Guider

Product Description

The Guider is a rugged, comfortable open boat for cruising under sail and oar, designed for John Guider to compete in the 2019 Race to Alaska (R2AK).

More than just a larger Skerry Raid, the boat that John Guider sailed and rowed around the Great Loop and beyond, the Guider includes more storage, room to sleep aboard in comfort and the ability to push the boat harder in the rough and windy conditions to be expected on the 750-mile unsupported race.

Although fast and handy under sail and oar, the design of the Guider emphasises safety and comfort. The 6′6″ (1.98 m) long cockpit provides room for two adults to sleep and the twelve watertight compartments provide lots of built-in buoyancy and storage.

The Guider carries 200 lb (91 kg) of lead ballast, which may be increased for day-sailing or when lightly loaded. It has a pivoting centreboard cut from aluminium plate.

To avoid having to reach awkwardly over the stern to adjust the more usual kick-up rudder, the rudder of the Guider is lowered through the hull like a daggerboard, through a case at the aft end of the cockpit. Although it complicates the build slightly, designer John C. Harris likes this rudder for its efficiency and good looks, as well as its convenience.

This kit is one of Chesapeake Light Craft's Pro Kits, intended only for builders who have some experience of stitch-and-glue boatbuilding. It comes with a 38-page manual that details the build process, but does not walk you through the techniques involved like the comprehensive manuals that come with most CLC kits. Construction of the boat has proven to be smooth and efficient, though build times will vary. The first boat was built in 22 working days from start to rigging and launch, with 3-5 professionals working on it. As a first step, we recommend purchasing the manual, to get a feel for the project.

The base hull kit includes:

• Pre-cut plywood panels with pre-cut joints and pre-drilled tie holes for the hull, deck and interior
• Milled solid wood for outwales, cleats, carlins and spacers
• Centreboard case and rudder case
• Mast step and partner
• Watertight foredeck hatch and deck plates
• Epoxy resin and activator
• Epoxy measuring pumps
• Epoxy fillers
• Stainless steel fasteners
• Copper ties
• Woven glass fabric
• Woven glass tape
• Step-by-step instruction manual
• Free technical support from a competent builder

What else do I need?

Sailing components kit

The sailing package can be built in from the beginning or added to the completed hull at a later date. It includes:

• Staves for the hollow wooden mast
• Blanks for the yard and boom
• Shaping templates for the spars
• Tiller blank
• CNC-cut aluminium centreboard blade
• Complete balanced rudder assembly, including CNC-cut parts for the rudder cassette, foil sections, stainless steel shaft, tangs and fasteners.
• Lug sail

The sailing package does not include running rigging or associated hardware.

Rope package

The rope package for the Guider includes the mainsheet, halyard, downhaul, sail lacing, two reef lines, centreboard pendant and yard parrel.

Plans and manual

These plans and manual contain sufficient information on the cutting of the panels to make it possible to build the boat from scratch. The plans include full size templates for every piece of the boat. Bulkhead and stitch-hole positions are marked and complete details for the sail and spars are included.

Study manual

This option allows you to purchase the construction manual to study before committing to buying the kit. It is in full colour and has 38 pages detailing the construction process, step-by-step. The manual is intended for people with some prior experience of stitch-and-glue boatbuilding.

If, later, you decide to purchase the kit the cost of this printed manual will be deducted from the kit price.

PDF study manual

The construction manual for the boat is also available as a PDF download. After credit card authorisation a download link will be sent to the email address put on the order form.