Most sail controls can be led to electric winches aft and on the pilothouse roof. Five sisterships are now under construction. Next came the Didi 34, now also with five in build. The downsizing trend in the concept has continued and I now have a Didi 26 nearing design completion. This one is to the Australian Level Class 800 trailer-sailer rules and will be available to build either as a stripped racer or with weekending accommodation.
Enquiries continue to come in re other concepts in plywood.
When combined with epoxy, plywood forms an excellent basis for an economical, light and strong structure. Wood remains the material most suited to amateur builders and its combination with epoxy and radius chine construction is reestablishing its popularity. Watch this space for new developments in dinghies and cruising multihulls coming onto the board. Recent collaboration between this office and powerboat man Nob van Niekerk, resulted in the new 22m power cat under construction by Nelson Girdlestone near the graving dock in Table Bay Harbour. She is based on a standard Bobkat hull onto which the aluminium superstructure, designed by DDYD, is being built.