Dave R1

Chad, I bought a gooseneck for my Weekender from Duckworks. Not too expensive and it works perfectly.

Phil, thank you. If you're interested, I did a modified version this afternoon. It adds an idea I got from a link posted in the other steering thread and would improve the geometry of the cable to stub tiller interaction. BTW, SketchUp (SU) as a free trial that gives you 8 hours of time to play with the program to see if you like it. Give it a go. Also, download the freeware viewer from them. I'll send you the SketchUp model of my steering mechanism and you can look at it without burning up your trial time. I have done some woodworking related tutorials for SketchUp that you might want to look at. Some are on a website and others I would have to e-mail to you. Let me know if you want them.

Brad, thanks for that link. I see in the pictures a possible improvement to my contraption on the Weekender.

Clearly Doc you aren't an over engineer like me. I even have a PHD in Over Engineering. Give me anything you can think of and I'll make it more complex. Even Rube Goldberg can't hold a candle to me. Actually, you can make drawings like that with the right software. I use a program called SketchUp for that sort of thing. Easy and intuitive to use.

At the request of Adla and Phil, the Creek Freak, here is a drawing of my steering contraption. I think this is better than any picture I could take since it is impossible to photograph the insides of the laz now. Well I suppose I could borrow a fiber scope from work but they'd probably frown on that. Anyway, here's a description to go with the drawing. The steering shaft (3/4" diameter) and the pillow block bushings came as a set called a buffing mandrel. The shaft has a lefthand threaded end and nut. I cut a keyway in the shaft to match the keyway on the hub of the steering wheel (an ebay special). There are collars on the outside ends of the shaft next to the bushing which keep the shaft in place. The bushings have oil ports in the top. The L-shaped pieces are 2" aluminum angle stock. I drilled the center hole over sized so the shaft would pass through without touching. I also drilled it for a couple of half inch bolts on either end. The aluminum angle and the pillowblock bushings are mounted on a 1x4 mounted between transom and lazarette. Although you could put that board in later, I did it before the sides went on. There are three sprockets between the two AL angles. I didn't draw in the teeth but they are sprockets. These sprockets came from the local farm supply store and come as two pieces. You buy the hub to fit the shaft and the sprocekt to fit the chain and weld them together. The sprockets are all the same but the hub for the center one is 3/4" and the other two are 1/2". The two side sprockets prevent the chain from coming off the center sprocket. The chain, #40 roller chain, was cut to length and threaded through the sprockets. I calculated the length required to get stop to stop rudder travel in, I think, about 300

John had better be at that messabout this year. We need those yellow sails to help direct other boats to the party. In his defense he did make it to the Gaffer Gathering later in the year last year.

Well Oyster, I'll have to look around and see if I can find something about that. I can modify the angle a little bit on the jaws I've made but there's not a lot of room for change on it. Phil, I haven't any photos but I have a couple of drawings I can post. Adla, I'm blushing. thank you.

Cool! I was just talking to an old friend of mine who lives in Waunakee, WI and he told me he is going to build one of these Micro Trawlers. I'm sure he'll be interested in hearing about your boat, Blacksmith.

You've got a lot more experience than I do. I couldn't find anything specific about how much of an upturn there should be so I guessed and made it about equal to the angle of the sail between luff and head. We'll see, it might not work right but I can always revert back to the old one which has no angle to it.

Just thought I'd make a little post about what I've been working on. I decided that since Julie K is going to have a new suit of sails this year, I'd make a new gaff as well. I might make a new boom, too but that's for later. I never liked the jaws I made although there was nothing wrong with the way they worked. I decided to make some jaws with a bit of an upward curve to them. I've got them roughed out of laminated red oak and a bit of maple because I had it on hand. Spar itself is made in the birdsmouth method of pine. I found that I could get clear and straight pine if I bought it from the trim department at the local Menard's. It worked great for me. I know that a birdsmouth spar is probably more work than it is worth for no bigger than it is but it is a great learning opportunity for me. It is a manageable size for my shop and I don't have a lot of money tied up in materials if it doesn't work. Besides, I can't be sailing right now so I might as well build something. I don't think this gaff will be any lighter than the first one which was made from a piece of closet rod . It won't be any heavier either. Sorry, no pictures yet but I'll take some one of these days.

Well, that seems appropriate for the cathead. Cool! Take a look at this: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/images/cathead.jpg

Hi and welcome to the group. We are indeed a civil bunch so don't be worried about asking questions. As to steering are you asking about it for a Stevenson boat or something else? I can't answer if you're asking about some other boat but I can tell you what I did for my Weekender. The plans call for a rope wrapped around the steering shaft and lead out to the sides, around blocks and back to a stub tiller. The steering shaft is wood. I replaced the steering shaft with a 3/4" steel shaft (part of a buffing mandrel assembly) that is supported by two pillow block bushings (also from the buffing mandrel). I put a sprocket on the shaft and one on either side to take a length of #40 roller chain. The sprockets on either side are used to make sure the chain can't slip off the one on the shaft. The ends of the chain are attached to a length of cable that runs around the block and to the stub tiller. I'm sure the #40 chain is plenty heavy for my little boat but it's what I could get sprockets for at the farm supply store. It is bullet proof though. I have a couple of drawings of my steering system if you want to see them. Dave

That could be fun. I don't know about performance but I've always thought those twin keels made some sense for folks living in tidal areas where the boat could set down on the bottom when needed. At the rate you get stuff done, you'll have that boat restored before the sailing season is over.

I've been watching your progress on these doors elsewhere. I think they are going to look great. I'm not so sure you'll have much movement to worry about, though. The plywood shouldn't do much. The stiles might move a little but probably won't be much trouble. I'd be inclined to either buy and use some Space Balls (little silicone balls used for spacing panels) or add a few blobs of silicone around the panels and then use the caulk over everything. You mentioned rabbets but I'm confused as to where they are. Panels or frames? How are you actually planning to hold the panels in place? I don't think I'd count on the caulk to hold them. How about using some finish nails like glazier's points to hold the panels in and then filling the seams with the caulk. Now, if you want to just glue them in, how about using 5200? Edited to add: If you only use caulk to hold the panels in, what would keep someone from pushing the panel in to gain access through the door?

Mark! As Adla said, close that door! We had a high in the 60s yesterday, there's no snow to be seen and there are spring bird songs out there. Now they are threatening anywhere from 3 to 9 inches tonight and tomorrow. :cry:

The link to this was posted on the WB forum. I thought I'd bring it over here. http://www.widgetsailor.com/myboat/downhaul/jline.html Read the description at the link above.

Greg, I ordered a catalog from him but haven't settled on a boat yet. I do have a set of plans for his Feather Pram. Mike, I hope you'll keep us informed as you build the Caledonia Yawl. It's a very nice looking boat. I saw one last spring at our Messabout. It was sweet. I know Iain has redrawn some of his more popular boats in the last couple of years. I think he made some improvements. It is likely that you got a copy of the older plans from WB. You could probably figure out the spacing for seven planks if you want when you loft the boat. Actually, if you write to Iain he might send you the updated pages.

Good point Ray. He sometimes does that, too. When I wrote to him asking for a catalog he wrote back in pencil saying he was about to have a new catolog. He sent copies of a few different plans with some handwritten notes on them. Later he sent me a brand new catalog. I'd much rather send him the money directly than pay a middle man to handle it.

Just send Iain Oughtred a check for $120 plus a little something for postage and I'm sure he'll get the plans out to you. You might have to pester him to caash the check though. Address is: Iain Oughtred Struan Cottage Bernisdale Isle of Skye IV51 9NS Scotland Or order them from either http://www.classicmarine.co.uk or http://www.duckflatwoodenboats.com

I thought you were supposed to have the trailing edge flattened like the pink one.

Vague recollection but it seems to me truncating the trailing edge a bit is supposed to help that. Of course it could just be the indication you're about to make the jump to warp speed.

I like the Puffin or pretty much anything Oughtred designed. Grey Seal might be a good choice for you.

PAR, does this look something like what you're doing for your grates?

Good for you. I have had days when it seemes I couldn't make a single tack on the first try so I understand your elation. Way to go.

John, it sounds like my post kind of bugged you. Sorry. It wasn't meant to upset anyone. I know as well as anyone that those small variations in dimensions don't matter in this application. Those dimensions showing 64ths of an inch were generated by the software. I just left them the way the program reported them. As to the jib clew, you are incorrect. I did not assume it to be square. The only angle I assumed was the 90