The photo shows the pencil box, pencil sharpener, clock and barometer, all of which are located above the settee where the crew can do chart work. Yes, there is no electronic chartplotter aboard Briney Bug.
How do you contend with boat motion?
Without some way to inhibit motion, all boats roll. Fortunately, many roll-inhibiting factors can be designed into a hull, making its motion smooth enough and comfortable enough, under most conditions, to avoid the need for flopper stoppers or stabilizers. To keep costs down, we strove to design a comfortable motion into Briney Bug's hull.
Once afloat, a boat's motion can be evaluated for comfort by timing its roll using the following test: Get the boat rolling (while tied to a dock is acceptable) and time (in seconds) one full cycle- one side to the other side and back again. This is the roll time. Divide the boat's beam by 3.28 and multiply this answer by 1 and 1.1. For comfort, the roll time should fall on or between these two figures. We were pleased to find out that Briney Bug's roll time fit within these parameters
If a boat's motion is too fast or too snappy, the installation of more weight up high can slow the motion. One low-tech method to accomplish this is to install a mast and rigging.
Contemporary sailboat designs pare weight from aloft to improve performance, but in a cruising boat, where a comfortable motion is desired, the mast and its rigging need to be heavy enough to slow the motion. This means they will usually need to be heftier than is customarily seen, and most of the stuff- the mast, boom, spliced eyes, blocks, etc., can easily be made, instead of purchased, making it less expensive. In the unlikely event it breaks, this stuff is also easy and inexpensive to repair. An added plus, once a mast is installed, is that sails can be added to further dampen the motion.
The more a hull deviates from a full displacement design the more difficult it is to tame its motion using low-tech methods. This was another reason we chose a full displacement hull, plus, the hull being more “sailboat-like” handles a sail plan better than other hull designs.
—Rudy and Jill Sechez
Here’s how the Briney Bug story is presented:
What does Briney Bug look like?
What about hull design?
What is the secret to engine dependability?
What’s your advice on replacement parts?
What about diesel engines?
How do you contend with boat motion?
Why do you have a sailing rig?
What’s with the big rudder?
Why do you have an open pilothouse?
Simplicity and self-sufficiency rule aboard Briney Bug . . .
How does one go about finding the right boat?
How much did Briney Bug cost?
Editor’s note: Rudy and Jill Sechez, when they are not away cruising, live aboard Briney Bug in Port St. Joe, Florida, and provide boat and yacht repair services. They can be reached at 850-832-7748 or via e-mail by clicking here.
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