Martin Williams

I never noticed the sprits being set up like that before. Good eye. I generally never rig it like that with both on the same side, but that morning I do think we did it on purpose. But, it could be that we just woke up and geared up, and thats just the way it ended up. The CS 17 is great for the TX 200. I just brought her back from rockport to San Antonio for some work over the winter. I have to do alot of work to the hull. All the oyster reefs and shallow water fishing have taken it's toll. I am going to sand out the paint failures and patch some glass, then coat in a epoxy and graphite mix. I did this on my rudder and it made a huge difference. glad to have the boat back home with work to do on her, makes me feel like sanding. Yes, sanding....it is a sickness....don't laugh you all have it too. Thanks for the nice comments. I hope to see many of you this summer for the 3rd annual TX 200. I wont be sailing but will be helping with land based assistance from Corpus to Matagorda. Soooo... I really I hope I don't see any of you.

I found some pictures on the Texas 200 site of my CS17 that I had not seen before. thought I would share them here. After my main mast step slid loose (builder error) and my rudder kicked up/kicked out on something in the ICW, land cut (not my fault) we patched her up. Well, mostly Charlie Jones patched her up... and we have been sailing the Cuyahoga free and easy ever since. Without my crew Mr. Kim Apel from California i would have pulled out much sooner than we did. He was awesome. I learned more from him and the rest of the Texas200 sailors in 5 days than the previous 5 years.

Graham, If you make it down next year come with me early on in the event so you can fix all the things I screwed up! Actually it was a bad batch of epoxy that did me in, but Charlie and I fixed my main mast step on the second day. The boat did great in high swells and we had a great time despite pulling out a day early. It was nice to see 2 CS17's side by side at my dock in Rockport. Pete and I discussed a CS17 regatta on Copano bay sometime in the near future, I would like to finish the TX200 before I worry about a regatta. My crew member was very impressed with the way the boat handled itself under the adverse conditions. Anyway, If you and Charlie are both at the tx 200 next year my chances of finishing go up exponentially. -Marty ps-Pete when are you coming back down to the coast.

I finished my CS17 last October with ZERO Sailing or Boatbuilding experience. I do have some wood working skills, but that doesn't translate to working with Epoxy. That comes with time and practice. The entire project took me 2 1/2 years. That includes moving once, having a three month old when i started and having another baby right before i finished. Working full time, and re-tiling 2 bathrooms, putting in a flagstone patio, remolding a house on the coast, and making 28 new cabinet doors for the kitchen. Without the kit it is straightforward and very very do-able. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE THE KIT! I would highly recomend it. It will save you a great amount of trouble and lessen your desire to drink heavily. All that said I have sailed my wonderful boat as much as I can, and i have enjoyed very few things more. By building it I can fix just about everything and ask Graham or any of these fine people anything. Chances are one of us has had the same problem. Buy the kit, buy everything else from graham, and worry less about doing it right. If I could do it anyone can! The Best advice is to get everything from graham it will save you a huge amount of time and money! -

I was also thinking of the higher mast step of 6 layers. The tube would cause a problem with water and derbis, I did not think of that, do you have a picture of your mast reinforcements?

AS a newbie sailor/ boatbuilder, I was delighted when my wife and I had a great sail here in texas on Copano bay. We made great speeds up to 7knots on a broad reach, we were relaxed and my wife was getting more and more comfortable with the boat. It was great. The wind was out of the east and we sailed due north for nearly 2 natical miles on a single tack, the water was so clear we could see her "trolling" rig in the water 40 feet back and 4 feet under water. It was gorgeous. we only got one "fish on" moment but I couldn't turn the boat into the wind fast enough, to slow the boat down and the hook popped out. It was getting close to the time to turn around so we did. We were now on a starboard tack and my first blatant building error was made very obvious about a half mile from our boat ramp. My mast step broke! Then at the same instant my thwart gave way to the mast being blown over by the 10 kt wind, Crack!!! We both looked at each other in dis belief and the Mizzen mast and sail lay on the rail! We stayed calm righted the mast, tied the sail around the mast, lashed the mast into position using the oar lock holes as anchors, sailed under the main alone, and used the trolling motor to get back to the ramp. it took 5 minutes to get back to a safe position. Wow. In reality damage was very minimal. I can easily fix the thwart, and am thinking of making a fiberglass tube like the main uses for the mizzen. Any thoughts on that? I was very glad this experience did not totally freak out my wife, and she looks forward to me fixing the boat and our next sailing adventure. She was more upset we didn't catch any fish!! A very scary moment for sure, but at the same time I was glad we were both wearing our pfd's and had talked about situations like this before we went out. It was good that we didn't freak out and just dealt with the problem quickly and with out incident. I also realized sailing alone is not an option for me right now, and will always have another able bodied person on the boat. WEAR YOUR PFD's, you never know.

Ahh, that makes perfect sense. I should have thought of that. It was hidden to me in its obvious-ness. Also do i tie up just the sails or do I tie the sail ties around the spirit? Graham I should be a poster child for your design. Being a novice sailor and boat builder it goes to show that if I could build it, sail it, and live to tell about it anyone can. What a great design, It was much more stable than I thought it would be. The boat was so very solid on the water, It was only when i got a little too adventerous and began to push my limits that I felt it was heeling too far over. It was a tremendous day, with almost too much wind to start off with. i am really looking forward to a day with 5 -8 knot winds so i can put up full sails and feel comfortable. When I take a guest with me, where is it best that they sit. I was thinking either just fore or aft of the thwart. Is this correct? I guess it depends on the conditions, but for them to be "out of the way" and be comfortable would that be the best position? Or would the stern better?

Charlie, I am sorry. I thought twice about calling you. But i had that terrible twinge of pride, I really wanted to go out there for the first time on my own. I built her on my own and wanted to sail her first on my own. I am now completely over that mistake!!!!!!! I haven't seen the bay look that good in a long time, the color was great, the waves were small, and the wind was really blowing. It wasn't even that hot! It was a day I will never forget. We are coming down to Rockport again this weekend for Sea-Fair, but I think I may be on Stroller duty with my wife for the majority of saturday. I don't really know yet. Since she was with both kids and her parents for the majority of saturday while i played in the boat, I might have to make up for it this coming weekend, we will have to see what the boss says.

I took her out for the first time this saturday. Winds were Strong 12-15 knots coming from the south east. I started out reefed all the way to the second reefing point. Now gentlemen be kind because I am a novice sailor, I tried to get the foot of the sail as neatly tied up as possible, I tried to fold, roll, and tie as best as i could figure but the clew end was always coming undone and i had to keep trying to re tie as i went. any sugestions.

Charlie, I to am totally legal now.THe inspection went well. I had to tell the game warden what all I needed. I guess they don't do too many homemade inspections here in San antonio. I will be down to rockport for Sea Fair, but due to the little ones I cant get the boat in the water until then. I really enjoyed our visit, and look forward to seeing you again. thanks alot ps- I finally got the down haul setup, and will order that auto clam cleat you told me about from duckworks, I think it would work great for where we are. thanks again, see you soon. -Marty

As to the wood question. Charlie is right, As usual I might add, Go to Houston Hardwoods. That is where I got all my wood. Just call ahead if they are open

yeah i think a bubble bucket might work just as well

charlie , give me a call. 210-392-9291.I will be down there tonight. I wont have the boat with me since it has yet to be inspected and we live full time in san antonio. I dont want to get fined for sailing in public waters without my registration. Plus I have never seen a warden on copano bay but with my luck they will be all over it if I took the boat out this weekend. I would love to meet you down here sometime.

thanks guys. I am already thinking of how I can improve it. My wife and I love fishing and I am contimplating how I might get a livewell under the stern seat. I don think I would want to put it on either side, unlesss I get one of those drop in hatches/container things Cabela's has. I just dont want to keep putting holes in the bottom of my boat before I even get it in the water. You can see pics at our blog [ftp=ftp://www.thecrazywilliams.blogspot.com]www.thecrazywilliams.blogspot.com[/ftp] We are going to the coast this weekend but cant take the boat since it has yet to be inspected. I will have to wait another 2 weeks to get her wet.

After two short years of building I have finished my boat. Thank all of you for your help, I have stolen all you ideas and tried to learn as much as possible. I am a novice sailor and an even more novice boat builder. I don't think it could have been any better. If any of you out there don't think you can build a great looking boat on you own, please reconsider. If I could do it, anyone can. Also, don't be intimidated by the guys on this forum and their awesome looking boats. Remember you are building a boat not a helicopter. The guys here are a great resource and i could not have finished my boat without their help, even though they did not know they were helping. I was so impressed with myself when i finally wheeled it out of the garage where it sat for a year and a half. Once I got her into the sunlight, you can't see all the little imperfections i thought would look so bad, it was like they disappeared. I am so excited to get "Cuyahoga" wet, but, I am going to try to find something else to do as a hobby. I am already going through builders withdrawal. Charlie in Port Lavaca, TX, I have a Game Warden inspection on Monday here in San Antonio, Do i have to bring the masts or just the hull? I am getting conflicting reports from the TDPW. I am leaning towards bringing everything. I plan to sail In Rockport Texas, in Copano bay near our house with my wife,2 year old son, and 3 week old daughter. Not all of them right away of course but I don't think i could have picked a better design, Designer, or set of plans anywhere. Thanks to you all. I really want to post pictures but i cannot get them small enough. i will keep trying. very frustrating try going to[ftp=ftp://www.thecrazywilliams.blogspot.com]www.thecrazywilliams.blogspot.com[/ftp]

finally a picture. It took me a while to get the pixels right. But here you are. thanks for the help and advice

Gentlemen, I have been reading and learning so much from all of your posts and should thank all of you for your help in getting the "Cuyahoga" 3D. What a great feeling for a very novice[/u] boat builder. Charlie and Graham thanks so much for your help. I am sure the easy part is done, and the real challenge lies ahead, at leat my wife can't say it doesn't look like a boat any more. Thanks. I am on the right in one of the pics, my friend and fellow sticher is on the left. it seems like a right of passaage to post a pic of a boat going 3D, so enjoy, and if I really messed up please let me know. -Marty[/img]