*The nominal sail area (main + fore triangle) = 186 ft^2.
Beware when you compare, many brochures use main + genoa and that makes the boat look powerful. Plus the use empty weigth as displacement to make the SA/D ratio look good but it's not very honest. In square feet: Main sail = 127 Flying jib = 134 Spi (cruising chute) = 206

The Vagabond 18 (VG18) is a fast daysailor with cabin. It's program is mostly day sailing with occasional overnight cruises. The hull lines of the 18 are very close to the proven VG20 hull but the focus in this design was on a large cockpit and slightly smaller overall size.
Sailing performance was not sacrificed. Because of the program of the VG18, we are able to use wide angle swept back spreaders and eliminate the backstay. We would not choose that rig for a cruising boat but it is perfectly adequate for a boat with a less ambitious program. This allows the use of a powerful fully battened main and will make the boat easy to handle under main alone.

If you want to sail in the Micro Class, the boat can be shortened 2" with a very simple change at the bow. We will include that modification in the plans on request.

The Vagabond is an excellent first boat: simple lines, easy to build and to sail but elegant.

A 3HP outboard will push her at hull speed but anything larger than 6 HP is overkill.

The shallow draft CB and lifting rudder allows access to remote waters and makes launching and retrieving from the trailer very easy.
The aft part of the cockpit is and ideal swim platform.

(jib not shown)

Thanks to it's large battened main, the VG18 can be sailed as a catboat but she will show her full potential with the jib or spinnaker rigged on a retractable pole.
Tranquil cruising one day, performance sailing the next, the Vagabond 18 is a versatile boat on which a beginner can learn but will stay exciting for an experienced sailor.

Building method:
The Vagabonds are true composite boats built from plywood sandwiched between layers of biaxial fiberglass: lighter and stronger than plywood on frame or single skin fiberglass production boats. All plywood is epoxy coated and the maintenance is identical to a fiberglass boat.
The hull structure is light and stiff: all bulkheads and longitudinal elements such as berths sides and cockpit sides are part of the structure. Fiberglass-epoxy seams act as stringers and frames.
The hull panels are easy to shape and bend, no lofting is required and there is absolutely no beveling or delicate wood work.
The boat can be built much faster than a plywood on frame boat.
The plans include exact dimensions for all parts: frames, bulkheads and all hull panels. There are no tricky measurements to take from the lines plan or from lofting, all the parts can be cut flat on the floor from standard plywood sheets.
The keel is integral to the hull: no keel bolts, not keel to hull fitting.

The centerboard is a high performance NACA profile but easy to build.

Required Skills:
As all our stitch and glue boats, the VG18 is easy to build. No woodworking skills or special tools are required. She is however a more complex boat than our dinghies. The plans include all dimensions to cut all the parts flat on the shop floor. No scarfing required. See our tutorials pages for a complete description of the building method.

The VG18 is easier to build than the VG20 thanks to it's integral CB keel and vertical topsides. Other parts of the boat are also streamlined: removable companionway hatch, no cockpit lockers, simplified rigging.

Layout:

From the bow: a classic vee birth close to 7' long in diagonal with room for a Porta-Potty underneath. Immediately behind the mast bulkhead is a small galley to starboard faced by a hanging locker or storage bin to port.

The saloon is short because priority was given to cockpit space but two long bunks (7' 8") extend under the cockpit seats.
The boat can be built without the galley or the locker shown on the port side. This will produce a open and clean layout with more seating room. All the frame dimensions for that layout are on the plans.

The cockpit is as large as in some 35' sailboats! The total length is just a few inches under 8' and the two benches are 6' long: once can sleep under the stars. There are convenient lockers in the backrests (gunwale). The cockpit and benches are sloped towards the stern and drain easily and fast.
The tiller runs under the main traveler making sail adjustments easy. It can be fitted with an extension.

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.

We recommend marine plywood, Meranti or Okoume for this boat. Okoume is lighter but more expensive. Marine fir or quality exterior with no voids is acceptable but may cost more if you want to avoid checking. To keep fir from checking, you will need to cover the entire surface with a layer of epoxy/fiberglass. This of course adds weight, cost, and time.

Cost:

The cost of materials varies depending on your location, your choice of epoxy brand, plywood type and options. Use our Bill Of Materials with the local cost of materials or add our kits cost.

All materials are available for purchase online from the web sites below:
Epoxy, fiberglass, foam, paint and more: BoatBuilderCentral.com
Plywood: Plywood store at E-Boat.

Despite the cost of shipping, those materials may cost cost less online than purchased locally.

It is possible to save a lot on spars and sails with second hand equipment.

Labor:
The Vagabond 18 hull and deck will require around 200 hours, you will need another 150 hours to finish.

More:
Visit a web site with 100+ pictures of the building of a Vagabond Plus: Project Just Right.

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

Plans Packing List:

This boat is made of 14 detailed sheets including: