Dogdad

Thank you! How much does the hull weigh?

Just saw the new design on the B&B website. Looks like a faster build than the Spindrift. Hull design is simpler, and uses an unstayed lug rig. I'm wondering what the tradeoffs are, especially under sail. http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/mandy.htm I know it's a question for the designer, but thought the answer(s) would be of general interest. Thanks!

If you like audiobooks, the O'Brian series as read by Patrick Tull is excellent. My wife accumulated the whole series -- unabridged -- from audible.com, and we pick up some new nuance of the writing every time we listen. Other good reads: The survival of the bark canoe" by John McPhee "HMS Ulysses"(WWII novel) by Alistair MacLean "Structures" by J.E. Gordon. A wonderful introduction to the basics of tension, compression, torsion, etc., written with a sense of humor and a minimum of math. It reads like a pub conversation with your favorite professor. Among other things, it introduced me to Rudyard Kipling's delightful short story "The ship who found herself". http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/2414/ Other nautical Kipling short stories: "Bread upon the waters" http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/2408/, and "The devil and the deep sea" http://ghostwolf.dyndns.org/words/authors/K/KiplingRudyard/prose/TheDaysWork/deepsea.html

COLREGS(international rules) -- local laws may vary Rule 25 Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars (a) a sailing vessel underway shall exhibit: (i) sidelights; (ii) a sternlight. ( In a sailing vessel of less than 20 meters in length the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule may be combined in one lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen. © A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule, exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower Green, but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern permitted by paragraph ( of this Rule. (d) (i) A sailing vessel of less than 7 meters in length shall, if practicable, exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or ( of this Rule, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision. (ii) A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed in this rule for sailing vessels, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.

I've used detachable battery-powered LED nav lights on our kayaks for night paddles on the local lakes -- a red/green on the bow and a white on the stern. We've had compliments from powerboaters who appreciated being able to see us. A flashlight shining up on the sail is very visible.

A large-diameter thin-wall tube is much stiffer per unit weight than a small-diameter heavy-wall tube because there's more material working in the area of highest stress. The downside is that a thin-wall tube is more vulnerable to buckling. http://aluminium.matter.org.uk/content/html/eng/default.asp?catid=213&pageid=2144417026 My favorite book on structures for non-engineers is J.E. Gordon's "Structures: Or why things don't fall down". It's a bit dated, but it reads as if you're sitting in a pub with an enthusiastic retired professor. http://www.amazon.com/Structures-Things-Dont-Fall-Down/dp/0306812835 Among other things, it lead me to Kipling's engineering short story "The ship who found herself" http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/2414/

Special preparation for various materials Cured epoxy- Unless you're using WEST SYSTEM's blush-free 207 Special Clear Hardener, amine blush may appear as a wax-like film on cured epoxy surfaces. It is a by-product of the curing process and may be more noticeable in cool, moist conditions. Amine blush can clog sandpaper and inhibit subsequent bonding, but this inert substance can easily be removed. To remove the blush, wash the surface with clean water (not solvent) and an abrasive pad, such as Scotch-brite 7447 General Purpose Hand Pads. Dry the surface with paper towels to remove the dissolved blush before it dries on the surface. Sand any remaining glossy areas with 80-grit sandpaper. Wet-sanding will also remove the amine blush. If a release fabric is applied over the surface of fresh epoxy, amine blush will be removed when the release fabric is peeled from the cured epoxy and no additional sanding is required. Epoxy surfaces that have not fully cured may be bonded to or coated with epoxy without washing or sanding. Before applying coatings other than epoxy (paints, bottom paints, varnishes, gelcoats, etc.), allow epoxy surfaces to cure fully, then wash and sand. http://www.westsystem.com/ss/surface-preparation/

In almost any sailboat, I'd rather broad reach with a jibe or two than be on a dead run. More stable, more predictable, and the speed gain usually balances out the extra distance.

There are some "builder assist" programs for kit aircraft that do exactly that. The builder doesn't have to order, unpack, set up, build fixtures, decide what to do next, clean up, etc. The paid staff does that. All the builder does is build. http://www.twoweekstotaxi.com/about.html For an aircraft to be legally registered as amatuer-built -- and hence free from commercial certification requirements -- the builder must doument that they did at least 51% of the construction. The builder assist centers help folks meet the letter of the law in the most efficient way. The spirit of the law -- building for "recreation and self-education" -- may suffer.

[quote author=Hirilond

In response to a question, I got an email from Carla saying that there was a kit for the Spindrift 12. Don't know about any others.

I'm imagining a black hull with red trim. The black is finished with a red-tinted clearcoat so all the reflected highlights look red....

Regarding cleanup, white vinegar works suprisingly well at getting uncured epoxy off your hands and other important things. It's friendlier than some of the solvents folks tend to try.

Welcome! When I built my S&G canoe I did mask the seams before applying the thickened epoxy fillets.(see photo) It saved a lot of cleanup. Other labor saving: It's tempting go do something else -- like sleep -- after a big epoxy application, but you can miss the period when it's "green"(not completely cured) and easy to clean up with a knife or scraper. It's good to take notes on how long it takes for your epoxy to cure at different temperatures. If you're comfortable with scrapers and sharpening cabinet scrapers, you're ahead of the game. Scraping epoxy is usually easier than sanding it. I did make some test joints with scrap plywood before I started the boat. It was a good confidence builder, especially when I saw how strong the joints were. This is a good reference -- they're pushing their own products, but there's lots of good general information: http://systemthree.com/members/literature/The_Epoxy_Book.pdf Another interesting source: http://www.epoxyworks.com/

If you don't want to make your own, one source for fiberglass tubing is high-power model rocket suppliers, such as this one: http://www.hawkmountain.ws/ The rocket folks also have lots of information on techniques for making your own tubing.