Gordy Hill

When I built CS17 #11 there was no forum to call on. Graham was very helpful when I was aware enough to know I didn't know something. I came up with a great way to make a plug for the foot of the mast....I thought. I had hole saws who's inside diameter matched the inside and outside diameters of the mast tube. I drilled through a pressure-treated 2x until the pilot bit showed out the other side and used that hole to line up the other hole saw. It created a perfectly stepped plug that I epoxied into the bottom ends of the masts. (Cross grain isn't good) During the Great Race the block on the main swelled and I barely got the mast out in time to pass under a bridge. Of course I never stopped to think there might be something wrong and I put the mast right back. Later, while beating in a really stiff breeze I noticed the marks on the mast indicated it was about two inches out of it's hole. That's about when the fiberglass sleeve went. I got the mast out (fully rigged) and laid it on the boat. I ripped out the rest of the sleeve and put the mast back in with the partners and about a 1/2 inch step holding everything for the rest of the race. I made new plugs the same way with polypropylene about an inch thick. I then put a disk of about 1/4 inch poly in the bottom of the hole for the main. I never got around to fitting a disk for the mizzen. Both masts rotated very easily! Poly against poly is 'bout as good as the best bearings. Nylon on nylon is also really slick. My low-tech bearings let the masts rotate in very light breezes.

Tom, She's looking beautiful! I think I'd mount the phone a bit higher.......

At 245 -250 I found the 12' Moccasin a bit tender and it felt over gross, especially if I took along anything heavier than a short verbal message. My girlfriend loves it. The 13' Fisherman was a noticeable improvement, but even with my great skill and sense of balance, (Is there a tongue-in-cheek emoticon) I couldn't truly relax when the fish weren't biting. I think you're going to be very happy with a double. One thing I noticed with both boats was how easily they moved. A few strokes would get me to the next place to fish. Then I'd zoom right past the point I wanted because the darn thing just doesn't stop. I had to actually make a back stroke to stop it.

I agree with you Ray. My Mikita cordless skill saw is wonderful for cutting plywood. It easily makes the long sweeping curves and doesn't make all the little wiggly curves that I make with a jigsaw. Of course, someone with even a bit of skill doesn't have this problem, but I need all the help I can get. I learned this after I built my boat.....

I assume there were no conflicts with the crew.........

Great job Mike! Congrats!!!

My CS17 rowed remarkably well from a position forward of the mizzen with 8 1/2 foot oars. Doug, you might consider a comfortable rowing position for just one oarsman. There will be enough rowing to go around and it would work out nicely if the guy resting manned the tiller. For two-up rowing you could leave the oarsman with one oar and move the other back to where the person at the helm could use it while facing forward and steering. I think you'll find it useful to be able to sail in light wind and be assisted by rowing. All that said, Graham and Randy did very well with Randy helping out with just one oar when the wind went light. Gordy

Much better Tom! Thanks!

Nice job Tom! She looks great! After you sail her a bit I think you'll get her upwind just fine. I was concerned with my CS17 for a while until I sailed her next to other boats. I don't believe I ran into any boat that could significantly out point her. I found a lot of boats that couldn't point nearly as well. Add big spray rails! (I say this only to hear Graham's teeth gnash from here)

When I had my CS17 we often launched off a causeway into about a foot of water. With a tilting trailer it took two of us with each putting a sholder under the chines to get the boat off the trailer when the bunks were covered with carpet. Loading with the winch appeared to put a lot of strain on the hull where it contacted the bunks. My friend's shop occasionally uses large sheets of plastic about 5/8 inch thick that look a lot like the matrial used for cutting boards. I covered my bunks with it and rounded the edges with a router. The boat could be launched with one person and usually one-handed. It slid right back onto the trailer with very little strain. I think you should consider buying a couple large kitchen cutting boards, cut them up, round the corners and counter sink the screw holes, and put them on the bunks.

Rob, I like your idea. I like to be able to roll the sail up on the mast and I particularly like the clean airfoil achieved with the sleeved luff. I drilled a large hole through the mast about 6 inches above the deck and had a section of 1/2 inch heavy-walled aluminium tubing welded in it. It gave a strong hole through the mast. Then I used about 18" of the tubing as a handle and had welded a section of bar on the end. Stick the bar end in the mast and it makes a handy handle for rotating the mast. I called my "mast wrench". Graham referred to it as a "mast spanner". It made rolling up the sail much easier.

If I were planning to sleep more than two people in a Princess I'd consider making sure the cockpit seats were wide enough to sleep on, at least for smaller people. Then I'd have full side curtains for the Bimini over the cockpit. With just two on board you could sit out in the screen room for cocktails.... Three inches add to the freeboard seems a bit much. It would take a rather creative paint job to keep it from looking like a motorhome with sails. Eventually one reaches a point where sailing qualities approach those of a beach ball.

What ever happened to street urchins? It wouldn't take any time to teach one to scurry up to the windward rail. What would it cost? One, maybe two bowls of gruel? When the wind dies you could drop him off anywhere. If he's homeless you wouldn't have to take him "home" would you?

You're right Ray. The BRS is lighter. I seem to remember it being built with thicker plywood, but the CS15 is a bit longer and wider and has the decks. On the surface it looks like we have a classic choice of a great row/power boat that can sail and a sailboat that can be rowed or powered. In this case, however, we have two boats that do everything quite well. I've sailed a BRS and a CS 17. The difference I noticed most was the side decks. They give a place to sit when sailing really gets interesting and give a little more secure feeling when burying the rail. They would probably get in the way a bit when rowing. It didn't seem a problen on my CS 17. If I lived on a lake and wanted an all around boat for fishing, sailing, and towing an inner tub around the lake the BRS would be tough to beat. For sailing/camping the CS series is close to perfect. Dan, if you have room to build and store you might consider one of the 15 foot boats. If you have your heart set on a 12' boat go ahead. You'll enjoy building it and I think you'll be surprised at how much it can do.

Dan, Go ahead with the Spindrift 12. My CS 17 rowed remarkably well and I'd expect the Spindrift to be much better. At 12 feet it's much larger than most dinghies. Of course a larger boat would have advantages but would also have more problems. If you did go larger I'd look at the CS 15. It's lighter than the BRS and has a deck. Then after having it for a while you might want a CS17...or a CS20 or a Belhaven.... H*ll, just build the Spindrift!

Amazing how much smaller it is when it's outside, isn't it? There's something about water that makes a boat smaller also. Don't get in a hurry when you launch. It's a wonderful moment....enjoy!

Nice work Daniel! For Heven's sake put something on that floor! Epoxy drips won't fit in with your decor......Honest!

Beautiful work Howard!

I've seen a lot of boats in the Gulf Stream that were a lot larger than a Belhaven that I don't think would be as safe. The great thing about the Gulf Stream is that it's only about 50 miles to Bimini. You can pick your weather. On a nice day a Spindrift could make it. On a not nice day I wouldn't try it in a much larger boat. Far worse boats have made it safely...far better boats haven't. If I had a Belhaven I'd be sending back pictures from Green Turtle Key and sipping a cool one....

Hey! Pictures Dale! Pictures!

Graham just called me from Atsena Otie Key just off Cedar Key. Temp is supposed to top out today at 88 degrees with light winds of 8 - 10. Graham helped Dale launch his boat and went for a sail with him, says Dale is a good sailer and currently out beating up on the Sea Pearls. Word is that this year's showing is 50% bigger than last year. Lots of very interesting people. I'm sitting at work just three hours away and I have to work tomorrow as well....

Boy! Y'All are making this sound complicated! Point the boat upwind. If it doesn't work, bare (or is it bear?) off a bit. I usually kept the mizzen sheeted in almost as far as it will go and then pretty much ignored it. After it fills, I ease the main a bit for power to gain some speed and I fly the tell-tails. Also, when the main fills it tends to want to pull the bow further around than I want, so easing it a bit helps. As I get back some speed I sheet in and still fly the tell-tails. I had three sets of tell-tails on the luff about 12 - 18 inches aft of the mast I noticed Graham had them on the leach as well. If I still had the boat I'd have those cute little windows in the sail so I could see how the leeward tell-tail was doing.

I'd go for the 2 hp. It takes very little to move your boat. I'd be more interested in weight and convenience. I'd like to keep the motor in a locker and only bring it out when needed.

Dale, You can download my photos anytime. Are you going to enter LIVELY next year? I think there should be a class for Class IV - Singles.

I loved having the third mast step. With the sleve luffs I would wrap the main around the mast and reposition the mizzen. If I were just going for a local sail on a windy day I'd only take the main in the mid step. When sailing like this the boat barely tips, it just scoots! It's also pretty idiot proof for a novice sailor. You can send just about anyone out and they will have a great time. Since my seat came further back across the front of the cockpit I rowed from a spot forward of the mizzen. I would straddle the centerboard trunk and have plenty of room for rowing.