PeterP

Who knows how long the crack has been there and how much water got in. Make sure the plywood is sound without any dry rot along the edge. Think about the force a 17ft mast puts on the fore deck with every gust of wind and you'll understand why everything must be well fastened together. As for the trim piece: judging by the picture no exotic woods are called for. I would fill the rabbet with several layers of glass tape soaked with epoxy. Built up to the required thickness. I would still run boat nails say every 6" on BOTH sides of the original seam because you want to keep the edges together as well as helping them stick to the king plank. Nice thing about F/G is that it will not split like wood or ply could. PeterP

If I'm seeing this right then there is a king plank under that crack and god only knows what kind of shape that rascal is in. You do what you need to but I would take my router and run a 3/4in wide rabbet 1/4in deep the length of the crack (half the thickness of your fore deck ply if it is 1/2 in). I would then sink a couple of flat bottom holes in the rabbet to the top of the king plank to see if it has been touched and to what degree. If it looks OK then drying and soaking with epoxy would be my next step. 3/4 in batten bedded in epoxy to cover the seam. I would make sure the deck is soundly epoxied and fastened to the king plank. Nails- that's what I like to use -nice 1in long boat nails. If your ply panels aren't solidly attached you may see the epoxy disappear real fast when you soak the seam. Just be ready and keep your eye on things and stop up the leak (s) on the backside if need be. Make sure to fill up all the voids if you have any. Once when I was faced with de-lamination I resorted to drilling a bunch of 1/8in holes and then -using a syringe- I forced unthickened epoxy into the void until it overflowed. Good luck PeterP

Add a fat bungee cord to the down haul or a breakaway cleat. Don't try to plan for every possibility or you'll never leave the dock. Like Tom says experience comes from screwing up (and fixing stuff). PeterP

It may be worth mentioning that the tenon grain should be orthogonal to the joint. Stronger that way. PeterP

Put a floating tenon in the joint. Nice and fat - 1/2" by 2" +. Epoxied in. PeterP

Sometime I read too fast. My first take was: You had you CS 20 for 50 years? How is that even possible? It wasn't until I read Don's post that I realized you had another Momma in your life. Congrats PeterP

Ouch, I bet that water was cold still! Been there, running before 25 mile wind with the boat surfing at 7-8 and you think the fun will never end. In the excitement it is easy to forget the difference between apparent and true wind. To do a gibe in that kind of wind is not for the faint of heart and slow of hand but you learnt that already. Better luck next time PeterP

Don , Gordy is/was a member on this forum. You should be able to send him a PM. Graham was going to pay him a visit last year on his trip out west last year I believe. He may be able to give you more info. PeterP

Gordy used to live up there part of the year. He is a good hand and may enjoy the diversion. PeterP

Thanks Ken, I will investigate. The 28 footer needs a bit more water to launch than your 17". I need close to 3ft of water so even at Graham's water level rules. PeterP

I have a family get together in Charleston, SC next May and I thought -why not take Petrel down there. Any suggestions as to good launch facilities would be welcome. PeterP

As one of the projects this winter I am re-doing my cockpit hatches. Number one problem with the originals was the size - my old ones were too small to take the folding bike. We have made a couple of trips where having a bike would've been nice or where we ended up renting them for touristy price. Stupid to do that if you have the gear sitting at home. So, while I was re-doing the tops I decided to go with different latch system. I'd had stainless Seadog hasps previously and I developed an intense dislike for them. They were the exact hight to scrape my shin/calf at every turn. Nothing worse than an old guy with skinny legs covered with sores - half of them still bleeding. So I made my own stuff- using generic cooler latches. Less than $9 a pair on ebay. Obviously, these are not lockable, but I have never ever locked my cockpit hatches anyway. We'll see how these work out. All the best in 2018 PeterP

Not saying you are doing it wrong but get the kids hooked up. The minute the kiddies are onboard so to speak you go from selfish guy wasting family money to hardworking dad bonding with his kids. Most women like that. Then you take them out sailing in a boat they helped to build, their faces light up and it's all in a bag. Perfect time to tell the good wife that the 10 footer is just a tender for the real boat of your life. Whatever that might be but (usually) a lot bigger than 10 ft. PeterP

Drew, July is not the best time here to be on a sail boat. Gets pretty hot and humid, the winds are flukey and the bugs are beyond belief. Spring and fall is much better. Sailing and fishing. Just sayin' PeterP

Wasserboot, thank you for your praise. I remember reading your post about wanting a boat for shallow water in the North Sea in Germany. How is that coming? PeterP

One of the most sublime feelings in my life only happens on a sailboat. Picture yourself well away from land, the boat is drawing gently but steadily in a breeze, the sun warms your face and then your entire microcosm is inexorably moved up then gently let down. There is a mixture of awesome endless power and gentleness in that movement that I never get tired of experiencing yet find totally beyond any words I possess. Ocean swell. The Book says that sea can be as terrible as the face of God. But not this day - today is probably the closest I get to re-live the time of awaking consciousness back in the womb where -floating in our liquid world- danger, terror or privation had no place. Not there not yet. The silence of sails is an essential key to feeling this. Petrel is doing great. She took us on several trips and I have some pictures I would like to post

Longtime no hear. If only Howard would bob up - it would be like old times. For me at least. PeterP

That second video looks fabulous. I've had my share of video one. I'd like to haul my Petrel out there one day and kick around a bit. PeterP

Always amazes me how fast crap can happen even at 2 MPH. The guy who invents brakes for boats is going to make a killing. I will personally buy the first three sets that roll off the assembly line. After putting a 50 cal size hole into my 17' in similar circumstances to yours -by coming to a dead stop on a dock bolt - I make it a policy now to ALWAYS end the sailing part of the trip 200-300 yds off the dock. Luff up, roll up the sail(s) then row to the dock. No motor on my 17'. That flogging sail still generates a fair amount of power and unpredictability which is fine with room to play but can be a total mess near a dock. The repairs to my boat were not worth the bravado. PeterP

Just saw this, and for a tiniest moment I had a glimpse of how I think Graham feels when he sees one of his boats go by: satisfaction of a piece of work done well. Providing pleasure to others by performing well after all these years and hopefully for years to come. Kind of makes you feel sorry for todays kids who get their life experience from 3D goggles. Glad I met you mate. PeterP

Don, try that for your next passport photo. It should make for some interesting times going through airport security. PeterP

Shazam, that is a nice piece of kit! Bit more than Teflon paint on that boat. What I am really jealous about are the wishbones. Mine did not work out at all and I am way too tired/busy right now to work up another-better set. PeterP

My guess would be Teflon bottom paint - makes the boat slide off the trailer 3x faster. Lots of hype in these 5MPH races. Just guessing though. PeterP

This is bad news indeed! I'm sure Graham will pipe in. Buck was a good hand. His wife got hammered last year and now this. Did not know him that well but I knew him well enough to note his passing with sadness. PeterP