Argie 15 as a kit boat

This is one of our more popular large sized dinghy, a similar size to say a Mirror but less complicated to build and has none of the class rules that come with the mirror.

As we can see the Argie 15 has great size and stability.

This is a good project for a camper sailer too.

Roy

The Hout Bay Yacht Club

They built the new club close to the beach, what remains of the original club is under the sand behind the car.

A Roy McBride image.

The car is a 1967 Singer Chamois ( Hillman Imp based) with a sport engine conversion.

What happened to the HBYC? well we had one of the best beach sailing clubs in the cape, then the CSIR came and proposed that some tuffts of sea grass could be planted on the beach to try and have the area become more natural.

The HBYC were asked to give their permission which they did, that turned out to be one very big mistake and bit by bit the sand dunes grew, so much so that the once perfect sea views from the clubs ground floor vanished.

Sorry end to a once fine beach sailing club.

July 2012

HBYC still exists, as we moved to a site inside the harbour!

Roy

Sport fishing boat from Dix Design

This one is for Kevin Agee, who also commissioned and built the prototype of the Inlet Runner 16 garvey powerboat. The previous design was for inshore fishing to catch bait for more serious business on his bigger boat out on the bay. He recently sold that bigger boat and commissioned me to draw the replacement, a 26ft centre-console sportfisherman with Carolina-style hull, with heavily-flared bow and break in the sheer.

More will be added on this new design and as it progresses from the drawing board and into the actual build.

The design is for inshore and offshore use in conditions where steep wind against tides may be found.

This is a fisherman's fishing boat but it does give a nod to the ladies. Michelle (Kevin's wife and my daughter) specified that his next boat must have a toilet. So this boat has a small cabin under the covered foredeck, with toilet and seats for two people to shelter from bad weather if needed.


Words are by Dudley Dix the designer.

Roy

Cape Henry 21 kit build

Found on the SA Yacht Blog.

The rig is a gaff with two headsails, both on roller-furlers, to be flown either/or - it is not actually a cutter rig - but offers great flexibility and offers a very traditional appearance.

How do they sail?

In nearly all conditions, astonishingly well. In light airs they fly like dinghies. In moderate winds they handle well, and in strong winds they manage much better than you'd expect.Lots of this is due to the very flexible sail plan, and the generous beam. 

While sailing a very large cat recently in Table bay, a CH21 crept up on us from a few miles behind. At first we couldn't see what it was, with many comments about how an old boat with a gaff rig could be moving that fast. Well in fact an old boat with a gaff rig simply can't go that fast - I then realised it must be a new boat and likely the new CH21 launched in Cape Town recently.  Well it was - I snapped a pic of it near Sunset Beach. This particular one was built by Peter Randle, and has bilge-keels. It was doing a steady 6 knots in about 10 knots of wind on the beam, and slowly it slipped past us!

My thanks to Justin Philips for the words and his picture.

http://sayachts.blogspot.co.za/2013/05/cape-cutter-19-cape-henry-21.html

You can read justins full story at the link above.

This Cape Cutter was built using one of our plywood kits.

Roy

Sails by North Sails in Cape Town

We have long had an agreement to sell North Sails with our boat kits, from a small dinghy to a large yacht.

Click on the images to enlarge them.

This is an Optimist sail, one that we shipped with an Optimist kit to Zurich in Switzerland.

The buyer has the option to buy the North Sail with the boat kit order, or at a later stage when the boat has been built if that suits better.

Roy

Packing and shipping our kit orders

We have shipped World wide, it is to some thirty four countries now.

The orders are processed then either packed between two sheets of packing plywood and steel band strapped for full security or we make a crate and pack the order in that, still with the steel band straps of course.

Click on the images to enlarge them.

This is a multi kit order and to Zurich in Switzerland, in the order was an Argie 15 and two Optimists.

With these kits we also supplied the North Sails and Harken deck equipment plus selected meranti wood cut and machined to size.

Okoume marine plywood CNC shaped to size, the kit is for one of the Optimists.

An Optimist panel before loading.

 Each Optimist kit we sell is sold with a fourteen page printed  A4 sized builders guide, with pictures, plus the class measurement forms.

Another Optimist being packed, check the solid sides to the crate we shipped in.

Roy

Retro 29 building in South Africa

This is an unusual shot of an unusual classic styled yacht.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Mike is now going to fit the boats keel box.

Roy

An Optimist dinghy kit packed for export

Export or national we pack our kits well.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Check the wedge shaped block on the lower left hand side, that is a laminated mast step, prepared down to the correct size and not the over sized dimentions in the plans.

This was being prepared to send to New York, USA. Once the lid has been screwed down we steel band strap the pack for full security.

Each shipment is fumigated, insurance can be included in your order.

We included the building stocks and with this order the machined meranti wood as well.

Other extras are Harken deck gear and a North Sail.

Each kit sold includes a 14 page builders manual which has lots of pictures in it, plus all the class measurments as well.

Roy

The DS 15 sport boat

This was a reply to my idea that a client may like the Dix Design DS15 boat.

This DS 15 was built using one of our kits.

A DS 15 that was built using a CNC kit.

Click the links to see the various options.

Roy

The Didi Sport 15 may do what John wants. We have info about it on our website at http://dixdesign.com/DS15.htm for computers and http://dixdesign.com/mobile/DS15.htm for smartphones. Both have links to build and sailing photos and there is a sailing video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUu0H9nEIU8 .

This is a very fast hull shape.

All images are from the Dix Design website.

 If required, a study pack can be ordered from our pricelist at http://dixdesign.com/priceabr.htm.

 Roy, the white boat was built from a kit that you supplied, the blue one was built from a kit cut in USA. The current issue of Wooden Boat has a review of this design.

Regards,

Dudley Dix
Dudley Dix Yacht Design
1340-1272 N Great Neck Rd #343
Virginia Beach, VA 23454, USA
Tel (757)962-9273

The Dix Design Didi 38 hull turning event

I was there to lend a hand that day.

Click on the image to enlarge it

The boat had been built upside down, using the scaffold tower we had ropes and man power to turn the hull the right way up.

This day was the spark that ignited my own desire to build by the same method, I later built a Dix 43 .

The boat was later named Black Cat and became a very well known ocean racer, the South Atlantic Ocean has been crossed four times now, plus she won her class in the race to St Helena and what is named The Governor's Cup race.

http://www.governorscup.co.za/

One correction, “Black Cat” has crossed the South Atlantic 6 times, in 1996, 2000 and 2017.

.
From Dudley Dix.

You are in some of the other pics in my big box of photos. 

This is the one that I have used over the years because it shows the boat best. 

The people in it, from left, are Dick de Kroon, my Mom’s cousin, Brian Alcock and Sean Collins. You can see my head just above Sean at the transom.

This whole series of designs has proven very successful and just keeps going. I now have pressure from various people for Didi monohull designs from 50-65ft and a cat of 65ft.

Navigator bulkheads done by CNC

Anyone  having seen what the plans look like you will understand the time saved in using this kit?

This is one of the okoume marine plywood panels we include in our Navigator kit set, there are five ply sheets in all.

The plans show the frames made from lots of sections of wood battens that you have to join up to make the required shapes.

I have to say " how easy is this now "

Roy

Navigator small boat details

Wilhelm built his John Welsford Navigator design from a kit we made specially for him, he in turn created a wonderful yacht with a fine finish.

Wilhelms attention to detail has made for a super smart looking yacht.

The teak transom was veneered with some solid teak slats we had, we still have some I think?

This is pre decking, check how well the inside of the boat was painted, best to do it this way as you can see what you are doing.

The boat was originally fitted with an electric drive motor.

Since then the yacht has sold and we serviced a British Seagull outboard for the new owner.

The Seagull outboard will look correct when used on the Navigator, we have some in stock and for sale.

Roy

J Welsford Navigator kits

Below is the first sail in a Navigator we cut as a kit set.

Click on the images to enlarge them.

Included are the frames, transom, lower hull panel, stem, dagger board case, seats risers, the only part we do not cut are the hull skin panels.

We have the plans in stock,

Hi Roy

Herewith some pictures of my Navigator, Jacqui.

I recently went for my first sail and launched her at Gordons Bay. We had a

lovely day with light winds at first, but increasing to just over 20 knots.

The boat proved very seaworthy. She handles the wind, choppy seas with white

horses and a two meter swell with ease. Our maximum boat speed was 8,03

knots and we covered 31,3 km in the 4 hours 52 minutes at sea. We sailed 4,2

nautical miles into the bay.

Regards

Wilhelm

Retro 29 boat building in Hout Bay,South Africa

Progress on the Retro 29 kit we supplied is taking place here in the village where I live.

Hi Dudley and Roy,

Just a few pics of recent work. I found a great way of lining up bulkheads by using a straightedge across the building stocks to position the uprights accurately before adding the bulkhead.

 I get it centred with the correct distance off first bulkhead and then adjust to get it perpendicular by measuring diagonally from a distant centrepoint to each end of the straight edge. 

Not sure if I’m explaining myself well but anyway it works for me! The laser level has made things a lot easier too.

I’ve got three more bulkheads to go and am loving the whole building process so far.

Cheers,

Mike

Thanks to John Maarschalk for the use of his image.

This is Hout Bay

The next British Seagull restoration

That one is stripped already and will be on my bench on Monday, the customer is based in England, UK, his yacht is here in Hout Bay.

Parts are in the post from our British Seagull suppliers in Kent, South East England.

Progress pictures as I proceed.

The picture posted now is of a much larger 102  series Seagull outboard of about 5hp? next to it is a 2hp motor but not the one I will assemble next week.

We have a 102 series motor for sale, also the 2hp unit.