Thoughts of My Sea Tour 17R
Now that I’ve paddled my boat a number of times and have started getting comfortable with it there are some things that will be changed for the next one.
Cockpit - If I build another Sea Tour I’ll be sure to move the 3rd frame forward a couple inches and move the 4th frame (masik) back behind my knees. I went with Tom’s frame placement and need to mix it up a little to compensate for my long legs. To fix it in this version I’m going to strip the skin from the cockpit and peg a curved masik behind my knees. This will make it a little more difficult to enter the boat but should keep me from falling out.
Coaming - I tried something new, using LDPE tubing to make a free standing coaming, similar to Tom’s aluminum version. Over all it works well but it’s too wide and keeps trying to return to an oval (wider) shape. I’m experimenting with the same tubing now and lots more heat. It melts nicely and doesn’t burn readily so a torch isn’t out of the question. I was using an open flame on my camp stove to heat it up. The extra heat seems to set a permanent bend in it. I’ll stress the bends later to see if they lost any flexibility or strength.
Rocker - In my opinion this boat is very hard to turn. I ended up with a litle less rocker than Tom’s offsets called for. I’ll take a plane to the keel to add a little rocker and then use some heat to coax some more shape into the keel. I suspect if I’d used WRC instead of Yellow Pine for the keel it’d flex more.
Back Deck - I love the low back deck, but I’ve already cracked one of the stringers (I used 3) just behind the cockpit. When I rework the cockpit I’ll see if I can’t reach it to make some sort of repair. On the next boat I might put some thin ply or an extra deck beam to support the stringer.
That’s about it for now. I’m sure I’ll ramble on more as I get more experience paddling.
Mike in WI
5 Sep, 2006
Nice report on the Sea Tour Anton” ‘appreciate the feedback…overall would you build another SOF in the Yost style or would you build in the more traditional way?
I like your use of alternative materials on the combing…even if it does not work out it shows your ability to adapt and try new things.
On the Sea Tour’s rocker…I would have added almost 3/8″ to the bow and 1/4″ to the stern…but this is designed to be a “cruiser” with only corrective strokes in mind so the Yost offsets accomplish that goal in my opinion.
Have you tried Tony’s Woodstrip yet? Would like to hear your opinion on it?
Mike
Anton
5 Sep, 2006
I think my next one will be another Yost style, but I’d like to make it a folder.
A traditional style isn’t out of the question though. I love how the frames look. I’m tempted to build one out of drift wood but I don’t know if I have that kind of patience.
I have not had a chance to try out Tony’s Sea Ranger. I gave it a test sit when I was in Galveston and it was much too tight. I need to drop another 30 lbs or so before I fit in the cockpit. Hopefully sometime in January.
My wife is interested in a wooden boat and I may end up building that next. She saw the Sea Island sit-on-top on CLC’s site the other day and expressed an interest in that.
Eric
7 Feb, 2008
Nice looking job on the SOF. I realize this is an older entry, but I just stumbled across this site. I’m curious as to how the skin on your SOF has held up around Galveston with all of the oyster reefs and shell.
Anton
10 Feb, 2008
Eric,
I haven’t yet hit any oysters so I don’t know for sure. I’ve only paddled around the sandier parts of Galveston bay. I assume it would slice through the skin but haven’t had the chance or guts to test it out.
I did most of my paddling in Canyon Lake and had to deal with limestone there. The skin handled the abrasion well though the polyester threads are showing through the keel in a few places.
I’ve since moved up near Dallas and will have to find a new paddling location.