The common definition of a "gunkhole" is a very shallow body of water, usually with a soft and sticky bottom. Thus the name for these shallow draft cruisers - gunkholers are boats that can cruise in shallow water.
With the hull form like a large sailing skiff, these simple cruising vessels are intended for plywood construction. Carvel planking is an option on the 22. The 22 offers five rig options with sail areas ranging from 199 to 330 square feet. She sleeps two or three. The keel version may be fitted with a small inboard. An outboard of about five to ten horsepower will also provide adequate and inexpensive power.
The sturdy little flat bottom 19-foot centerboard catboat, with her shallow draft is ideal for gunkholing where shoals are a concern in one's cruising grounds. Her accommodations are generous for her 19 feet of length. She has two berths that make into a double, two lounging seats (one over the head) with good sitting headroom, sink, stove and hanging locker. Her catboat rig and plywood construction spell simplicity and practicality. Paul Miller's Catspaw was the first of this series and has proven to be very practical and salty little cruiser. With the very shallow draft, there's hardly any need for a dinghy, for the boat can be beached.
| Particulars: | 19' | 22' | 22'V | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units | Imperial | Metric | Imperial | Metric | Imperial | Metric |
| Length overall | 19'-6" | 5.94 m | 22'-0" | 6.71 m | 22'-0" | 6.71 m |
| Length designed waterline | 18'-0" | 5.49 m | 20'-0" | 6.10 m | 20'-0" | 6.10 m |
| Beam | 7'-9" | 2.36 m | 8'-0" | 2.44 m | 8'-0" | 2.44 m |
| Draft (cb up/down) | 1'-4"/4'-8" | 0.41/1.42 m | 1'-4"/3'-10" | 0.41/1.17 m | 3'-0" | 0.91 m |
| Freeboard: Forward | 3'-8" | 1.12 m | 3'-10" | 1.17 m | 4'-0" | 1.22 m |
| Least | 2'-0" | 0.61 m | 2'-0" | 0.61 m | 2'-4" | 0.71 m |
| Aft | 2'-7" | 0.79 m | 2'-6" | 0.76 m | 3'-0" | 0.91 m |
| Displacement*, cruising trim. | 3,475 lbs. | 1,576 kg. | 4,750 lbs. | 2,155 kg. | 4,500 lbs. | 2,041 kg. |
| Displacement-length ratio | 266 | 265 | 253 | |||
| Ballast, pounds | 500 | 227 kg. | 900 | 408 kg. | 1,260 | 572 kg. |
| Ballast ratio | 14% | 19% | 28% | |||
| Sail area | 256 ft.2 | 23.78 m2 | 199 to 330 ft.2 | 18.49 to 30.66 m2 | 310 ft.2 | 28.8 |
| Sail area-displacement ratio | 17.85 | 11.27 to 18.69 | 18.2 | |||
| Prismatic coefficient | 0.613 | 0.547 | ||||
| Water tankage, gallons | 20 | 76 liters | 20 | 76 liters | 20 | 76 liters |
| Fuel tankage, gallons | 10 | 38 liters | 10 | 38 liters | 10 | 38 liters |
| Headroom | 4-8½" | 4'-3" to 5'-1" | 5'-1 to 3" | |||
Illustrations:
Sail plans (all rig variations) & arrangement plans CD-4 disk pg8.tif, pg8a, pg9.tif, pg9a.tif & pg9b.tif
Photos:
Photos of 19s Catspaw and Sylvester built by Paul Miller.
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Photos of 22s from Michigan and BC
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Sail plan and accommodations of all versions:
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