a Gislinge made of stitch and glue? sacrilege! Well..since we are blaspheming...

Builder's Forum
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J Harris himself pointed out that "by fitting a daggerboard with a nice foil shape in a descreet trunk, this boat would murder the traditional craft at messabouts," This got me thinking.  If you want to reinact being a viking, get yourself an axe (or two) and build yourself a 40-50' longship, and get a crew of 20-40, and have at it. 


But if you want a boat reminiscent of a viking age workboat, but are not against modern techniques (power tools anyone?) why not build using epoxy and plywood, but take the same hull shape we all know is beautiful.  Take the original owner of the Gislinge in a time machine to today and give him some lasses in epoxy and plywood and ask if he would like to build a stiffer boat in a fraction of the time. and I would be surpised if he would be unhappy with the result.   Show him what a daggerboard can do, and I am sure all his future vessels would have one.  After all, why row when you can sail?


Which brings me to my next thought.  square rig sail is iconic.  And stupid.  If you want to single hand, anyway.  J. Harris tried to hold onto that iconic shape, but make it a bit easier, with the dipping lug.  But even then "with practice" tacking takes a minute and a half.  that's way too long for my fairly tight waters of Cape Cod bay. not to mention it appears I would need a mandatory first mate to manage it all.

Hear me out.  What if, we ditched the center mast step completely, and maybe went with a ketch, or yawl?  More room admidships maybe, although clearing the aft stem might make a yawl a bit tricky.  But being able to sail this hull singlehanded upwind with alacrity intrigues me.  To hell with a traditionsl sail plan.  Thoughts?

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Viking hull shape - check

Centerboard - check

Modern rig - check (Prototype with balanced lug, #2 with Marconi sloop)

Stitch and glue, epoxy and fiberglass - check

I think your boat exists. It's the Faering Cruiser. Bonus - an enclosed sleeping space, a lazarette in the bow for storage and buoyancy and efficient rowing to get you windward to the dock before the storm gets there.

Laszlo

 

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   I guess there are a few that fit that somewhat loose description, like a Caledonia Yawl, for example.  I guess I am thinking of how to modernize for single hand the Gislinge hull, or at the very least the CLC interpretation of it.  Keep basic hull shape, but add daggerboard slot (or leeboard?) and a more single hand friendly sail plan.   Rather than find a different design.  i am a sucker for those high stems. 

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   here is a very crude paste up of a possible alternate sail plan on this hull.  The sail plan is from a Southwester dory.   That and maybe an optional centerboard and you couls sail upwind,possibly even singlehanded.  maybe?

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Leeboards sound like a good idea, if it would really help performance. With a bit of paint it could look like a shield hanging off the side, and it wouldnt be in the way of rowing like the NE dory dagger board trunk (which also sprays water up when rowing). 

Thanks to Nate C for the photoshop, I had often wondered how the Southwestern dory rig would look myself. I both like it, and don't like the looks at the same time. In theory you could string a tent up between the masts. I don't know why, but it looks like a ship from a fantasy setting, maybe too much?