As promised pictures from the boatyard, this is the trainer the first picture shows a detail of the two boards that make up the mast partner and the board at the bottom is the mast step I just need to cut the front a little short as the air tank comes way back from the bow.  It's supporting a 3 foot stub mast that will take the lateen main sail.  The two boards on top will clamp together to hold in place and will also bolt into a board that extends back to a similar athwartships set up to support leeboard.

A picture of the whole hull it has a narrow 4 inch wide transom but whoever did it did a nice job as the transom transitions into a sharp stern a couple inches above the waterline a lot like a white hall or wherry.  I've got the cart I'll be using to move it around the boatyard just about done and have the parts for the folding oarlock riggers.  It is just under three feet wide and right about 14 feet long (a bit less at the waterline) right about the same as many of the smaller 1880s sailing canoes.  Looking at decking over the first 7 feet then a 4 foot long cockpit with another deck all the way to the stern.  The foredeck I'm thinking canvas over battens with a deep curve to it to shed water rapidly for the aft deck Im thinking flat and plywood so I can carry day use gear back there or maybe the cart.  This is intended as a training boat and good for the occasional weekend camp cruising trip.

Heading out to the boatyard today to work on my training canoe.  Tom O Bedlam is what I'll be running the race in but it'll be awhile before it's ready to sail so in the meantime I have a 15 foot fiberglass canoe I'm adding a sailing rig and decks to.  Unlike Tom O Bedlam the trainer won't have ballast or a heavy steel board to provide righting effort so the trainer will carry less sail it should actually be more lively than Tom O Bedlam  because it doesn't carry any ballast which will make it a good trainer.  I'll put some pictures up later today after I get back from the boat yard of the boat and layout of the rigging deck that will support the mast and lee board as initially the deck on the trainer will just be canvas over stringers to keep spray and the occasional big wave out of the boat.  Once I'm satisfied with the balance of the sails and leeboard I'll put a light plywood deck onto it.  While the trainer is starting with a 45 square foot batwing lateen I'll be adding a mizzen to it as well so I can get used to how that layout should be handled in a small boat.

Not my boat nor my sail but it is a batwing lateen, mine will be carried like some of the old racing canoes with the yard fully vertical.  It's based off the mainsail of Isabel an 1886 sailing canoe from Toronto.

Way up!  Welcome to the blog page for the Tom O Bedlam sailing canoe being built to sail in the Everglades Challenge a 300 mile 5 day coastal small boat raid in Southwest Florida.

About the Boat:
  The hull is based off of the Pearl #6 a sailing canoe built in England in the 1880's to compete against the Thames River Sailing Gigs.

The original was 14 feet, by adding a bit of space between all stations the Tom O will be 18 feet long, 33 inches wide and since the race runs in all weather I'm adding a bit more freeboard bringing hull height to about 18 inches.  The original carried 143 sq ft in a ketch rig, Tom O will carry slightly less at 139 sq ft, then again my hull will be carbon fiber and kevlar as opposed to the original in wood lapstrake so a few feet less are no problem for the lighter leaner hull.  The sails are to be Rushton Improved Bailey Batwing sails, simple fully battened sails that give quick and easy reefing.  I'm designing this boat in the English tradition of carrying lots of canvas and reefing frequently so this will be convenient.

While I wait for the ways to be cleared to start construction on Tom of Bedlam I have a 15 foot fiberglass canoe I'm converting into  a partially decked sailing canoe to use as a trainer while Tom O is being built.  I am just about finished with a modified batwing gunter main for it made out of polytarp to be a quick and dirty get on the water prototype.

Keep following the blog there are more pictures and updates to come on this great adventure!