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Email This Page to a FriendThe Coastal Pocket Cruiser JEWELL by Francois Vivier
All Videos » Good Boats, Up Close
October 7, 2022
The little yawl UMAMI is a twenty-foot bundle of practical charm. For quick hops and snug overnights along coastlines, she seems just about perfect.
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PLANS & KITS:
Worldwide:
Plans and kits for Vivier designs are available throughout the world, so depending upon where you are, this page of Vivier's partners is a good place to start in determining suppliers in your area.
In the United States:
Chase Small Craft: Plans and kits for the Jewell, Ilur and the Morbic are exclusively available from Chase Small Craft. Plus the Lilou 2, Kerisper and Stir-Ven 19 are also available from Chase.
Hewes & Company: Kits for the following Vivier boats are available from Hewes & Company:
Gazec 12, Laita 12’2″, Aber 14′, Beg-Meil 14’6″, Beg-Meil strip planked 14’6″, Ebihen15 14’8″, Ebihen16 15’8″, Kerisper 15’8″, Gabian 16’5″, Lilou 2 16’8″, Seil 18 17’9″, Ebihen18, Beniguet 19’2″, Stir Ven 19′, Stir Ven 22′, Meaban 22’5″, Pen Hir 24’6″, Minahouet 15’4″
Both Hewes & Company and Chase Small Craft are capable, quality, trustworthy people and companies that Off Center Harbor deals with regularly. Chase tends to sell kits that include more bits and pieces, and Hewes sells kits that are strictly the CNC cut plywood. Both approaches have their advantages/disadvantages.
Particulars
Hull length - 5.99 m / 19' 8"
Waterline length - 5.40 m / 17' 9"
Beam (outside planking) - 2.22 m / 7'3"
Waterline beam - 1.83 m / 6'0"
Draught (c/board up) - 0.38 m / 1'3"
Draught (c/board down) 1.24 m / 4'1"
Sea water loaded displacement - 1040 kg / 2292 lbs
Waterline length - 5.40 m / 17' 9"
Beam (outside planking) - 2.22 m / 7'3"
Waterline beam - 1.83 m / 6'0"
Draught (c/board up) - 0.38 m / 1'3"
Draught (c/board down) 1.24 m / 4'1"
Sea water loaded displacement - 1040 kg / 2292 lbs
Boat Specifications:
- The electric outboard motor is an e-Propulsion 1kW Spirit 1.0 Plus, the battery bank is (4) 12V, 100Ah LiP04 Battleborn batteries wired in series to make a 48V, 100 amp hour system.
- The monitor is model BMV 712 from Victron, with a NoCo Genius GX4820 charger.
- The carbon fiber masts were made by Forte.
- The decking material is Marinedeck.
Comments, Thoughts or Suggestions?
You can leave a comment or question for OCH and members below. Here are the comments so far…
I come back to this video again and again. It looks like a wonderful boat, perfect for what I would want. I quail at the thought of building it, though. I have attempted some boat building, and this is likely beyond me. Any ideas on whom I might contract to build one for me?
Richard, where are you located? There are many good boat shops, but having a builder within a reasonable drive of your home would simplify your logistics.
I live in the Houston area. It seems that most of the wooden boat culture and industry is in either the Pacific Northwest or in New England :-(. I am working on finishing an open hullled CLC kit boat myself, and may be able to take on a slightly bigger one, but I Jewell may be beyond me, and more importantly, the size of my workspace.
Hey Richard. It’s surprising how the CNC kit field is expanding the geography for those wanting to build/row/paddle/motor/sail a wooden boat. Glad to hear you’re building a CLC kits as a start, and already looking ahead to what is next some day. Check out Vivier’s ILUR, which is John’s previous boat. We have a video on that, and you can search ILUR WAXWING to find that video. It’s smaller, with no cabin, but a phenomenal boat. You can also search “Roger Barnes dinghy cruising” on youtube to find his videos as he takes you all over Europe camp cruising in a Vivier ILUR (traditionally built, plank on frame, I believe). [Added Later: I missed your question re: finding someone to build one of these boats for you, and have answered that below at a later date.]
Steve, you read my mind! Richard, the Ilur is a brilliant design, and a capable one. Since I built Waxwing, Vivier has revisited the CNC kit to add room on the cockpit sole for sailors who intend to dinghy cruise. It is a very approachable build, and well worth a look.
Wow, thanks, John. I looked at your video with that boat. It does look sweet and manageable. You clearly enjoy both boats, and have done a great job with them. I had been thinking of the CLC pocketship as well, but your Ilur might actually fit my needs better.
Richard, you can find much more info about the Ilur on Clint Chase’s web site, Chase Small Craft. His kits are very complete, and he is a pleasure to work with. In addition to Vivier’s Ilur, he also has two designs of his own, 16 and 18 foot versions of the Calendar Islands yawl that are seriously great sail and oar boats.
Ditto what John says about Clint Chase and Chase Small Craft. The link to Clint/Chase is below the video and I’ll put it here again below for your convenience.
I previously glossed over your request/desire to find someone to build you one of these boats for you. While you could try to find someone experienced who is close to Houston (maybe ask the WoodenBoat School if they know of anyone), if it were me I’d call/email Clint Chase, and Geoff Kerr of Two Daughters Boatworks, and get them each to quote you to build one. I suggest that primarily because they each may have very different backlogs when you decide to pull the trigger. Both are very capable. Another reason that I suggest Geoff Kerr is that you can also look at the Caledonia Yawl (videos galore here on OCH) to see if that might be a better boat for your needs. It is roomier than the ILUR, with different aesthetics, and both are capable boats. Geoff is the go to builder for Caledonia Yawls.
Clint:
https://www.chase-small-craft.com/
Geoff:
https://www.facebook.com/p/Two-Daughters-Boatworks-100063672065564/
Wow John. Brilliant special mods to make this Jewel your own.
I love your video and your presentation.
Frank, I’m glad you enjoyed the video. It usually takes me several seasons to get all the little details sorted to my satisfaction, and this year’s first project was swapping the topping lift from the mizzen mast head to a traditional arrangement running to the mainmast above the peak halyard and then to the cockpit; it makes topping up the boom to tie in a reef on open water a smoother process, and also serves as a “lazy lift” to help gather the sail when I douse the main. Managing the boat completely from the cockpit makes single handing easy and safe.
Hello John,
I’m the owner of the Jewell n°6. I’ve bought her in 2022. I’ve contact marinedeck and they propose me two thickness 2.5 ou 6 mm. Witch one have you used ? Are you still happy with ?
Thanks
Paskal
Hello, Paskal—
I used the thinner form of the Stazo marinedeck—maybe 3mm/ or 1/8 inch. It was bedded in Sikaflex 291. The thinner marinedeck is a plain cork surface. I have been very happy with it—it is durable, grippy underfoot and comfortable in use. Are you planning on using the thicker material which simulates teak planking on a deck surface? I would think it would be a very good (and good looking) application.
John
Hello John,
My first idea is to use the same product as you but I’ll have a look on your suggestion. Many thanks for your video, it was a real pleasure to watch it during this so dark and long winter.
Friendly
Paskal
Hello John,
I was on your boat this past summer and camped near you at Reach Knolls. I just love this video and your excitement about your boat. I could never build such a boat so I have my Rhodes 19 that I am using for camping on the Reach. What kind of stove to you use on your boat? I will be back up there this summer mid July.
Thanks
Heather
Hello, Heather— Good to hear from you, and happy to hear you’ll be back at Lori and Paul’s place this summer. Your Rhodes 19 seemed very well sorted last season; it is such a great design. The main stove on Umami is an origo single burner alcohol stove that I picked up on e-bay, as it is no longer being made. The Origo is nice and quiet, and is good either for high heat as well as when I am cooking a meal that wants a low simmer; I also carry a little MSR propane stove that is noisier, but good for a quick cuppa using my ancient, trusty Bialetta moka pot. The MSR is not as good at simmering, but a second burner comes in handy sometimes. Umami’s galley started as a simple carry over of my kitchen and pantry boxes from Waxwing, and are evolving into the different storage spaces aboard the larger boat. If you aren’t familiar with Roger Barnes’s videos or his book about dinghy cruising, they have a great deal of useful material regarding galley arrangements for open cruising dinghies.
John, Setting my boat up with more battery power, looking at Battle Born and the E Propulsion E Batteries. Just wondering why you choose Battle Born and not the E batteries sold by E Propulsion? I am thinking they were not out at the time you set up your boat? I want to have a solar set up too.
I guess Benjaman River Marine moorings are taken this year. I was hoping to get one but it seems that none are available! Maybe Segwick
Hello, Heather—the Battle born 12v units were a better fit dimensionally in the space I had aboard Umami. The proprietary units would certainly have been simpler to install had they fit.
I have not had good luck getting in touch with either of the mooring areas in Sedgewick, despite multiple tries. I expect I’ll just anchor out while we’re there.
Hi John,
I was intrigued to read about your work to more time on the water transition. I am approaching such a transition and also envision spending more time sailing. The video was an inspiration for me. With less experience sailing (than I sense you have) and very little experience building something like your beautiful boat, I will test the waters by purchasing a small, used boat. I too hope to do some island hopping of the kind you described. Thanks again for the inspiring and informational video.
Hello, Dave—It has been some time since I checked into this space, my apologies for a tardy response. The availability of used fiberglass boats for a small initial outlay makes them a perfectly reasonable way to get out sailing, and there are many excellent designs suitable to a broad variety of sailing environments. Best of luck as you navigate your work transition, and happy sailing!
Thanks for posting the video and commentary on this wonderful pocket cruiser. I am currently building a 17 foot Shilling gaff yawl from plans by Phil Swift. I really appreciate seeing and hearing about the solutions you describe concerning stowage, rigging and sailing. I love that tiller tamer! One bottleneck for me has been sourcing decent lightweight rot proof wood (try and fiind clear Sitka spruce, for example, here in Manitoba) for the spars, so I am going to follow up with Forte to see what they can do for me in term of fabricating at least the mainmast, and possible the mizzen mast as well. That would solve three problems – procuring the material, build time, and weight aloft.
Bruce, the folks at Forte should be able to help you out—they have made spars for Oughtred Caledonia yawls and for Vivier Ilur dinghies, so they may have a mandrel already made which will work for your Shilling yawl. Good luck!
John, I sail a Welsford Navigator with a gaff main yawl like Jewell. Another reefing option to try is furling the jib and dowsing the mizzen and going under main alone. I’ve found that by the time I need to be reefed down that much there are times that one tending to one sail is my better option.
Thank you so much John and OCH for an excellent video. It was my pleasure to listen and watch a recent retiree that is enjoying a fine vessel in a beautiful part of the country. The perfect video to watch while on my treadmill, pining on a PNW rainy day 😊. Thanks again!
Beautiful boat and thoughtful touches. Just curious – what are the dimensions of the v-berth and your sleeping platform with the added center piece? Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words—the berth is 82 inches long, and with the filler piece, 68 inches across at the after end. The foam is 3 inches thick, medium density (open cell).
Excellent! I’m surprised there’s so much space there. Did you document your build anywhere? Instagram, forums, etc? I’d love to see how the bones as you built it to get a better understanding of the project! Thanks again!
Jonathan, there are a few images of the build on Instagram. If you search for “IlurWaxwing” you should find them. It was a pretty big project taken in total, but approached one step at a time becomes very manageable for a home builder.
Great video and great boat, John! have a nice sailing retirement!
Love the video John and love the boat along with all the other Vivier designs. My current boat follows a similar theme, a light and relatively fast 21ft gaffer (sloop) with a big cockpit and carbon spars but GRP and built here in the UK. I also use the same electric motor but just carry a spare battery as back-up. I have however found that the electric motor seems more prone to catching weed than a petrol outboard which on one occasion gave me a nerve racking few moments as it lost power at the one brief moment when I really needed it. On longer trips I therefore now also carry a 2.5hp Suzuki at the bottom of one of the lockers just in case I think I might need it. 99% of the time it will probably just be extra ballast.
Keeping to the electric theme I have just brought the boat home on its trailer for the winter and for the first time the tow car I used was electric. It may however be a while before I give up my paraffin anchor light.
PS: That fully battened gaff mainsail sets beautifully!
Yes, I have been very pleased with the sails—they are beautifully made, and they set very nicely. They were made by Gambell and Hunter in Camden, Maine.
On my last trip of the season, I also noticed the e-propulsion’s vulnerability to heavy weed—it will be a thing to keep on the radar, for certain.
I would love to have a fully electric tow vehicle for Umami, but the distances I need to cover are greater than I could manage without stopping to recharge along the way, and charging stations are few and far between in the rural areas I travel to as yet. Hopefully, range and charging options will improve as the technology gains traction.
Wonderful video. Jewell is the perfect size and type of boat for minimalist solo cruising. That same quest led me to my O’Day Mariner, with it’s Rhodes-design hull. About the same size and configuration. Some features on Jewell are superior for the task: carbon spars that can be raised without drama, wide bridge deck to sit on and keep water out of the cabin, comfortable sitting headroom in the v-berth. I especially like how the cockpit seats stop short of the bridgedeck, enhancing the legroom and seating options. Hope you don’t mind if I copy your friction tiller control, its exactly what I need to pop into the cabin for a moment when underway.
The Mariner is a classic design! Very much a “jewell” of its time. If you google “Huntingford Helm Impeder” you will find links to descriptions and diagrams. It is simple to rig, simple in use, and inordinately useful.
Wonderful video. Jewell is the perfect size and type of boat for minimalist solo cruising. That same quest led me to my O’day Mariner. About the same size and configuration. Some features on Jewell are superior for the task: carbon spars that can be raised without drama, wide bridge deck to sit on and keep water out of the cabin, comfortable sitting headroom in the v-berth. I especially like how the cockpit seats stop short of the bridgedeck, enhancing the legroom and seating options. Hope you don’t mind if I copy your friction tiller control, its exactly what I need to pop into the cabin for a moment when underway.
Great piece – great to see an owner and boat in such harmony!
John,
What a beauty and marvelous effort. I had an Oxford 400 sloop built in Oxford, MD in the 40’s. She was a lovely sailing boat. Next was a Rhodes 19 keel model for 29 yrs that i loved. Single handing was a breeze and she slid on her trailer right into my 10 ft wide driveway. I was bitten by the big boat fever and now have a 1967 Bristol 39. She’s a gem but getting in & out of my slip is nerve wracking every time
Your little vessel and how you’ve set her up is perfect. I love your approach to your time on the water and downsizing may be in my future. “Sail on” as Snoopy said,
Cheers,
Rob
Dear John,
Congratulations! Also for the video. So very well done.
Yes indeed, it’s an excellent boat, very well designed. It’s a fast sailing boat and easy to skipper single handed.
I built my Jewell a few years ago 2019/2020. Bought the CNC plywood kit from O’Connor (Australia), the sails via Bart Ullings (Netherlands) and used my stock of African mahogany from the Congo for the coamings, toe rails, cabin tables, etc.
Would be delighted to post a small article with a video attached, but need someone to tell me how to do that.
Greetings from Malaysia,
Ronald van Dijk
Wonderful boat John! And some ideas that I have to steal…
Regarding the solar power – I’m right now in the process of converting a Swedish 28′ double ender from 1962 (designed by Arvid Laurin) to a 10kW electric inbord and the panels must be huge in comparison to the size of the boat (and look… awful!) so I’ll go for the following formula:
1 LIFEPO4 12kWh battery + shore power = much more sailing
Great boat. Could you please provide the specifics on the cork product that you used throughout the cockpit? Also can you touch upon the installation procedures?
What adhesive did you use? Appreciate the information.
Carl, the cork material is “marinedeck” that is available through Hewes & Co in Blue Hill, Maine. I used sikaflex 291 (long open time), spread thinly with a toothed scraper. The cork is pressed onto the mastic with a roller to squeeze out any air bubbles. Masking tape at the edges is your friend, and the sika cleans up with turps.
What a splendid tour and artful commentary of your beautiful Jewell! I have just begun building a Vivier Beniguet (the sloop version of the Jewell) and found your pointers and advise both inspiring and very helpful. I was considering the carbon fiber mast for the ease of single handed set-up and I think you have made me reconsider using one. Although I am trying to keep with Vivier’s traditional aesthetic, I am convinced that full length battens are the way to go and perhaps I should reconsider a Harkin furling rig for the jib. I am with you on the electric e-propulsion outboard and I’m hoping their new regenerative design will mature enough to permit a smaller battery.
Thanks again for sharing all your experience and to the OCH crew for making all of these adventures in building and cruising possible!
-Dave Newbold
Thanks, David. I looked at the curves for power return with the regenerative version of the spirit, but at the time I purchased, the speeds required for meaningful regeneration were higher than I was likely to achieve. Technology is getting better all the time, so perhaps when you need to power your boat, things will be different. Definitely worth keeping an eye on that.
The Beniguet is a lovely boat, one that I have long admired. I ultimately chose the Jewell because it was designed with my favorite cruising ground in mind, and because I am a sucker for yawl rigs.
John, great video! I’m sure you’ll find retirement very easy to get used to! Thanks again for the info on ePropulsion, it performed like a champ this summer, and silently. We look forward to having Sojourn and Umami sail together next year.
Good morning, Steve! So glad the e-propulsion unit is working out for you. Yes, we are very much looking forward to sailing in company with you and Sojourn!
I recently went through the “next boat” selection process and am building Iain’s Caledonia Yawl as the result. But if it keeps on raining in Australia the way it has for the last 3 years I may need to build a boat with a cabin!! And that will be the Jewell – it was in my boat selection spreadsheet but I wasn’t sure how easily my diesel Vw Passat would pull it, plus I was scared of raising a cabin roof mounted mast. But I do love the Jewell design. Great video btw.
Hello, Neil—The carbon blank for the Jewell weighed 8.2kg before I added hardware. Even now, that finished spar weighs less than Waxwing’s bird’s mouth mast which is a meter shorter. The dyneema shrouds are also light, and have a soft hand.
I tow Umami with a 4cylinder awd vehicle; the biggest issue it has as a tow vehicle is ground clearance on the sketchier ramps which are plentiful here.
Thanks John – very useful. My Passat has 400nM of torque so maybe that would be ok.
Regards Neil
Neil, that is a good deal more than my tow vehicle. From a power perspective, the Passat sounds plenty capable. Here in the northeast, many ramps are either sand beach or rocky shoreline, so ground clearance and awd/4wd are very useful. Over the road is much less demanding.
Hi John,
Another handsome Vivier creation. As always, you’ve added your own touches which combine clean design with creative problem solving, to beautiful effect. It looks as though Umami will be a fitting successor to Ilur.
I’m committed to going with electric auxiliary power in my current build and have heard good reports of the e-propulsion outboards, I assume you are happy with your choice.
I took a look at the web site for those Li batteries. That’s a serious investment. I understand your need to have adequate reserves when cruising. However, do you have any thoughts about what you would do differently if all you needed was sufficient capacity to get you home from day sailing?
Best wishes to you and Gabrielle.
Andrew
Hello, Andrew—
The original integral battery should be sufficient to get a boat Umami’s size home after a daysail—the range would probably be 20 miles or so, if you are thrifty with watt output. The extra expense of the 48v bank covers the possibility of a multi day cruise with little wind and foul tides. For what it’s worth, the added ballast below the waterline makes a noticeable difference in her stiffness when the wind pipes up.
Thanks, that is very helpful. BTW, oops typo: Waxwing.
A second integral battery is an option as well, and you can check to see if they have a plug-and-play solar panel to charge that so you never have to take it off of the boat or plug in. A belt-and-suspenders approach for multi-day cruising can include an auxiliary solar panel battery bank system which is what we use on our Caledonia Yawl HOWDY. We have two batteries for the motor that have their own plug-and-play solar panel. Plus two Jackery battery banks with their own solar panel. The motor batteries can be plugged into the auxiliary Jackery batteries to charge overnight. It’s a system that will change and simplify as technology gets better but it works, and I cruised the entire coast of Maine for a month and was never out of power for the motor, phones, cameras, etc. Sidenote: We carry a smallish pocket battery bank for the cockpit to recharge the phone since we use Navionics on the phone for navigation. Could have even added a blender for the margarities, but we like them shaken so the slippery slope stopped there. It’s worth noting that this is the “cruising package” that we use to keep us out there in the wild, never having to stop or break up the buzz by reentering civilization — a worthwhile tradeoff that allows us to mostly stay in the moment among the natural world for 98% of the day/night. For day sails, none of this is on board except one motor battery and the solar panel to plug into when we row away.
A month long cruise….now that sounds like a deliciously slow August. Maybe I need to give a solar charger a serious ponder.
Hi Steve,
A video tour of Howdy showing the setup you have installed and thegear you tried & discarded would be very useful I suggest. Any chance of you/OCH doing this? I have bought my Torqeedo (which I use on my Gannet) and am building my CY – so I have a vested interest :-)
Regards Neil
Sweet! Bravo!!
Well, I’m continually inspired to simply know that there exist sailors who Talk So Good and Explain So Efficiently — both important talents in the kind of thinking necessary to actually enjoy sailing and take constant satisfaction from both the build and the maintenance.
So is Waxwing for sale??? 😉
No, Waxwing will remain in the fleet for the foreseeable future!
Thank goodness!
What a beautiful boat, and the video is exceptionally informative and (dare I say it?) enticing. How many hours did you need to construct it? Being also lazy as well, is there an option to have this built … in Australia?
Brian, the build took me about 2&1/2 years, but I was still working my “day job” at that point, and there were also a couple of pandemic related supply chain delays which added some extra time.
Tony O’Connor in the Perth area is Vivier’s representative in Australia.
Very Neat
Both video and commentary were excellent! I live vicariously through commentary which has terms that are sometimes like a different language to me. I have only sailed briefly in Newport Beach with friends, but only now watch from a distance. You’ve done it again fellows. CHEERS!
Great video and narrator!
I was wondering if you have made any attempts at a means of charging batteries without using shore power. My next build will be without any reliance on fossil fuels onboard. Love the design….might be my next build!
Don Fraser
I have not yet tried to tie in a solar panel of any kind to the system; as a trailer sailer it has been pretty easy logistically to keep my charging set up shore side, but for longer cruises away from an electrical outlet or a mooring based boat, solar panels could be an extremely useful addition to an electric set up like this. The buy-in costs to electric systems can be daunting at this point compared to petrol engines, but I agree that non fossil power is the future, and costs will be coming down as the technologies get their sea legs.
John; I look forward to learning of your experiences with the electric motor. I am betwixt and between regarding gas and electric propulsion on my Maine coast outings in the Norseboat. Electric is great in many ways, but the recharge time for multi-day adventures is a concern, and I don’t relish the idea of spending a day recharging at the dock.
And thank you for the inspiration you’ve provided with your Waxwing and now the UMAMI.
I’m a bit behind you in leaving the Type-A world and spending more time contemplating life in a small boat on the Maine coast.
Steve, my sense is that electric propulsion systems are a bit of a return to the wild west at this point, with many manufacturers having proprietary technologies that require prospective users to do some homework. It would be pretty simple to purchase a second battery pack for a torqueedo or epropulsion, and double your range. The larger batteries could easily give you more range (for a price). I have been happy with the quiet, the lack of fumes, and efficiency of the epropulsion/LiFeP04 bank, and I feel good any time I can wean myself from fossil fuels. I am confident that you can get a useful electric propulsion set up for the Norseboat without too much difficulty.
Loved this video! Sweet boat and John spoke so eloquently throughout the entire story. He and his Jewell are perfect together. Wondering what type of padding is used in the cabin area. Looks comfy without being too thick. OCH did it again! Excellent and a joy to watch!
Julia, the foam for the berth cushions is an open cell, medium density foam that is 3” thick. Not sure of the brand, but could ask the person who does my canvas work where she sources it if you like.
What a delight! As I expected (remembering John’s excellent work on his earlier Ilur), the Jewell’s systems for controls and storage are all very well thought out, and the craftsmanship does credit to Vivier’s design. And finally I appreciated his thoughts at the end about retiring from the “Type-A” work environment and simply appreciating the slow pace and beauty of small-boat cruising. Well done all around, John!
Hello, Larry—thanks for the supportive words. I think that beyond the slower pace, I am really enjoying the extent to which not cruising to an externally predetermined schedule is a huge safety improvement. There have been times in prior seasons where I took risks with weather windows because I was expected at work by “date certain”; it is very nice indeed to be able to give my various cruising grounds full consideration with nowhere to be when the weather looks chancey.
Thank you for another great video!
John,
Congratulations on another fabulous build. I was already in awe of you on completion of your Ilur, now you have topped it all…
Your deep knowledge and modesty shine through in the video. Along with your patience and willingness to explain everything concisely and methodically. Well done and fair sailing now you have time to fully enjoy. We are lucky to have people like you and the crew in Off Centre Harbor.
Thank you, Stephen—I’m always happy if my experiences can get good designs introduced to a broader audience; the folks at OCH are a great resource for the boating community!
Sweet boat, nice video, well done on both!
John, what a beautiful, elegant and practical boat and a wonderful video! I’d happily follow your lead in building this boat (as I did with the Ilur) but simply don’t have the space to accommodate such a construction project. Enjoy Umami in your retirement. I look forward to reports of your adventures with her.
Hello, Chris, and thanks for the kind words. I think you would enjoy the similarities in manner of the Jewell and Ilur; they are much of a muchness.
Great video; thanks.
I’m interested to know the shaft length of the Epropulsion . I have a Caledonia Yawl with an outboard well and am not sure what shaft length to order. Should the prop be below the depth of the boat at its centre point or below the water line in the well.
Any advice gently received.
Graham, the epropulsion lower unit is 59cm from the upper pivot point to the top of the power unit—it has no anticavitation plate. I would want the prop deep enough to prevent cavitation when a small boat pitches in waves. Hope that helps.
That’s most helpful, John; thank you.
The Spirit 1.0 comes in 3 shaft lengths and it’s newer version, the Evo, comes in two; their website will tell you more. A basic rule of thumb is that the top of the prop should be 4″ below the water surface to minimise cavitation.
Thanks, Christopher for the helpful response.
I built and sail Vivier’s Stir Ven 22 and originally used a long shaft motor (Tohatsu 6hp Sailpro) which was called for in the boat specs. I was cavitating (ventilating) quite a bit when the waves picked up on Lake Huron. This season I switched to the extra long shaft version of the same motor and had no problem. With the extra long shaft, the center of the prop is roughly 17 inches below the water line. The long shaft is 5 inches shorter than the extra long shaft which would have put the center of the prop about 12 inches below the waterline. I don’t know how these numbers translate in your situation, but you might want to error on the long side.
Thank you John and OCH team – another great video! I also really enjoyed your Ilur video a few years ago and have been contemplating Vivier’s designs ever since. Your adaptation for the ePropulsion outboard to use Li batteries in series was much appreciated. I’d love to see some videos about your adventures and how the boat handles a variety of conditions. I’m looking for a small trailer sailer to build and then use to for short (fair weather) trips along the east coast of Australia and Vivier’s Jewell might be the one. Many thanks and well done!!
Simon, the Jewell was a big project, as I work single handed, but the kit was very well sorted and the boat came together easily. It was a pleasure to build her. Good luck with your design selection!
Simon, Tony O’Connor is the rep for Vivier’s kits in Australia. Great guy, very knowledgable. He cuts our kits there.
Very pretty little boat.
Thank you! It is a testament to Francois Vivier’s skill as a designer that such a classical looking boat can be produced from sheet goods. An impressive convergence of good handling, classic looks, efficient space, and materials science.