Thunderbird 26: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Sailboat designed 1958 by Ben Seaborn}} |
{{Short description|Sailboat designed 1958 by Ben Seaborn}} |
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{{More footnotes|date=February 2021}} |
{{More footnotes needed|date=February 2021}} |
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{{Infobox sailboat specifications |
{{Infobox sailboat specifications |
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|name = Thunderbird 26 |
|name = Thunderbird 26 |
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The '''Thunderbird class sailboat''' was designed in 1958 by Seattle Washington naval architect Ben Seaborn,<ref>http://www.sailboatdata.com/view_designer.asp?DESIGNER_ID=48</ref> in response to a request from the Douglas Fir Plywood Association (now APA - The Engineered Wood Association) of Tacoma, Washington for design proposals for a sailboat that would "... be both a racing and cruising boat; provide sleeping accommodations for four crew; be capable of being built by reasonably skilled amateurs; provide auxiliary power by an outboard motor that could be easily removed and stowed; and out-perform other sailboats in its class."{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} |
The '''Thunderbird class sailboat''' was designed in 1958 by Seattle Washington naval architect Ben Seaborn,<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.sailboatdata.com/view_designer.asp?DESIGNER_ID=48 | title=Ben Seaborn - 1920-1960 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927054810/http://www.sailboatdata.com/view_designer.asp?DESIGNER_ID=48 | archive-date=2018-09-27}}</ref> in response to a request from the Douglas Fir Plywood Association (now APA - The Engineered Wood Association) of Tacoma, Washington for design proposals for a sailboat that would "... be both a racing and cruising boat; provide sleeping accommodations for four crew; be capable of being built by reasonably skilled amateurs; provide auxiliary power by an outboard motor that could be easily removed and stowed; and out-perform other sailboats in its class."{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} |
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==Design and construction== |
==Design and construction== |
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T-Birds can be built of marine plywood, usually fiberglass-covered for minimum maintenance, or with a fiberglass hull and deck. The International Thunderbird Class Association (ITCA) maintains specifications of what dimensions and specifications fit the definition of the Thunderbird class.<ref>http://thunderbirdsailing.org/black-book/ |
T-Birds can be built of marine plywood, usually fiberglass-covered for minimum maintenance, or with a fiberglass hull and deck. The International Thunderbird Class Association (ITCA) maintains specifications of what dimensions and specifications fit the definition of the Thunderbird class.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thunderbirdsailing.org/black-book/|title=Black Book|date=February 2022}}</ref> Many plywood T-Birds have been built by amateur builders, while fiberglass T-Birds usually are built by professional boatbuilders, although plans also are available for "one-off" construction of fiberglass T-Birds by amateur builders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thunderbirdsailing.org/plans/|title=Plans|date=19 June 2015}}</ref> |
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In North America, professional builders of fiberglass T-Birds are located in Canada (Victoria, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario). In Australia, where T-Birds also are popular, fiberglass T-Birds are built using hull and deck molds owned by the Australian Thunderbird Class Association. Fiberglass boat parts—such as a complete deck, cabin and cockpit; hatches for the main cabin and forward and aft decks, and a lightweight, foam-filled fiberglass spade rudder—are available from fiberglass boat builders, to modernize or restore older T-Birds.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} |
In North America, professional builders of fiberglass T-Birds are located in Canada (Victoria, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario). In Australia, where T-Birds also are popular, fiberglass T-Birds are built using hull and deck molds owned by the Australian Thunderbird Class Association. Fiberglass boat parts—such as a complete deck, cabin and cockpit; hatches for the main cabin and forward and aft decks, and a lightweight, foam-filled fiberglass spade rudder—are available from fiberglass boat builders, to modernize or restore older T-Birds.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} |
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| valign="top"|8.0 ft |
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==Performance== |
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The Thunderbird's exceptional performance can be attributed to a lightweight, 3,650 lb (1,656 kg) hull and rig with V-bottom hull and hard chines. Outstanding stability is provided by a 1,530 lb (694 kg) cast iron keel of advanced design with a 4.79-foot (1.46 m) draft. The sail area is 363 square feet (33.72 square meters) in the mainsail and [[Genoa (sail)|genoa]], and racing boats are equipped with a spinnaker. The Thunderbird (or T-Bird, as it is commonly known) has proven to be fast in both light winds and heavy, often out-performing contemporary displacement-type sailboats of similar or even larger size in local handicap races. By way of comparison, where the [[PHRF]] handicap for the Thunderbird is 201-204 (seconds per mile), the [[J/24]] rates 185, the [[San Juan 24]] 228-237, the [[Ericson Yachts|Ericson 26]] 234, the [[MacGregor Yacht Corporation|MacGregor 26]] 259, the [[Catalina Yachts|Catalina 27]] 204.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} |
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==Adaptability== |
==Adaptability== |
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Its 7.54 foot (2.30 m) beam makes it possible to haul the boat by trailer, without special permits, for launching, winter storage and for traveling to long-distance racing or cruising destinations. |
Its 7.54 foot (2.30 m) beam makes it possible to haul the boat by trailer, without special permits, for launching, winter storage and for traveling to long-distance racing or cruising destinations. |
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==Pacific Thunderbird variant== |
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In the early 1960s there was a variant made called the "Pacific Thunderbird" designed by Naval Architect Ben Seaborn, the original designer of the Thunderbird class. The sail logo was the Thunderbird logo inside a large letter P. It was a scaled-up version to a LOA of {{convert|32|ft}}. It was made in Japan of fiberglass covered plywood. It had a fixed keel with a depth of about {{convert|6|ft}}, a beam of about {{convert|9.5|ft}}, a self-bailing cockpit, and an inboard engine. The mast height and sail area were also reduced somewhat, so the boat was more stable. Below it had headroom of about {{convert|6|ft}}, a spacious enclosed head, a fixed table with folding leaves, a full galley (sink, icebox, counter, and stove), and berths for 5 (with the fifth berth running under the port side cockpit seat). This design was still a fairly fast boat, yet more seaworthy and very comfortable for coastal cruising. There were, however, very few of them sold.<ref>Personal recollection of Robert G. Benson, whose family bought an early production model and sailed it for a number of years off the Southern California coast.</ref> |
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For images of this design, see [http://www.weburchin.com/ishtar/ this site]. (Note that this boat was modified to have a bowsprit; the class design does not have this.) |
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== References == |
== References == |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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* [http://www.thunderbirdsailing.org/ Thunderbird Class Association] |
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* [http://www.clarkcraft.com/index.php3 Thunderbird plans] commercial plans of design available |
* [http://www.clarkcraft.com/index.php3 Thunderbird plans] commercial plans of design available |
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Latest revision as of 12:43, 6 October 2024
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (February 2021) |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Ben Seaborn |
| Year | 1958 |
| Name | Thunderbird 26 |
| Boat | |
| Draft | 5 ft (1.5 m) |
| Hull | |
| Type | Monohull |
| Hull weight | 3,850 lb (1,750 kg) |
| LOA | 25 ft 11 in (7.90 m) |
| LWL | 20 ft 3 in (6.17 m) |
| Beam | 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | Fixed - 1,534 lb (696 kg) |
| Rig | |
| Mast length | 37 ft (11 m) |
| Sails | |
| Total sail area | 308 sq ft (28.6 m2) |
The Thunderbird class sailboat was designed in 1958 by Seattle Washington naval architect Ben Seaborn,[1] in response to a request from the Douglas Fir Plywood Association (now APA - The Engineered Wood Association) of Tacoma, Washington for design proposals for a sailboat that would "... be both a racing and cruising boat; provide sleeping accommodations for four crew; be capable of being built by reasonably skilled amateurs; provide auxiliary power by an outboard motor that could be easily removed and stowed; and out-perform other sailboats in its class."[citation needed]
Design and construction
[edit]T-Birds can be built of marine plywood, usually fiberglass-covered for minimum maintenance, or with a fiberglass hull and deck. The International Thunderbird Class Association (ITCA) maintains specifications of what dimensions and specifications fit the definition of the Thunderbird class.[2] Many plywood T-Birds have been built by amateur builders, while fiberglass T-Birds usually are built by professional boatbuilders, although plans also are available for "one-off" construction of fiberglass T-Birds by amateur builders.[3]
In North America, professional builders of fiberglass T-Birds are located in Canada (Victoria, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario). In Australia, where T-Birds also are popular, fiberglass T-Birds are built using hull and deck molds owned by the Australian Thunderbird Class Association. Fiberglass boat parts—such as a complete deck, cabin and cockpit; hatches for the main cabin and forward and aft decks, and a lightweight, foam-filled fiberglass spade rudder—are available from fiberglass boat builders, to modernize or restore older T-Birds.[citation needed]
The 37 ft (11 m) mast, 13.50-foot (4.11 m) boom and 8-foot (2.44 m) spinnaker pole can be built of wood, but most boatbuilders and owners now choose ready-made aluminum spars from a source that meets ITCA specifications, for low maintenance and high performance. Dacron sailcloth is used for the mainsail, genoa and working jib, and nylon for the spinnaker. An alternate dacron/mylar film sailcloth laminate also is approved for the genoa. Only one size of mainsail, genoa, working jib and spinnaker are authorized by ITCA for racing. In keeping with ITCA policy of maintaining the affordability of the T-Bird, only one set of new sails is permitted in a two-year period.
Used T-Birds of plywood or fiberglass construction are often available for sale in many regions where T-Bird fleets have been organized (see below). These boats offer an economical choice for the sailor interested in becoming a T-Bird owner. Prices can range from under $2,000 for older wood boats that may need restoration or repair in various degrees, up to about $20,000 for a completely equipped newer fiberglass boat in championship form. Average prices for boats in good cruising or racing condition in the U.S. and Canada are typically in the range of $5,000 to $13,000, depending on local market conditions. Compared to other sailboats in this size range, such boats can be considered bargains in terms of racing and cruising performance, and cost.[citation needed]
Plan and specifications
[edit]Mainsail Dimensions:
| P | 31.0 ft |
| E | 13.0 ft |
| I | 26.75 ft |
| J | 8.0 ft |
Adaptability
[edit]Its 7.54 foot (2.30 m) beam makes it possible to haul the boat by trailer, without special permits, for launching, winter storage and for traveling to long-distance racing or cruising destinations.
References
[edit]- ^ "Ben Seaborn - 1920-1960". Archived from the original on 2018-09-27.
- ^ "Black Book". February 2022.
- ^ "Plans". 19 June 2015.
External links
[edit]- Thunderbird plans commercial plans of design available