Houdini (sailboat)

Last updated

Houdini
Houdini sailboat sail badge.png
Welsford Houdini sailboat Feisty 8376.jpg
Houdini lug sail yawl
Development
Designer John Welsford
Location New Zealand
Year2011
Builder(s) amateur builders
NameHoudini
Boat
Boat weight 187 lb (85 kg)
Hull
Type monohull
Construction plywood
LOA 13.45 ft (4.10 m)
Beam 5.91 ft (1.80 m)
Engine typeoptional outboard motor
Hull appendages
Keel/board type centreboard
Rudder(s)transom-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig type Lug rig
Sails
Sailplan lug sail
Mainsail area115.17 sq ft (10.700 m2)
Total sail area115.17 sq ft (10.700 m2)

The Houdini is a New Zealand sailing dinghy that was designed by John Welsford as a cruiser and first built in 2011. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

The boat's designer intended it as an "escape machine" and so named it in honour of Harry Houdini. [3] [4]

Production

The design is supplied in the form of plans. It has been built by amateur builders and also by some professional builders on a custom basis. [1]

Design

A Houdini, showing the transom. This boat has a Minn Kota electric motor. Welsford Houdini sailboat Feisty 8372.jpg
A Houdini, showing the transom. This boat has a Minn Kota electric motor.

The boat was designed for camping on-shore and provides stowage space to take a large amount of camping gear. It can accommodate four people for camping-cruising or up to seven people for day sailing. The design has sleeping accommodation for two adults under a boom tent. [3] [4]

The Houdini is a recreational sailboat, built predominantly of wood, with a plywood hull and wooden spars and trim. The prototype used bamboo spars. It has a lug sail rig and can be fitted with a mizzen mast and sail as a yawl. It has a pronounced sheer, a plumb stem, a vertical transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a retractable centreboard. It displaces 187 lb (85 kg). A cuddy cabin is optional. [1] [3] [4]

The boat may be optionally fitted with an outboard engine for docking and maneuvering. [3] [4]

Boats have also been completed with gaff rigs and sloop rigs. [3]

See also

Similar sailboats

Related Research Articles

The Blue Jay is an American sailing dinghy that was designed by Drake Sparkman of Sparkman & Stephens as a trainer for the Lightning one-design racer. The Blue Jay was first built in 1947.

Precision 15 Sailboat class

The Precision 15, also called the Precision 15 K, is an American trailerable sailboat, that was designed by Jim Taylor and first built in 1995.

The Rhodes 19 is an American trailerable day sailer or sailing dinghy, that was designed by Philip Rhodes as a one-design racer and first built in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobie Tiger</span> Sailboat class

The Hobie Tiger or Hobie Tiger 18, is a French catamaran sailboat that was designed by Hobie Cat Europe as a Formula 18 racer and first built in 1995.

The San Juan 33S is an American sailboat that was designed by David Pedrick as racer and first built in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skunk 11</span> Sailboat class

The Skunk 11 is a Canadian utility dinghy that can be rowed, used as a motorboat, fishing boat or as a sailing dinghy. It was designed by Hubert Vandestadt and first built in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobie 14</span> Sailboat class

The Hobie 14 is an American catamaran sailing dinghy that was designed by Hobie Alter and first built in 1967.

The Designers Choice is an American sailing dinghy that was designed by Sparkman & Stephens as a sail training and racing boat and first built in 1978. It was Sparkman & Stephens' design #2349.

Cygnus 20 Sailboat class

The Cygnus 20 is a Canadian trailerable sailboat that was designed by George Hinterhoeller and first built in 1963.

The Laguna 16 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by W. Shad Turner as a day sailer and first built in 1984.

The Cape Cod Cat, also called the Cape Cod Cat 17 and the Hermann Cat, is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Charles Whittholz as a day sailer/cruiser and first built in 1968.

The Cornish Crabber 17, or just Cornish Crabber, is a British trailerable sailboat that was designed by Roger Dongray as a daysailer and pocket cruiser and first built in 1989.

The Fisher 25 or Fisher 25 MS is a British trailerable pilothouse sailboat that was designed by Wyatt and Freeman as a cruiser and first built in 1974.

The Menger Cat 15, also called the Menger Cat Daysailer and the Thom Cat 15 Daysailer, is an American sailing dinghy that was designed by Bill Menger and Andrew Menger as a daysailer and first built in 2001.

The Quickstep 19 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Stuart Windley as a pocket cruiser and first built in 1989.

The Picnic 17 is an American trailerable boat that was designed by Nils Lucander as a sailboat/powerboat cruiser hybrid and first built in 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Precision 15 CB</span> Sailboat class

The Precision 15 CB is an American sailing dinghy, that was designed by Jim Taylor and first built in 1995.

The Sea Pearl 21 is an American trailerable sailboat or sailing dinghy, that was designed by Ron Johnson as a daysailer and first built in 1982.

The Herreshoff Goldeneye is an American trailerable sailboat, designed as a day sailer and cruiser and first built in 1959. The hull lines were designed by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff and the rig by A. Sidney DeWolf Herreshoff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RS Quest</span> Sailboat class

The RS Quest is a British sailboat that was designed by Jo Richards as a sail trainer and day sailer. It was first built in 2015.

References

  1. 1 2 3 McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Houdini sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  2. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "John Welsford". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Houdini by John Welsford". boatplans.cc. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 John Welsford Small Craft Design. "Houdini". jwboatdesigns.co.nz. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.