" Dixie-Girl"
- 10 metres deck
length
- 3,60 metre beam
- maximum load 9,7 tonnes
- 1,30 metre draught
- about 80 m2 of sail can be carried
Several friends and clients who had been attracted by the beauty and the building principle of the Lady of Bermuda insisted that I should design a small Lady about 10 metres for half the price!!! I still thank these friends for their pleasant suggestion!
"You see," one of them said to me, "it would be a good idea to make a nice little boat for the weekend or the holidays. yes! you know as pretty as a yacht! strong! really tough! For nice trips to Ireland or the Greek islands that would be really pleasant!" And he added "I need to be able to handle it on my own because my wife looks after the children she only takes the helm from time to time!"
The youngest one who was listening added: "It's all very well your ideas, even at half the price of a Lady. I, at my age I can't afford it! I need to be able to build it myself!" To cut along story short that is how Dixie-Girl was born.
So I designed the ideal small boat for excursions, weekend exploration and holidays. Despite her small size she is even able to stand up to heavy weather without too much danger. Her shallow draught (1,30 metres) allows her to get into all the little creeks and pretty moorings. Her deep V shape like that of the Lady gives her gentleness and momentum.
The coastal navigation programme made me choose a Bermudan sloop rig like the "Skipjacks". She has a large mast stepped well forward with a single shroud on each side and two stays. This sail plan produces an enormous boomed main sail and a small club jib which goes about automatically. It is a well known sail plan which is mot efficient close hauled (same sail proportions as a "Star"). Despite the large size of the boom it is easy to handle using the geared-down toppling lifts. The two sails are fitted with down-hauls and Lazy-Jacks. Handling is so easy that I have not included any winches no chandlery at all!
It is the simplest rig in the world. There is only wood, cloth and rope Nothing can break, jam or wear out. For those who want to cross the ocean (with such a yacht one could be tempted!) it would be preferable to fit this boat with a Swedish main sail.
Dixie-Girl is notable for her huge cockpit. It is very pleasant to live outside in this cockpit and on the clear deck protected by a strong bulwark. Below deck the area is open, with 1 double berth (1,50 m x 2 m) and 2 single berths, a real bathroom with shower, a chart table, a real galley, a large saloon, hanging cupboards, etc There is even the space for 2 folding bicycles for outings.
Although Dixie-Girl was designed for a couple with one or two children or friends passing through, one person can handle her with no difficulty. Like her big sister Dixie-Girl is built with a single horizontal chine on the water line, from thick marine ply on a strong frame, all held together with epoxy. She is a high quality yacht with studied elegance.
She's quite easy to build by an amateur provided he has some experience of building in marine ply. To facilitate this, the sides are made from 2 layers of 9 mm marine ply scarf jointed in place. Everything is simple to do. The only real problem is turning the hull over, since it needs to be built upside down.
The budget for amateur construction is depending on your options, for the materials, chandlery and fittings. The labour time required is 3,500 to 4,000 hours depending on your organization.
Naturally, you can ask a yard to do all the work for you or finish the boat in the pretty way merited by Dixie-Girl starting from a bare hull or main works produced by a yard.
The first two Dixie-Girls are already being built.
- 3,60 metre beam
- maximum load 9,7 tonnes
- 1,30 metre draught
- about 80 m2 of sail can be carried
Several friends and clients who had been attracted by the beauty and the building principle of the Lady of Bermuda insisted that I should design a small Lady about 10 metres for half the price!!! I still thank these friends for their pleasant suggestion!
"You see," one of them said to me, "it would be a good idea to make a nice little boat for the weekend or the holidays. yes! you know as pretty as a yacht! strong! really tough! For nice trips to Ireland or the Greek islands that would be really pleasant!" And he added "I need to be able to handle it on my own because my wife looks after the children she only takes the helm from time to time!"
The youngest one who was listening added: "It's all very well your ideas, even at half the price of a Lady. I, at my age I can't afford it! I need to be able to build it myself!" To cut along story short that is how Dixie-Girl was born.
So I designed the ideal small boat for excursions, weekend exploration and holidays. Despite her small size she is even able to stand up to heavy weather without too much danger. Her shallow draught (1,30 metres) allows her to get into all the little creeks and pretty moorings. Her deep V shape like that of the Lady gives her gentleness and momentum.
The coastal navigation programme made me choose a Bermudan sloop rig like the "Skipjacks". She has a large mast stepped well forward with a single shroud on each side and two stays. This sail plan produces an enormous boomed main sail and a small club jib which goes about automatically. It is a well known sail plan which is mot efficient close hauled (same sail proportions as a "Star"). Despite the large size of the boom it is easy to handle using the geared-down toppling lifts. The two sails are fitted with down-hauls and Lazy-Jacks. Handling is so easy that I have not included any winches no chandlery at all!
It is the simplest rig in the world. There is only wood, cloth and rope Nothing can break, jam or wear out. For those who want to cross the ocean (with such a yacht one could be tempted!) it would be preferable to fit this boat with a Swedish main sail.
Dixie-Girl is notable for her huge cockpit. It is very pleasant to live outside in this cockpit and on the clear deck protected by a strong bulwark. Below deck the area is open, with 1 double berth (1,50 m x 2 m) and 2 single berths, a real bathroom with shower, a chart table, a real galley, a large saloon, hanging cupboards, etc There is even the space for 2 folding bicycles for outings.
Although Dixie-Girl was designed for a couple with one or two children or friends passing through, one person can handle her with no difficulty. Like her big sister Dixie-Girl is built with a single horizontal chine on the water line, from thick marine ply on a strong frame, all held together with epoxy. She is a high quality yacht with studied elegance.
She's quite easy to build by an amateur provided he has some experience of building in marine ply. To facilitate this, the sides are made from 2 layers of 9 mm marine ply scarf jointed in place. Everything is simple to do. The only real problem is turning the hull over, since it needs to be built upside down.
The budget for amateur construction is depending on your options, for the materials, chandlery and fittings. The labour time required is 3,500 to 4,000 hours depending on your organization.
Naturally, you can ask a yard to do all the work for you or finish the boat in the pretty way merited by Dixie-Girl starting from a bare hull or main works produced by a yard.
The first two Dixie-Girls are already being built.
