SS@G Northwind

Builder show and discuss their progress.
tx river rat
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:48 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Tx

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by tx river rat »

Seat mount finished and seat mounted.
I cant stand it any longer , I am fixing to weigh her and then get her wet
Then I will come back and finish her.
Ron
jem
Site Admin
Posts: 4915
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:14 pm
Type of boat I like: Wooden
Location: Greensboro, NC
Contact:

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by jem »

tx river rat wrote:Seat mount finished and seat mounted.
I cant stand it any longer , I am fixing to weigh her and then get her wet
Then I will come back and finish her.
Ron

The siren song of the of the home-built boat. :mrgreen:
-Matt. Designer.
tx river rat
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:48 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Tx

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by tx river rat »

54 lbs ready to float, not bad for a 17 ft 2 inch boat.
Water is coming shortly.
Ron
tx river rat
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:48 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Tx

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by tx river rat »

I loaded her up and headed to the local lake


Image
Dont look half bad :D

Unloaded and shoved her in the water ,dang she floats shallow , with a small cooler seat and camera bags both ends are out of the water
Image

We need some rain bad here are a few pics of the shore line

Image

Image

I crawled in and shoved off , rocked and rolled sideways ,dang boat is like a rock
I had my seat up 5 inches ,I am going to raise it a couple more the next time I go
The initial stability is great , leaned her on over and it was like hitting a wall,
OH I LIKE IT
Started out across the lake and started turning back and fourth , she doesnt need a rudder , that was one of my concerns.
This is not a sprint boat , got it up to just a little over 5 miles an hour. killing yourself might do 6 for a short time. But oh the cruise speed, my T-V cruises at 3.75 mph this boat can be paddled all day at 4.2 to 4.5 I love it.
This was on a lake with a chop , balanced decks worked great the wind just didnt bother me at all . in fact I turned side ways to the wind and let her drift she
she stayed that way no weather cocking.
I have built some fast boats that can out sprint this one ,but at the end of the day I think they would be playing catch up.
My thoughts on the North Wind , it exceed my expectations .
Rudder not needed
high cruise
I think I need at least a hundred more lbs in her to really see her perform I hate to say it but I think the T-V just got demoted to second place.
Still a lot to do to her ,but now I know she is a winner.
Matt thanks for a great design.
Ron
craiggamesh
Posts: 465
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 12:01 am
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by craiggamesh »

That is a beautiful looking boat, Ron. I see in one photo you had a fishing rod. Did you slime her, too?
Regards,

Craig
------------------------------------------------------
If I had more clamps, I could build more boats.
Image
jem
Site Admin
Posts: 4915
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:14 pm
Type of boat I like: Wooden
Location: Greensboro, NC
Contact:

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by jem »

Great report! May I use the pictures?

If using a kayak paddle, you shouldn't need a rudder. But if you used a short canoe paddle like Verlen Kruger did with his Sea Wind, it has it's advantages.

And you're right about the speed and capacity: It's made to haul a load over long distances with ease.

I'm happy to hear about the stability. When I paddled the Sea Wind, it was empty and I thought it to be just a hair too twitchy. Might have been because I didn't "know" the hull very well. Anyway, when I designed the North Wind, I tweaked it ever so slightly to adjust for that.

Knocked your TP-TV off it's top dog position? Now that's saying something!

I'm like a proud papa over here! :lol:
-Matt. Designer.
tx river rat
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:48 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Tx

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by tx river rat »

Matt
You should be, This boat is awesome.
I have built 15 or so boats but I have never been as excited and pleased by one as this one. Thats all Sondra has heard since I paddled it. As soon as I hit the house after the paddle I was on the phone to Darrel ,I think after my bragging he was out in the shed sanding last night. :lol: :lol:
You hit it on the stability I felt like I could stand up in her.
This boat is more complicated but is well worth the extra effort. It took me a bit to launch ,this boat draws some attention
Matt You are welcome to any and all picks of any of my post, I will get some with her being paddled and floating .
Yesterday I played with her for about three hours just getting the feel , did some heeling , carved some turns, she even paddles good backwards,I backed out of a creek for a hundred yards just playing.
I still have a lot to do to her , seat height , footpegs ,That will help the performance some more. cut in the decks,rod holders, light mounts,and I think a fish finder is going to be mounted.
Then I will finish sanding and putting the final finish on her.
Can you tell I am super happy with the NW.
I will always have a T-V in my fleet and I rated her a 9 but this boat has to be a 15.
Can you tell I am excited and happy about this build :D :D :D :D
Ron
Darrells
Posts: 347
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2008 10:20 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Lorena,texas

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by Darrells »

Man Ron that looks great. You were right, work be damned I sanded till almost Midnight and pre-coated the interior.
Darrell Sykora
tx river rat
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:48 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Tx

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by tx river rat »

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Ron
Brazos Rat pack is about to hit the water again.
Darrells
Posts: 347
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2008 10:20 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Lorena,texas

Re: SS@G Northwind

Post by Darrells »

Fixin to glass the inside in a few minutes.
Darrell Sykora
Post Reply