Ok, after a few years of set backs trying to build a boat and do the Everglades Challenge (elderly mother with Alzheimer moved in with my wife, daughter and I shortly after my last post trying to pick a boat, and we finally had to come to terms that we could no longer take care of her so she is socializing at a specialty place for memory patients).
I was intially planning on doing the build and the race with my now 17, soon to be 18 year old daughter, but because she has a very busy schedule playing Travel/Tournament and High School softball and that will most likely not change going forward after next year because of dealing with the same kind of restraints playing college softball. I am now going to build a craft to compete solo. I might still get some help in the shop building her, but that week of the race every year is the beginning of her HS Varsity softball season and I wouldn't want to jepordize her playing because she misses a whole week. So it's going to be a "me" race. Which is fine, I just need to start and go from there, maybe in the future my craft and situation will change.
So, I have had numerous choices go through my head for boat choices and my touch of OCD doesn't help. I have both a canoe (with an expedition spray skirt on) and a fiberglass/kevlar Necky kayak - both of which it's possible to put outriggers and sails on, which might be my next choice for future races, or no sails at all. I might even purchase a Hobie TI in the future. But for now I want to build and sail/row. I have a lot of plan sets to choose from (you know OCD stuff) and I've narrowed it down to the CLC NE Dory and the Sailing RowCruiser - both, if I'm correct have had decent luck and numbers in the EC.
Can I please get some reasons to pick or not to pick either design. I'm really torn between the two, and I have already purchase the ply to build one of them - about the same ply requirements for both really. I love the traditional look and lightweight/easier build of the NE Dory, but the safety and cuddy cabin features of the RowCruiser. Not sure what would be a faster boat in either rowing or sailing situations. And if both designs could really be made to work the same, other than the small cabin on the RowCruiser. I completely understand that no one design is perfect and the weather each season dictates the best boat choice. I ask my daughter and she picks a different boat all together that I have the plans for - she thinks this one looks prettier and has better lines - Welsford Navigator (probably true) or maybe the Core Sound 17 (just not sure either is a great single handed boat choice), and I ask my wife and all I get is "really, you're going to pick and over annalize whatever I say and then do whatever you want anyways - pick what you like". Another OCD thing I guess. I would love to have a few of my other choices and maybe I will build a few more later, but for now I need ONE!
Please let me know as much as possible. I appreciate the help and I plan on starting one of them within the next week or two, the shop is cleaned out and ready.
Thanks, Ed