*weight is for hull only, built by an experienced builder using the best materials. With appendages and some waste, the boat without rig may weigh as much as 200 lbs, 90 kg.

Alexa's Rocket is a performance sailing dinghy in the style of famous Australian dinghies like the Javelin.

Those boats report speeds of up to 20 mph while planing.

She differs from the Javelin by her mid section: we designed her with 5 panels, 2 chines while the Javelin Class restricts the hull to one chine per side. Our design has a flat bottom panel that will help her get on plane faster.

She is a pure sailing boat: no allowance is made for an outboard. While she is stable and safe, the handling of her large sail area will require a minimum of sailing experience. To get the maximum performance out of her, she can be rigged with trapezes.
The large cockpit has ergonomic benches with rounded corners. Foot straps can be installed on the sole and on the railing for hiking out on the trapeze. A tiller extension is shown as well as suggested deck hardware layout.

The well on the foredeck for the Asymmetric Radial Spinnaker is optional. ARS, gennaker or symmetrical tri-radial spi on regular poles can all be used.

The retractable spi pole is made of carbon fiber. It is pulled out with a line running through the foredeck as shown on the plans, retracted with a shock cord. Again, this is optional, the boat can be build without it.
Note the mast partner on top of the deck, it doubles as a breakwater.

The mast is fitted with swept back spreaders, shrouds to chain plates on small partial bulkheads under the benches. The turnbuckles can be hidden under deck.

The centerboard is a NACA profile as is the swinging rudder.

Building method:
This sleek looking boat is built in epoxy-plywood-fiberglass composite like most of our designs. This produces a strong and light boat, easy and fast to build, fun to sail. At equal strength, epoxy-plywood is lighter than fiberglass and you will leave all the production boats of similar size (and some larger ones) in your wake.
The hull is very stiff thanks to a web of frames and stringers.

Required Skills:
As all our stitch and glue boats, the AR15 is easy to build. No woodworking skills or special tools are required. She is however a more complex boat than our open dinghies. The plans include all dimensions and patterns to cut all the structural parts flat on the shop floor. No scarfing required.

Options:
Besides the retractable spi pole shown on the plans, this boat is highly customizable. Performance sailors have their own preferences about deck layout and rigging. There is almost no limit to what can be done: fixed rudder, carbon fiber mast, foam sandwich interior, carbon fiber appendages etc.
Going the other way, the boat could also be rigged with a smaller sail plan (less roach and no top plate for main, no spi), reinforced with a an extra layer of glass on the bottom for abrasion and be used as a beach camping dinghy, Wayfarer style. There is plenty of storage room under the foredeck and foam poured under the sole will make her 100% unsinkable even loaded with 4 adults.
BTW, suggested capacity is 2 racing, 4 cruising.

Bill Of Materials:
(Excerpts from our BOM)
The BOM list materials based on our standard layout and includes a 15% waste factor for resin and fiberglass. For plywood, we use standard sheets 4' x 8' (122 x 244 cm). Please read the building notes and see the plans for detailed specifications. Marine Tech boat building plywood from Plum Creek can be substituted for marine ply in stitch and glue construction. Marine Tech cost, on the average, less than $ 20.00 a sheet in 1/4" (6mm). Okume marine can also be used and cost usually less than $ 40.00 a sheet (1/4"). Good quality exterior is acceptable if it has no voids.

Cost:
See our kits and the BOM.

Labor:
The AR15 hull and deck will require around 40 hours before painting but you will need another 50 to 100 hours to finish the boat.

More:
Visit our message board, help pages, tutorial pages and read our FAQ: most questions are answered there.

Plans Packing List: