Jknight611

Hi Don, for the batteries I am using Torqeedo’s new 24-3500 battery, it is a LI-N-MC battery with quite sophisticated BMS system, they “advertised “ 800 cycles to 100% DOD with 25% loss of capacity. I will very unlikely discharge to the BMS shuts the battery off. They weigh about 1/2 of AMG and 3500 watts @ 24VDC. Quite a lot of power, slightly larger than 2 27 series AMG. I did get a surprise, I was understanding that the BMS had an internal shunt that measured the total in/out and displayed it, not so.......so the house loads, though minimal @ 12vdc will go basically unmeasured.......I think. If that is the case, well still a lot of variables! Goal is to be able to motor 8 hours at 3 kts, unaided by sailing or solar. We initially discussed using several Tesla battery modules but I have/had concerns on a home brewed system when there are so many other concerns to deal with, so the ultra injuneerin of the Torqeedo looks to be the most conservative approach.

Ken, the radar mount is beautiful, as is all your woodwork. Nice you incorporated the other items in your design, nice clean look! Beautiful boat, a heck of a “Great Looper”.

My pump is a Johnson ballast pump used on ski boats, 4 years in mostly salt water still working good! Also with a 3 way valve handy to wash the grit an sand from the cockpit ( cleaning fish too). As I mentioned earlier, I plumbed mine with PVC, I think PEX would be better and if I were to do mine again I would use a stainless steel bulkhead compression fitting and PEX tubing. Be sure to mount the pump in some sort of rubber mount, when I originally hard mounted mine you could hear it 1/2 mile away!

Best luck Scott, I think luck has a lot to do when steam bending! I have been fighting steam bending pecan for several days, with a pile of cracked pecan splinters! I have had excellent results with white oak, I may give up the pecan trim idea and use white oak! Mahogany will steam bend, I had done some in a previous project with good results, I fact I soaked some for 30 minutes/inch and used a heat gun to bend some mahogany, that seemed to work ok on larger radius bends.

Thank you Chick!

I would love to have a copy, not that I intend on designing anything, just interesting. Wonder if there is a digital version somewhere?

Very nice, a “teardrop” style camper makes sense in so many ways! In Mississippi I have built several trailers, just go to DMV, tell them the s/n you assigned to it (we use C/J 1, 2 We are up to C/J 5) get your plate and you are done. You pay a small Road use tax but it is minimal.

Interested in your boomkin installation, I can see Southern Express getting one. I think you will get a better sheeting angle and outboard seems to have an affinity to the mizzen sheets!

We watched Alan demo the CS15 at the Messabout, we were super impressed! Really capable design and a cool boat!

Thanks, that is a beautiful boat! I will spend some time tonight looking! The Torqeedo idea started as a passing idea, but I have really bought into it! I am excited to see how it works day to day. On initial inspection it looks like a quality piece. I like the integrated concept they have, and bone easy to install, except for the retraction mechanisms! I opted for the feathering prop understanding it is required for regeneration, which is a part of my energy budget. Solar and Honda 2000 will complete the requirements.

Good video Alan, I have a GarmininReach system, are they approved for Watertribe events. (Not that I am a candidate).

We are building the boat to use offshore, when we use our diesel powered boat (with solar) we would go 8-10 days not starting the engine. The electric option is probably 300-350 lbs lighter, maybe more, and if in time we find we need mo juice, another battery would not be out of the question. We will still be way ahead on weight/space savings. This is my first experience with electric propulsion so, the idea of no vibration, noise, smell and minimal maintenance excites me. I spent more than a few hours head down, butt up maintaining Mr Yanmar. There is plenty of room on Mathew Flinders design for a diesel if that was the builder’s choice.

It does, I may put a doubler, but it is well protected (Aft of the stub keel) and not terribly heavy. It seems a lot of the newer European boats have adopted this pod system and I will R&D some of their installations. The hull is 18 mm thick where the pod mounts.

Torqeedo pod looks pretty hydrodynamic! Sleek! The interior is primed and ready for the final paint, all the trim pieces are completed and we’ll go mostly where the blue tape goes. My “supplier” of the planned on pecan trim became a “guest” of the state, I want to complete the boat before he “is available “. I have enough pecan to trip the bulkheads and drawer fronts. The larger pieces are cypress.

Been busy on Matthew, got the interior primed and the decks glassed from the aft end of the deckhouse to the pointy end. The Torqeedo pod, battery and all the charger stuff arrived.

I have some problems finding good wood in “da south “. I find if you buy 2X12 you can rip them into useable sizes. Keeping in my mind the 2X12 likely comes from larger trees and you can find some good stock either side of the center heart wood. Also small sawmills are a great resource for wood, I am willing to pay a premium, (still less expensive than big box stores) to chose the materials I need. I have a local saw mill that the owner has gotten interested in my current project and helps with choice wood, so some networking is a good thing.

Nice Don, I like the toggles you came up with. Fun messing with the Amsteel, I use it on several hammocks I have made or modified for motorcycle camping. Interested to see how it holds up.

Hi Don, did you see the requirements to now purchase the Garlock Ez In from Fisheries Supply? Note: Due to installation complexities EEZ-In II ladders can be sold only to OEMs and Authorized Installers So as builders can we be considered OEM in this instance?

Well, what is this quarantine you speak of.....I have been busy building Matthew Flinders and haven’t kept up with the news. Building a boat practically “garentees” your privacy! My help just returned from a mission trip in Saipan, she is in her own private quarantine......or is she avoiding sanding??!! Hope everyone stays safe in these rather trying times, I just lost a motorcycle friend to the virus.

Graham did a demonstration at the Messabout several years ago, I am actively looking for the notes I took. I used his technique on my CS20.3 and I like how it came out. Maybe Graham will join in.

I think I have found a novel way to self quarantine oneself.......mention to your friends that you are doing some sanding and getting ready to lay fiberglass. All the sidewalk engineers have disappeared?

How ‘bout a camping hammock tarp? Ridge line between the masts, and tie the edges to the gunwales.

Pete has designed the neatest boarding ladder on his CS20.3 Chessie. It is compact, doesn’t look like a jungle-gym and comparatively easy to build, most importantly easy to use. I R&Ded at the Messabout but with Mathew Flinders my CS20.3 is enjoying a vacation.

Hi Chick, if you had a simple loop over the main sheet that if pulled (falling overboard event) the mainsheet from the cleat, boat would roundup and wait for you. Something like that work? My lanyard setup I use not simply keeps you oriented to the center of the cockpit, can’t fall overboard from there but it does present some problems.

On our CS20.3 we have a mizzenmast tabernacle arrangement, we use 2 of the “loop” nuts, one for the mizzen mast pivot bolt and one to tighten the mizzenmast to the “holder up bolt”. At night or when we feel it is appropriate, a harness on the PFD with a lanyard to attached to the boat gives some security. Hard to imagine the frustration seeing the departing transom of your boat. A very tragic event. If the rotor wash caused capsize, could that be attributed to the sheets being cleated, and unattended.