Chick Ludwig Posted November 30, 2015 Report Share Posted November 30, 2015 Ahhhh, so THAT'S the way it's supposed to go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jknight611 Posted February 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 Update time, we have sailed Southern Express some and getting used to a boat this light! It is a pleasure to sail! Alan cut us some trail boards for our registration numbers. Wanted to show them off a bit. They "should" go above the rub rail but we have the spinnaker pole socket that prevents that, so I installed them below. All my pics through out the build were sideways or upside down, hope these look ok! Doing a rethink on the main hatch. The pop up hatch has too many compromises under sail. The sliding forward hatch is working out fine. Pics as it becomes " photographable " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jknight611 Posted May 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 The beauty of Graham's designs! 10 miles offshore and step onto the beach! And true to my form, one is sideways! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jknight611 Posted May 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 Flipper approves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Silsbe Posted May 29, 2016 Report Share Posted May 29, 2016 I'm smiling, for several reasons. Thanks for that. Nice trail boards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jknight611 Posted May 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2016 Don, the trailboards were likely supposed to be up on the upper area, but I have the sprit tube on the stbd side so down on the hull they go, I an carving some "returns" to add to the aft end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Silsbe Posted June 4, 2016 Report Share Posted June 4, 2016 I see that, Jay. Still, looks great to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmosSwogger Posted June 4, 2016 Report Share Posted June 4, 2016 Great pictures; love the paint scheme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 Jay, she looks great sitting on the beach. Not that I am anywhere close to needing the info, but on Southern Express you have the forward hatch right behind the mast. How is it working there? Also, I notices sort of a protective piece on the bow stem. I like it. What's it made of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jknight611 Posted June 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 Hi Steve, the forward hatch works pretty good, I can raise the mast on deck and reach through the opened ( gotta unlock it first!) and spin the mast nut down. In bumpy water, we stand in the open hatch to work the main mast and anchor. Alan designed a cool reefing system so we don't have to go forward often after the sail is hanked on. Also works good with a wind scoop on the main halyard. The stuff on the bow is a local stuff called "Gator Guard". Handy for trailering, and we have a lot of tanin in our fresh water, this helps getting the mustache on the bow of tanin stains. Not wild about the looks, but.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jknight611 Posted June 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 Thanks Amos, we are really enjoying the boat. We spent 5 days out on this trip, this is on Cat Island, a barrier island just off the Mississippi coast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jknight611 Posted January 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2023 Well Southern Express, our beloved Core Sound 20.3 is almost 7 years old, and we calculated about 2000 nm in the water and a heck of a lot more on the trailer, Southern Express is getting some love. A repaint, and some electrical upgrades. Darn lifepo4 batteries are so light and relatively inexpensive, we will be upgrading to a 50 amp hr lithium battery. Might upgrade the cushions. Moving the centerboard and adding length to the board? Still thinking bout dat! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Silsbe Posted January 16, 2023 Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 I thought the c/b location thing was limited to the first few 17’s. (I always reserve the right to be wrong.) It is interesting to me to see your new stem and that 1” high keel. Has that always been there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePoint Posted January 16, 2023 Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 Jay, I thought Southern Express went to another person just before Messabout. It really is a nice looking boat. Spending some time aboard Southern Express with you guys in 2021 is primary to my decision to snap up Avocet when it popped up for sale… so thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted January 16, 2023 Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 Jay, I remember during the building of Skeena getting on Southern Express at the Messabout. It kept me focused. Like you, I am thinking about moving my CB forward. I'll start there and then maybe later lenghten, although I don't think she slips sideways much. I'm going to write my thoughts on my thread. Thanks, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jknight611 Posted January 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 Started sanding the boat today, never was happy with the finish on the cabin sides, I am priming it with a nice coat of Awlgrip 545 primer, then practice building my chest muscles with everybody’s favorite longboard. Fresh plexiglass ports just to refresh the look. The bonding the plexiglass with VHB tape has been a success (except where I didn’t get the tape ends touching and we had minor port leaks till I figured it out. I am possibly not astute enough sailor to tell if the centerboard needs to move forward a bit, we have lots of time that the boat was balanced and we were hands off… can’t see it being any better. Don, initially when the boat was inverted we clamped tape coved 1X4s on both sides of the keel then added epoxy with graphite thicken epoxy to about 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick. I had problems with our 2 paws with the screws working on the keel strip and allowing water into the wood. Well as some can attest, we have beached the boat both intentionally (and unintentionally ) the keel is in almost perfect condition despite my abuse. I am going to open the centerboard slot slightly and reglass the slot, it always had a tendency to stick in the up position when I add mud to the board. When I added the solar panels the MPPT controller wasn’t readily available, and quite expensive. The plan is to replace the solar controller with a more efficient controller and a 50 amp hour lithium battery. We are totally impressed with the solar system on Kalos and going to build a miniature system on Southern Express. Carol has made it perfectly clear to me that Southern Express is our family boat….long term! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Silsbe Posted January 19, 2023 Report Share Posted January 19, 2023 Southern Express is a fine boat. Happy that Carol put her foot down. With Avocet, no matter what trick I tried, she would always veer OFF-wind, if I let go of the helm. This is dangerous. Besides, it’s difficult to tack, when the tiller is already halfway over. And the boat is slower, too. I think this is the reason that the previous owner had a reef in only the main in this photo. That is the one trick I did not try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Stewart Posted January 19, 2023 Report Share Posted January 19, 2023 For anyone thinking about moving their boards forward on the 17 and 20mk3's here is the definitive guide with templates. I'll create a new thread for this topic. https://docs.google.com/document/d/14d9ZdooVy53R75y2mquZRJl8XymKDjYJaVbmyjAJ-is/edit?usp=sharing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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