MOLA MOLA
A 15′9″ (4.81m) lug-rigged scow daysailer
A 15′9″ (4.81m) lug-rigged scow daysailer
Featured in Design Sketchbook from WoodenBoat Magazine: This is the 3-D concept drawing and design profile you can read in WB No. 274, May/June 2020.
Particulars:
- LOA: 15′ 9″ (4.81 m)
- LWL: 13′ 1½″ (4.0 m)
- Beam: 4′ 5″ (1.35 m)
- Beam WL: 4′ 3½″ (1.31 m)
- Hull depth: 1′ 7″ (0.48 m)
- Displacement (in fresh water): 563 lbs (256 kg)
- Dry weight (approx): 165 lbs (75 kg)
- Draft: 4½″ to 31″ (0.11 to 0.79 m)
- Sail area: 100 sq ft (9.29m)
The aptly named MO LA MOLA is an enlarged take on the concept of the ubiquitous Sunfish sailboat. It is a big, simple daysailer meant to carry a crew weight of about 400 lbs.
The late Sam Manning, who mentored the designer in the beauties of the lug rig, said this simple setup “gives you the most amount of sail with the least amount of spars.”
The boomed lug rig offers more control than a boomless one. Simple spars can be made of standing dead spruce—or from carefully chosen dimensional framing lumber.
The appendages are a standard kick-up rudder and a single daggerboard. The major hull panels are cut from 6mm plywood. The stable scow hull will give good performance—even without an athletic crew.
Laurie McGowan is a Nova Scotia–based boat designer with a diverse on- and below-water work history. He specializes in energy-efficient commercial and pleasure boats. More of his work may be found at mcgowanmarinedesign.com.
Do you have a boat concept you’d like to see Laurie McGowan develop for Sketchbook? If so, send it to Sketchbook, WoodenBoat Publications, P.O. Box 78, Brooklin, ME 04616, or email it to sketchbook@woodenboat.com. Your letter should be no longer than 500 words.
