over 10 sq. meters. The usual 2:1 or 4:1 sheeting as used on beach cats is adequate. All sail lines are led back
thru blocks to the centre rear of the cuddy roof. Rope ends disappear into a large canvas bag between the
doors.The mainsheet is left aft with the helmsman, who can cleat it off or use it for more effective sailing. The main
is also controlled by a vang plus an 8' radius curved traveler to the rear of the flat top surface of the wing.

MOTOR

The SOL-Z 8hp electric outboard was chosen for:

• Efficiency (as much thrust as a 15hp conventional internal combustion unit)

• Reliability
• Running cost. Twenty percent of diesel inboard or petrol outboard.
• Environmental reasons (zero emissions + very quiet -this has a huge effect on fish/bird sightings).
• Size, shape, design. It is small (easily built into a pod) and light (28k), Best of all the long shaft is blade
shaped it not only steers well it would make a fine back-up rudder.
• Practicality. Most marinas have shore power.
o Also batteries can be charged by wind, solar power (try cells on cuddy& wing) or towing a prop unit
(I've ruled out petrol generators as they defeat the Principle!)

SOL-Z make even more compact inboard/saildrive units but they are unsuitable for beaching.
The SOL-Z 8hp electric outboard was NOT chosen for the weight of its power source - 4 Lifeline 4D batteries in
sealed plastic boxes. However these are small enough to mount low in the hulls (2 in each) giving 260lbs ballast in
each hull. These don't need much attention but would be accessible from beneath the bunks. Further, a lot of weight
in this yacht would be carried aft. This is countered in part by the hull sections, but final trim for unusual
circumstances can be achieved by mounting the batteries in a long wooden trough with a clamp each end, and
sliding them fore & aft to fine-tune the trim. Setting up for a weekend cruise, this would be worth the few minutes it
takes.

The SOL-Z was NOT chosen for its price! Landed in the USA it is $3900 plus $840 for batteries(see below),
however this does beat $7000 for an equivalent Diesel. Cheaper electric motors are available, but the SOL-Z has
the right combination of reliability & size for this design. It is manufactured in Switzerland, so in Europe it should be
cheaper than the above quote.

SAFETY

items include foredeck railings, liferings in cockpit and there is plenty of space to carry a liferaft in the cockpit, on the
foredeck, on cuddy roof, or in the starboard hull.

To prevent pitchpoling we have high bows, devoid of storage and sealed off as dedicated buoyancy areas. The 45
degree hull line plus the 3" overhang of the deck further discourage plunging. The underside of the forebeam is also
angled as the bows to force its way upwards. The 3/4 staysail provides plenty of lift.

The 4 batteries for the SOL-Z , radio, stereo, Nav lights etc. are seen as a danger. I've specified Absorbed Glass
Matting batteries by Lifeline -these are guaranteed to have the following qualities: sealed, nonspillable, install in any
position, submersible without damage, maintenance free, 2xnormal life, fast recharge with no voltage limit, deep
cycle, 3% per month unattended discharge, shock & vibration resistant.

For storms a set of reefing tapes is sewn on each main to drop them 40%. The flexibility of the sail plan is of great
help in changeable conditions.

SPECS

LOA .27'
LOD .23'
LWL .21'
BEAM 8' 2"
WORKING
349 ft2
SA
D LIGHTSHIP 1100 lbs
i
s RACING 1500 lbs (2 crew)
p
.2220 lbs (2 crew, batteries &ob -
l
DESIGN weekender setup...b'deck 23" clear of
a
c water)
e MAJOR 3180 lbs (kitchen sink etc -drops the
m CRUISE bridgedeck 3" to 20" clearance )
e
n
IMMERSION 310 lbs/inch (increasing each inch)
t

PERFORMANCE

Calculations

Sail Area:Displacement 33 / 27 (Design WL / Cruise)

Disp:WLL 107 /153
 Expected Speed (15k wind) 9 kts
Expected Speed (SOL-Z) 10 kts cruise, 15 max

: DRAWINGS:

• 01....... DECK, PROFILE, MOTOR, SAIL PLAN.....

• 02....... ACCOMMODATION PLAN ..........................
• 03........STERN VIEW...........................................
• 04........HULL X-SECTIONS...................................
• 05........Design Coefficients...................................
• 06........HULL LINES (Horiz.& Vert. identical)..........
 Design Coefficients
Ketchup Cruising Day-Sailing Racing

Length Over All Ft. 23.0 23.0 23.0

Length at Water Line Ft. 21.0 21.0 21.0

Beam Ft. 8.2 8.2 8.2

Draft Ft. 3.3 3.3 3.3

Displacement Lbs. 3180 2220 1500

Ballast Lbs. 520 520

Sail Area Square Ft. 349 349 349

Sail area / Displacement 25.8 32.8 42.6

Ballast / Displacement 16% 23%

Displacement / Length 153 107 72

Motion Comfort 13 9 6

Hull Speed 6.1 6.1 6.1

Screen Number 2.23 2.51 2.87

Hull Lines

• Stations @ 28 inches, except 9 & 10 are 24"

• Waterlines - Buttocks identical, @ 6" centres
• Section 3 is a triangle, sec. 10 (part of) a quarter circle

Note: Inner hulls only are shown: outers are simply a flat
surface - both vertically and horizontally. Transom is vertical.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

• INTERNET:
o SOL-Z: http://www.ecopower.com/eoutboard.htm
o review: http://www.ecopower.com/ereview1.htm
o Batteries: http://freshwaterseas.com/ ; http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/marine/products.htm
• DESIGNER
o Jeff Gilbert
o 9 Birbai Place, Waramanga, ACT 2611 , Australia. Ph (02)6288.9450
o Quals: BSc (applied maths)
o jgilbert@dynamite.com.au

PS: -a final question:

Q: The Design Brief stresses simplicity & ease of handling. Yet Ketchup has up to 4 sails?

A:

1. The sail plan divides the sail area into manageable chunks which need no winches; masts are easy to rig.
2. The centre of effort is low, but more importantly almost identical for the entire plan & the forward main alone,
thus...
3. The beginner can sail with foremast alone, the boat will sail the same as with all 4 sails (just more slowly!)
4. In sudden changes it is easier to drop a sail than to struggle losing an equivalent area reefing.
5. A sudden gybe, or badly torn sail is no longer a disaster!

On the other hand one will never experience the thrill of dropping the only winch handle overboard!

Purbond waterproof glue is perectly adequate for build joins, and less
messy than epoxy which can be reserved for filletting and filling. Save
your fine sawdust, or wood flour as it is sometimes called by
boatbuilders with aspirations to Chefdom. This is great for thickening
epoxy for filling and filleting (more cooking imagery).

Don’t epoxy anything except joins, and areas that are about to become
inaccessable, until the boat is complete, or you’ll exhaust yourself and
blunten your tools working with material which you’ve just converted to
virtual steel. An argument rageth on the web, time penalties for this
approach are being debated at 7 times.

Without FibreGlass Hot Chili wont necessarily leak. To be certain

fiberglass the bottom below the waterline, and better still from outside
WL to outside WL right across the bottom of the bridgedeck, which is
only 10 square meters maximum. One layer of 290grams/sq m. will do,
we want a water barrier not structural strength of which we have plenty.
Any start-points for delamination should be covered with FG tape other
key areas such as the stem, around transoms and anywhere that a ply
edge is exposed –these are lethal. Several coats of epoxy on such edges
is likely to prevent delamination, glass taping will.

ACCOMODATION & USE

HC accomodations were designed at Bridgedeck level for simplicity and
flexibility. There is plenty of hull stowage, and the 41½” x 23” flat hatch
cover stows upside down under one side deck. This has no impact at all
on the resultant enlarged day-sailing deck which also provides access to
the mast. Moving forrd is rarely necessary, but good for cooling off on
the net/tramp. It’s simply a matter of stepping over the windscreen, or
sitting on the roof peak and swinging your legs over.

Though it makes the build more complex, those who wish may
incorporate hull berths between BH1 and BH4. These have myriad
advantages, not the least of which is one can get up in the night without
disturbing the other. Hull shape & size dictates feet-forrd, & theres not
much room under the crossbeam. Entry is tight, but easy with the hatch
off, simply swinging under from a grip on the hatch coaming. Once
installed, you will be really comfy, and well supported in a seaway. All
but the biggest sailors can fit the berth low enough in the hull to provide
sitting headroom, even with HC’s low cuddy. Hull berths would be a real
boon to serious coastal cruisers, who wished to eat up some overnight
miles with helm watches interspersed by ballast duty in the windward
berth! The shakedown cruise for Hot Chili is to be a 400 mile reach on
the Australian coast, returning by road. Hot Chili will lap it up!

The large stowable roof hatch essentially removes all but the windscreen
and strength-providing roof peak across the boat. This setup lends itself
to mosquito netting & a various standard tents. A standard 8’x 6’ A-
frame would fit around the coaming/cabin edges. A poleless igloo 8 x 8
would go over cabin and all, secured around the sidedecks and XBeams.
If the boom were lashed out of the way or hoisted, one could attach the
peak of such a tent to the halyard.

With a calm sea and 10 HP, Hot Chili will happily bowl along on half
throttle at 12 knots, and hit at least 17 flat out. Builders with motoring in
mind may wish to raise the cuddy design against spray, and either
eliminate the rig, or rationalise it by removing the prodder and installing
a mast tabernacle. To optimise this dual role, the designer is researching
a source of telescoping 20ft alloy masts.

Hot Chili is a real solution for those who think they are doomed to save
forever for “a decent boat.” You can savour the feeling of sailing a boat
you built yourself, and you wont be exhausted or broke by launch day.
You will sail past boats costing 50 times as much, and can take your
boat on holiday without making the drive a nightmare. You can spend
200 hours building and 2000 sailing, instead of vice versa. Your boat will
be the focal point at Messabouts and Wooden Boat Festivals. Hot Chili is
enviromnmentally sound. Hot Chili is heaps of fun. Can you think of a
better way to go?

Yours Faithfully
Jeff Gilbert 2003.