From Jim Post in the USA who built the first Mk1 Oz Goose family sailboat – photos of the Goose build and some on the water.
More information on the Oz Goose with Videos here
Jim Post’s Review of the Oz Goose
Here is the digital data for the Goose build. It has been a wonderful experiience following your design. The first tests will begin this week I hope. I have located an excellent launch ramp right on the shore of the Little Lake, Santa Fe. It connects to the main lake of Santa Fe. Plenty of area and a nice fetch (distance to build up waves) Also a sand bottom.
I am sure you would like it.
I have sent Chuck at Duckworks a set of the pics as well – hope you can use them – resulting on more geese on the water, whatever!
Depending upon the sea trials I am considering another build of the Goose but with the idea of lighter total weight. Perhaps make it a bit easier to launch and recover. The original is not bad, however – but it would be interesting to see what improvement could be made.
I can take the offsets from the existing hull if required – I would like to try setting up the the frames square to the deckline as that is straight on my boat making it easier to set up. I am considering what I call “bird bone” construction to save weight also perhaps 1/8″ meranti or occoume/gaboon. Your thoughts are very welcome.
Methods of reducing weight in the Oz Goose
Looking at Jim’s request, I am thinking that boats of this type of Southern Hemisphere construction end up being about 8 to 10lbs per foot of length. This means the Goose hull only should be around 120lbs (55kg).
This is not particularly heavy, but I have asked Jim to weigh his hull if possible to see where it is. It could be that he is not quite used to getting it on and off the trailer yet or the hull could be just a bit heavier than is convenient.
The simplest way to reduce weight is to build of Gaboon/Okoume plywood. This ply is usually about 2/3 the weight of regular plywoods so we could be looking at a sub 100lb hull, which would be quite light.
LIght enough to roofrack for those who wanted. After all a fibreglass Laser dinghy, which are often roofracked are 130lbs.
Here is the slideshow of the building and the finished boat. I will add sailing pics as they become available.
