by Eric Coleman

In 1963, John Westell sent to the DCA the plans of the "Rover" for our comments. This set me thinking about a design of my own which would be suitable as a follow-on boat for dinghy-cruising people who were taking on family responsibilities. It would also be interesting to design the boat to be within my limited woodworking ability. I am not one of those "handymen" who can fasten a bow plywood panel in ten minutes; it takes me at least an hour. Considerations such as these meant a special design which might attract those who, like me, lack the" handyman's" skill. By-passing skill by using jigs, etc, means that the work takes longer, but at least becomes possible. Funnily enough, most people who view the boat think I am an expert, which is exactly the feeling I used to have when viewing other boats built by amateurs.

The design was finished in 1965 and I started on the Pram towards the end of that year; it took me three months; a friend built one in ten hours! “Rebell” was launched in June 1969.

If an experienced enthusiast designs a boat, the chances are that it will be too specialised to arouse interest. My approach was to make the boat very versatile so that if anyone disliked a particular feature, they could leave it out (John Deacon's coracle appears in larger form) and many features are based on other people's experiences. John Westell designed the original lines and I carried on from there.

The sailing performance cannot be given as a figure until a P.Y. number is issued; however, this is likely to be less than 105.

CHIEF DETAILS

L.O.A. 17’ 1” Ballast L.B.P. 16’ 11” - at tip of wooden C/B 123 lbs. L.W.L. 16’ 0” - under Cabin bottom brds. 37 lbs. Overall Beam 6’ 5” Beam inside Rubbing Strake 6’ 3” Weight for trailing (approx.) 1000 lbs. Draft without Crew, C/B up (approx.) 0’ 10” Sail areas: Draft C/B down 4’ 3” Main 71 sq. ft. Headroom 4’ 2” Working Jib 48 sq. ft. Height of Rig above Waterline 23’ 5” Storm Jib 21 sq. ft. Two berths 6’ 6” Genoa 80 sq. ft. Two berths 6’ 3” Spinnaker 189 sq. ft.

Plywood Pram Length 6’ 0” Buoyancy 200 lbs. Beam 3’ 10” Length nested 3’ 1” Capacity 3 adults

DESIGN OBJECTIVES

The versatility of a dinghy is retained, but the facilities and protection of a yacht are added. An effort has been made to tackle the practical problems of cruising so that, when a difficulty is encountered, the boat will provide the answer.

The Pram can be built as a separate initial project; this gives the builder a chance to assess his own ability without risking a large outlay, and it is very useful by itself. In most cases the builder will find that boat-building is easier than he thought. Alternatively, a rubber dinghy can be carried in place of the Pram.

LAY-OUT

The bow section (1) has a removable shelf at the top. The kedge anchor (fisherman) and warp are stowed at (2), with the anchor vertical. This keeps the foredeck clear and avoids weight too far forward. When approaching an anchorage, the anchor can be stowed on the foredeck without fouling the jib.

The flush toilet is positioned under the forehatch and is normally covered by a step. There is a vertical partition on each side of the toilet, and on the other side of each partition a galley (3), with stowage space below, and lockers (4) above. A useful arrangement is to have a paraffin stove on one side and a gas stove on the other. Aft of this are two 6' 3" berths with stowage beneath for clothes (5) and a 45 lb. buoyancy bag (6). There is another stowage space between the bunks, under the bridge deck (7).

The cockpit, which is watertight to a depth of 1' 5", can be covered with a canvas cabin set on hoops which is stowed against the aft end of the forecabin and permanently attached to it (8). The side seats can be extended to form two 6' 6" berths using air beds, or for sun-bathing. There are two large lockers (9) for stowage of sails, water, etc, and an open locker (10) for the outboard. There is stowage under the bottom boards for a 10 lb. C.Q.R., fenders, etc. The space under the side decks is closed off with canvas and used for stowing air beds, oars, etc.

Aft of the cockpit is deck stowage for a nesting Pram dinghy (11) or a rubber dinghy. Below this is a large locker with watertight hatch (12).

SAFETY AND HANDLING UNDER SAIL

Although the hull is of modern form, a shortened version of the traditional keel and deadwood is incorporated. This gives steady steering, which is required on long passages when cruising. Two methods of reefing are provided; reef points for use at sea, and pin/roller reefing for a quick reef in sheltered or crowded waters. Reefing is facilitated by the short boom, and the boat will still beat to windward under jib whilst the main is lowered for reefing.

With mains'l hard in and cleated, the boat will lie quietly head to wind while the anchor is raised, washed down and stowed. The centreboard is hoisted by a winch. When beating, the winch is not required, so it can be used for sheeting the foresails.

All halyards are cleated to the mast which, as in open boats, is directly accessible from the cockpit. The forehatch gives security when changing headsails, and the mast cleats are also within reach from this position.

The stability of the hull section, combined with the ballast low down and the buoyancy of cabin and mast, give the "Rebell" a high degree of safety. The internal ballast can be easily removed for trailing, or to lighten the boat when racing. Watertight bulkheads, buoyancy bags, air beds and the Tender buoyancy will keep the boat afloat if holed. Waterline and under-water sections of the hull are extra thick (10½ mm) to minimise damage from floating objects, broken withies, etc. The stability, plus accessibility of halyards, make the boat suitable for single-handed sailing.

HANDLING UNDER OARS

The rowing position is only just aft of amidships, which gives good control. The view forward is well clear of the cabin top. The topping-lift enables the boom to be kept well clear of the rower. The keel is long enough to give directional stability under oars.

A sculling position is provided, and the aft deadwood stops the boat "snaking". She can be steered by an oar if the rudder is damaged.

HANDLING ASHORE

The shallow draft enables the boat to be easily floated onto a trailer. If she is to be moved on rollers, the straight keel is an advantage; the aft portion of the keel is sloped so that, as the aft roller is left behind, the hull is lowered gently to the ground. The keel is not full length, so the bow or stern can be easily lifted onto a roller due to counter-balance action.

SAILING PERFORMANCE

Rig and hull are designed for sailing to windward, the slowest point of sailing. The windward ability results from the following features:

1. Large foresail area; over 50% with genoa. 2. High aspect ratio mainsail, with low twist. 3. Long waterline length and a fine entry at waterline level. Moderate waterline beam to reduce drag in light winds with boat sailed upright. Topsides flared to give increased waterline beam when heeled in strong winds. 4. Deep, high aspect ratio centreboard and rudder. 5. Crew can sit on side-decks near amidships to increase sail carrying ability in fresh winds. Toe straps are provided to give security. For those who require maximum performance, a single wire cruising trapeze is fitted. 6. Self-righting ability allows the boat to be driven harder than a dinghy. 7. Reduced tendency to immerse the transom with whole crew in cockpit, the cockpit being further forward than usual.

For downwind sailing an efficient kicking-strap enables the mainsail to give maximum drive, and a masthead spinnaker can be carried. The boat will plane in a seaway.

EXPLORING

There are no keels to bite into the mud when running hard aground, and the boat will rise about 4" if two crew get out to push off, so the "Rebell" can usually be refloated within about 5 mins. This is often the only time available on a fast falling Spring Tide. Usually it is only necessary to push off with an oar. If the wind is on-shore, the boat can be rowed into deep water. Thus any area can be explored where the boat will float, and short cuts can be taken over sandbanks, etc, in the same way as in a dinghy. In some rivers and harbour entrances the tide can ebb very fast, but "Rebell" does not have to await slack water as she can be walked along the shore. For returning to deep water she will tack to windward with centreboard and rudder fully raised.

Shallow water exploration requires manoeuvrability rather than speed, so rowing ability is useful for this purpose. She can also be poled along with an oar in shallow areas. Some channels are too narrow for rowing, so the sculling position can be used. When sailing through a crowded anchorage with strong tide and light, fickle breeze, it is very easy to slip an oar into the sculling position and give a few strokes to clear the bows of a moored yacht, as the breeze is sure to fail at the wrong moment. Some stretches of water are cut-off by dry land, but these can be reached by carrying the Pram dinghy or inflatable tender. The mast is stepped in a socket on the cabin roof and can be lowered by two people.

TENDER

Each half can be launched separately and then bolted together using three wing nuts. The rubber dinghy is carried part deflated and folded over.

GOING ASHORE

If the Tender is not used, the "Rebell" can be beached on a rising tide. The hull is protected by the 2" deep keel and 14" deep bilge rubbers. Oars provide full control so that she approaches slowly enough to avoid damage in crowded landings where there may be anchors just covered by the rising tide.

AT ANCHOR

With the canvas cabin set, most of the boat is used for accommodation, giving ample room for four. The canvas cabin takes only a few minutes to erect. It is dry and waterproof. The fore cabin can be completely closed off, giving privacy when the toilet is in use and when a mixed crew is carried. Sometimes as the tide falls, it is found that the boat has to be shifted to a new position to avoid drying out. This is easily done with minimum fuss using the oars. If she dries out on hard ground, angle of heel is about 10º.

TRAILING

With a weight of 1,000 lbs, only a comparatively light trailer is required, still further reducing the load on the car. The mast is only 2' 6" longer than the boat.

CONSTRUCTION

Wood: Internal Timbers - Mahogany and Sitka Spruce. Plywood: All hull and flat parts of cabin 8mm (5/16") , with all veneers Makore, plus 2.5mm (1/10") Mahogany veneers along and below waterline. Interior bulkheads, cabin and decks, 6mm (4"). Spars: Sitka Spruce. Chines: Sitka Spruce 2 x 1¼” C/Board: 5/8" Oak between two layers of ½” Ply Rudder : 1" Mahogany. Ballast: Lead. Fittings: Many can be fabricated by the builder from Sheet Brass, Bronze, Tufnol, etc. Fastenings: Mostly Brass, but Bronze and Stainless Steel are used where necessary to give freedom from corrosion. Sails: Main, Jib, Storm Jib - 6 ½ oz. Genoa - 4 ½ oz. Spinnaker - 1.4 oz.

INSTRUCTIONS AND DRAWINGS

Detailed and written on the assumption that the builder can handle tools but has not tackled jobs as difficult as building furniture; also that he cannot work fast. Extra detailed instructions are given where any difficulty might be experienced. Every part of the boat is drawn, and fittings and fastenings down to the last washer are fully specified. It is assumed that the builder has no practical experience of boat-building.

COST

The "Rebell" has not been designed for low first cost, but cruising efficiency at minimum cost. Most owners will not, therefore, have to buy or construct a succession of boats as their experience increases. The boat is designed to give best value for money. PLANS

Available as advised from time to time

NAME

Read "Escape to the Sea" (in the Library) by Fred Rebell (John Murray). This describes a single-handed passage across the Pacific in a cruising dinghy.

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