US1M Differences

I’ve decided to scratch build a US1M, and I have been trying to pick a design. I’ve read the book and plans from amya, and I have lots of experience with balsa, fiberglass, and the other materials from planes. My only standards are that the plans be either free or really cheap, and that construction not require any vacuum bagging or baking or anything silly like that. Is there any real standard to compare the different plans and designs available, or is it pretty much a matter of picking one that has the coolest sounding name? At this point I don’t have anyone to race with, but I’m hoping that will change. Also, are there any sources that you would recommend for plans other than the amya site?

http://www.modellsegeln-bodensee.de/bootsbau.php

Hi Jared, try this link, many free downloads!

Regards, Jan.

Boaters are nice people.

The standard wisdom for your first US1M is to build the Mistral. Check out the AMYA website.

Muzza

having spent some time both building, sailing and designing us1m’s I must agree with the above comment. The mistral is an EXCELLENT all around boat and great boat to start with. There are two in our club that give most of the newer boats fits! If I were building a boat of an esxisting design (aka not my own), it would be a mistral, or steve andre’s latest boat, the zipper III (I believe).

The only other piece of advice I would give you . . . is build an IOM instead if you are sailing by yourself. Sails better in a wider wind range, is more tolerant of a competative wood boat, and is much more popular for competition world wide.

I only build US one meters because there is more flexibility in the rule for designers.

Good luck!
~tb

I completely agree with Todd (tb), the Mistral is a perfect choice. I would recommend downloading the plans (still free) from the Yahoo USOM site (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/us1mrcsailing/)in the File section. Jim Linville (the class secretary) has added a one inch scale to check for printer distortion and the improved plans haven?t made the AMYA site yet?.. I think.
You can download the measurements for the mistress (the Minuteman modified Mistral that tb was mentioning) too.

Gio