23 April 2003.

     Well,  its been a learning experience (thats political correct speak for damn hard work!).  But I have a website,  I am on first name terms with the techie at the webhost help desk, and have run the gamut of emotion from screaming and tearing out of hair to triumph.  
      Designers of boats, and other things I guess, have to learn all sorts of skills that at first glance aren't connected to the business of design, and I am not sure I like being a webmaster, but can at least talk to you when I want instead of being at the mercy of someone else.

    I've also been working away  at the final draft of Pathfinder.   For those who have not caught up , I am a small boat cruising enthusiast,  love the style of camp cruising that open boats can afford and love sailing around the coast looking into inlets and creeping up rivers to their limits.  Open boat cruising is a growing world wide movement,  it will never be a major part of the sailing scene but all the same, there are a lot more of us than there used to be.

    Pathfinder is a real attempt at producing a serious cruising dinghy,  she has space to sleep two on a nice flat space,  lots of storage and a comfortable cockpit,  room to lounge and room to cook.
    She has a swinging centreboard so you can bump the bottom when exploring the muddy headwaters of an interesting creek, a yawl rig which allows her to be balanced under various combinations of sail, and is intended to be fast enough to cover 50 miles in a day of favourable weather.  
    I ended up with 12 sheets of drawings, 12 pages of building guide and have already sold a dozen sets of plans. ( Those who have already started, you will receive a fully updated set in the near future.) Go and have a look at her in the catalogue.  ( Click here)

    Also have done some more work on BOCKS,  and am very pleased with the results from the last towing model.  It seems that this hullform is quite sensitive to beam length ratio and I have just tried version 4 with very good results,   its nice out by the lake outlet with the fishing rod and camera  letting the current do the work.  Apart from racers I have not done much tow testing but this design has really shown the benefit of tow testing when working with a different shaped hull from the usual.  I'll have some pics in here soon so come on back.

    Its closing in on winter here in Kiwiland,  cool clear weather for about the last week then pouring rain today.  A good time to be in the workshop or at the drawing board.  I've lots to do on both, and also need to learn more about this website business as well.  Busy times.

John Welsford