Caledonia Yawl Building Plans

The Caledonia Yawl is a very adaptable design; the boat is easily rigged and sailed single-handed, and is also spacious, stable and comfortable for family sailing. With the generous sail area, efficiently set up, she will perform well in sheltered waters and will keep sailing when many other boats will be hassling with the outboard or taking to the oars. And with her great reserve buoyancy, full ends and strong sheer, she is an exceptionally sea kindly little vessel, quite capable of serious coastal cruising (in experienced hands of course), and will stand up to a bit of heavy weather with relative comfort and safety.

The two optional sailing rigs are quickly adapted to any likely conditions. The balanced lug is the simplest to set up and to handle for a short-handed drew; it retains something of the style of the powerful dipping lugs carried by many traditional Scottish craft, but is far simpler to operate. The jib – gaff main – mizzen rig is a little more complex to set up, but is still easily handled, and quickly adjusted to suit the breeze. The short main mast is easily stepped; it presents minimal windage when the sail is reefed; in sever conditions the boat still balances and gets to windward under jib and mizzen alone.

• Length

  19′ 6″ – 5.95m

• Beam

  6′ 5″ – 1.95m

• Draft

  –

• Weight (kg)

  150

• Sail Area

  164 sq ft – 15.25 sq m

• Time to build (estimate)

  350-450 hours