peep hen 14 sailboat

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Peep hen and the scamp

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Post by domromer » Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:24 am

Re: Peep hen and the scamp

Post by Bchrovers » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:30 pm

Post by domromer » Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:38 pm

Post by Bchrovers » Fri Mar 13, 2015 1:36 am

Post by Monies » Fri Mar 13, 2015 1:54 am

Post by wdscobie » Fri Mar 13, 2015 2:02 pm

Monies wrote: I think Paul Breeding in Colorado owns one of each.

Post by Paul Breeding » Fri Mar 13, 2015 2:20 pm

Post by Friends with SCAMPS » Fri Mar 13, 2015 3:28 pm

Post by Editors » Fri Mar 13, 2015 5:02 pm

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West Wight Potter 15 vs Peep Hen 14

A round 1 minicruiser madness match-up.

Editors note: Well, our Mini-Cruiser Madness competition is underway. Many of you called it “brilliant,” some of you called it “fun,” and at least one of you called it “stupid.” Maybe you’ve all got a point. But one thing is for certain, it has stimulated a LOT of discussion about the pros and cons of various boats which—if you will recall our introduction article—was really the point.

Most of you who object to the format seem to think we should’ve matched boats in more “like” groupings, but we’re not sure this would’ve worked any better. If we paired closely-matched boats in round 1, they would eventually compete against quite different boats in round 2. Of course we could have made this contest about some smaller number of extremely similar boats with nearly identical purposes, but our idea was having 32 trailerable cruisers battle it out instead—in this case we thought random pairings made more sense.

Some of you seemed to think comparing a much larger trailerable to a smaller one wasn’t fair, but if you’ll remember our suggested judging criteria, bigger isn’t always better. Boat design is a study in opposition with most virtues being antagonistic to another—larger more commodious boats are usually more difficult to trailer, rig and launch, and so forth. As evidence just look at the results of our first poll, where the smaller Mariner is cruising to victory over the larger Aquarius. Some of you have complained it’s “apples and oranges” only to go on and explain why oranges are so much better—that’s perfect!

A few of you were shocked or otherwise disheartened we failed to include particular boats—and we anticipated this. Again, see our introduction article. We simply picked 32 popular trailerable camp-cruisers knowing there are 50 or 100 more we could have chosen. Keep posting your suggestions and we’ll consider these designs next time.

OK, back to the Madness!

As a reminder, here are suggested criteria.

• Performance

• Seaworthiness

• Accommodations (suitability for camp-cruising)

• Trailerability (and rigging, launching ease)

• Appearance

• Quality/Value

Here’s a fun battle between two famous micro-minicruisers. If you’ve never seen one in person you might expect the shorter Peep Hen is the smaller boat—but not at all. In fact where the Potter weighs in at 475 pounds, the Peep Hen goes 650 pounds.

The renowned Potter 15 is certainly one of the most popular boats among our readership—inexpensive and accessible but offering just enough space for some comfortable cruising.

When we reviewed the Potter 15 we wrote: Originally designed by Stanley C. Smith for a singlehanded crossing of the Atlantic, the jaunty, pug-nosed Potter’s legendary reputation has grown with each new voyage of daring. Two of the most notable took place in the 1970s. John Van Ruth sailed his Potter, Freya , 2700 miles from Mexico to Hawaii in 1972, and a few years later David Omick navigated the Inside Passage from Seattle to Alaska.

But the most mythical of all Potter feats involved the boat’s designer and a voyage he undertook on October 12th, 1965. Having boldly offered to hand deliver one of his 14-footers to a customer in Sweden, Stanley Smith set out across the North Sea that October day on a wild 36-day adventure that very nearly cost him his life. Despite enormous trials, he remained impressed with the little boat’s performance. He wrote: In all ways the boat handles beautifully in reasonable conditions—fast and exhilarating in a fresh breeze, close-winded and hard to get into irons.

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Sailing AUKLET

~ small sailboat cruising and related thoughts.

Peep Hen Capabilities and Limits, part one: Tacking

03 Thursday Nov 2016

Posted by shemaya in Sailing/Boat Handling , the other boat(s)

≈ 6 Comments

The Peep Hen is, after all, quite a small boat; it was interesting, this summer and fall, to find out a little bit more about what works, and where the limits start to show, for this design. SERENITY is out of the water now (photos from the nice day we had hauling it are coming sometime soon) and I’ve been reflecting on what I learned in these last months.

In average conditions, the Peep Hen does fine. It is sturdier than most boats its size, because of the ballasted keel, and is very dry, and generally a lot of fun.

Then there are the considerations that come up when the wind and/or water are something other than average. There are three main categories for the new information gained: tacking in less than ideal conditions; strong wind that is gusting and shifting; and drying out on soft surfaces. This post will address tacking, with each of the other issues appearing in their own blog entries over the next few days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are several strategies which help with tacking that I was already using: watching the waves for the least disruptive moment to turn; picking up speed before going about; and shifting weight across the boat to leeward as the turn is being made. Additionally, in general it’s a good idea to put the tiller only partway over, letting the rudder do the job of turning without being far enough to the side to act as a brake; I was doing that gentle turning too.

Having one sail and a centerboard has been new for me, and this is both a big source of the problem, and where all that good advice has been particularly helpful. I have now learned that, first off, letting the centerboard all the way down provides a better pivot point for the boat, which helps it to turn. Second, when the sail is sheeted in tight it will help the wind to push the back end of the boat around. The nuances of this second adjustment only became clear gradually.

After receiving all the great advice from the Hensnest folks, a few days later I was again out in windy and choppy conditions, sailing upwind and needing to tack. I put the centerboard all the way down, and was delighted to find that tacking worked like a charm, every time. This was vastly different from the previous round, and led me to believe that the centerboard position was doing the whole job. Because I was sailing alone and it seemed like a lot to manage, I did not try pulling in the sheet as I was going about, and was quite happy to see the whole business work without that extra step, repeatedly.

Some time later, different day, more wind, more waves, I confidently made sure that the centerboard was all the way down, went to tack, and failed, falling back on the original tack. Fortunately this was not a problem, with the shore at a good distance. Three more tries, still no successful tack. The waves were fairly large, and chaotic, in the oversize tide rip that happens at the north end of Penobscot Bay between Stockton Springs and Castine, with a good strong wind of 15 to 20 knots, against the tide. Not that I would do that twice!

As this non-tacking was going on I was reflecting on those various bits of Hensnest advice, and eventually realized that because of the hefty wind, I was sailing with the sail adjusted farther out than normal, so that it would be luffing a little bit. There was already one reef in, and that bit of luffing made the boat more manageable, especially in the gusts. The sail was out about 6 inches farther than usual, which in the grand scheme of things is not that much. Still, adjusting it closer in was worth a try. In came the sheet, bringing the boom to its more customary position, and next try the boat turned through the wind as if it always did that. And every time after, in that same chaotic wind and waves. Just a few inches of adjustment made all the difference in the maneuver working or not.

Since that time I have discovered that for extra push, as the boat goes around it’s not too hard to grab one line of the sheet where it runs between the block on the boom and the one on the back end of the tiller, and to just pull on that line sideways as one moves across the boat during the tack. It sounds awful, but it’s really not so hard, and it draws the sail in tight without any other adjustments. Then you just let go once the boat starts to come across the wind. (The main sheet on SERENITY is typically cleated – more on this in the section on large gusts.)

With all of these strategies, the Peep Hen has become a boat that tacks reliably. I’m delighted to not be using the motor to assist with failed tacks, which is what I used to do in those trips a few years ago. Even the designer has been quoted as saying that it’s good to keep the motor running for sailing upwind in this boat. Having to do that was going to be a dealbreaker these days, perhaps sending the boat to a new home, and I’m very happy to find that it doesn’t have to be the case.

Originally, in taking the Peep Hen out I missed having a second sail, whether jib or mizzen, particularly for making turns. Over these last months it feels like I’ve become a better sailor, understanding more clearly what drives the boat; I’m looking forward to seeing how this new understanding opens up possibilities for more nuanced sailhandling, when next I’m out in a boat with more than one sail!

6 thoughts on “Peep Hen Capabilities and Limits, part one: Tacking”

November 3, 2016 at 2:49 pm

Fascinating! You are certainly getting the most out of an odd out interesting little craft. I hope we can get you out on a real catboat sometime. Think you would like it..

November 4, 2016 at 6:46 pm

That sounds like a wonderful thing to look forward to, as the snowflakes come down. The last time I was in a real, traditional catboat I was a teenager, out with a couple of friends in their boat. That was quite a while ago! It would be lovely to get a feel for how the real thing works, from this vantage point.

In the meantime, I hope that SHOREBIRD got through the hurricane okay, and that you are out enjoying all those nice catboat characteristics.

Take care, Shemaya

November 4, 2016 at 6:35 am

Hey Shemaya, it sounds like perseverance and some sound advice has paid off nicely. Well done. One tactic I’ve used on a beach cat (main only), when she looks like going into irons or falling back on the original tack is to backwind the main by physically pushing the boom out to catch the wind. Then as you build up speed rearwards, adjust the tiller to steer the stern onto the new tack angle. Let the main come over, sheet in and sail off. Good fun. Best Terry

November 4, 2016 at 6:48 pm

Thanks – it’s been fun.

It’s interesting about the maneuver you described. My friends in Alaska – the Triloboats folks – use this same maneuver routinely. I’ve tried, but so far have not gotten the hang of it, having it work occasionally, but not reliably. Reading your description it occurred to me that I really had not grasped that the point of holding the sail across the boat upwind is not trying to drive the bow around, but trying to specifically get the boat moving backwards. Come spring, I think I might get somewhere with it, having this better grasp of the process.

Thank you! Shemaya

November 4, 2016 at 5:42 pm

It’s comforting to know that even accomplished sailors sometimes have trouble getting the boat to turn. Reminds me of a windy day in an O’Day 12 (also one-sailed and high-sided) almost 40 years ago. After failing to get it to tack, I finally pulled up the centerboard, drifted onto the beach, got out and turned it around. Maybe there is some cool sailing jargon for that maneuver.

November 4, 2016 at 6:49 pm

That’s a great story – and strategy :-) Maybe somebody reading here will have an official name for it. Something like “beach-assisted tacking” :-)

Cheers! Shemaya

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PEEP HEN Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of PEEP HEN. Built by Sovereign Yachts (Custom Fiberglass Products) and designed by Reuben Trane, the boat was first built in 1981. It has a hull type of Keel/Cbrd. and LOA is 4.32. Its sail area/displacement ratio 24.56. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on undefined.

PEEP HEN has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about PEEP HEN and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, contributions, who designed the peep hen.

PEEP HEN was designed by Reuben Trane.

Who builds PEEP HEN?

PEEP HEN is built by Sovereign Yachts (Custom Fiberglass Products).

When was PEEP HEN first built?

PEEP HEN was first built in 1981.

How long is PEEP HEN?

PEEP HEN is 4.04 m in length.

Member Boats at HarborMoor

Reuben Tranes ultimate macrominimicro

Min./max. draft: Bridge clearance: Power: B/D ratio:

19' 2" 21' 0" 18' 3" 0' 9"/ 3' 0" 25' 6"

outboard 3 to 6 hp 31%

Designer: Builder:

Years produced: Sail area: Fuel tankage: Water tankage:

Reuben Trane Nimble Boats 1997-1999 165 sq. ft. portable portable

Approx. trailering wgt.: 1,500 lbs.

A flyer issued in 1997 by the Florida Bay Boat Company on its then-new Maxi-Peep explains that the forward end of the boat "is identical to the 14' Peep [Hen; see page 51] with a galley, two 6' 3" berths and room for stowage and a porta-potti under the cockpit sole. The center cockpit is 6' 6" long with even wider, more comfortable seats than the 14-footer. Then there is the after cabin (or master stateroom if you will), with sitting headroom, double berth 6' 6" long, and even room for its own porta-potti and stowage of personal gear. Forward of the transom is room for fuel tanks and wet gear." Best features: Like the 14-foot Peep Hen, the Maxi-Peep features very shallow draft with centerboard up, and is easily trailerable (approximate towing weight only 1,500 lbs). She has a deep, comfortable self-bailing cockpit, and has a relatively spacious interior for her size. The boom gallows is a handy feature, as is an optional bimini and cockpit enclosure that zips to the bimini. Worst features: She has a funky look, but we like her despite it—or because of it? Too bad the boat was never produced in any significant numbers.

Continue reading here: A worthy competitor to the Marshall

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Beautiful Peep Hen 14 Fully Loaded Pocket Cruiser Sailboat - Trailer Included!

• Condition: Used
• Make: Peep Hen
• Model: PeepHen 14
• Type: Pocket Cruiser
• Location: San Jose, California, United States

Description

• Very compact, and yet very roomy
• Has internal sleeping area for two tall adults
• Has interior mini-kitchen, and marine sanitation device (MSD) aka 'head'
• Includes full cockpit enclosure: can sleep upto 4 adults (2 inside)
• Free standing tabernacled mast: Easy to raise and lower
• Absolutely no standing rigging - Free standing mast, clean install
• Quick setup or breakdown in one minute, instead of the typical 40 to 60 minutes
• Cat rigged: Easy to sail: Just control the single cat sail
• Mainsail is gaff-rigged, with maximum sail area for compact mast/gaff length
• Sails in great shape: new sails barely used
• 6hp Johnson Outboard with alternator
• Fully equiped, with Raymarine Autopilot
• Cockpit cushions and very nice amenities
• This is the best, simplest and most luxurious micro-cruiser of its size
• Great amount of interior living space
• Far far far more comfortable and roomy that a comparably sized West Wight Potter
• Draft Up: 9"
• Draft Down: 3' 0"
• Total Weight: 650 lbs
• Ballast: 200 lbs
• Sail Area: 115 sqft
• PeepHen 14 Sailboat

...The PEEP HEN is, in fact, a true cruising boat.

Lets start down below: the cabin has more than 4' of headroom so you can sit, relax and lean back without hitting your head (something really unusual in a small boat). Any cruising boat needs a place to sleep. The Peep Hen has two good quarter berths (one of which is over 6'6" with 2' of knee clearance.)

A cruiser (or even a daysailer that's used for more than an hour or so) needs some sort of plumbing facilities and the place to use it. The Peep Hen has room in the cabin to use a Porta Potti, cedar bucket or what have you (in complete privacy from the cockpit and without disturbing either berth occupant), and room to stow it under the cockpit floor out of sight, out of the way.

The Peep Hen comes complete with a galley counter big enough to handle a camp stove with room left over for food preparation, a 25 quart ice box, dry storage space for groceries and cooking utensils, and even the kitchen sink. In the forepeak is room to stash a couple of duffels during the day, and sleeping gear can be kept at the foot of the bunks. In other words, everything has its place aboard a Peep Hen, and even in full cruising trim, the interior need not look like an overfilled gunny sack bursting at the seams.

Now for the exterior of the Peep Hen; the place where most sailors are likely to spend the majority of their time while sailing (or cruising). The cockpit seats are designed to fit full sized adults (it is a common myth that most small boat sailors are small people) so they will be comfortable for a full day's sail or an afternoon's lounging at anchor. The self-bailing foot well is low enough to provide good leg room. the seats are wide enough to sun bathe on (the starboard one is 6'6" long) and the coamings are high enough to give good back support. A cutout below the starboard seat has room for a cooler(within easy reach of the helms person) and a gas can. To port, a notch in the transom lets you use a short shaft motor, real easy to get at.

Foreward, we have recessed the deck. This gives you a secure place to handle lines, a good spot to stow the anchor, and a special place for kids to ride (a couple of corks in the scuppers and several buckets of sea water convert the well to a hot tub).

Finally, any cruiser needs a manageable rig, especially if she is to be single handed. This is an area where the Peep Hen shines. Her single gaff sail is quickly raised, lowered or reefed without going on deck; one simply stands in the companionway to handle the halyards and jiffy reefing lines. Her free standing mast is mounted in a tabernacle (mast hinge) making raising or lowering a breeze (even in the water) for even the clumsiest of us sailors. (My 10 year old son can do it unaided). When lowered, the boom and the mast rest on the boom gallows, the sail still furled on the boom. The Peep Hen can be launched, rigged, sail raised, ready to cast oft in under 10 minutes, single handed.

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• Sailboat Guide

1984 Florida Bay Boat Company Peep Hen

• Description

Seller's Description

Adventure Sailboat- great for crusing and camping. See the following YouTubes for in-depth run down.

• Greenwhitepeephen - This video was made by the builder. It is a great demonstration of the capabilities of the wonderful sailboat.

-Le Voyage de la Petite Peep Hen - Good video on sailing and overnighting on San Frisco Bay, really like his hammock set up.

This Sailboat is in excellent condition, owned and loved by senior citizen, has only been in fresh water (Lake Nockamixon, PA and the Delaware river.) Sails very flat and comfortable, perfect for sailing single handed. Only used the Yamaha outboard for getting in and out of the marina.

The boat is water tight with no leaks, has a vented companion way hatch, the sail is crisp with no rips, tears or repairs.

The trailer has new hubs, bearings, fenders, three new wheels and rims, and led lights, this is a tilt trailer for shallow launch if needed.

The two bunks below are spacious, one is seven feet long, the other a little shorter. It is possible to sleep two on the seats in the cockpit. All cushions are in very good condition, again no rips, tears or repairs.

The 4 horse power yamaha is a 4 stroke with new water pump, fuel filter and spark plug. I think it is a 2004, has seen very little usage. As you can see in the photos, I have it rigger to control in tandem with the tiller.

The camping tent is in perfect condition, no rips, tears or repairs; even the windows are like brand new.

The cooler in the cabin is in very good condition, it is from the manufacturer and fits snuggly in its space.

Comes with two dock bumpers, two throwable floating cushions, anchor, fire extinguisher and flares.

There is a sail bag and canvass covers for both the tiller and sails.

Both the sailboat and trailer titles are in my name.

Please reach out to me is you have any questions, thanks for looking.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

This listing is presented by SailboatListings.com . Visit their website for more information or to contact the seller.

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