Tuesday, February 25, 2014

It Fits! Folding the Stern









Master Boat Builder Brad Rice folds the aft section forward over the cabin section.

It fits perfectly! 










View from the stern looking forward toward the bow, with aft section partially folded down over the cabin.

















In the process of folding. It's not fully closed yet.







Closing the last few feet, just clear of the forward hatch. The stern section weights approximately 600 lbs.







The stern section fully folded over the center section!

The deck of the stern section does not rest directly on the deck of the center section, to allow space for the mooring cleats.









Master Builder Brad gives scale to the folded center and stern sections. This is the size it will be when it goes into the shipping container.

When folded, the cabin can still be accessed through the opening (shown) in the two bulkheads, and then through the cabin door. .

Why a folding boat?

The boat was designed to cruise the canals of Europe. We needed to make a narrow boat (maximum width for passage in England is 6'10"). The requirement of shipping the boat lead to the folding concept which means the boat will fit into a 20' container. After cruising for the day, the 52' boat can be folded and berthed in a more economical 20' slip.






























Why is the boat 52' long? Simply because it is elegant and beautiful.Check out her graceful lines, from bow and stern views.