Dudley Dix: DIDI 38/40

[sly_22]

Although I’m posting this under the “Buying A Boat” category I believe the question best fits this category so here I go…

I have been doing a lot of research over the past 2-3 years on yacht designs and more specifically Dudley Dix’s designs from South Africa. The Didi 38/40 really caught my eye, being built out of plywood using the radius chin technique it looks beautiful. Being raised around woodwork all my life I feel very comfortable using such tools and material in building a boat of that design. I ordered the plans from Dudley and followed others as they built there Didi 38’s. I have been watching these forums for some time now and noticed that there are a large amount of members with a significant amount of knowledge and a few more who also like Dudley’s designs. So…I wanted your opinions because one can never have enough opinions. I could have emailed Dudley (and have) with similar questions but sometimes as expected opinions can be bias so that is why I would like yours.

Building it would not be a problem for me. I have the tools, the shop, and the area. As for sailing, I’m looking for a sailboat that I can participate with in club regattas, sail around the Great Lakes. I personally enjoy racing and fast speeds with large sail areas. But I would like to take the family with me too. In the long run I would like to sail down the East Coast and to the Caribbean. Maybe even across to Europe.

Looking at the plans I already know I would like to build the 40 footer with the tall rigging and deep keel. I’m just looking for general opinions on the design and whether you guys/gals feel it’s suitable for my priorities as stated above. Some key things I would like to know more about is comfort and structural stability regarding ocean sailing.

Thanks for your time and steady winds for all!

Sylvester Sawala

[sly_22]

Here are some links:

Dudley Dix Design: http://dixdesign.com/38didi.htm

Amateur Projects: http://www.dixdesign.com/amateurs-radply2.htm

[paulk]

Dudley Dix generally seems to design his boats to sail fast and perform well in the area around the Cape of Good Hope. From what I hear, the average conditions there make San Francisco on a honking day seem like a millpond. We had friends on a 54' schooner who waited off the East coast of South Africa for four days while a storm went through. The harbor was closed because 800-foot tankers in mid-channel would get picked up by a single wave and dropped on top of the breakwaters on either side if they tried coming in. Wasn't it off Capetown that some of the RTW racers doing one of their "short" races ended up breaking booms or other equipment? Dix seems to have thought out his approach practically, and in a simple, seamanlike manner. Woodenboat did an article on him building a 38'er in his backyard some years ago as well; issue 154, page 84 : /Dix, Dudley, author and designer:/"Building the Didi 38," 154:84 Looks like fun to build AND to sail.

[sly_22]

Thanks Paulk,

I appriciate the response. Its true he did build a 38 footer himself, the "BlackCat" I beleive. And sailed from South Africa to Rio in 3 different races...so that would answer my question when it comes to structural stability.