JeffM

Paint it?! NO!!! Don't even joke like that! Not after I left my ugly coaming bright only because it was almost the LEAST ugly work I'd done!

I like the idea, Jim. Graham's plans show the permanent gunwhale as flush with the deck, but the optional removable gunwhale a little below the deck edge. I don't know why they have to be different, but I know I want mine level with the deck. Graham?

Exactly right. Pulling the sides in at the bow makes the tightest curve in the hull. By the way, I had a terrible time getting the bow together (ended up putting a threaded rod through it and screwing it together). I suspect that it was a mistake to epoxy the pieces first--at least at the bow end. Good luck with building! Jeff Michals-Brown CS20 #65 Beatrice Ann

Thanks, all! Gordy, yours is the rig I was thinking of--I specifically remember the 2-part raised crutch for ventilation. I'm leaning toward the 2" pvc, but let you know what I end up doing.

Okay, I tried my best to find the info I know is here, but without success. So, what's the easiest way to make mast supports that will slot into the steps? I've seen someone's done (I thought) with PVC pipe, but can't find it. It looked like a piece of cake, until I realized that 3" pipe is 3" INSIDE diameter, and so won't fit the 3" diam. steps. How do you all transport your masts?

I'm impressed with you two: I consider myself interested in human space flight, but I can't remember the last time I watched a launch or landing live!

Gunwhale problem finally resolved. After a couple weeks of hanging gallon jugs of water from them and getting nowhere, I decided to get out my trusty circular saw. I first screwed them to the edge of my deck, drew the line and cut off about 1/4". ("About" because the cut was a bit wavy. [Did I mention I'm not a woodworker?]) Then I was easily able to bend them horizontally around the boat, but couldn't make the gunwhales lay flat to the side--I needed them to bend vertically, as well. Although the plans don't give final measurements for the gunwhales, one drawing shows them narrower than the inwhales. Back to the deck and the circ saw! Now my gunwhales are about 5/8" thick and less than an inch deep and easily bend to be flush and even. Despite all my butchery, the wood is still pretty. One of my wavy cut edges is against the side, and the other is just above the deck line (to be faired even with the deck). I'm going to glue&screw them permanently in place, and leave them bright. I definitely like the fact that they extend the deck a bit--hard to believe a half-inch more deck could be noticeable, but it is.

Thanks, Frank. Memo to self: next time, glass the bottom BEFORE you install the cb! (Yes, I really did it like it looks-- but knowing I'd make a mess, I waxed the cb first.) With a bit of luck, I should be ready to launch the Beatrice Ann in a week or so!

Oh, of course! Thanks, Stump.

Pretty scary words from Kasten Marine! I plan to bed the screws in keyed epoxy bushings, then the whole strip in bedding compound, and the boat will be trailered, so I think I'll use 'em. I don't mind a little maintenance every decade or so! Frank, thanks very much for the info!

I'm about to apply a brass strip to the keel, and I'm holding a handful of stainless steel screws. I wonder if this is maybe a mistake, combining dissimilar metals in salt water. Anybody had any experience with this? Any chemists out there?

No no no, its UPSIDE DOWN! To get the right idea, try looking at the picture while standing on your head. I'll turn her the right way--after I figure out how to get the board back into the trunk. Hmm...

You may recall I was looking to modify Graham's system...

Topsides and rigging all but done: just one gunwhale to attach and store-bought hatches to bed. Then turn over and glass. Fingering my "new large" Andersen bailer: how important is this thing? Can I get away with a cup and sponge for a season? If I decide to cut this hole in my bottom (possibly delaying launch a bit), where should it go? CS 20 plans show it just under the thwart on the side of the keel batten opposite the cb trunk, but I've noticed that water in my boat pools well forward of this point. Can I cut the hole right up against the keel batten and then bolt one side through the batten? Or maybe skip the nuts on that side and screw into keyed epoxy bushings?

Bruce, I'd love to see your picture, but can't seem to make it work. I hope to have the Beatrice Ann in the water before mid-August. Jeff

Looks severely under-canvassed. Also, that many berths and no head? That would be a deal-breaker for me. What do they want for her, by the way?

Kevin, I'm with PAR and Charlie, et al. I'm putting a year of my life into construction of a Core Sound 20, and with all the sweat I've invested, I'm putting my cash into Okume ply, Raka epoxy and proper hardware, sails and lines. The way I figure it, even if I only "paid" myself minimum wage, materials are still less than labor. Graham Byrnes (designer of my boat) suggests that, if you're short of cash (as who isn't), you skimp on things that you can upgrade later, such as hardware and cordage. There's no worthwhile upgrade for a boat built of poor materials. Raka, by the way, is a small outfit happy to help over the phone. If you place an order with them on Monday, you may have it by Saturday. What are you going to build, by the way? Jeff

CS builders: I have begun installing hardware on CS20 #65 Beatrice Ann. I am considering simplifying the cb uphaul and downhaul, which I find is messy and would interfere with my bunk set-up. My most radical idea is to eliminate these entirely, and control the board position with a long stick that would hinge to the cb horn at the foreward end, and have a pin that engages a toothed rack at the aft end. The cb would be adjusted by moving the pin from tooth to tooth in the rack. A hinged extension to the stick would enable me to reach it from the tiller without having it intrude unnecessarily into the aft cockpit. The foreward-most tooth in the rack would leave about 6" of board down, but not prevent the cb from kicking up if it hit an obstruction. Opinions? Alternatives?

I got a warm feeling when I first learned your boat's name, Frank. I discovered Narnia in college, and have never outgrown it. I think giving Aslan away is the best fate she could have. Jeff

Back in the fall when I was a few months into building my CS20, I looked at a few other designs and began to become concerned about the CS20's hull strength. (See the "hull strength" thread in the design forum if you like.) I was concerned because I wanted to be able to go out in the ocean a bit. In a phone conversation with Graham, he told me the hull was plenty strong, and my chief concern should be whether I could right the boat if it capsized off shore while I was alone. His opinion: a 20 foot boat was at the borderline of single-handed capsize recovery. I intend a capsize recover test to be among my first few "shake-down cruises." I have a little way to go in construction, but hope I'll be able to accomplish that this season. I'll let the forum know how it goes. Jeff

Okay, okay, I know we've talked most of the angles here, but I have one question as I prepare to install my oarlocks: what's the difference between rowing from ahead of the thwart and abaft it? The way I figure it, putting the aft rowing station 14" abaft the thwart (adjusted from Graham's 12" on his cs17) means hitting my head on the mizzenmast at each stroke. But putting it ahead could mean running afoul of the main sprit. Either way, if you're single-handing what do you do with the rudder? raise it? lash it? let it weather-vane? If there's a little bit of wind I might want to be within reach of tiller and sheets. In shallow water, I expect the cb would be up (recalling an earlier thread in which was discussed the danger of sitting astride the cb trunk were the lowered board to suddenly hit bottom). Though I am confidently equipping the Beatrice Ann with oars, I've...uh..never actually rowed. Opinions and experience?

Barry, I recall that you were going to compare your stock and foil rudders for stall angles, etc. Any clear difference yet? I went into foil shapes myself partly as a result of reading your old posts.

Good grief, Barry! I thought I'd done mine cleverly, but I took days for my rudder and a good week for my cb! The CS rudder is supposed to be laminated from 2 pieces of 3/8 ply. I started with that, then cut 1/4" pieces to the limits of the 3/8 mark on my foil template and glued those the appropriate places either side, then added 1/8" ply (cut to the 5/8 mark of the template, ) on top of that. Then I used a grinder to cut down the "steps." The ply layers help as they emerge in grinding to keep both sides even. Even so, I have some ugly places in an otherwise pretty rudder where I filled some over-zealous grinding with thickened epoxy. For my cb, I started with a 1-1/8" thick blank and just ground at it, holding my template against it to find the high spots. It isn't quite symmetrical, but I hope that won't effect performance too much.

Think I've finally figured out how to set my camera to a low enough resolution! Unfortunately, all my earlier pictures are too big to post, and I'd rather be building than fooling with software. Pictured are my solutions to two problems: the bunk/floorboard business, and mounting a flat hatch on a curved deck. Here goes nothing...

Found myself talking to my home/auto insurance agent today (in the way of registering my new trailer), and inquired, by the by, how I might insure the boat. Turns out they won't insure it at all beyond $1000 under my home-owner's policy-- and that's if it's stolen (but only from my property) or weather-damaged (but only when inside my garage). Moreover, home-builts have the added difficulty of needing to be assessed by a qualified inspector to be assigned a value. My agent suggested I find out what other home builders are doing for insurance. Any other Massachusetts builders out there who have insurance they're satisfied with?