tomstock

BTW, single sheet of 1/2" Marine Grade cost me $83. ACX, $30. If I am going to encapsulate it, I think I'll go with the ACX next time and just make two for less than half the price of one.

Ok then, so: 1) Drill holes oversized 2) Fill holes with thickened epoxy 3) Glass inside and outside of all rudder box plys 4) Glue (epoxy) and screw the pieces together 5) More epoxy to fill any gaps, etc. 6) Drill out holes to correct size 7) Clean, Sand, and Paint Sound good?

Ahhh right. I remember this from the Hull and Deck repair book. That works for the bolts, but then there is still the wear from the rudder itself against the inside of the rudder box. Is this enough to cause concern? The reason I ask is that I am building two rudder boxes... one for my weekender and one for another sailboat which has an aluminum rudder. The aluminum rudder will be a lot harder on the inside of the rudder box.

Since the rudder box is constantly in the water, and has holes which could allow water to enter, I am planning to simply paint it. My thinking is that varnish or epoxy would keep water in and encourage rot. Also, for a boat left in the water for long periods, would it make any difference to go with marine quality plywood for the rudder box -vs- acx? Seems like a painted rudder box would be wet all the time anyway so would the voids in ACX make that much of a difference? Thanks.

Thanks, that is something I hadn't considered. I'll sail it a couple of times and then register it.

Well, after talking to the tax office I was told I do not need to register the boat since I am not installing a motor (at least not for now) and it is under 16ft. If I decide to install a motor, I'll register it. I just want to get sailing before I put it off any longer. Thanks.

Hi everyone... yes I know it's been a long time but I've been stuck in the "finding reasons not to launch" stage. I finally broke down and decided I am going to launch within two weeks ready or not. I called the Dept of Fish and Game and they told me I do not need to register my weekender if the length is under 16 and I do not have a motor. I asked if length meant Length on Deck or overall length including rudder, bowspirit, ladders, etc. They did not know. They asked an officer who said if it doesn't have a motor then don't bother registering it. Naturally my weekender is 15'9" on deck or thereabout, until I install the bowspirit and rudder. So, I just thought I'd ask if anyone else here in Florida had to register their weekender or had any problems with the Marine Patrol before I launch without registering. Question is: Length on deck may be 15'9", but what about the keel under the bowspirit. Doesn't that part count too? Thanks -tom St. Petersburg, Fl

My weekender has been out covered by a tarp for a couple of years now. The quick poly finish I put on the mast has worn and the wood has blackened under it. I don't really care much about the appearance of it, but I would like to prevent further damage. How sould I re-finish it? Should I sand it and use 5 coats of spar varnish? I plan to launch in a couple of weeks! Thanks

Oil based porch paint and thats it...

Ouch! Fortunately my weekender building mishaps were less damaging. While wrapping the cord around my (unplugged) jigsaw the blade caught my forearm and made a nice deep gash. i still have the scar 3 years later. Plenty of 2 inch splinters buried deep, a mishap with a handsaw which slipped out during the stroke, and a few scars on my head from working in the cabin. Finger into spinning router blade. It makes me sick just thinking about it. Fortunately it wasn't a table saw. My shop teacher in high school was missing part of his thumb.

Excellent, thanks. Peak is also the word I was looking for... wasn't sure what to call that part of the sail. I expect to finish sometime this week, get her registered and launched before the end of the month. Thanks -tom

Dave, I would like pics or even just a good description would do. I have the three holes in the clew of the jib, I wasn't sure how to tie up the two jib sheets. I thought maybe a short length of line to go into the sail clew holes, with a stopper knot, and then the jib sheets tied to that. :?: I also have a question about the clew at the head of the sail where it attached to the gaff. Is there supposed to be an eyebolt in the end of the gaff as an outhaul to keep the sail from slipping down the gaff towards the mast? There is no mention of this in the plans. thanks! -tom

Just a quick test to have a peek.... I originally set her up for two jib sheets but I think I may go back and install a jib club-foot instead. Seems like it would hold sail shape when heading straight down wind a little better.

Well, I now own two boats but I have not sailed either! A friend of mine offered up his AFC 2+2 (17' boat) for sale and I couldn't pass it up. The sad part is that I have not yet finished my weekender. The weekender is my first sailboat... which I have been working on for 3 years. The 2+2 will be my 2nd boat.. and first commercial sailboat to insult my weekender by sitting in the same yard, gel-coat blazing away. The good news is I finally got around to ordering the rope and blocks to replace the cheap hardware store rope and pulleys which refused to play nice on the weekender . The new rope and bocks were purchased from woodenboat.org and are a great deal. Buff poly and 3/8" pulleys. They are of very good quality and I have no doubts that they will work much better than the rusty, sqeaky, hardware store pulleys and horrible home depot rope. I am planning to launch the weekender in may! I have it on the trailer and ready to go. I just need to finish the rigging, get some oars, and get the boat and trailer registered. My plan is to sail the weekender through the summer while restoring the 2+2 as my next project. It needs some minor work (some damage and a small hole through the glass in the bow when the boat hit the dock), but compared to the amount of work involved in building a boat, it is small potatoes. This boat is going to be for more serious camping and weekend cruising with the family as there is more space and the boat is much more stable. While it is still only 17', it was designed with camping in mind and has a wide beam and plenty of sleeping space. It says 4 comfortably but what I think that really means is 2 with some elbow room or 4 with some complaining The weekender will become my fun day sailing boat.

Excellent deal! Agreed, you CAN definately find them on ebay if you're patient... but I'd been watching ebay on and off for a year and hadn't found anything close enough or the right size to be worth the effort. I found one trailer in the paper but it was rusted pretty bad and came with a pile of trash called a boat that I'd have to dump. The drive across the state was a waste of an entire day... new seemed pretty attractive after that fiasco!

Ebay is ok, but for me, $400 for a used trailer 80 miles away isn't a great deal when you could get a new 15' trailer for $595.. thats only a $200 difference before tax.

PSwan, I'm in St. Petersburg. I think you must be the first builder within 25 miles of me. I'm almost ready to launch...we should meet up sometime for a sail...maybe around Shell Island near ft desoto.

Thanks, especially for the reminder on the lights. Hadn't even considered that.

Guys, I found the trailer for my weekender. I ended up with a Continental C7-1500. It's a tilt trailer (although I didn't know that when I bought it) with 59" between fenders with a max load of 1500lbs. The axle location and winch tower are adjustable which will make adjustments for the bowspirit, etc, pretty easy. It looks like it'll be perfect.... at first I didn't think I'd ever need a tilt feature but after some reasearch I think it's great, especially since I am towing with a VW bus. I can get the boat in the water without having to back it down a boat ramp... I can launch from any easy access to the water so it seems. It was $700 new. I paid for it and pick it up tomorrow (no hitch on my VW bus). 12" rims, but that's ok since I won't be towing all that far.

I think i found one. It's a John Boat Trailer, item #JB15. It has 12" wheels (assuming that means rims) and a max load of 1250 pounds. Only problem is that the frame is only 40" wide and the trailer 55" wide. My boat is wider than the trailer...hmmm probably not good. But then I found the JB1612, which has 48" frame width and 64" overall width. This sounds like it could work.... Finally I found the CB17 which is slightly bigger than what I need, but the frame is 55" wide and the entire trailer is 76" wide. This sounds more like what would work for a weekender. I think the last two could work. What do you think? Right now I am leaning towards the 16ft john boat trailer (the 1st picture).

It's been three years since I started my weekender. The sails are finished, and the rigging is in place. I just need to put on a fresh coat of paint and hoist the sails. Funny, I swore I'd have it done in under a year, but then life just got in the way. One problem however: I still do not have a trailer. I have about $700 to spend on a trailer but everything new is in the $1500 range. I've looked high and low for a used trailer but haven't found anything yet worth buying. I am also not quite sure what size I should be looking for... I've just been asking for a trailer for a 15ft daysailer. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm in St. Petersburg (Tampa), FL. Thanks -tom

I need some basics on brightwork. You know, on old table is no problem...I sand it down, steel wool it, and then coat it with polyurethane... but brightwork on a boat must require something better...something better looking and more "maintainable". Should I use boiled linseed oil? Varnish? Polyurethane? Someone give me some pointers before I paint all of my heavily weathered and poorly finished brights brown!

Ok, I've had my last series of frustrations with my seat hatches. I built the hatches per the plans but I'm having some problems with them. Anytime I get water in the compartment it stays there forever... until I am able to get a wet/dry vac and suck it out. I have a drain in the cockpit for when the boat is sitting on trailer (which is all it does since I haven't launched yet)... so when it rains the water drains from everwhere except the seat compartments, which fill, and then leak a bit until the cabin is also full of water. As best I can tell my options are: 1) Sealing the compartment completely and installing a plastic o-ring hatch of some sort from west marine. 2) making new wood hatch covers (old ones are a little warped) and glueing on sort of soft closed cell foam around the hatch to keep it mostly sealed when closed. 3) Completely removing the comparment face and prying up the stringer on the floor so the seats are open and water can escape freely. This may not be a bad idea, because my other mistake is that i angled the seat tops back (up towards the center) for comfort... but I completely forgot that they would catch and hold water right in the seat... I should have angled them slightly downwards just enough for the water to escape while trailered but not so much as to be uncomfortable. I'm very close to launching... things I need to do: -Install rudder in rudder box -install main sail -replace all sheets... used cheap nylon rope which refuses to feed correctly through the blocks -repaint the boat (yes it's been sitting outside unfinished for that long) -locate a trailer -install a trolling motor I'm hoping to launch within the next couple of months. I'm almost 2 years in at this point! One year of building, and one year of it sitting after I met my new girlfriend :oops: Thanks -tom http://www.flkitesurf.com/weekender

Lowes home improvement sells white duct tape. Just bought three rolls. Found the grommet tool for $5 on the internet, except mine is pretty bad. Badically they distort and then cut the tarp rather than mushrooming correctly. I made it work by only going half way with the tool and then gently tapping the grommet together tightly without the tool. Regardless, my sails are done! I just made the jib hanks and will cut the rings for the mainsail later today. I'll be raising the jib at some point today... and I have my cam cleats from west marine (using two jib sheets rather than a jib club foot). After seeing my completed sails, I can definately say the extra $30 spent on white tarps and white duct tape was WELL WORTH it. They look great.