Well, I think I'm going to try to be the first person to build an F14

I am going to base my craft on the Quattro 14 design by Richard Woods, but make a few changes...

The beams will (most likely) be P16 beams because I can get them free from a wreck on the beach. So the boat will only be 8' wide instead of 8'6" (Q14 plans call for 7' beam). I don't care though, since going 6" more would cost me actual money Also, my trailer and Cat Trax are for my 8' wide G-Cat, so I can hopefully re-use them on this boat.

I say hopefully because... I'm going to cant the hulls to whatever that "ideal angle" is where the leeward hull is verticle when the windward hull is just flying. I figure since this is a skeg design I'll need to do all the footing I can! However... I'm also playing with the idea of adding daggerboards because...

The rig should be a H14 mast and mainsail. My friend was given a like-new set of these for free and I want to beg him to sell them to me cheap. [color:"red"]I understand that a H14 mast is only 22' tall? Hopefully I can find a H16 mast and cut it down to 24'.[/color] However, a couple of nearly-free windsurfer masts later I'll have a big pole to fly a roller-furling headsail from. I'm thinking of something like a giant jib. Flat enough to be used upwind as well as downwind in just about any conditions where I can handle the extra sail area. Messing with the CoE like that could require some dagger boards to be used for balance while going upwind...(though the stock design does call for a small jib). I'll have to settle on my rig design before deciding for or against placing the 'boards. [color:"blue"](Rick- what's your expirience with the Hooter-equipped Wave? How high can you carry it, and into what wind-strength? How does it effect the Wave's balance with respect to CoE and CoLR?)[/color] [color:"red"]What would be a good maximum sail area for these F14s? Figure with a square-top mainsail on a 24' mast, plus some sort of headsail...[/color]

Rudders will be from a H14 or TheMightyHobie18 since I can also get these fairly cheap. If forced to, I could slap my Dotan Sampson 25s onto this boat. They didn't hold up on my G-Cat 5.7M though, and I don't think they're strong enough for catamarans (even if Hans is using them successfully on his G-Cat 5.0T). They'll be set perpendicular to the hulls, so the leeward rudder is verticle at the "ideal angle". Rudders also play a large part in resisting drift, and having them as verticle as possible should make them most effective.

I may also raise the bows and make them more rounded on top for some extra bouyancy and reduced pitchpoling tendency. It'll be fun to see how this project turns out, and having a light-weight (suspect it will come out under 200lbs) platform will make me much more willing to trailer to racing events. I can and do load/unload my 400# G-Cat solo, and also raise/lower the mast alone, solo the boat in light-to-moderate winds, etc.... but it's a whole lot of work to do it for only one or two days of racing elsewhere, when I get to leave it mast-up on the beach here. As a result, I don't race at all. I know a lightweight single-handed racing machine would get my 150# self to a lot more starting lines (and hopefully finish lines!), and I bet it would do the same for many others as well.

[color:"red"]Any (constructive) comments and suggestions are welcome![/color]

I like your style!! If you want it done right,do it yourself!!

Keep me posted on your progress.

p.s. In the back of my mind I have a plan for a 20' proa that should be an absolute screamer!

I am also interested in building a boat. Although I've never done it, and I'm not farmiliar with the construction methods used. Wondering if I'm capable of it, but willing to give it a shot. I've also sent email for the Q14 plans.

I hope you guys read the F-14 rules first. It would be real easy to build a 14-foot boat that weighs less than 240 pounds, and then you would have to fill it with concrete to make it fit in.

Mary,

I don't understand who set the "rules" and why there wasn't some sort of vote on it. We just started talking about this class days ago, and now there are rules already?!?

Be advised that this is a quite old design now.
The hulls are deep V shaped, and with skegs windward performance may not be the best compared with daggerboard boats.

On the lighter side, construction is quite easy and the plans are of OK quality. I have buildt a set of Quattro 16 hulls and they turned out OK.

I would not have choosen this design and plywood as building materials today. I dont know a suitable 14 foot design, but scaling some 18 square line drawings down to 14 foot might be a start. (BRoberts are probably going to chastice me for that statement )

You could also have a look at Phill Brander's great site for inspiration, information about building and some useful links.

Phill Branders site


I would have choosen to cold mould the hulls with a Gougeon style internal structure if I was to build in wood. But I would prefer glass/foam construction. Especially as resin infusion becomes more available (less medical hazards for the home builder).

Mary,
I just finished reading those rules and is sounds more like the formation of a CLASSIC 14 class. The Cheshire cat is advertised at 170lbs and the Quattro 14 at 176.
It looks to be basically a Hobie 14 and Hobie Wave class, and if I'm not mistaken, Hobie already has a class for these boats to race in, provided no X-boats are in attendance.
I have no problem with sailing/racing smaller boats, but I still want to sail racing boats. I've got my big, excessively heavy G-Cat to put around on when I'm not concerned with who's passing who.
I'm sure women/children would appreciate 70-90lb lighter boats when they're dragging them across the beach after a fun day of sailing/racing.

Rolf-

I chose those plans because I'm not much of a wood-worker and they look like the easiest thing to do. Hulls are hulls, and if I'm not satisfied I can always build another set of hulls to replace the old ones. I guess I'm not married to the Quatto hulls just yet though. I am also thinking about the Taipan 4.3 in tortured ply...

May I suggest you ask Phil Brander or the guys from the A class in Au or AHCP re a guy who tried to start a "Int 14" class in Australia..
He lives on the east coast of Au and possible he lives mid NSW coast..
His boat is 14 foot long looks like a mini A.. It was shown at the Titles (worlds ?) Sorry not a lot of help with more details... But if he can be tracked down you have a start on your class in Australia..

good luck

Stewart

My stepson specializes in fiberglass boat repairs. When he heard about this new class, he got excited because he said, "I have always wanted to build a boat, but I didn't think I could afford to build a 20-footer; I know I can afford to build a 14-footer." Regarding the minimum boat weight of 240 pounds, he said, "That's great, because it is a lot easier, and cheaper to build a heavy boat than a light boat."

How is it cheaper and easier to build a heavier boat? Doesn't this entail more materials, and thence more work to install all those materials? I'm trying to imagine something cheaper and easier than building a stich-and-glue plywood boat from ~8 sheets of plywood (8 is for the Q16, I don't know what the Q14 takes) ...but I'm coming up empty Could you have him clarify that statement for me?

for you guys building 14's on the eastern US coast.

If you need crossbars, I've got two H17 aluminum mast extrusions that are just sitting next to my boat. If you need them, shoot me a PM and we can arrange something.

Got the sail track built in for the tramp and everything

These are H17 mast extrusions, and not H17 crossbeams, correct?

I'm not much of a wood-worker

Check out Wharram.com Eventhough you're not building one of his designs, there is much helpful information.

correct.

they are straight.

well unless you get the bent one, which is bent at one end, so unless you're planning on building a 20' wide boat its no problem.

AHPC, the makers of the Taipan have already gone some of the way down the path in developing a 4.3 version of the larger Taipans with this F14 concept in mind. 14' cats are still popular in OZ and a new boat in this class would be sensational!!! PS I think the Nacra 4.5 [450] should also be included as a potential F14, as its origins are centred around a simple and light entry level cat. Just my 02 cents worth]

Sycho15,

There are two ARC 22 mast broken in half in Navarre Beach. One is mine. You're welcome to it, if it would do you any good for crossbeams or whatever. The mast was 38.5 feet long and broke at the upper, inner diamond wire. Not real sure what the longest length is. Drop me a line if interested.

Picture attached. Good luck with the project.

Hey Sycho,

If there is enough left, lemm know I still want to build even if it doesn't fit into the current "rules"

In an earlier post I had already indicated that F14 was considered earlier. By exactly 2 Australian builders

When this class gets off the ground that you can expect to see two lightweight modern hulled F14's

Better make your design fast.

Wouter

Wouter, do you know what the length and width is for these Formula 14 class boats in Australia? Which manufacturers?

The 14 foot designs you talk about is the glider.

Other designs of interest are The Paper Tiger and Arrow

All 14 foot and can be seen on www.geocities.com/Phillbrander/

Wouter