Joe Rouse 7/8/11 Joe Rouse 7/8/11

Sailboat Of The Day: Ocean Explorer.

Introduction by Perttu Korhonen:

I like exploring new lakes. I built an OzRacer by Michael Storer and liked its performance and handling. With it I made one overnight trip and that convinced me, that the PDRacer/OzRacer is quite capable for trips like that. During last winter I started to sketch a cruiser version of the OzRacer. I chose that boat because it is light and has good performance. My design uses Michael Storer´s Oz Racers sails, spars and foils - and she can fly!

This summer I made a three day trip with the boat and I found it to be a fun design. I was sleeping inside the cabin and sailing every day like a real sailor! The off center hatch could looks odd, but it´s handy when moving inside the cabin. You can slide your legs under cockpit seats while you are standing on the cabin floor. The boat is meant to be sailed with the hatch shut. If she is capsized, you should have enough time to turn the boat upright again before cabin fills with water, but Pdracers aren´t too easy to capsize!

It proved itself as a such a good working concept that I ended up making plans for it. I have made bigger boats, but small boats have the advantage of being faster to build and maintain in sailing condition. The more timeyou spend building the boat, the more you worry about it when sailing. If the boat is quickly buillt, you can use it harder and build another with less time compared with building one bigger boat.

The plans for Ocean Explorer contain around 95 pages of drawings, photos and text including a plan for the homemade lugsail – the plan is available as a PDF download which you can print on your home computer.

Perttu Korhonen

If you are interested in buying plans of the Ocean Explorer, you can find them on Duckworks.

Michael Storer (designer of the OZRacer)
"Be clear, the Ocean Explorer is not really ocean capable, but for many lakes and rivers it is a great little boat that won't cost a lot, won't feel too precious and probably inspire a great deal of argument along some waterfronts."

Joe Rouse 7/8/11 Joe Rouse 7/8/11

Friday Flyover: The End Of An Era With The Launch Of Atlantis.

"First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish."—President John F. Kennedy, Joint Session of Congress, May 25, 1961

Joe Rouse 7/7/11 Joe Rouse 7/7/11

Fraoch a Rònaigh.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/16276481 w=466&h=262]

A Confluence - Fraoch a Rònaigh (the voyage) from TAIGH CHEARSABHAGH on Vimeo.

The song in this version is sung by Sophia Dale.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/16084796 w=465&h=262]

A Confluence - Fraoch a Rònaigh (sung version) from TAIGH CHEARSABHAGH on Vimeo.

In 2007 Taigh Chearsabhagh commissioned artist Ian Stephen who proposed a series of three voyages in traditional boats linked to three traditional Gaelic songs to celebrate the opening of the 2008 studio extension.

Fraoch a Rònaigh refers to a traditional song of that name and the voyage on the Berneray-based community-owned boat Sealladh.

The song in this version is sung by Fiona Mackenzie.

Joe Rouse 7/7/11 Joe Rouse 7/7/11

Báidín Fheilimí [Feilimí's Little Boat]

Báidín Fheilimí d’imigh go Gabhla,