The boat that David and I built 

Thank you for watching. I am sorry to hear of your health issue - I am grateful to still have good health, allowing me to complete this boat. I wish you well moving forward in your life.

Thank you for you for your kind words. Yes, it is a lot of work but it comes with a great deal of satisfaction. This is the third catamaran I have built and each one presented its own challenges. No one is looking forward as much as me to seeing this new boat under sail!! 😀

Thank you, Robin. I can relate to the obsession with Wharram designs. In addition to the two I built, I h ave study plans for the Tiki 30 and Tiki 38. 😀 May I ask - where in Alberta do you sail?

@@RodMcLaren in my imagination at this point, lol. I grew up On Vancouver island so I’ll get to it eventually

Thank you, David. Glad you liked it. Like you, I enjoyed the build but now I am looking forward to sailing! Thank you again for all the support you provided during my build..

Thank you, Jonathan, for your kind comments. Be sure, when I get clips of the boat sailing, there wil be another video.😀

Thank you, Alfred. Yes, I plan to post sailing videos in the future.

You have a good start, Paul. Steady on. Like you say, no rush.

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. I just checked out your channel and see you have a lot of excellent v ideas of building and sailing boats. I particularly like your comment about a problem you were having with hatches that were leaking "perhaps this gives ideas of a future build". I have subscribed to your channel to find out if you replace that camping catamaran. Thank you again.

Thank you. The ice is off the lake and I expect to be out sailing soon. Cheers, mate.

Thank you, Marc.

Thanks, Jim. Hope you find a building space (that is always a challenge in this climate) so then you can join me on the lake. And Rider Green would look good on your ECO 6!!

Thank you very much, Miq. Sometimes the boat you want is not available to be bought so you have to build. That happened to me three times! It's time for me to be satisfied with what I have. Time for some sailing instead of building. 😀 Still, if you get thinking about building, have a look at Bernd Kohler's KD850. If I lived by the ocean and was 20 years younger.....😇

Thanks for your interest. I just had a quick check on your trimaran. That is one serious project. Wishing you continued perseverance to see it to completion. Just curious - where are you located? I see snow in one episode and it looks like wide open plains in another....

@RodMcLaren The build is in Illinois USA. Near Chicago. I work on the boat consistently every weekend.... I just can't seem to get the same drive to cut a video every week. :/ I intend to splash it and start the great loop November 2024.

@@TornState Well, you do much better than me in the video department. I took loots of photos on my phone as the build proceeded but if I had taken time to edit and publish videos as you have done, I would still be building! :) I will be cheering you on for that November splash.

Thank you, David, and full speed ahead on your build.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Vernon.

Thanks, Mark. If you have a Hobie 16, hold on to ti for the ECO 6. And if you still have it, keep the mast base also. Wishing you a speedy build soon the 480C so you can get to the ECO 6.

@@RodMcLaren yes, that is the plan for the mast. I don’t have the mast base, but those are easy enough to get. The 480 will serve my needs now for weekend camp cruising, but eventually I will want to do some more extended coastal cruising so I will build the ECO 6 for that when the time comes.

Thanks, Rusty. No, no motorcycles but for a time I did rescue bicycles from landfills, repair them, and send them back on the street - about 250 bikes over 5 years, as I recall. During that time I built 4 recumbent bikes and trikes and 3 or four cargo bikes. The yard was filled with old bikes, much to the neighbour's displeasure. 😀 Nowadays it is filled with vegetable beds and a passive solar greenhouse.

Thank you for your comment

Thank you, Pieter for your kind comment. it was 3M VHB 5952 tape which I used to instal the windows. It does make installation of windows better than using rivets or bolts, and much easier than the adhesive which I used on a previous build and comes in a tube. Do take care with the tape - you only get one go at it - there is no adjusting once contact has been made. My first window on the ECO 6 is not quite correct, although most people will not see the flaw. 😀

@@RodMcLaren Ok, thank you, will look at that tape !

Thank you for your comments, Todd. I hope you proceed with the building plans for the ECO 5.50. I did find my plans very challenging at the beginning, but with perseverance and advice and encouragement from David I was able to do the build. The plans which Mr Kohler provides are very similar to other plans I have seen and for those who have built many boats there is no problem. I had built two Wharram designs previously and they provide much more than building plans, which is why their plans cost so much more. If you have not already done so, I would encourage you to join the Forum for Kohler designs. There are others who have built the 5.50 design and other Kohler designs and they will be happy to share their knowledge and expertise. As for the Mana 24, I would not expect it to be offered as plans. If that is really your dream boat, then buy the kit and build one. The kit represents good value for all that it supplies - I doubt if you could save very much sourcing materials on your own. By the way, where are you located?

@@RodMcLaren I'm in Tacoma wa. USA. I'm not subscribed, but I reckon I've that I've run across and watched just about everything you've ever put on you tube. We may be birds of a feather. I've followed both Bernd and James for years (decades) and have bought plans from both. I'm currently in a 24' monohull, a man can dream though. Best wishes from Tacoma Washington

@@toddlong8672 Morning, Todd, Tacoma, eh? Not so far away. Does your 24 foot mono have a trailer? Seeing as you've watched a bunch of my videos you must know about the Elbow Run. Why not join us in July and we can discuss your dream a bit further? We can swap study plans from James and Bernd. We leave Tuft's Bay July 13... Message me for more details. 😀

Good morning, Jim. Nice to see you again. As you saw in the video, I was not able to go sailing on the day we launched the ECO. Shortly after that day, winter set in and so we are now waiting for spring to thaw the lakes. I plan to post videos of the ECO 6 under sail so watch for updates.

If you mean a boat powered by an outboard motor, the Designer, Bernd Kohler has plans for two of his power boats listed on the Duckworks website duckworks.com/bernd-kohler/?page=2&mode=6 Look for the ECO 5.50 Power Cat design and the ECO 7.50 Power Cat design. His sailboat plans are also listed there. Happy building.

Hi, Robert. I also had difficulty choosing between the 5.5 and the 6. An over-size permit is required here for a load over 8 feet but when I checked, I learned a single trip permit is $15 but an ANNUAL over-size permit only costs $30. That made the decision much easier. So far, the extra width has not been a problem for trailering, both in the city and on the highway. It just reminds one to take extra care, which applies anytime one is pulling a trailer. The extra width on the boat makes a very significant difference, not only in much greater accommodation within the cabin but also in additional stability when sailing and all with only an extra half metre of length and a few extra sheets of ply. I am happy I went for the ECO 6. If you are not already part of the K-Design online discussion group, check it out. A couple of builders of the 5.5 and another small Kohler design have expressed regret they didn't build the 6 instead.

Hello, Antoniio, Yes, we have exchanged messages on the Facebook page you started and then you disappeared shortly before I began construction... What happened? Yes, I used the "new" bow design that Mr. Kohler added tot he design sometime after you built your boat. Our sailing season is about to begin for 2024, now that the ice is off the lake. I will be posting videos of the ECO 6 sailing, although that will likely be after the sailing season is over and I have more time. Perhaps you will be able to post some videos of your ECO 6 under sail sometime?

Sorry - it's not for sale.

@@RodMcLaren No problem, your project is top notch!! success .

Thank you, Pascal. The Mana 24 is sailing on the Great Lakes and from all reports doing well. Sea trials for the ECO 6 coming up - as soon as the ice is off the lake! 😅

Thank you for your comments, Bo. As for the carbon fibre, it seemed to come to me more by chance than by design. 😀 To begin with, David fabricated a number of parts on his ECO 6 with carbon fibre and I thought of the idea as just being interesting. Then when my friend Rick offered to give me the cut-offs from his solar panel production line, I decided to give it a go. It was not particularly difficult. As it happens, the brackets holding the self-tacking jib track are too short. When I make the new ones in the spring, if I remember I could take more photos and do a small video of the process showing how I did it.

How is your build going, Paul? The regular plans specify installing a daggerboard in the aft of the port hull. I decided to follow David's example and instead installed the bilge keels. I don't remember the exact dimensions or location - if you ask Mr. Kohler, I am sure he will be happy to send you drawings with the proper dimensions. On the drawing he sent me, he added the skegs and showed the dimensions. The installation of the bilge keels took me a considerable amount of time, and until I get some sailing done, I will not know for sure if I did it correctly.

@@RodMcLaren getting ready to fiberglass starburd hull. Port hull is runing behind. Not in a hurry cause then i would really make a mistake. It feels relaxing when i'm working on the boat .

@@PaulWallis-c7y Sounds like you are making good progress. Yes, best to take time. I enjoyed my build time also.

I suspect those keels will be a waste of time. Too small to be functional, will just slow you down. …..hope you prove me wrong! I have a Woods Gypsy, came with damaged LAR keels (she has dory shaped hulls). Still sails without, though doesn’t point well in low winds, and tacking suffers. I am about to add keels, not dissimilar to yours! Though mine will sit on the outer edge of each hull. 20cm deep, 90-150cm long. She will also get a lee board, 40cm wide, 80cm deep.

You appear to have some enclosed spaces. If so my advice is that every space should be ventilated, with two openings. Of course with hatches to close at sea. Glad to see you did epoxy coat before assembly, did this include the framing? I only comment have bought an old ply boat that was not the bargain I had hoped for!

Thanks, Josh. Once I get some shots and video while sailing and overnighting this summer I plan on putting together a follow-up video, but not likely until after the sailing season.

@@RodMcLaren totally understand that! Enjoy your new boat in all its glory. I was just asking for it when you were able. Thanks again for sharing your build

Hi, Phil and thank you. I was very inspired by your epic voyage on the Trent Waterway. If it wasn't so far away.... 😀

Thank you, Doug. It will be wonderful to sail alongside you during the Elbow Run this year.