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Showing content with the highest reputation on 11/12/2020 in Posts

  1. It bothers me that I can't find the thread with another method of removable lights that inspired me. It was a unit that attached to the transom using pintles on the bracket that slipped into the gudgeons on the boat. As I have no aft deck, I could simple hook over the transom. So that is what I did. My original lights lasted 5 years. Just a month before trailering from RI to FL one of them died. I replaced it and now could drive safely through NY and DC and on to FL. When I got to VA I noticed that the new light had been torn off. No idea how. But apparently I may have done that leg with just the left light. Time for a new set up. The rags being used as gaskets/chafe gear will be replaced by leather glued in place to the bracket when I finally get to my new house and my stuff shows up.
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  2. Thanks HighDesert! Graham's design sure looks sweet in the flesh. Given this project thread is almost at an end, I'd sincerly like to thank Graham, Alan and all the forum members who have helped me out with opinions and advise throughout the project. It sure helped.
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  3. I will be having my second grandchild in February. Time for their first boat.
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  4. You cannot go wrong if you follow the waterline method that Alan illustrated for putting on the WL and boot top. It is one of the most critical cosmetic components you will add to the boat, get it wrong and the boat will look sad. The most common mistake that I see is that the boot top is measured up the slope of the hull instead of vertical. On boats that have flare forward at the wl or have a counter stern, it causes the boot top to look narrower at the ends giving the boat a frown rather than a big smile that says "look at me". If you do not get the boot top right, leave it off. On high sided boats it will make the boat look longer and sleeker. The proportions of the boot top have to be just right and are different for each type of boat and freeboard height. We give the dimensions on our boats as to where it should be. As Steve said do not put it too low . Small boats are almost never in perfect trim and the water is rarely flat. Small ripples will make the water appear higher on the boat than it is. If you put it exactly on the DWL, part of it will usually be underwater. I prefer the scum line to be on the bottom. I prefer to put the waterline on with the boat upright as there is always some sag or catenary in the string or tape and it could look hogged if it is put on upside down. A tiny bit of rocker in the WL always enhances any boat. I long ago gave up on the string method because you have to do the job twice and best way to put the tape on fair is to pull the tape out a long way as you lay the tape on the hull, why not use the straight edge as a guide? As the illustration shows, put on the stern straight edge on first because you can measure it accurately at both chines to make it truly level to the boat athwartships. Remember to position the straight edge down by the width of the tape. Then position the forward straight edge at the right height forward and make sure that it is in plane with the aft one. It makes sense to do the boot top right after you mark the WL because you have the setup and it will be more accurate than trying to re setup later on. 1" masking tape works great and it is easier to apply if you have help because the tape will slide down especially forward and you do not want that to happen. I put a step ladder or sawhorse etc to anchor the aft end of the tape positioned a foot or two beyond the stern so that I will have enough length as I pull the tape in to the stern. I want the tape pulled out for the whole length of the boat parallel to the boats CL with the lower edge kissing both straight edges and held vertical. I do the bow first and holding the roll out a couple of feet forward of the forward straight edge, start moving the tape inwards with the bottom kissing the straight edge while trying to keep some tension to reduce sag. As soon as tape touches the hull have your helper touch the top edge of the tape and continue touching the as you move inboard. When you go around the chine forward there will be a bridge where the tape will hit the bottom 6" to a foot forward of the chine, this is normal, keep going until you reach the bow. If it looks good you can pat the tape on to the hull pushing the bridge horizontal to keep it fair. While you are concentrating on three things at once it is easy to get the bow wrong by rotating the tape on the vertical axis causing the tape not to be straight. Just pull the tape back out for as far as you need and fix that section. Only after you are happy with the line should you pat the tape down to the hull. Repeat for the stern half and do the other side. If you are going for the boot top follow the directions for setting up the short angled straight edges. Taping the boot top is identical to the Wl with one exception. For the WL you want the top edge of the tape to touch the hull first. On the boot top you want the bottom edge of the tape the touch the hull first. This can be accomplished by holding the tape roll horizontally and rotate it as you move it along the straight edge so that it touches the hull with the bottom edge. This sounds more complicated than it is. While a laser is a valid method and appeals to the gearhead, you still have to put on the tape smoothly and when you factor in where to remount the laser in space to get the right curve to the boot top and get it exactly right again for the other side of the boat is harder or less accurate where as the sloped straightedge method is mathematically correct. Do not forget to really press down the tape edge that meets the paint or the paint will bleed under the tape messing up your beautiful work. I usually run the blade of a putty knife along the paint edge of the tape and run my thumb nail into any tape joins that will make a tiny bridge. Or you can spring for 3M's fine line tape.
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  5. She sails! I tookQueequag's Coffin out to sail today in variable winds with gusts up to 15mph and she sailed beautifully! I just couldn't get over the little rouster tail behind the rudder as we went flying along. She was wonderfully stable and very fast on the water. Kudos to Gavin for a wonderful design of Hot Rat whose hull I pretty much built verbatim other than 2" more freeboard. Perhaps the most successful first time sail of a boat I have ever had. The mast and sail are off of a captiva boat and feature roller furling around the mast which worked wonderfully and was a delight. The rudder is a kick-up push-pull and she has one leeboard which I got in just the right spot. I had one of those closed cell foam pool floats in the bottom which was great comfort when there wasn't enough wind to hike out which wasn't all that often. I did wash the rails a time or two but a little extra hike out with my toes tucked under the deck got her back from the brink quickly. Going to be a great one-person cruiser! I do have to mention that the hatches were underwater several times and only leaked a few drops. They were not yet modified and I think a little foam weather stripping around the edges will get rid of any leak. Will have my duck tape along just in case of course. We had some wicked powerboat chop and she plowed through just fine. Only took some splashes over the deck when I got hit broadside by a particularily nasty wave created by a slow powerboat towing kids behind who steered within 20' to look at the cute boat.....grrr.... I didn't get any pictures on the water but here is the latest picture I have showing the mast and sail with the electrical conduit boom. The boom fits down into a pipe in the deck and acts as a downhaul. Since this picture, I lowered the whole mast assembly a little since this picture
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  6. I have been working on the boat but, like most of you know, things start to go very slowly when getting close to finishing as you spend time sanding, filling, sanding and etc... Here are a few more pictures though: Deck is epoxied and if you look closely you will see a mahogany board to port. This is the upper part of my leeboard system and has holes drilled every 3" for the leeboard pivot bolt. This should allow for some adjustments while underway or when reefing the leg o mutton sail. The lower part is a bumper that keeps the board out away from the hull. Still might do a little more to reinforce the upper board as it will have a lot of stresses on it during certain tacks. Also in this picture are the flexible poles for the tent arrangement over the cockpit. I may cut them a little bit shorter so the peak is lower. Goal is for something that is comfortable but also something I could sail with in place on raining or bad weather days. http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn17/swidm/Expedition%20Rat/8b5a5588.jpg[/img] One of the things I have laying around the house is a closed cell foam pool float. I used the sister to this float for the cockpit cushions on my MacGregor 26D (with sunbrella coverings) and found them very comfortable to sleep on. So, this will be my sitting pad, sleeping pad, swim float, and add to my emergency flotation. http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn17/swidm/Expedition%20Rat/4b5db9ec.jpg[/img] With a name like Queequag's Coffin you have to paint the hull of the boat black of course. I will also be adding handles around the boat to make lifting easier. A good friend of mine in our local sailing club has a pirate raftup and he is insisting I make a paddle look like a skeleton leg with foot attached, dress up like a pirate, and come paddling up. Ever seen "Dead Man's Chest?"
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  7. The boat behind me is a Puddle Duck Racer with an experimental sail. I am planning on one leeboard for Queequag's Coffin. Though, maybe I will do two with one further forward than another to balance out the boat when reefed.
    1 point
  8. The coffin in Moby Dick was Queequeg's coffin. I love the literary reference and have decided to name the boat Queequeg's Coffin :-D ! Helps that it was an unsinkable coffin.
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