Just got introduced to these cool little boats, and I’ve got a few questions. First off I need to know if I’m in the right place, or do I need to go to a general discussion section? I’ve some sail experience (both real and rc: own a Victoria…) and most of my queries are specific to Footy’s
I’m currently building a Razor, but I’m generally not a big fan of hard chined boats (both looks and performance). However, the plans are free, it’s low budget (definite plus for me!), and it’s well recieved, and it is coming together quickly…
Question #1: Anybody have any plans for a more rounded, racy design. Something like the Lajabless? (that is an AWESOME boat!!!)
I’ll leave it at that for now…more questions, but start at the beginning, right…
I’m glad you like it’s style. No plan, only casted product.
You could chose your favourite hard-chined plans, erect stations, place foam chunks in between them, and instead of sanding down to the hard-chined shapes, leave the shape more rounded. Put a layer of glass on it, mud it, sand smooth, then use as yer male mold.
Or, re-chop the new rounded shape into station shapes again, trace the shapes to make new rounded stations, then do a strip-plank, rounded hull boat.
I was hoping you’d take the time to reply to a newbie like me. I have been drooling over your unbelievable design!!! Is the performance what one would expect from the looks?
If I only had the spare cash I’d order one yesterday!!! Unfortunately, I live and work on foreign currency and the conversion rate is sadly not in my favor (1US$=2.68EC$). So I have to stick to building my own right now.
I’m currently doing something along that lines. I’m basically hand shaping and a chunk of breadfruit wood (light, strong, and easy to work) and if it turns out gonna slice, station, and do strip & plank. I’t my first attempt at a design (if you’d call it that) and build, but I do enjoy this part. You have any qualms about me basing my design on Lajahbless?
most of my other questions are about rigging and again I was so impressed with your boat I am basing my attempt on your design as well. As I am not to that point yet I’ll save questions till I really need the help instead of beg to get you guys to do it all for me. I’ll try not to be too needy!!!
Thank you so much for the reply. You’ll hear from me again soon…
P.S.- you spent much time down here in the islands? I ask because as you know LaJahBless is a very familiar figure to me, the mythical one that is. How does a northerner know about that?
When da win blo. she tek off like a duppy at sun-rise.
It’s been many years since me roass an eat breadfruit, flyin fish an cukoo (an a Banks).
My designs are from years of inspiration from my eyes taking in all shaps that they have come across. Be inspired my friend.
You’ll find that in the Footy kingdom, that all it’s subjects help each other, to get there crafts working good. I’ve only been at it a year and a bit, and All here have eucated me in my pursuit of fun.
Oh ya, I’m Bajan as well. Mi gran-mudda used to work Obiyah as well. As a yoot, mi had dreadlocs. One day me cut dem off, because mi move on ta udda tings, an granny burn dem fa sum reason…Ya get mi meanin? :witch:
Animaljosh - Nigel is a top flight composite craftsman. His boats are beautiful. He started out with this group and designed his first Footy during a well advertised break between full size gigs. Hence his boat’s name could be after a Caribbean apparition-seductress or could be interpreted as “La-Job-Less” (sorry Nigel, this was hard to resist).
Never the less, if you comb through this sight you will find that there are many different designs and designer’s to take inspiration from. I would recommend that you do thorough research here, accessing the last couple of year’s of posts, so that you gain an understanding of the class and its direction. And, before you undertake designing and building a “soft chine” boat get some stick time in on your Razor. You will find that it handles a bit differently than a Victoria.
So, before you get further enchanted by a lajahbless, look around a bit. We might not all be craftsmen of Nigel’s caliber but we have debated some issues important to these small boat’s performance. You might find it useful.
Animaljosh, Hi and welcome to this excellent group. I am lucky enough to have a LaJahBless on my shelf and Nigel’s skills shine from every curve of that hull. I am one of the chine guys here and what is really nice is that we co-habit really well here in footydom. Cross pollenation is a wonderful thing so I’ll second Neil and say have fun reading through our meanderings.
As long as you’re starting fresh, don’t overlook the Cobra, also from Bill Hagerup. I’ve seen one sail and it’s a winner. Bill also thinks it’s faster than the original Razor.
A huge thanks to all for the info. Makes me feel good to know you all are willing to help others, even a newbie like me!!! Rare in most places on the planet these days. I’ve got a really big pond that doesn’t freeze and tradewinds that blow almost every day (heeeheheheeeee!!!) so it would be a shame to waste that, eh?
I’ve been searching for info for some time now and finally decided to bug you guys as you all look like the trendsetters in this game. I’ve found some other plans, and I’m not knocking the Razor or the other hard chined boats (in fact, the ease of build is a HUGE plus, especially for me) but I also am into the asthetics and the race ready look is my pick. I’m not fooling myself that I can get anywhere near Nigels or any of you others design, but I can still give it a go. You never know, it might even float!
I have surfed as much as I can (time and my dismally slow internet connection…remember dialup anyone!!!) in search of info and plans. I’ll keep at it but It’d be a big help if any of you could send me links for anything interesting. Save me time, and if I’ve allready got the info no biggy…we don’t kill trees this way.
I will be coming back to the NC coast soon to visit family and try to make a buck and I figured I’d try to get a boat done so I can bring it back with me. Parts here in St. Lucia… HAAAAAHHHAHAAAAAHAHAHAH…uh, no. And the outer banks aren’t exactly a shoppers paradise, so I am gonna need to figure out exactly what I need and find it in my short time. I’ll have plenty of questions about rigging and parts and I’m hoping you all might help.
SO anyway, thanks again for the encouragement and the resource. I know it isn’t any of yours job to help me, so what you can when you can is better than good! I appreciate it greatly.
And Nigel, I’ll pick some mangoes (they’re in season), roast a breadfruit, and fry some flying fish tonight on the beach in your honor!!! And I won’t forget to wash it down with a cold Banks! (my neighbors bajan, and he sell em in his rumshop! Better than a Piton if I do say so myself!)
Maybe we need a regatta somewhere in the Windwards so us northeners can come down, do some sailing and liming. Around Cropover in Barbados maybe, or persuade Rodney Bay marina to sponsor something. Be neat to do it at the the ramp on Reduit , but you might never see the boats again if they go too far downwind. Have to be summer time, too much wind for Footy’s in the winter. You up for it Nigel? Paul
I think you’ll find that in general the people who frequent this forum (myself included) generally are thrilled to be able to shoot our mouths off about footys and if someone askes us to… well, that makes it all the better! I don’t think you will have any problems getting the information you need. grins If you are looking for some footy plans I think there are quite a few still kicking around in the “files” section of the yahoo footy group the URL is:
You may find something interesting there, I don’t know… I tend to keep my own counsel when it comes to design work, and therefore don’t look at a lot of the new designs as carefully as I should, but I would imagine that you might find something that you could use a spring board there. The thing I always have to keep in mind when designing “soft chined” boats is to keep the freeboard higher that perhaps I might like… Footys tend to nosedive downwind, and having some reserve bouyancy in the form of freeboard seems to help.
Best of luck to you, shout if you need anything, I can assure you that there will be someone on here happy to help!
Food for thought… If any of you are you are in the slightest bit serious about something of the sort (or just coming this way any time at all…)I’ve got serious connections and am a fair hand at entertaining. Here is a link to my ladies place http://www.balenbouche.com and if given enough notice and if you are willing to exchange a little volunteer work accomodations are free. Yep, no joke!!! And if it’s just a few of you my place is just a little down the road and free for all. Plenty of cool places to sail, my favorite haunt being Malgretoute, a little bay at the very base of Gros Piton. THe scenery is world class… and the beer is really cold!!!
Maybe if I was job-less. Part-time filler gigs are non stop, and I can barely keep up with “LAJABLESS” orders, not to mention my other offerings.
I’ve been turning down a lot of “JOBS”, so I can also build myself the highest tech, best built, and best quality bicycle frame on the planet. And yes that is a challenge to all others, including the johnny-come-lately big names, the German masters (Although there stuff is the current best), and Kestrel for having the balls to experiment in the early days. :devil3:
Sure there is no big income becuase of my choices, but the “TIME” to live and play as if I were retired is the trade. What would I do with big income anyways. Buy nine cars, have 80 children, a 900 year mortgage, a 1000" tv to watch others enjoy their sailboats, and dress to look like it’s all net worth, when really it’s total debt service ratio? :rolleyes:
I would like to travel to the Liverpool, the Caribean, and other exotics to sail my Footy with you all though.
A cut-away piece of a “Best-on-the-plane-frame”, was shown to me, as if to pose the question, “could I do as good as this”? It belonged to one U.S. company (who has one of the lightest production hard tails, and is viewed as on of the best in the business). The first thing I did was laugh, then borrowed the cut-away to show my composite builder friends what passes as top-end. We all laughed at the fact the company does not know how to solve the problem of out-gassing, during the de-bulking stage.
Trapped air pockets in between the laminated reinforment. And they want $9000+ for their bike? BAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!
Is there anything you don’t do? In my opinion you have it all figured out. Fun livin’ IS the best job on the planet. Might as well enjoy every possible minute while you can, however you can. I ditched the ole fashioned “work until you die” ethic a few years back and look at me now. I’m a broke bee pimp (ok, I breed queens for export, but pimpin’ sounds cooler!) that plays with toy boats, but I have all the time in the world to grow my own food, hang out with my critters, love my lady, and breathe. Occasionally I have other stuff to do too, but if I don’t enjoy it it doesn’t last any longer than it has too. And, I’ve gotta say, I’ve got one of the best views from my office.
Maybe one day fairly soon I’ll even be able to contribute to your retirement fund and buy one of your groovy little craft. All in due time I guess… first I gotta get my first one running. Hull is done, trying to work out the best way to set up electronics, then figure out rudder and keel attatchment, etc…)Soon, as I’ll be back within the week. Hope I don’t have to stay long, the islands really are paradise!!!
So I’ll have many questions to come in the near future. Thanks again for everything everybody!!!
I’m more than half serious about a Footy event in Saint Lucia, when I mentioned it to my wife she was really excited. We were based there, (running boats) for 6 years before Stevens Yachts persuaded us to work in the Virgin Islands (which I hated). We didn’t get down to Soufriere very much, but often anchored between the Pitons, (long before the hotel was built). It truly is a beautiful part of a beautiful island.
Hi animaljosh… yesterday I sat with Paul muddauber discussing your post over a pot of tea in the morning sun. It’s good to be with kindred spirits of the inventive work ethic variety. Work to live, never live to work is a european belief too to which I heartily tip my flat cap. More strength to you Nigel. So Saint Lucia huh?
Back in the ol’ US again (argghghhhhhh!!!) for a short while and am going to be needing a lot of advice/info from you all soon so that I can turn one of my hulls into a working boat. One of my first and major questions: anybody know of a one stop shop for what I’m gonna need for rigging supplies? I know, kinda a generic question, but I’m still not sure exactly what all it’s gonna take yet and in the interest of budget I’m hoping to order everyting I’ll need from one place (mast and boom material, keel bulb/and or materials, sail stuff, etc…) I’ll be asking lots more questions in the days to come , so hold on!!!
And to any and all of you thinking/dreaming about an event in Lucia, it’s completely doable and would rock my world. I don’t get to many visitors down here, and fellow crazies would just be incredible. Talk it up!!! Let’s make something happen!!!
