Tom Ray

If anyone has an 11N, I want one! Almost, but not quite, badly enough to actually build it. Has to be nesting to fit in my camper. I'm in FL but would drive a pretty long way to avoid cleaning out my shed and actually building a boat in it. Thanks, Speck Tater

Thanks, Edward. The project continues, and I have started a second page. The first one was getting too long. Check out the salt mine we found on top of a fuel tank: Laying roving on top of the tank seems to have had no effect other than to trap salt and destroy the tank. I'm also not a fan of foaming it in place. There was a similar salt mine on the bottom side of this tank in one place. That tank is ten feet long, 26 inches wide, 10 inches high, and done with its life as a fuel tank. Recycle? Make a planter? Anyone want to buy it? Another one, presumably just like this one, is coming out of the other boat soon.

Thanks, Chase! Email sent!

Thanks, Chris and Frank! 3 of 4 old engines are sold and gone, both consoles are off the boats, and one bench seat has been cut free from the deck. That thing weighs a ton. Lots of pictures to come.

No, not for a Spindrift or anything fun like that, at least not yet. I'm helping my friend Gene rebuild his whale watching tenders. We are just about done with phase one of tearing stuff apart, and will soon need marine plywood for recoring. We don't need good looking wood, as it's going to be glassed and painted over and used on a work boat. Price is a big factor. The boats have a hard life, and need to last another 5 to 10 years in commercial service before returning to be rebuilt again. Can anyone suggest a good source for us, preferably not too far from SW Florida? We're also soon to need lots of fiberglass cloth and resin and pretty much every part needed to finish out the boats, so suggestions for sources of other stuff would also be welcome!

Hah! No doubt a reference to the video I posted. Sorry 'bout that, Mr. Moon, but I thought it was a great illustration of the fact that the beach launching hurdle is a significant one, and even a little sailboat can be a real PITA to move off a beach. Next time, if I don't participate myself, I will be at the launch AND at the low bridge at Placida to catch the mast lowering/raising antics. Try not to do anything embarrassing near my cameras if you do not wish to be famous for it!

I don't know of anything like what you are asking for, but a friend of mine came up with a different solution to the same problem. Here is his prototype: The boat was made from the two amas off his Multi 23 trimaran, connected by a simple deck and powered by a 2 hp Honda. It went 7.7 knots and achieved 70 mpg. He is now going to build a very similar boat, hopefully not quite as ugly.

Sonja has gotten quite good at recognizing his boat, but the other day in a calm I spotted it across the harbor. As we approached, she kept swearing that it didn't have enough hull to be Tom's boat. She's used to seeing a lot more of it.

I see it all the time... It's not just the Hobies. If I heel the Sun Cat 25 degrees, I'm doing something seriously wrong. It likes about 10. I'm pretty sure that if I heel this thing 25 degrees, water would be coming in and I'd be going out:

Good to hear, Charlie. I just want it to put a number on the wind, but can't see myself actually taking out the iPhone much when sailing. It stays in the waterproof box. If I heel any of our boats 25 degrees, I'll probably be swimming immediately after!

I want to get that iPhone app just to put an accurate number on the wind sometimes, for the same reason I carry a small scale when fishing. Sailors and fishermen tend to misoverestimate sometimes.

I'd say the number is more like 99%, Ken Potts. Is saying that allowed here? Congratulations!

It worked that time. Thanks, Frank!

It still says I can't submit a link. Also, my post count seems to be at zero and holding. Perhaps the two are related?

I'm still waiting for the full story of what happened to Lil Gem in the Everglades Challenge. And while you're at it, are you coming to the Sun Cat Nationals this year, Scott?

I'll find out shortly whether it's true that treatment with Poli Prep will remove any aged material, allowing recoating with a few coats of Poli Glow to work the same magic as it did last year. I expect it will. I went to the links page, but the little box says "you cannot submit a link." Perhaps because I'm new here and my post count is too low?

Thanks, Tom! I sent you an email to the comcast address.

I put Poli Glow on our Sun Cat about a year ago, and it still looks pretty darn good. I'm going to recoat it soon because it is not quite as shiny as it was a year ago, but the Poli Glow was much easier and lasted much longer than the polish/wax I tried before. Details: http://www.tropicalboating.com/boat-repairs/waxpoliglow.html

Thanks for the tips, tom151. I'm not too concerned about resale on the first two at least, but do want them to be right. I only know one person in my part of the world who built his own boat, and he has no projects right now, but is sure to be some help to me as I gain experience. I'll hunt for more.

You crazy boat builders have finally infected me with your madness, and I have in mind building an EC-22, but just because I have the illness does not mean I have the skills. My thought is to start with a nesting Spindrift, since I need one of those anyway, then build a little powerboat that my friend's mom threw away years ago, since that's the only way I can think of to replace it. After those are done, maybe a SCAMP. Then an EC-22. Uh... what's your time frame on this sale?