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Norman Colter

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Norman Colter last won the day on October 6 2020

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About Norman Colter

  • Birthday 04/04/1958

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    Male
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    Ipswich Massachusetts

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  1. Because of failing health, I am forced to sell my Princess. Email me if seriously interested.
  2. I try not to have adventures. As a general rule, if the weather is crappy, we don't go sailing. I have a very nice situation for boating here in Ipswich. We have the barrier island Plum Island. It provides for sheltered water. Makes a great place to spend the night. Also good for fishing. We routinely sail in 2 to 4 foot seas. I am comfortable in 4 to 6 foot seas. Anything above that, we stay in secluded waters. In the summer we often get a sea breeze going. It's perfect for sailing up and down the coast. We have been as far north as Portsmouth. South to Thacker Island, and several miles off shore in between. My mate and I enjoy fishing. With a nice breeze we easily get going enough to drag a lure or two, so the fishing grounds are usual targets. Chasing down the plastic boats is always fun too. I have a swim ladder, only used it once. I think it's aluminum. Three steps. J rails hang over the transom. It was given to me. One weekend my daughter was with us and she wanted to go swimming. I was glad we had it and it just goes with us now. I hope you enjoy your Princess.
  3. I might as well throw my 2 cents in. I built a Princess 22 with marine fir plywood. It was stamped 1088. 12 years later and I am still sailing her in the Atlantic waters off the northern Massachusetts coast. I didn't choose the marine fir, it chose me. I received it as payment for a garage clean out. Did not even know what I had at the time. As near as I can figure it was manufactured sometime in the early 1960's. I encountered no voids. I covered the whole outside with 10 ounce fiberglass. If the plywood is made with waterproof adhesive and there are no voids, how long it lasts will depend on how well it is constructed and cared for.
  4. I think my issue was carelessness. I used lead weights to hold down the cockpit sole. I should have used screws. I opened the cockpit sole this summer. For some reason that corner didn't seat as it should have. Left a 1/8th inch gap about 3 inches long. My experiences with a dagger board are from a Sailfish. I can't see that being practical on a boat this size. I glassed my hull. The keel is shaped to fit, epoxied and bolted. I set the lead in 3M 4200 and bolted. I don't think I will ever remove it, but at least in theory. I don't ever beach her, and so far I haven't hit anything. After 12 years it looks good.
  5. I have been away from the forum for a couple years, dealing with some health issues. I am now disabled and retired. Plenty of time for the forum. I have been reading up on past posts. Mostly P22 related. I was a little surprised to read of a couple Princesses that have had some rot issues in the cockpit sole. I chose not to fill the space with foam. I cut a couple access ports so I could air out that space. The center board trunk in the cabin calls for a removable cap so we have access to the center board. But the trunk extends into the space under the cockpit sole. While I thought I had everything flat and flush, when put down the sole, I had to trust that I had sealed the top of the trunk. It was very apparent that first labor day weekend that I had not. So I got some long sticks and some thickened epoxy and attempted a repair from underneath. It mostly fixed it, but it doesn't take much to let water in. So I bought myself a little sump pump and every time we went out I had to pump out a couple gallons. It was easy. Well this summer I have cut out the cockpit sole over the trunk. Discovered I needed more thickened epoxy when I put down the sole, and I should have temporarily screwed it down instead of just putting weight on it. So I fit a small piece and sealed the case before I replaced the piece of sole. Labor day weekend we came home dry. First time in 12 years. So future and current builders of the P22, I pass on a little lesson. Please make sure that the center board trunk is sealed under the cockpit sole.
  6. It was Labor Day weekend 2008 when she first kissed saltwater. 12 years later and I am more in love with her.
  7. On the P22 it is a fold out, "just one page". But what a page. I had read Marino's Sailmakers Appretice, so I had an idea of what I was in for. All the info I needed was on that page. I estimated materials and ordered from Sailrite. I had fun doing them. Probably not for everyone, but I had reasons. In general, Paul has it right.
  8. It is in fact the stepping of the masts. I can't hold it in the tabernacle and fasten it. There is probably a solution for one, I use my Mate. I used the specs Graham supplied for my masts. I think there is supposed to be some bend, part of the joy of free standing masts. Years ago I salvaged an old machine from a local Army National Guard armory. A little TLC and I soon had a machine that punched through anything I needed. You learn tricks for handling material feeding.
  9. Hi Greg, As you know, I built a Princess 22. Bought the plans in 2001, studied and studied and things aligned allowing me to start building in May of 2006. I launched in September 2008. Except for this past summer, I have spent the second weekend of every summer month on my Princess. For my location, and for my purposes, the 22 is as near perfect as I could ask. It's a good size boat. I could sail by myself. But I have not been able to set up and launch by myself. It looks like you have a good handle on the magnitude of this project. I did not keep track of my expenses. I guestimated material costs that I had purchased online and not paid taxes on, when it was time to register her with the State. I didn't have any problems with that method, but I can see how keeping better track has value. I lucked into a 2004 Honda 8hp 4 stroke. More engine than needed, but the ability to charge batteries as a standard feature. I was looking at the 6hp which can handle a generator but it's an add on. It was a 2 year old floor display at 40% off. It was in my basement when the build started. My motor well is a custom fit. It's nice to have, but mostly we sail. I used the birdsmouth construction method to make my masts. My thinking was, wooden boat, wooden masts. But I saved a bunch of money too. And it kept me busy during the winter months when outside epoxy use was done. I also sewed my own sails. Kept me busy the second winter. About $700.00 in materials for both sails. My lead keel was probably the most difficult part of the project. I had access to a couple automotive garage scrap buckets. A brother in law and two good friends. I used an outdoor propane burner. Cleaned the material in several small melts, then when I knew I had enough, I made my mold. My melting pot was not large enough to do it all at once, so I did it in three pours. Then used a torch to weld the seams shut. I put wooden dowels in the mold where I wanted the bolt holes, made it easy to drill through. Made the mold upside down so the smooth side mated to the boat sweetly. I hope you find this helpful. Any specific questions will be gladly answered to the best of my ability. Have fun.
  10. My Princess called for 1208 biax so my fillets needed to be large enough to get a smooth bend. Two layers of tape (which I cut from a large roll) on interior seams over lapping an inch and then just left as is. One layer on the outside also rounded over for a fair chine. After the weave fill I took a long board to the high spots and mixed a thickened goo that a 6 inch drywall trowel feathers out nicely. After my first section put dry onto a wet fillet, I wet all the tape first. Used a shallow tray 4 feet long 6 inches wide. It sucks up a lot of epoxy, but I am confident it will never come apart.
  11. That doesn't look like an 8 to 1 to me. Just my old tired eyes?
  12. I am a P22 builder/owner. Sailor. Fisherman. Camper. I love my boat. I modified the transom. Put a gentle curve to it. Official measurement is 22ft3inches. Otherwise to spec as best I could. I launch in a river landing about 3 miles from my house. So while I am a trailer sailor, Not much traveling. I can launch at any tide, love the 12 inch draft. I sail in the Massachusetts Bay. My adventures are weekends that typically start with a Friday late afternoon launch. And a Sunday afternoon retrieve. My mate is an older brother. We are both 6 foot two hundred pounds or so... Plenty of room. We sail well out into the Atlantic during the day, weather permitting. And camp-out at anchor or on a friends mooring in the more protected waters of the Plum Island sound. My schedule only allows me one weekend a month so we have been out in some different weather. Always safe. Always fun. It was a first time build for me. I studied the plan set, read "How to build any boat the stitch and glue way". Several others as well, but that was my go to. And finally after five years the stars aligned and I was ready to start. So how about a P22? I vote yes.
  13. I remember that feeling. Then it was finding/making time to build.....every day! Now I daydream about next summer's adventures. Every day.
  14. Love your posts Paul, you give me smiles.
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