Hi Chris,

: With virtually every surface on the PDR of the planar type, I don't think you
: will gain anything in lightness by stripping instead of the specified
: plywood construction. Stripping's great advantage is in the reproduction
: of designed, organic curves.

I'm still in the day dreaming stage and trying to figure out what's what. I saw one set of plans with the PDR cut from Luan Plywood that listed the weight of each piece cut and it came in at 109 lbs, and that didn't include the leeboard and rudder or the required floatation or paint. I used Luan for the side floatation compartments in my sailing kayak and I was surprised just how heavy they were. My Shooting Star weighed 43 lbs and I know some made the SS in the mid 30 lbs, so I wondered if the PDR could be halved with strip construction.

BTY, you are the one that convinced me to build the foil NACA 9 leeboard and NACA 12 rudder, and that I would use with the PDR. In an Aussy report I saw, if you build them much closer than 1/16”, which I did, using vernieer calipers you can gain 4 minutes in an hour of sailing. If that's true and I can considerably lightened the PDR racer and my with my weight of 155 lbs I might be competitive. Anyway, it's fun to think a bout.

: You could switch that plywood reality if you redesign the PDR to be a round
: chined hull, but that will do some very interesting things to the handling
: of the boat under sail.

I don't think they would allow that if you stick by the rules of the lower 8" of the hull, but maybe a soft chine, I'll have to check.

: I don't know if you guys are following this at all, but the first, Texas 200
: is in full swing right now at the southern tip of Texas. www.texas200.com

I was visiting this coastal area last spring, Rockport, Corpus Christi, Padre Island and it looked great for kayaking and sailing.

My e-bay sail is a keeper.

John