The price is for the hull kit.

The picture shows Pathfinder on her way to winning a traditional boat event held on Ullswater in the UK Lake District where she picked up the prizes for; 1st over the line; 1st on handicap and best built amateur boat.

Her performance in a Force 5 revealed some of the delights of sailing small canoe- yawls. The hull surfs easily on its flat forward sections and straight keel-run, with the rear drop-chines providing support aft despite the lack of a transom.

If things become too hectic in windy conditions then the sail-plan is easily shortened by simply pulling on the jib roller reefing system and tying off the mizzen. Further reduction is achieved by reefing the mainsail. All this can be undertaken during sailing without altering the board or mast position.

Two prototypes of this boat were built and the design and fittings have been revised to make it simple to build.

The hull is created by joining a set of cut-panels to form a single plank. By pulling the adjacent cut lines together with nylon ties the hull 'pops up' into shape around a single low-level rib. The seams are sealed on the inside and then the outside with fibre glass tape and epoxy resin. The hull shape can be assembled in a weekend with a total build time of about 120 hours.

The price is for the hull kit.

Small canoe yawls were a popular style of small sailing craft up until the 1920’s partly because of ease of transportation in an era where the motor car was still a rarity. Pathfinder due to her unique construction is lightweight and able to support a much improved length to width ratio and in turn sport a large sail area.

Pathfinder's wide sweeping curves and traditional rig combine to give an attractive and purposeful look. The unique inclined non-continuous overlapping chines provide an easily driven hull shape while supporting generous width without excess flare. Safety is provided by in built bow and stern tank buoyancy.

The gaff yawl rig also balances under mainsail alone without having to change the mast position.

15th November 2007 first kit on first sail.

L.O.A 4.43 m (14' 6”)
BEAM 1.78 m (5' 10”)

The boat is half decked and has a centre board. There are several rig options available.

With over 100 square feet of sail the Pathfinder is a quick cruising dinghy. She is responsive with the small mizzen nudging the craft to windward in gusts. The hull surfs easily on its flat forward sections and straight keel-run, the rear drop-chines providing support aft. This efficient shape gives good light air performance.

The picture shows an early prototype: the kit has a centre board and buoyant chambers.

A picture of the interior of the kit version looking towards the bow.

The boat has been designed to be easy to build in a matter of weeks.

Port side.

Bow

Bumkin

Hull kit only.

Moving in almost non-existent wind

This is the manual that accompanies the kit. It has been written on the assumption that the builder has never built a boat before: each step is detailed and there are separate sections dealing with the techniques that will be used. It is assumed that the work will be done in small segments in the... (more)

An electronic, non paper, version of the 45 page study manual that can be viewed using Adobe Reader. It contains insufficient information to build the boat.
After card authorisation the file will be sent to the email address put on the order form. Slow broadband download time about 20 seconds.