Cool! I can talk about it now :-)

John gave me a sneek peek at the pics a few weeks ago but swore me to secrecy until he revealed it, so I've been sitting here trying not to pop.

While it has the same hull style as a Faering Cruiser, it'll be a much different boating experience. I think in many ways it'll be more comparable to PocketShip.

The main difference is that you can't row it (I know John says you can stand up and row it that way, but "can" and "want to" are 2 different things), so when the wind goes you must have the engine. That dumps the ability to go on long trips without stops in civilization for recharges. Not a bad thing, but different from the little camping boat.

It also has lead ballast instead of water ballast, so it would be a significantly heavier trailer load. Bigger trailer, bigger car and some potential for problems loading it at some ramps. Again, nothing bad, just part of the big boat instead of small boat experience.

With all that weight, it would slice very nicely through chop and tack well. We found out last year at the MASCF sailboat races just how well the FC sails, so this larger version should be quite the racer.

The hull, of course is a thing of beauty, and to me the accommodations seem palatial. Not only does it look like the perfect boat for those who want to bring someone along, but for you impossible dreamers from the R2AK thread, I think that this is the boat you'd want to take (if there's an electric motor class). Can't wait to see the first one built.

Laszlo

OK, just crazy ol me talking without thinking much. Yank the electric motor, leave the drive shaft and prop. Attach a chain to a set of pedals........ R2AK he we come!

@Mikeflys - That's not a bad idea.  One thing I learned from working up the Angus sailing rowcruiser quote was that pedaling requires a more recumbent position, which requires a lot of cockpit space.  In some ways, the cockpit needs to be designed with pedaling in mind.

This is a super sexy design and I'm looking forward to the official release of the design.  This would be very interesting to see someone build for R2AK.  If that's the case, I might have to be CLC's roving reporter and head over to Port Townsend to check it out.

With that being said, I have to say that with all the work that's obviously been put into this design, we could've had NanoShip 3.0 by now.  ;^)

>>>>>This is a super sexy design and I'm looking forward to the official release of the design. >>>

Thanks for the good words!

This is a "design study," and was paid work. The engineering is all correct and it would float and function as shown. However, a roll of plans from which you could BUILD A 27-foot BOAT is vaporware as of this writing.

Detailed construction drawings and cut files are probably ~300 hours of additional work. THAT awaits a willing client...  Otherwise the alotted time is going towards spec projects like the Outrigger Junior or NanoShip 3.0.

To churn out cut-ready design packages for a boat like this, purely on spec, I would need some sort of trust fund!

Thanks, John!  That's great "Inside Baseball" info.  Also glad to hear the development projects are moving forward.

"You know I always wanted to pretend that I was a naval architect." - George Costanza paraphrase

The John Harris Boat Orphans' Welfare Fund

Anybody know a good grant application writer?  <;-)

.....Michael