Duckworks - Launch Day for the 10ft Nuthatch

Launch Day for the 10ft Nuthatch

By Warren Messer - Seattle, Washington - USA

Launch day always seems to come later than planned (the boat was sitting outside on the transport wheels for the last two weeks). Trying to get enough people together to show the boat with a full load of adults, and to have someone to take the photos can be problematic at the Red Barn. Also finding a sunny, or not so rainy day in the Pacific Northwest in the winter time can be a hair puller too. But there are people waiting to buy the plans, and I want them to see what the hull looks like in the water before they order.

The boat has a 20" high transom, so you will need to use a "long shaft" outboard, or make some changes to the plans to change the stern panel height (but you lose freeboard). There is an alternate seating arrangement in the plans if you are only going to use an outboard motor (gas or electric) and not sail the boat.

I was able to get my friends Bob and Armel to come down to the lake to help me with the launching of the 10ft Nuthatch Pram. You will recognize Bob from the FlyCaster build stories and launch photos. He was very impressed with the way this boat handled and floated, and so was I. This hull floated near the same point that the model did in the water tank tests. Actually a little higher, as I was using "supersize me" scale weights placed in the model for the tests. The flickr.com photos show the hull with the scale weights placed for the outboard motor seat option.

I was delighted to see that the hull rowed along with little effort, and could spin like a top when I counter pulled/pushed on the oars. But the deep V kept the hull going straight when I wanted to; with barely any corrections. The hull sets high when rowed by only one person, and the transom corners just barely go under when someone is setting on the stern seat.

I will update the Flickr site and send in a couple of photos to Chuck for the Duckworks "reports" section when I finish working on the mast, boom, and sprit pole. Then I wait for a not too cold and windy day to take her sailing; if I can find someone besides a newspaper reporter to take the shots. The link if you haven't already bookmarked it is: https://www.flickr.com/photos/10ftnuthatch

I love this boat, and can't wait to get the sail rigged and the 10ft Nuthatch Pram in the water on a windy day. For those waiting for me to get the 12ft Nuthatch Pram off the drawing boards and on some plywood sheets; your time will come this spring, as I am redoing the lines a bit, and it will be a rowing/outboard hull. The next hull up is the prototype of the 12ft O&P Pod, and I will start working on it around the first of the year.