Charles Neuman

. I see your point about the seat hatches. They do seem convenient. One concern I have is that in order to provide proper flotation (in the case of a capsize), they really need to be water tight. I think it would be hard to do that with such a large homemade hatch like that. On the other hand, maybe the forward and aft chambers might provide enough flotation, even if the side ones leak a little. I could be too paranoid here, but I want to be sure the boat floats if it goes over! Charles

Thanks for the comments. I think what I would need to do for the seats, if I finish only the tops bright, is to have a piece of trim on that edge, nicely rounded over. Not only to make a good transition from brightwork to paint, but also to hide the edge of the plywood, which won't look so good. In one of the boats on the CD of pictures, it looks like someone did that. Anyone know who's boat that is? It's from NC. The woodwork is beautiful. There's a nice wooden cap that fits into the center mast hole. Charles

I have the plans, and I'm doing a lot of daydreaming about this boat right now. I have some questions: 1) Does the deck hatch attach to the deck in a secure way? It looks like it just rests on top of the opening. I see that there is a gasket, but in order to make a good seal, it seems like you'd need some hardware, but I don't see any in most of the pictures I have seen. 2) Regarding the seat hatches: Is there any reason why I shouldn't put the hatches on the vertical part of the seats, where your feet are? It makes them a little less accessible, but it means the seat top could be perfectly smooth. I could also use a large rectangular plastic hatch in that position, and it wouldn't be too noticable. 3) If I finished the seat tops bright but painted the vertical parts of the seats, are there any suggestions on making a good-looking transition? It seems like I should have a piece of molding there to distinguish the two surfaces, maybe a piece that overlaps the vertical panel a bit. That part would also be finished bright. Below that it would be painted white. Charles Neuman Long Island, NY

Hi Scott, I've been following your Belhaven progress. Looks great. Yeah, that Penobscot 14 is one pretty boat. Hard to not want it. But the Core Sound 17 might be more practical for me right now. This past summer I explored some nice areas on the Great South Bay, where I sail my Sunfish. However, the waves and wind can get too much for a Sunfish, so it's a little scary sometimes. A bigger boat is definitely needed there if I want to bring the family out. 17 feet would be a nice size for me. I'm glad you told me about this forum! Charles

I found Graham's pictures of the capsized CS 17. It looks nice! I also found a post where Graham says he's making floorboards for his CS 17 that can be rasied up to make a flat sleeping area. The thread is "CS20 camping?" Actually, that was this morning, it seems. We look forward to seeing pictures! Thanks for the info, everyone! Do some builders prefer wooden masts on the CS17? That might provide enough flotation to keep a capsized boat from turtling. It also looks more wooden. Charles Neuman (formally "cneuman")