Jump to content

Aussie CS 20-3#5 "Dragonfly 2"


Drew

Recommended Posts

Today I fiber-glassed the cabin top and am happy with the results. I was able to do each side in one full length up to the fwd tabernacle (the dark patch is a join in the plywood) and add a small section for the bow area. Tomorrow I will fill the weave using a wet mix of micro-balloons. Cockpit hatch tops are also done and nearly ready to paint. I just have to give the cockpit a final sand and mount the mizzen tabernacle before painting.

59295c08083db_CabinTopGlass.JPG.cdab5f7e7555a72a78be668f41aff8b0.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I thought I would give an update. The weather here has been a little warmer (above freezing at night)  so I have taken the opportunity to apply four coats of undercoat (2 pack). Finish will be off-white semi gloss once I finish and undercoat the cockpit seat backs.

IMG_2027.JPG

IMG_2033.JPG

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Steve, at the moment I am just putting fixed polycarbonate ports. I would have to make special opening ports due to the shape, so that might be a future job. I put the fwd hatch over the fwd storage area. This might make it difficult for some people to use if you want to access the anchor etc through the hatch, but yes, it has allowed me to make a long main hatch which provides lots of standing room under a boom tent for camping. The hatch opening is a bit over 3ft long and the slides are twice that. Instead of a sea hood over the hatch 'parking area' I am installing an 80 watt solar panel. It will be able to be raised to an angle when at anchor, or fixed down when under way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really liked the look of the oval ports Graham has on Carlita so I cheated and ordered the kit from B & B. They are fixed.  I think ventilation will be good with the hatch as a scoop and screens I'm putting in. Like Graham I'm putting a hatch in at the anchor locker aft bulkhead with a screen also.

 

I didn't extend my cabin, but I am planning to push the forward hatch forward and make the regular hatch as long as possible. I wanted a trench hatch but I could not figure out a really good way that would be watertight and also open and close quickly. But I hate crouching and I feel just a few inches more of opening will be good. I'm 6' and placed some cross pieces to test how hard it will be to pop out  forward hatch and I think it will be fine and will help my shorter crew members reach stuff. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Steve, my ports are simply routed "holes" and by changing the pilot on the router cut plexi and attached with 3M VHB. Only boat I have ever been aboard the ports don't leak!  

Now selecting the shape.... took months to tweet till we were satisfied with the shape.  Taped paper shapes on the strake till we were both happy with the shapes.   

 

BTW you are nearing the 1/2 way point!!  Looks great.  Looking forward to seeing it.  Going to make the annual B&B Messabout?  Big fun!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Guys, My name is Mark Baumgaertner, and I've been looking for a micro cruiser for a few years now. I almost bought the CLC Pocketship Kit  recently until I ran across the B and B's CS 17 MK3 which I quickly fell in love with the design.  I live in Port Townsend, WA and have been wanting to downsize from my Clipper 33' Cheoy Lee.  One question I have is how much space is in the cuddy cabin and will I be able to move my 6'5" 240 lb 54 year old body around? I know it will be small and the space is for getting out of the weather and sleeping primarily. Can any of you guys shed some light on my question?   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mark. I am building the CS 20 Mk3, so am not sure about differences in height for the cabin of the CS 17. I am 6 ft, and sitting on the bunks with no cushions my head just clears the deckhead (ceiling). I have wondered if I should have modified the design to raise the cabin height a couple of inches, which would be easy to do if building from scratch and not pre-cut material. Other than that, I think that there is quite a lot of space in the Mk 3 cabins, and certainly plenty of bunk length.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mark, welcome to the group. I built a CS-17, Mk-3 last year---Summer Breeze. Here's the building thread: 

I'm about 5'-11". My cushions are 3 inch foam, and of course, compress sitting on them. If I sit leaning back against the hull side, my head is just touching the overhead. Sitting upright, there is plenty of room. I agree with Drew that you may want to raise the cabin a bit. Maybe it would be a good idea to talk with graham or Alan at B&B about this. Other than that, there is plenty of room in the cabin. The berths are plenty long. Footroom is tight but adequate. The toilet sits on a shelf under the companionway, and you pull it out and set it on the cabin sole to use it. i don't find that to be any problem. There is plenty of stowage space in the aft end of the cabin, under the cockpit seats. some folks have added clever ways to add pull out drawers and such to make it more convenient to store galley stuff. i just have everything in dish pans that fit in those spaces.

 

i highly recommend this design, and the plans and instruction manual is fantastic!!! The guys at B&B are always a phone call or message away and offer great service for any questions. The sails, material, and hardware from them come in kits marked as to what the parts are for, and the price is great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark, somewhere there is a pic of me (6'0") sitting in Doug Cameron's CS20.3 #1. I drove a long way to get this question answered. I just fit. Things you could do would be to raise the cabin, but I think boxing out a section of the bunk to lower it with a filler might work depending on if that height is from legs or torso.

 

As for sleeping, I am making a filler board that just fills about 15" between the berths. I slept in the boat one night (it's in my basement shop) and I felt the width is just a bit narrow.  The length will easily accommodate you.

 

Pete M built a pocketship before Chessie so maybe he can give you his thoughts. I have a Sea Pearl as my current boat and love the cat catch rig.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark,...

I second the remarks of Drew and Chick.  I'm building "Chessie," a CS20.3 as designed.  The bunks are 7' 6" !  Probably a little shorter in the CS17.  Before buying the kit I visited B & B where Graham's "Carlita" was in last stage of construction.  Graham invited me to climb into the cabin.  It seemed ok to me [space wize] -- but you don't really know until you spend a few overnights in it.  I'm 83 and [now] just under 6 ft (when discharged from the Army i was 6' 1").  Graham's not quite as tall -- and when I said that the CS17 seemed adequate for overnight comfort, he remarked that the CS20.3 would be a better fit for cruising.

 

Here are pixs showing my son, Jim (6' 3"), in the cabin.

image.thumb.jpeg.fc2a2a23f2e36ff84a5bf66a53048819.jpeg

 

image.thumb.jpeg.efe4d5b5ea41fc9b9e5325eb614ddedc.jpeg

 

L

 

Good luck on your choice and build.

image.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To put it plainly, the main reason for selling "Tattoo" (my CLC PocketShip) was that the cabin was too small.  Sitting headroom was OK, but knee space (under the cockpit decks) was very limited.  And the CB housing made it all a little worse.  Otherwise, I really loved the boat -- especially after I made the alternate yawl rig.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

With much fear and trepidation my wife and I slid Dragonfly 2 onto the old trailer that I rebuilt for her. With a few adjustments to the roller heights and the side supports the trailer will do the job for now until I get a purpose-built trailer. So now for a few finishing jobs, finish the ports and their surrounds and sort the running rigging. The plan is to have her launched in the last week of September in time for our summer.

598fb4f4a7bcd_BoatonTrailer(2).jpg.8ed23611d20624cf79461f30d4d62da0.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, that's just shade that looks like a stepped transom. My lovely wife doesn't claim to be a great photographer and got the tree et al in the shot. I will, however, take a pic of the transom area and post it. I have built the transom strong, from 3/8 ply, and have enclosed the ends of the seat back "tunnel" by continuing the transom up to that height. At the bottom panels I planed a chamfer and filled it with an epoxy and flox mix as I glassed the bottom. That way I could have a strong but sharp trailing edge on the bottom. Then, when I glassed the transom, I just carried it over the filler so that glass from the bottom and transom meet at the sharp edge. This should make for minimum trailing edge drag at the stern as well as resist damage to the ply structure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Drew, I am at the point I need to start thinking about a trailer. I like the fact your boat fits over the fenders, keeping the trailer narrow. I know that potentially the boat has to sit higher, but it doesn't look bad in this pic. Please let me know when you launch how this trailer worked out. I haven't found a commercial model that fits perfectly that is available locally, but I have a trailer shop that can order a custom one from the factory. Since I plan to do a lot of traveling I want to get it right. Thanks!

 

And BTW, I got rear ended by a distracted driver last fall hauling my Sea Pearl. It sucked getting it all sorted out (new trailer, fiberglass repair, insurance fight). Having those lights up high like that is smart. I plan on doing something similar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.