The schooner can be built heavy
or light. Tropical hardwood ply and Douglas Fir give a fairly
heavy boat. At the other extreme, gaboon and cedar framing, with
spruce masts, will give a very light boat. Light is faster, but...
Phil Bolger has written that he piled the sail on, and has told
us that the boat could be seen as overcanvassed by present day
standards (that's why it looks so stunning).
Flying Tadpole II was
built on the heavier end of the scale. The extra weight means
we're slower in light airs, but also that two or three of us can
hold her up with all plain sail up in 25 knot winds, at which
stage she's planing furiously.
If you are sure of having a
larger or heavier crew, build her light for the speed by all means.
If you are going to be cruising two- or three-handed,
consider either a heavier boat or the possibility of carrying
ballast when necessary (the old sandbags or PVC pipe which can
be filled with water and laid along the chines inside the cockpit).
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