Fintan Murphy

adla, 121 f = that's 50 Celsius :shock: :shock: If we get a good summers day here it's half that. Anything above 28 degrees (82 F ) and we as a nation go into shock (and head to the pub to cool down ) You have my sympathies, and admiration.

Russ, you've had some great replies from the knowledgeable members of the board. One further point, don't get caught up in the idea of modifications as that can be the road to ruin. I spent a lot of time thinking about various mods, some I did and some I didn't, but in each case you could lose a weeks building time by mulling it over and trying various angles, before falling back on the plans. Depending on your budget, in both time and materials, it may be better at times to go with the standard. After all, as the Stephensons say, it works. We all have the itch to modify as we're building, sometimes this has to be tempered with the fact that the boat has to be built and put in the water. To paraphrase an old saying "Boats are safe in the building shed, or on the dolly, but that's not what boats are for". On saying that, the list of mods I did are 1. Didn't cut out the holes in the bulkhead between the cabin and forward hold. As has been said above, I thought of the forward locker as extra boyancy. 2. Made her into a cutter rig, with furled headsail. Moved the forestay to the clubfoot eye, and hanked on the staysail. Both sails are controlled by sheets lead back to cleats just in front of the splashcombings. 3. Rigged a lazyjack system that leads from the top of the mast, under the boom, up to a cheekblock on the other side of the top of the mast, down to a cheekblock and to a jamcleat on the cabin top. This also holds up the boom when the sail is down. Remember to position the boom fairlead forwards enough along the boom so that the end of the gaff is behind the two lazyjack lines leading to the top of the mast. 4. Do not cut a hole for the trailer in the stem untill you have loaded the boat on the trailer. People have found that the hole per the plans is normally too high. 5. I rigged a single purchase on the mainsheet. This goes from an eye on the lazerette deck, to a block on the boom, forward to a rachet block as per plans. I did this because a. there is less mainsheet around your feet to foul up, and b. the main will run out faster if you have to dump wind as there is less main to play out. I don't find the pull on the mainsheet too much, with the rachet engaged on the block. By the way, most of these mods were obtained from the forum, so if in doubt, as questions here.

Is it Ireland's first Weekender? I don't know but I suspect so. I think the Stephensons may have mentioned it. http://www.fnarr.net/3sheets/ If so, then it makes me proud By the way, I've been up to my eyes in a new project at work, so sorry for not keeping in touch. Anyway, the date was set for Sunday, but the forecast was so bad, we moved it forwards to Saturday. The forecast for both days was for gales, so I was playing it by ear to see if we would launch at all. I wanted it to be a low-key affair, and had invited my two friends, John and Turlough along. Both had sailed in the past, so the three of us were going to go out. Irene sensibly declined The trailer had arrived on Friday, and we spend Saturday morning putting the boat on it and getting the tongue weight right etc. So by 2 o'clock we were ready. The wind was whistling through the trees outside, and I am not ashamed to say, I was very nervous at putting an untried boat in the water. But the lads twisted my arm (or had more faith in my building skills than I did myself), and we headed for the slip. I was glad I had put in the reef points, and made a staysail, because there was no way we could have gone with a jib and full main, even with three of us in the boat. I set the staysail, and raised the main, but left it scandalised (peak halyard loose). We sailed out on staysail, and, as you can see from the photographs, we were going along at such a clip, I was hesitant to even raise the peak. I eventually did, and just as I did, the hanks on the staysail (build from Sch. 40 as per plans) gave way. The lower grommet in the staysail ripped out, so we brought it down and stowed it. I have since replaced them with shower curtain rings - they have positive closings. So we were sailing on reefed main alone, and were still making just over 5 knots (gps), but she felt very stable. With reefed main, it had some weatherhelm, in that it was possible to hold a course, but difficult to fall off the wind, but this was to be expected, and was not too bad. If we had the staysail I'd say she would have been nicely balanced. If I wasn't so busy I would have felt elated. It took a while after the sail before the realisation of what we had done hit me. I had sailed the boat that I had built for the first time :shock: That's why you see the champaigne opened at the house after the sail. The only other problems we had was that the steering acted up slightly, and it was difficult to get the rudder down. I had used an elastic cord, but so much of it's elasticity was used in ensuring that the rudder was down, that there was not enough left to allow the cord to remain in place and pull the rudder up with the rope at the back. There are a couple of jobs left to do for the winter, e.g. the portholes, and trailboards. But as long as there's sailing weather they can wait I am still undecided about the wheel, having sailed with a tiller up to now. I got it wrong a few times, as the action is opposite to a tillers, and you do not have the feeling of "directness" that a tiller gives you, as well as the visual confirmation of the postion of the rudder. I'll leave it for now though and see how it goes. To anybody building, I'd suggest the reef points and maybe a staysail. I have the jib on a furler, which is raised by a halyard in the position of the original forestay. I've moved the forestay to the original clubfoot eye, with the mast attachment about a foot down from the jib eye, and hank on a staysail there. I have two sets of blocks and cleats for the sheets. This allows me to use the jib (and full main) if I am sailing on my own, the staysail if it's windy (with reefed main), go cutter if I am feeling energetic, or have crew, or the winds light. The other thing which I can still see in my minds eye was when we were barrelling along, I looked aft, and saw the long trail of bubbles spiralling underwater that people had mentioned. It looked fantastic (even if John said that it reminded him of a trail of snot :shock: ) I've repaired the staysail and steering, and we are heading out again tonight. Even though the forecast is for F4 gusting to F6. Looks like we will be reefing again And a big thanks to all of you who answered my questions, listened to my ramblings, and generally hung out here at Franks Moaning Chair Site. So now I have the boat built after 3 years, the Diploma finished after 2 years. What am I going to do now :?: (rhetorical :!: )

Ken, I also put mine about 33"' above the boom, which was where the first of the original grommets was in the polytarp material. I placed another grommet at the back, nad smaller grommets on the line of ducktape I placed horizontally between the two. The reef points were about 18" apart. I didn't reply before as I hadn't launched and did not want to suggest something that may not be right. I also have a staysail, which balances the reefed mainsail. You can probably wee hte reefing points on my (reefed) mainsail, linked in the launching post.

Congratulations Florin, I thought you were going to beat me to it, but I launched on Saturday as well. I'm up the walls at work and won't get to download the pictures and post untill later this week, (and I don't want to steal your well deserved thunder )

Then just start building another one And make sure not to make the same mistakes as you did with Opus, just new ones. (I am assuming you are not the one, unique, boatbuilder who doesn't make mistakes, 'cause it ain't me either :shock: )

Mark, the bow chock that I'm talking about is a guide for the rope going over the side of the boat, normally that will lead to the anchor. These are fittings that you buy. They look like a very big, flattened eye with a slashed opening at the top that the rope goes through. I will be putting one on each side of the boat, to stop the anchor rope moving along the rubrail either wearing the rail, or the rope. Hope this helps,

I'd second the idea for a set of bow chocks instead of the upper rub rails. I am trying to install a set of bow chocks now (for the anchor), and it would have been easier if the upper rubrails weren't there.

Another couple of things to get if you want. 1. A couple of tyvec disposable suits (with the hoods). You will get epoxy on you, and you on the epoxy, so the suits protect you. 2. A case of your favourite beer. You will need the empty cans as filleting tools 3. A sharp craft knife. It is easier to let the cloth go proud of the edges, and when the epoxy goes off, but before it is fully cured, slice it off with the knife. 4. A couple of pint measuring jugs, (kitchen stores etc. will have them). I just poured out the mixed epoxy a bit at a time from a jug, and spread or rolled it out. They will harden overnight and can be squeezed to crack out the old epoxy, and are as good as new for the next day. 5. A friend. I epoxied with my dad and it went more than twice as fast as one would be spreading out while the other was mixing more epoxy. You get into a rythm so that the next batch is ready just as the previous jug is empty 6. lolly pop (icikle ?) sticks and a staple gun (hand powered). Once you dry fit the glass, hold it down with the sticks stapled ot the edges. Set the staple gun to only punch halfway down the stick. This is enough to hold the stick, and give you enough staple proud of the stick to pull it up with a plyers (once the epoxy is cured). Sorry, just saw that Frank mentioned tongue depressors - same thing. And finally, don't wash your hair for a day or so before spreading the epoxy. Once you scratch your head with the epoxy covered gloves on, (and you will scratch your head), it washes off far easier from greasy hair rather than clean shiny hair. (DAMHIK) :roll:

Excellently said (by your wife !) Lefty. So you get a double, or triple prize, You get a sailboat that you built. You get respect from the brother in law and you win the dare. And most of all, You have risen in the eyes of your wife. Which is never a bad thing. I love it when your wife defends you to one of her friends, I get that warm feeling inside.

Jeez, did I say that ? :oops: I have still decided to forgo the motor, and had forgotton about sculling. I have two paddles that are too small, but would do if there were two of us on the boat. I also have the article on sculling. I must take another trip to my, by now much richer, chandler and pick up an oarlock and mount it on the back. I'll let you know how it works out when I eventually launch :roll:

Jan, what I used, if it is of any help, is a piece of thin brass. You should be able to get this from engineers suppliers. I cut a circle to fit over the ply disk, and a ring to fit over the outside ply ring. This looked fairly good against the varnished mahogany.

JMetzner, I didn't talk to her, but I did pat her sides a few times. Tomstock, only a year, this is my fourth year building her. "four years into a six month project" is how I describe it" Jan, my launch date, now there's a question. :roll: Hopefully this month, and if not, then definitely next month. It all depends on the trailer maker. You know the expression "Good, Cheap, Quick - pick any two of the above", well, I got one of them, he is good, but he ain't cheap, and he certainly ain't Quick.

That sure is one pretty modification. And the square front on the cabin is also a good mod. It never ceases to amaze me how much creativity there is out there (or in here to be more specific). As Gen. Patton used to say "Don't tell them how to do it, tell them what to do and they will suprise you with their ingenuity"

I have found that there are now four milestones on the project, with the last one, putting her in the water, to go. The first is when you go 3-D. Suddenly it looks like a structure rather than a flat collection of wooden bits. The second is when you paint it. Now it looks like a unified whole, even a boat. All the mistakes, the bits of epoxy, the different colours of ply, the round circles where holes were filled, all go away, to be replaced with a shiny paint job. The third happened two days ago. I was rigging the blocks and trying to untangle the lines while I set up the gaff and boom, as well as lazy jacks and the jib and staysail halyards. The wind was blowing from behind the boat (abaft ) so I hadn't laced on the mainsail yet. "Feck it", I said, let's put up the jib and see what happens. So I tied on the jib halyard on to the furled jib, raised it and tied on a jib sheet to the clew. I unfurled the sail and my boat took her first breath :!: . I don't want to be overly dramatic, but that's what it felt like. The jib filled and steadied. The starbord sheet snapped taut ,and I heard the mast creak. I felt like Dr. Frankenstein and wanted to step back and exclaim "IT'S ALIVE". Those of you who have passed this milestone will probably grin and remember. Those of you who have yet to reach it, what delights are in store for you.

I'm with Frank on this one. I agree that I can build another one, it's the thought of ramming some of the other yachts in the harbour that worries me. That bowsprit would do a good job on the side of someones penile extension. By the way, I was wrong on the cost, it will actually bring the insurance up to €540, not add €540 to it. This only adds about another €100 to the cost, which is not bad at all. Cheaper than having to sell the house to pay for somebodies boat repairs.

As launch day draws ever nearer, I've been turning my mind to insurance. I've checked and the boat is insured when being towed (under the car insurance), in that if I hit anything I'm covered, but damage to the boat is not (3rd party cover on the boat and trailer). I can also get the boat insured as part of the house insurance, which includes a figure for damage or theft of the boat, and collision insurance when sailing (which is what I am really after - that would be the costly one if I ram some expensive boat). However, the problem with that is that I have to raise the contents cover of the house to 50% - presumably to cover the cost of the boat being stolen when it's in the bathtub ). This adds an extra €540 ($670) to the premium - more than doubling it. And it appears to me that I am paying for stuff I don't need, after all, I can take the hit on the boat if necessary, it's the possibility of damage to third parties or passengers that I am worried about. So, what are y'all doing? Who is insured, and for what?

You've obviously produced a righthanded manual. Please issue a lefthanded one for those of us in our right minds.

Enough John, why do you taunt me so :evil: I come in to work on Monday, which is bad enough, only to be taunted with some of the best weekender launching words and pictures. Dam, I'm champing at the bit, but nearly there. I'm glad you had such a good time.

Lovely work adla, I cheated and bought clear inspection hatches :oops: , and I haven't had time to put them in yet. Florin, we'll have to make you an honorary Irishman if you keep cursing like that. You'll enjoy the ceremony :wink:

I bagged me some duct tape. I got to the shop (store), and there was an array of coloured duct tape. I then decided that white would look far better than blue, which to my mind might look "homemade". Anyway, I bought a couple of rolls of white, and finished the main at home. The white looks the business as it has the same weave as the polytarp, and looks like it was always there. I just have to put the reef points in and it's done. So I called Irene out to "ohhh and ahhh" at my new beautiful main, and in typical female fashon she zones in on the one defect. "Why are those grommets a different colour to the rest"? So I had to explain that the silver ones are the original ones from the tarp, All the brass ones are the ones that I put in. Women :roll: By the way this sailmaking is a blast - very satisfying. After all, anything that requires repeated hammer blows is always fun

Congrats Paul, Can't help you with the bondo question, as I used epoxy myself. What I will advise, as has been said before, is don't go overboard on the prep of the hull before glassing. Certainly get all the bumps and sharp corners out do the cloth doesn't raise or snag, but don't bother sanding the flat surfaces. Once the cloth and resin are on, they will hide all your good work, and you will have to start fairing all over again. The only sanding I did to the hull was a once over with 120grit to give the cloth/epoxy something to grip. Be sure to ask any questions when the cloth/glass stage arrives. We've all been through it. :shock:

Tim, the trailer maker is very busy, and for good reason. He is the best one around, and will eventually make the trailer. I just have to keep hounding his ass. I know he will come good in the end. "Feck", one of the great Irish curse words. It can be used in polite company, in front of, and by, the fairer sex, and even in front of your mother. :shock: I don't know if you have it over in America, but there is a clothing label in Europe called French Connection - UK, which produced T-shirts with FCUK boldly printed on the front. Obviously it takes a double take to read it. Not to be outdone, some enterprising students in Ireland started producing T-shirts with FCEK on them. I'm on the Blue Ducktape hunt tonight. Are they in season?

A while ago I was getting supplies for the boat, and I found that ducktape were doing a new type of tape. "Power Tape" it was called, and it was fabric backed. The best thing about it was that it was not only waterproof, but see-through. "Yes", I thought, I never liked the thought of the silver colured ducktape on the tarp, which was white. This tape would not even be noticed. Move on to tonight, when I am making the sails. I measure once, twice, three times, and cut to perfection. I then get my tape and marker and mark centre points every four inches as per the plans. I punch the holes along the boom and gaff where the tape will stick to itself and give my sails near-immortality. I start to stick the tape down and only then I realise (what you've probably guessed dear readers).......... Since the feckin' tape is see-through, I can see through the holes every four inches :shock: So it's back to the hardware store tomorrow to get some coloured ducktape. :oops: I hope they have it in blue What a putz. :!:

Yea Steve, it was great to meet up. I hope your ears weren't bleeding afterwards, as I do tend to rabbit on when I meet someone for the first time. I could tell you were fairly bushed by the end of the night, after a long day travelling. It was great to meet yourself and Jan, and I hope the rest of your trip was as enjoyable. How was the west coast, and did you have a good time in Bunratty Castle? I mentioned the Gaels of Laughter to my dad, who remembers them from his youth. I had a fabulous ride home over the Cork/Kerry mountains. It was a beautiful night, with very little traffic. When I met Frank in Kilkenny, I got a speeding ticket on the way up. As I was driving out of Killlarney, there was a cop hidden in the bushes with a speed camera. Since I was caught last time I've stayed religously to the speed limits, and it saved my bacon this time. You'll have to come back next time for a longer visit, and a bit of boating.