In the last Bulletin I said that I hoped to get more information on this dinghy. Little did I know! A flood of letters, phone calls and emails from various DCA members fell on me. Not only did I receive extracts from various magazines, but I even received a copy of the building instructions. The only thing I didn’t get was a copy of the blueprints. This is just as well as I may have been tempted into building one!

Nevertheless, if I was now in the market for a sailing dinghy that I could build myself but lacked traditional boatbuilding skills I would give the Pelican serious consideration. Using battens with a lugsail makes sense as one gets plenty of sail area without having a tall rig. The long centreboard enables one to balance the sail area with or without the jib: this is not true of mass produced cruiser/racers. The forward position of the mast gives plenty of room inside the boat, helped further by the generous beam. One may have doubts about the scow/sampan bow when working to windward in a chop, but as the craft will then be heeled a V section will be presented to the waves as in the case of sharpies. The foredeck will keep most of the spray out, as well as offering plenty of dry stowage, though I think I would put a hatch or two in it to make access to stores easier. Although it is obviously a very stable little dinghy there may be those who are worried about righting it from a total inversion, as it will be pretty stable in this position as well. I have added an appendix to this article which should prove interesting to the capsize enthusiasts, as well as setting certain minds at rest…

It has also been pointed out to me that there is a Great Pelican which is 16 feet long with 8 feet beam. One can build it open or with a snug little cabin. There is also a junk rigged version at 18 feet. The Great Pelican also appeals to me. One of my informants was put of by the beam as he thought that he wouldn’t be able to trail it legally. I was somewhat puzzled by this as I used to trail a Sonata. A trailer manufacturer has informed me that the maximum legal width of a trailer is 2.3 metres, but that the load can exceed this by some 300 mm either side, so the Great Pelican becomes a realistic option. There is also a Super Pelican which has been stretched out to 18 feet and a junk variation with built up topsides called the Yangtze.

There has been some criticism of flat bottomed boats in past Bulletins, based on a lack of understanding of boat design. Most boats have a portion of their bottoms flat, and in any case the bottom is only one factor of hull design. Still the proof of the pudding… The dinghy was originally designed in 1959 to cope with the choppy seas and strong winds of San Francisco Bay. In this one can have no doubt that it has succeeded as there are several thousand Pelicans sailing throughout the US and the racing fleet in its home waters remains as healthy as ever.

On handling the Pelican I will quote her designer’s widow:

“On San Francisco Bay, the challenge of strong afternoon winds and choppy waters finds our Pelicans in their element. On a reach these boats if allowed to heel will develop a stiff weather helm, due to the lee bow wave. But as soon as the crew learn to move to the weather side of the roomy cockpit, thus putting the Pelican on an even keel (no hiking outside necessary) the lee bow wave subsides, and she speeds ahead noticeably, and scuds along without the stiff weather helm. Running before the wind in the steep Bay chop, her sampan bow definitely saves her from burying, tripping and broaching, and this is a very important safety device indeed for a small boat in choppy seas. Also, to add to her seaworthiness when running, the sampan bow helps to create stability, for this type of bow provides greater forward buoyancy which adds to the total chine buoyancy. In a small shallow draft boat this is very effective, and adds to her speed. Lastly it provides much more space on the foredeck, and carrying capacity inside.”

There is very much more that can be said about this design. It runs to quite a few pages. If anyone wants more then send me a large s.a.e.

Website URL: www.ns.net/~jheidgr/pub/pelican.htm

Plans are available from: Muriel Short, San Francisco Pelican Boats, 203 Hawthorne Avenue, Larkspur CA 94939. USA.

‘San Francisco Pelican 12’ Dory-Pram’ (Drawings and basic building instructions booklet, rigging, hardware, sailing info.) $35.00 USD.

2-in-1 Plans Package - includes all the above, plus drawings and supplemental booklet for ‘Great Pelican 16’: Pocket Cruiser. $55.00 USD.

3-in-1 Plans Package — includes all the above (SFP 12’ and GP 16’) plus drawings to ‘stretch’ the hull for ‘Super Pelican 18’ pocket cruiser. $75.00 USD.

‘Yangtze 18’ Pelican Junk variation, drawings and notes to make the conversion, extra $20.00 USD. (See the web site ‘The Yangtze Project’ at www.dsinw.com/~samf/

Complete set of plans needed to scale up to the larger size — total cost $95.00 USD. Additional $6.00 USD for airmail postage.

Payable by either Overseas Bank Draft, International Money Order, Electronic Transfer, or US Currency sent by Registered Mail.

Floatation & Self-Righting

In 1965, after Pelicans began racing across San Francisco Bay’s windy Mann-Ship Channel, and after a few over-eager skippers had carried too much sail and capsized, the old innertube-under-foredeck floatation was added to.

Some owners now began to install foam-blocks up under both side decks. It was later discovered however that this equilateral installation could create a real hazard if a Pelican rolled clear over, upside down. Such an upside down Pelican was extremely difficult to right. Such a Pelican was then like an upside down catamaran! Because of this painful discovery a careful experimentation with model Pelicans in a swimming pool was carried out using one-sided foam floatation. The results were far greater than anticipated:

When the model was placed upside down into the tank, the foam side rose, the unfoamed side submerged. The pivoting motion continued until the model completed its rotation from level upside down to level right side-up. This righting roll was so vigorous that she made considerable ‘leeway’ to starboard due to the thrust generated. At least 12 cubic feet of foam are utilised to generate a really good swift roll.

The peculiar Pelican shape: her high flaring sides; her exceptionally wide beam at deck level combined with the one sided foam to set up a most useful automatic, self-righting, safety dynamics.

Today most enlightened Pelican racing skippers and many other Pelican sailors have built this right into their boats.

The reason the foam is stowed up under starboard side, between coaming and deck and side plank is simply because most right-handed sailors use right hand on halyard, and left hand to feel and guide mainsail while hoisting or lowering. So our sail is hoisted on port side of mast. And when self righting is in motion the gaff and boom and mainsail are offering least resistance since they tend to ‘sag off,’ more freely from the mast in this recovery roll. For she rotates clockwise (as viewed from astern).

Be sure to seal all wood before stowing and locking foam in compartment. To prevent mildew caused by blocked ventilation. Foam blocks volume concentrated toward sheer altitude: toward deck level — as per diagram.

Please note that in a larger Pelican — the Great Pelican, for example, which might be built for cruising and might then be equipped with ‘swing keel’ or ballasted centreboard — this exact foam type righting system would not be used.