Bob Taylor

I used a jig saw to cut and stack those blocks, what a chore! It's amazing what you can fix with Bondo!!!

Welcome aboard!!! You're gonna love the Vacationer!!!

She's looking great!! Almost ready for a dip!!

Santa Fe is south of Houston, on the way to Galveston. I used to duck hunt and fish in Port Lavaca years ago with a guy named Larry Starnes. Nice coastal community!! Haven't been down there in many years.

She looks beautiful!!! The cream color worked out great on mine, not hard to look at on bright days. What color sails are you gonna use?

Here's a picture of my Vacationer with six adults onboard about to leave the dock. You can see just how far she settles in the water by looking at the transom. Under sail, people can move about the deck with no drastic change in handling other that increased speed as weight moves forward. The hull shape really helps keep her flat under sail and when at rest, there is very little tipsyness (?). Much more stable than I ever thought it could be. http://groups.msn.com/SandbarsandDriftwood/sultanachristening.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=424

I used a Kevlar strip from RAKA Marine over two layers of 6 oz glass. Forget sanding it, but a right angle grinder with a 40 grit disc will eat it up really quick. WELL WORTH THE EXPENSE AND EFFORT!!!

Those pics bring back great memories!!! She's lookin' great Florin!!! What is the rest of the color scheme gonna be? Is the hull black or green, can't tell from the pics? You think she's big now, just wait til you get her on the water and watch that bow sprit two counties away!! Lotsa fun just walkin around the deck while under way. I'm amazed how this hull reacts to load changes, even at the dock.

I used 3/8" for the main halyard, jib halyard and the main sheet. The rest are 5/16". Could have used smaller line on the jib halyard but 3/8" line is easier on the hands, and if the forestay ever parts, 3/8" line should hold for a good while. I used double braided nylon and whipped eyes in the ends with fids to clean thing up. If you've never tried this, it's amazing to see the line "eat" itself to form an eye. Takes patience though, I had a big scrap pile after just one attempt!!

The few times I've dipped the rails under I've noticed that my Vacationer also slows down a bit, fun to do though!!!

Hey Mike! I notice there is no motor mount on your transom, any plans for one?

This arrangement has work very well to keep the gaff from eating the mast. http://groups.msn.com/SandbarsandDriftwood/vacationer.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=225 I also rigged my main halyard a bit different from the plans. I used a single halyard for the gaff throat with a fiddle block attached at the eye for the peak halyard. There is a short S/S leader from the main halyard eye to the throat of the gaff. This elliminates the need for quite a bit of line for the peak halyard. I haul the main up then follow with the peak and cleat both off at the mast base. Rarely have to adjust either once we get going. I can look for a picture if you'd like.......wait, found one: http://groups.msn.com/SandbarsandDriftwood/sultanachristening.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=439

I also used a S/S eyenut on a threaded rod on my Vacationer. Expensive but worth it. The eyebolt for the forestay came from Home Depot.

Thanks Russ, About the disease, I've come to realize that my wife can't comprehend the very basic rules of manhood: 1. We're never wrong 2. We're not sorry 3. We're probably gonna do it again Boat building keeps us out of the bars (to some degree) and adds a much needed touch of class to the world. Bob

The motor mount is a 2"X 2" square aluminum tubing stalk that is bolted to the transom on the inside by means of a few brackets. on the other end there is a welded steel plate that a 2"X 6" board is bolted for the moter to clamp to. It is a VERY simple design that allows the engine to tilt WAY up out of the water. Bob Taylor (new to this site)