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In case you're not on our newsletter, here is a link to the info on our race. Much to my Dad's chagrin I thought it would be super cool to livestreaam our race from the boat so we're going to give that a go! Wish us luck! https://bandbyachtdesigns.substack.com/p/everglades-challenge-2026-live

Haha. This year we didn't bring a spinnaker or oars. We were up to the wire getting the boat done and wisely I think prioritized the windvane getting done. So far we wouldn't have used a spinnaker much def not required. We thought oars for this boat would be too ungainly since the coaming is so high bet we are rethinking that. The mirage drive off the transom really didn't impress. We didn't even bring it. Our only mode of aux propulsion is 2 stand up paddles which works quite well especially if you do it from the low side the coaming is narrow and its easy to do a normal stroke and the heel brings the wayer closer to you.

Thank you. Me too. I agree about the 80/80, in fact I'm not sure there ever really is a finish, but continual improvement. On to the next part.

After the exterior is glassed the hull will be flipped upright and the entire jig removed. The interior will be glassed. Interior bulkheads will be plywood. The deck, house, all exterior structures will be foam core.

Last coat of epoxy over glass. Let is set for a week before barrier coat.

Alan, I want a windvane! I also know a boat very similar to mine that has one that seems to work very well. When you get done screwing around in Florida , we need to talk. I've been staring at the live feed for far too long with my head tipped sideways in amazement. Take Care, Steve

I have been amazed how little Alan and his Dad have touched the tiller. That wind vane sure works!

Well weve been doing it every year just not always a trip report. But last 2 years weve been in the 17mk3. yes the windvane is quite happy to steer in any wind above about 3 or 4 knots of apparent wind no problem. So far we've probably hand steered less than 10% of the time.

We are tired of rowing. We wouldn't row just because there isn't wind unless we were really racing hard. We're trying to use our brains more than our muscle this go around. Sleep more think harder.

Alan, thanks for the live stream. The perspective was good. The sound of the water flowing past the boat was music to northern ears. Congratulations on the race.

JKnight, I second your observations. I constructed and used a servo pendulum type wind vane on a 34’ Tartan. It was connected to the tiller so I could see the adjustments it was making. It rarely moved the tiller more than an inch off center, just continual fine adjustments to the course. In contrast, any other helmsman, including me, would typically move the tiller 6” or so in an initial correction. I made the wind vane so I could attach a tiller pilot, but never used it that way. Races now often allow single handers to use autopilots. I would not allow that, but I would allow windvanes…that’s still sailing.

Been several comments on the windvane self steering on Alan and Paul on the EC2026. We have an B&B Designs windvane on Kalos. Works like magic! I have always felt that I could feel minor wind shifts as we sail along, naw, watch the vane react to the tiniest wind shift is so cool! I have said numerous times I want to make a bracket to use a tiller pilot attached to the windvane rudder so when we motor or whatever we can replace the vane sensing with the electronic brain but yet to happen, works pretty good as it! IMG_0834.mov

Thank you for going to the trouble of live streaming your race. I'm getting a kick out of it.

Alan, please comment on the wind vane…it looks like you are relying on it even in light wind conditions. Thanks.

Trying to do a little every week. Faired and painted the vee berth. Installed ceiling strips on both sides and glued and cut out cabin sides. Will take them down to cut out windows but wanted to see how she looked.

Jay and Carol Knight built a Flinders 246. https://messing-about.com/forums/topic/11017-mathew-flinders-246/ I really like this boat design and I was thrilled to see Kalos in person at one of the Messabouts When I first spoke with Graham about my interest in this design I told him I wanted to build using marine plywood construction. Graham said I might want to consider foam core construction. I thought no way I want to stick with a familiar construction method. Over the next few months the idea of foam core construction started to work on me and the next time I spoke with Graham. I asked him what kind of foam core he would recommend. Graham and Alan had modified the Flinders 234 to accommodate Jay's needs hence the Flinders 246. I sat down with Graham and Alan and we worked out some of my modifications as well as all the changes in tooling necessary to come up with a jig to build the boat using foam core. There are a few different ways to build using foam core but we settled on covering a male jig with foam core planks and then glassing inside and out.

Skeena had a similar reaction to the very light Grey, almost white paint I used on her. But when I got her in the water, all was forgotten. Your boat looks great. I remember being where you are and someone said I was 80% done with 80% to go, and while there was a lot of details, to me that was the fun stuff. One of my favorite memories of building was cleaning up my workspace at night and sitting in the cabin or cockpit and shop sailing. Seven years down the road from those moments and I'm literally living those dreams. I can't wait to see her on the water.

Just wanted to give a quick update, this project had to be put on the back burner but will resume in the spring after I rebuild the roof on my outbuilding that will serve as the building space. The past few storms did a number on the old framing so I just have it temporarily shored up until the snow all melts and I can rebuild/reinforce it. Not really possible to work in there with the way I had to jack things up, there are lolly posts and 2x4s all over the place. One of the drawbacks of owning an older property that wasn't maintained before I got it, there's always something that needs to be fixed. I also had some vehicle issues right after my last post that had to be addressed and then it got too cold for epoxy work so not much progress. All that's done so far is the non-scarfed panel parts are all marked out and the keel parts are cut. I can't wait for warmer weather so I can fix the roof and get going with this build! On a positive note, the roof problem is forcing me to pull everything out of the building so I will be able to organize and clean it out well before really getting into the build. That will open up another bay so I will be able to have more room for scarfing and preparing the long panels. I will also be able to put in better lighting so I won't be relying on 2 100w bulbs screwed into the ridge board that it has now. Silver linings.

Thanks for the heads up Hirilondie. This whole trailer refurbishment is kind of an experiment because I've never used rust converter before. The springs were so rust clad I wanted to see if the converter really worked and if it would hold up to paint and water soaking. Springs flex under load so even if I rust converted and painted each leaf it would soon rub the paint off and be bare steel again. The springs are nice and flat and easy to see when what ever I do to them starts to fail. All the moving parts on the trailer are subject to maintenance and I will keep an eye on the moving parts. I'll also keep an eye on the frame and parts that are solid, I don't want any holes in the frame like I have in the old trailer. I'm even going to have to do maintenance on the old trailer. I have to tow it 130 miles to it's final resting place and I don't want it falling apart on the freeway. One trailer falling apart on the freeway is one too many for me.

Yes there is a lapstrake version. If it was me I would build the lapstrake version without the laps. This turns it into a multi chine hull. The main reason is that the chines are flush allowing you to glass the outside of the boat making a stronger and more durable hull. The Lapstrake is traditional and handsome, I think that multi chine also looks good. Our building method gives a nice fair hull fairly quick. Jay has completed his second multi chine hull and was pleased with the ease and fairness of the build. He may chime in. In the meantime you can look at his build of the looper and Matthew Flinders on this forum. I have completed the updates and changes that I wanted. The next move if anyone is interested is for Alan and I to go over every part of the design together so that the second pair of eyes may spot any errors, omissions or conflict. He will then part it all out, and nest all of the parts into sheets and create the tool paths