Gordy Hill

She looks great Joe! Here in Florida I think I'd go with a larger portlight...as big as you can fit. Just my $.13 (adjusted for inflation.)

Is it too soon to ask for another update??

I'm going to go along with Allen mostly because he's a much more experienced sailor than I and it will make me look smart. I had a single main sheet led to a block with a cam lock. It was fitted next to the mizzen. When I put the helm down I let the main sheet loose so suddenly all the wind pressure was on the mizzen. The boat turned up nicely and when the mizzen filled on the other tack I would fall off a bit and slowly ease in the main. I was always impressed with how well the boat went to windward. The Sea Pearl drivers at Cedar Key were very impressed as well. With any wind at all I'd sheet everything in as tight as it would go and then ease off just a bit. Then, as Allen said, I'd concentrate on the tell-tails. I'm no great racer, but I never needed no stinking outboard...........

I'm very impressed Ray! Way to go!

Hi Skew, Sorry no one's answered you, but we'd need a lot more info on how you intend to sail, where, how often, etc. Three feet is a lot of boat. If you're going to be single-handed most of the time and the boat is going to live on a trailer, you might find you'd use the smaller boat more often. If you'll be sailing larger waters with a partner,you might not have 'enough' room no matter how big the boat is.

Garland, I built mine pretty much as planned. I think if I were to add glass, I'd keep it as light as possible. There's a trade off, for sure, but the lightness of the boat is truly amazing. I always considered adding buoyancy chambers in the ends, but never got past trying to design something that looked right. Swamped, the boat has enough buoyancy to carry a short verbal message. Enjoy your build. Post pictures. Lots of pictures. Gordy

It seems that any boat I've owned for any length of time was two feet too short.

I built a Moccasin and a Flyfisher. Both were wonderful, but my 240 pounds was a too much for the Moccasin and just about max for the Flyfisher. I'm thinking of building a Moccasin 2 next. With the young one aboard you'll appreciate a little more boat, and the trade off is minimal as far as cost and weight go.

Thanks for sharing John! I found my CS17 was much happier with my hugeness on the rail. Then I got around to adding the coaming and it cut into the back of my legs. I then added a decorative teak "step" on the side deck right where I sat. Looked good. Felt much better. Have you gotten to the point where you just can't imagine sailing a sloop-rigged boat again?

I'd suggest you consider not re-framing. I attached my tiller to the rudder with a large stainless bolt and wing nut. When trailering the rudder and tiller were always in the car. I could stand up and steer and when at anchor or at the dock I'd put the tiller straight up and it would be out of the way and leave the entire cockpit open.

I've sailed the Cedar Key area often in my CS17. Never had a motor on it. You'd be hard pressed to find a better boat for that area. Don't be intimidated. The CS17 is just a Spindrift with bigger parts. Be forewarned, however, once you have sailed the CS you'll cringe at the thought of sailing a sloop.

Gees guys! Just my two cents, but I think you may be overcomplicating the whole thing. The Pettingill paddle is dead simple to build and works great.

Get a trailer. Trust me on this. Only if there's absolutely no other option should you choose car topping over a trailer. It's so so much easier .....and you can leave stuff in the boat. You'll spend half the time at the ramp, coming and going. Just go ahead and build the BRS.

I spent last week watching my friend's place in Appolo Beach, a few canals off Tampa Bay. Even after using the solar heater whenever it was sunny I only got the pool up to 70 degrees. The dog went in, but of course I didn't.

Rich, I think you'd do better with one of the slightly larger canoes. The 15 foot Birder or Moccasin would be a better choice. I built a 12 foot Moccasin and my 240 pounds made it somewhat unstable. I found the Flyfisher a marked improvement, but if I build another canoe it will be larger. These boats are so light and agile you'd be giving up very little and getting a boat that will be much safer for the two of you.

I never heard of a centerboard being too weak, but I'd still prefer the strenght and weight of fir.

I thought mine looked a bit small also. I added an inch just because I thought it looked better to me and didn't affect the draft. I don't think it makes enough difference that any of us could notice.

Jim, I built a Flyfisher some years ago. I took it down the Rock Springs Run just a few miles north of Orlando. Crystal clear water flows from a hole in the ground and becomes a small stream. After the first half mile or so it's all wild for about four hours. There's a section that's particularly twisty and a challange in an aluminum rental canoe with a novice paddler in front. I really wanted to see how it did in that section. However, by the time I thought about it we were well past that part. Evidently, it wasn't much of a problem. The first time I went fishing I paddled to a spot that looked like where I would be if I were a fish and got my gear ready. When I looked up I was no where near where I intended. If you don't stop that little boat, and I mean really stop it, it won't stop. The little rascal will just keep on going and you'll be forced to pretend you really wanted to fish in the bushes.

I'm getting all teary-eyed! Par, you're all heart! ...Must be the season....

Where are you in Central Florida? I absolutely, definately don't need a new project. .........wouldn't hurt to look......

Hi DIG! I never felt I was ever in danger of capsizing and have sailed in some pretty challenging conditions. That said, it's possible, and you should always have a plan and be prepared. Sleeve luffs are much quicker and easier to rig. The sail is left wrapped around the mast. The main mast with sail can be popped in place in the parking lot while standing next to the boat on the trailer. You have to step aboard to step the mizzen. By myself I'd estimate the time from arrival at the ramp to sailing away with the truck parked to be about 10-15 minutes. With my friend it'd be much quicker if he didn't stop and talk to everyone. Reefing is much quicker and easier with sail tracks. That said, unless you're several miles off shore when the thought hits you, the boat can be sailed with full sail to a place where you can reef.....or you can just ignore it and spill wind during the worst gusts. I spent numerous nights aboard my CS17 and one camping on the shore.

I approached the weighted centerboard differently. I sail in extremely shallow water. First, when I pre assembled the centerboard and trunk I noticed that with say six inches exposed, the board was showing only a small triangle of surface. I exposed 12 inches, marked a line six inches parallel from the trunk, and cut off the rest. The result was that when I only had six inches between the bottom of the boat and the bottom of the ocean, much more surface of the centerboard was exposed. When sailing, I noticed the board would touch bottom and I'd release the downhaul. We'd sail along, albeit somewhat to leeward, until I had a chance to search for the bottom. During the Great Race my girlfriend spent a lot of time holding the horn of the centerboard and adjusting to the bottom. An unweighted centerboard, left to tend itself will float high enough to hide most of itself in the trunk and accomplish essentially no real work. I wanted only enough weight to make the centerboard want to float about a foot lower. As such, the board easily adjusts to a shallower muddy bottom and automatically resets itself when there's more water. I could sail very well through a shallow area with very little leeway and would reset the downhaul when I got to deeper water.

I had a custom Bimini with sides made. With it up I could sit up comfrortably on the seat and cook on the forward end of the seat. With the floor boards up there was a 5'6" by 8' sleeping area. The huge windows opened to screen and the forward screen opened as well so I could tend the anchor. It took about five minutes to set up. It was so nice I decided to sell the boat! My next boat will have a cabin. I couldn't sail with the top up and here in Florida we can almost count on a shower or two during the day. It would be nice to have a place where at least the person not sailing could duck in, not to mention a place for one's after-lunch nap.

Order the plans now. The more you bring them out and look at them and picture in your mind what you're going to do, the less chance there is of missing an important step. I know of what I speak.

If you had about a 3" block on the king post and one side accepted the uphaul right on the centerline of the trunk it wouldn't fit.....unless you cut a slot for the block and line. Then you could make a little box to cover this with a hole where the line could exit. A removeable, watertight panel, say 2"x3", might make Murphy happy. The line could then run in a cleverly camoflaged pvc pipe to the cockpit.