Includes two original beach-cruising sailboat designs, with full plans
for building them and thorough, meticulous instructions and photos.
Beach cruisers are sailboats designed to pull up in the shallows near
shore for overnight camping, with room for sleeping on board if desired,
and ample stowage for gear so you can stay out for a weekend or a week
of adventure. These new designs by David L. Nichols take the general
concept and perfect it with the extra righting moment provided by a
weighted keel, plus the extraordinary handling abilities imparted by
tandem centerboards.
This book will guide even the novice builder through each step of the
building process with clearly written sequences and hundreds of
excellent color photographs. There are also extensive chapters on making
all the hardware and sails. The builder can choose between sixteen- and
fourteen-foot sailboats, either of which can be built in a double-car
garage. They are fitted with traditional sails that are simple and easy
to rig. These boats can be launched from a trailer with the same ease as
a power boat because they both draw less than fifteen inches of water
with the boards up. But even with their shallow draft, these boats stay
on their feet because there is a generous amount of fixed lead and
concrete ballast in the box keels.
For beginner boatbuilders on up to more experienced craftsmen, this book
will provide a wealth of information on creating a versatile, safe, and
delightful sailboat.
