Leaderboard

Amos, I cannot tell a lie, I have been using lifts on Carlita. Rather than rig special topping lifts, I already have enough clutter, I have been using the mizzen staysail halyard for the mizzen lift. On the main I am using about 4' of 5/32" line with a small S-hook at the bottom attached to the forward side of the mizzen mast at the right height so that I can slip the S-hook thru an eye at the aft end of the main sprit. The main lift tends to be self centering and stays put when I tighten the main sheet. If the mizzen starts to dance around at anchor I run a line thru the spinnaker block on top of the coaming aft over to the sprit. This triangulates with the lift and mizzen sheet and the system is rock solid. If it got bad enough to bother the main sprit I could do something like I do with the mizzen. For a quiet night at anchor I make sure that the centerboard is hauled up tight and all halyards are tied away from the mast.

We were able to get in the boat without much fuss. If there were swells, I think it'd be easier. Rather than a ladder, I think I'll leave dock lines with loops attached to both midship cleats (to get a foot in the loop). I decided I need oarlocks and (2-piece) oars for safety. If a motor quit, and there's no wind or too much wind, I would need a way to get ashore.

The panelling I am using is 16 mm (5/8") thick with tongue and groove edges. I can get 3 x 25 mm (1") strips from a panel without the tongue or the groove being involved. in Australia, it is typically joined edge to edge and used inside bulidings as wall or ceiling paneling. Cheers, Denis

I am half way through building my first SOF (a Shad) and am using western red cedar for all the stringers. I am using new western red cedar panelling that was on sale at a discounted price. An advantage was that it was the right thickness and I needed only to saw the panels into the correct widths. After sawing to the correct widths I gave each length a good flex in all directions to check for weakness - only one failed the test. I needed three lengths to make each stringer and so each stringer has two scarf joints. I made a scarfing jig following Jeff's model and used Titebond III which we can get here in Oz. It has worked out really well. Cheers, Denis

Either or a combination of both will work. In the class we have to deal with this and I fill have them fill the holes be for painting. After a coat of paint we usually find at least a couple more the paint will not fill so we add a little more before the seconomy coat. So either will work.

Went a little crazy...but she do work. Yes, now I have to round over all 300 odd feet of bookshelf. Dang!