Future of small scale sail freight?

[BMP]

The price of a boat seems to be one of if not the biggest problems with using sail power for shipping.

Could you use a skin on frame boat for small scale cargo shipping (or to avoid merchant marine red tape, Trading)?
The Alutes used them for crossing the sea from Russia to Alaska (~150 sea miles for that route). The Irish (and Tim Severn) also used similar craft to cross oceans.
We have records of 60ft umiaks in use in Greenland made from relatively privative materials.
Estimates for a 30ft Umiak's capacity are roughly 5,000lbs of cargo including the crew. If you double the size (4x the capacity) you should get about 20,000lbs of cargo.
Connect 2 of them into a catamaran (there are accounts of the Alutes doing this for maintenance on longer voyages or to sleep) you end up with about 20tons of capacity.
Using modern materials and design we should be able to do a fair bit better (seal skin used on the originals has roughly the same material properties as 10oz canvas (according to the only scientific study of seal skin I could find) ballistic nylon is many times stronger just to name one area of improvement.

Could such a boat, taking advantage of the better materials and design techniques of today, be made suitable and used for small scale shipping/trade?

 

[wet feet]

I suppose it would depend on whether the owner would be using it to transport his own goods,since an insurance company is unlikely to assume the risk of providing cover for any goods in such a fragile vessel and whether the owner is going to be happy to earn a meagre living.It might be feasible to construct such a craft but I doubt that a crew would be easily found given the slow and uncertain speed of the craft and the income it could generate.For trips of more than a few miles it would be imperative to have at least one other human aboard to maintain a lookout.Cooking,shelter and sanitation arrangements would be a challenge in any SOF type.In short,a life on board would be harsh,unsanitary and a realistic alternative to a prison sentence,with about the same sort of earnings.

 

[gonzo]

Could you use a skin on frame boat for small scale cargo shipping (or to avoid merchant marine red tape, Trading)?

No. Weird construction methods do not give you a free pass. It is the opposite. You will have to go through a mountain of merchant marine red tape to get all the permits and inspections.

 

[BMP]

Exactly, I meant that you couldn't do anything "for hire" and would have to buy the goods at one port and sell them at the other. Sorry for not being clear.

 

[gonzo]

Exactly, I meant that you couldn't do anything "for hire" and would have to buy the goods at one port and sell them at the other. Sorry for not being clear.

If you are operating a business that carries cargo that is sold for a profit, then it is for hire or a commercial vessel. You will have to comply with regulations, including crew and having a master's license. If you carry stuff that is your own and not for sale, it is a free for all.

 

[BMP]

Interesting, I haven't been told that before, you wouldn't happen to have the regs for that handy?
I tried looking it up the other day but everyone said, "your ship, your goods, you're good." Which seemed too good to be true.

 

[BMP]

You are of course right

Found it:

26 U.S. Code § 4462​

"Transporting cargo in the business of the owner..."

Well weather or not it is possible, unless you have a ridiculous budget (which defeats the purpose) your out of luck.
In the US anyway.

 

[BMP]

But just from a design perspective (ignoring the legal issues) could it be done?

 

[Rumars]

Yes it can be done, although SOF isn't a great solution. Cargo needs securing so you need to build a big box inside the hull to hold it. The stringer frame system must be substantial enough to take all of the loads from the rig. At the end of the day there wouldn't be a lot of wood or steel (and therefore weight) economy compared to other building systems. It's also not significantly faster to build, so labor isn't cut down enough to make a difference.

For small stuff in a private capacity the cost of the hull isn't actually the biggest problem. Regardless if it's SOF or any other material and technique, you still need sails, mast, rigging, and so on. There are of course ways to minimize that cost, from buying used stuff to going more "primitive". What makes more sense depends on the location, for example in some places a nice straight tree of the needed dimensions for a mast might be almost free, while elsewhere a steel pipe might be the more logical choice.
For example, in Vietnam they make boat hulls from bamboo mats covered with cement plaster, all it costs them is a sack of cement, some wire and a few pvc pipes.

 

[gonzo]

But just from a design perspective (ignoring the legal issues) could it be done?

Yes. They are illegal products that can be sold for a profit if you manage to bypass Law enforcement personnel.

 

[BMP]

Yes. They are illegal products that can be sold for a profit if you manage to bypass Law enforcement personnel.

Ha ha,
I wouldn't mind this project ending up on the nightly news, "The Return of the Sailing ship, when we return...). That would be awesome.
Not, "The war department reports another drug boat was fired upon and sunk with all hand in the Northeastern Pacific. Not all press is good press.
I have no interest in meeting a Helfire or 20mm in the middle of the ocean.

Could a 20ton skin on frame boat be build to be seaworthy and have decent (for a cargo boat) sailing performance?
Also, one could go through all the hoops if the project seemed reasonable and profitable. Like that "tandem catamaran" ferry in the caribbean.

 

[gonzo]

The short answer is no. As a proof of concept to have fun with, it could be built. Maintenance and repair would be high with the materials and method of construction proposed. The cost would be higher than a steel boat. Seaworthy is a relative term. The Inui that fished and traveled in umiaks were willing to accept high risks. They also were used to living in uncomfortable, wet and cold condition for long periods. Further, they accepted the constant repair and maintenance of their craft. You will have to define what decent sailing performance means for you. For example, maximum angle to the wind beating, average speed on expected wind/sea conditions, etc. As far as hoops, I don't think there is any way to build it to class. Maybe you could spend millions on legal fees and sponsoring politicians to pass a bill that created an exception, but it is not likely. However, what is the goal of a SOF commercial boat? Also, a small cargo boat is not likely to generate a profit; at least in the USA or any Western country.

 

[Rumars]

Could a 20ton skin on frame boat be build to be seaworthy and have decent (for a cargo boat) sailing performance?

In theory yes, you can. The trouble is that you will end up with a bunch of very closely spaced stringers and stout frames, plus some diagonal reinforcement. At wich point you could just as well plank it with 3mm plywood and a layer of glass, or sprayfoam the holes and use only some glass and resin.

 

[gonzo]

What theory explains how to make it comply with regulations?

 

[HelmutSheina]

Surely any boat used commercially is subject to survey approval by whatever governing body applies? The ones I have dealt with would not pass the plans for such a design let alone the completed boat. That puts you in the realm of boot legging and no insurance, probably no jetties or marinas...

Keep going, it would be a good issue to solve, and there is generally a tedious, yet educational process to get there.