I just ordered the Jimmy Skiff II hull kit. Previously built: 17' kayak, Skerry, Pocketship, 18' SUP, Teardrop camper. All the sailboats have been sold. I was very happy with all of them but sold them for various reasons (really sorry I sold the Pocketshop though--what a great little cruiser). I am intrigued with the Jimmy Skiff. It looks more stable and easier to sail (I'm 80 now). I also like the slanted daggerboard well. On the Skerry the daggerboard was always floating up. It seems to me the slanted well will prevent that. Also the slant should help it get by debris.
If you haven't already, I'd suggest you get in touch with Terry Ellis at CLC. He built the prototype JS2 and wrote the manual. He's a good source for inside info, and he's quite responsive to questions. Like you, I'm 80, and I'm about half to 2/3 of the way thru building a JS2. I bought the kit for some of the same reasons you did, and I'm hoping to use it occasionally as a camp cruiser on inland lakes. I can't provide any feedback yet on how she sails, and I'm anxious to see what other responses you get here.
I bought and built the JS2 because my dog won a $5 raffle. He won a 2.5hp aircooled outboard motor at a kayak race. We didn't have a boat that could be registered that fit the motor. That and putting a motor on a canoe .....was just wrong. Then CLC advertised the JS2 as being built to take a 2.5hp motor and put it on sale.......ordered one. Built it and mounted the motor. It worked. Dog liked it. Had to do a night paddle with the canoe club and didn't have lights so we left the motor and went unpowered, different light rules. We've done 23mile paddles in the kayaks and been about as tired as we were that night after 5 miles of rowing to keep up. It is not very paddle fast or stealthy.
Under motor it acts like a sail boat under power. The CLC video must be better balanced. Mine has a slight squat, typical of a sailboat. Without the dagger board it takes on water through the slot and shoots it up into the boat via the seat. I made a short plug, ie top of dagger board.
Sailing hasn't left the shop yet The mast and boom are on the rack. .......I've been distracted. My sailing expereince has been in varied boats up to 36 ft. But the mast and sail on the Jimmy just looks bigger than any of the other dinghys or skiffs I've sailed. Then again it might be that age thing has slowed/lowered my hutzpah.
Ha! Good one, Grumpy. I think it is pretty much universal that all old men suffer from low hutzpah! ...or somethin'....
Seriously, Jimmy II does have a lot of sail...15% more than the original. Hey, John Harris likes to crack on sail, he does. Given a 52" beam and enough rocker to carry 500+ pounds, she won't be any speed demon, especially compared to a bunch of slippery kayaks. Rowing is the way to carry a load (barring skinny rowing shells); paddling the way for speed.
However, if you are carrying the adult beverages for a gaggle of kayakers, I'll bet they'll wait on you, you think? <;-)
"Grumpy," I thought water might be coming up the db well, same thing happened with my Skerry. Could you please provide more information about the plug you built?
Damn! I wish it were possible to delete posts. I'm losing it I guess. What I was talking about in the previous post was the spacers, not the sides. So ignore the post just above. I still believe the inside faces of the *spacers* should be epoxied before assembly.
Referring to initial assembly of the daggerboard trunk beginning on p. 65, I would recommend one small change. Coat the inside faces of the spacers with epoxy before assembling the trunk. That would be much easier than trying to coat them later and help ensure you don't miss a spot. You will still have to reach into it to remove any squeezed out glue, but that's it. (If I am wrong for some reason I don't understand, please try to let me know within a day or two so I don't make a mistake.)
I'm building Pocketship now, but did JSII as my first build. Been sailing her for a couple of seasons and really enjoy. She sails easy, but I feel if more than 1 sob, gets crowded pretty quick. I've not camped in her yet, but should be plenty of room for 1 and light gear.
If I were planning on camping a lot, I might think about trying to somehow build access to the bow compartment for storage.
Hi DD, I built my JSII a few years ago and have been sailing on a lake in NH for almost three summers now. The proportions are just right. She moves well under sail with even just a very light breeze. You need to keep her balanced or on gusts she can dip a rail in the water which you DON't want, but it easy enough if you can move around. Generally, I use one of the removeable rowing thwarts, and sort of sit on the center line and slide back and forth to the windward side as needed. She is best with a slight heel to leeward. I am 68 and can still move reasonably well in her. She is not over canvassed at all. The offset daggerboard works fine and no leakage around the top. I have rowed her some as well. I wouldn't call her a pulling boat, but she does row reasonably well.
"Grumpy," I thought water might be coming up the db well, same thing happened with my Skerry. Could you please provide more information about the plug you built? "............ Just build a daggerboard, but make it six inches long.
I guess I’m a new member of the JSII Old Sailers Club. I have just started the build on a JS II. I’ve sailed boats from 27’ ocean cruisers to 8 ft dinghies, and a lot in between over the last 50 years. But now, at 79, I would like something easy to launch, row, and sail. The JS II seems to fit the bill. After talking with the folk at CLC, I will be rigging mine with a lug sail, so I can get the rig inside the boat when towing or rowing. Not as fast as the leg-o-mutton, but I’m not as fast either. So, it should be a good match. But first, I have to build. This will be my third CLC boat, so hopefully, I have learned a few things from my past mistakes.
I’m currently building one and plan to use a lug sail, too, for the same reason as you. I haven’t finalized the plan. I’m leaning towards a 75 square foot Michalak sail that I think will work. I’m probably going to make my own based on the dimensions of that sail with a tarp to test it out before going all in.
Thanks for that info. Good luck with your build. I’ve got a little trim work to do in my new the basement shop before I can start joining the bottom and side planks for wiring up the hull. But, in a week or so, I should be able to get going on it.
I built my two earlier CLC boats, an Eastport Pram 10 years ago, and a Sassafras canoe about 5 years ago from kits because I was living in AZ and sourcing decent marine plywood was difficult. The shipping costs were jaw dropping. It was a good enough experience that I decided to build the Jimmy from a kit, too, even though I now live in Maine. Reading the manual, I’m impressed with how things have developed. I especially like the idea of “tack welding” so you can take the wires out before putting in the full interior fillets. It’s an extra step, but overall faster, and avoids the little copper prongs that destroy sandpaper.
At this point I am thinking of using the Skerry sail, which is what the folks at CLC recommended. At 62 sq. ft., it is a bit smaller than the 68 sq. ft. sail of the original leg-o-mutton on the JSII. However, it should move it along well enough, with the benefit of a lower sail plan. At my age and with a bum back, I’m more interested in not dumping into the cold water of Maine than I am in going fast. On the other hand, your plan for 75 sq. ft. should give more power with benefit of lower sail and less heeling compared to the original JS II sail.
Good luck with your build. Let me know how it goes.
I’m in Illinois and I was thinking having the larger sail would help when there is not much wind. The sail would have a couple reefs for windier days.
That sounds like a useful adaptation to your local sailing conditions. Here, on the coast of Maine, “not much wind” doesn’t happen all that much. But, I did a lot of sailing in inland North Carolina and New York, and coastal South Carolina where that was often the case in the summer. There, more sail with reefing potential was the way to go.
Built a JS2 3 years ago and started using a lug sail this year. Appreciate the ease of set up and take down with the shorter spars. Also used the skerry sail - (Sail rite kit) Seems fine. Overall the JS2 is a great boat for multiple uses. We often take it camping with an E-propulsion motor and piles of crap. Once we took it
on lake Champlain when the waves were perhaps bigger than expected and initially we were frightened. The Jimmy took care of us and got us to our destination 5 miles away. Decided we needed a bigger boat so bought a pocketship and are loving both boats as they have their own uses.
