Hirilonde
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Posts posted by Hirilonde
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If your epoxy were meant to be thinned, it would come that way. You are sacrificing tensil strength and ability to water proof when you thin it. In boat building there is no need to try and improve penetration into the wood. Epoxy bonds so well it just isn't necessary. And thinking that epoxy repairs rotten wood is delusion. It makes it hard, but does almost nothing for strength. It's what you do to avoid doing the proper repair.
As to cleaning, vinegar, alcohol, mineral spirits and acetone all work. Citrus cleaners also work because they contain acid, like vinegar does. For really clean hands, I use alcohol or mineral spirits, then citrus cleaner.
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When I built my Lapwing the plans called for a notch in the mast end of the sprits. As I understand it, in the early days, the snotter ran through a notch instead of a cheek block. So when I finally learned the updated version, I had to cut and inch plus off the end to lose the notch. Well, it matters. It is just too hard to get the sail as flat as I would like in a good wind.
Step 1 Cut a scarf and epoxy on a longer piece
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I don't understand why you would want to use goo either. If after painting you have a hole opened up along the seam from sewing, then maybe use a dab there. But use a paintable goo and only if you have to, and sparingly.
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Thrillsbe, I get the part about catching the sails, but why do you have to unbend at night when crusing if you don't have this? Just tie them up to the sprits and use a topping lift. In Peter's case, with luff sleeves he can't drop his sails into the webbing anyway.
I was going to build wishbooms with my boat. A few of us were discussing them about 10 years ago. I decided to try sprits first because so many, including Graham suggested I try them. And as we have all learned by now, we can change our minds and make the change happen. Now, I don't think I will ever bother. The big advantage to them is sail shape, and it just isn't that much of a thing. If cruising, and with track/slides it would be convenient to flake the sails into the net and leave it all hanging from the topping lift. But I don't cruise my Lapwing. If I raced, or cruised, I would have wishbooms w/track and slides.
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8 hours ago, john lizardi said:
looking to purchase a spindrift sailboat
I would suggest you start a thread either here in classifieds, or in the B&B section. Include where you live (general area) and how far you would travel to get it.
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Hmmmm, interesting question. Can't say that anyone has asked it before. It's the weight when dry that matters, and how much of the material it takes to waterproof the boat. I don't know where you could get data on either.
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It's taking a little adjustment in my views to get used to the changes. It just looks so different. The planking, the gains, etc look good.
I am a bit befuddled though concerning your rig. You went to a lot of trouble to make varnished birdsmouth masts and then cover up most of them with a luff sleeve sail. You went the extra mile to build wish booms, which add a little to sail shape, but then used battenless no roach sails.
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By insure do you mean liability and property damage or the boat itself? My homeowners in RI covered liability and property damage as long as the boat was under 25'. I self insured on the boat itself. I figure I will do the repair any way and in the last 5 years I have probably saved enough on premiums to buy all the materials I could need for repairs.
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Sitka Spruce is my #1 choices. But price and availability are why I didn t use it as well
Alaskan Yellow Cedar is great, if you can get it. When I was in RI it was available 10 minutes down the road. I made my oars for my Lapwing out of it. Here in FL no one has even heard of it.
Douglas Fir is a tad heavier than ideal, but it is what I used. I made my Spindrift boom, both Lapwing masts and sprits. You can likely get some nice pieces if you are willing to create a little scrap getting the best parts even at a big box store. (cringes at the thought of big box stores) By the board wide if you have to and figure out how to get the best part of it.
I am skeptical that you can bleach Poplar and lose the green. I would try it first. I like Poplar, but it is ugly. The heartwood is white, but hard to find.
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I take my main sheet to the center thwart as well. But instead of a block and separate cam cleat, both are one piece of hardware, the whole thing swivels, and the cleat leads in what ever direction the sheet is pulled in. Between this and a tiller extension I can sail from almost any where. Though I do prefer just aft of the center thwart
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9 hours ago, TheWeezer said:
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
Bah, get out of that tunnel and just keep working.
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8 hours ago, Paul356 said:
But handy when needed for short bursts
Bursts? I wanna video of a burst!
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You need one of these Don:
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And I thought Garry built an expedition Spindrift.
I have never built a plug for my trunk. But then a nesting version has an angled aft slot. I did once tow it fast enough for water to come up, but she was planing at the time. So I stuffed a rag in. Does water really come up the trunk on a conventional perpendicular trunk when rowing?
It may not matter much with a Spindrift, but having your winch line come up over the bow means it will be pulling down harder as you get your boat up on the trailer. I have a similar situation with my Lapwing as I didn't want a bow eye or a hole in the stem. I have to get behind my boat after I retrieve it and push it on the last few inches. I have learned to live with that as I still don't want a bow eye or hole.
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I will never again epoxy anything that gets varnished on my boats, with the occassional exception of plywood. If the varnish ever breaks down, and the epoxy is yellowed or cracks, you will never get it looking good again. If it is varnish alone, and it is damaged, it is easily removed with a heat gun without damage, and then simply re-varnish. In man's efforts to make things bomb proof we some times make things worse.
I just now had to repair the seat in my Spindrift. The corners burnt in the sun and the epoxy cracked at the corner and started to release. I used a chisel and removed the compromised material, sanded to smooth, Built up the bare wood area with varnish and sanded/varnished all a couple time to feather out the old to new edge. The color will never look right again. Had there been no epoxy you wouldn't see that I repaired it at all.
Port Orford Cedar
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I use Davis rowlocks on my Lapwing (open). I tied a chord to the hole in the bottom of the pin and tied a toggle to the other end of the chord. It passes through the socket and the toggle keeps it from coming back through. Now I can't lose my rowlocks and the chord is long enough to tuck the rowlock behind my stored oars under the side deck. I alson can't lose the insert, though if that were an issue I would do as Don says and add tape until the inserts jamb in place.
On my Spindrift I use round rowlocks. (closed) With buttons on my oars the rowlocks can't fall off.
If your oars are lifting out of the sockets while rowing, that is operator error.
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Almost makes you not want to cover it up with cloth.
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1 hour ago, Thrillsbe said:
I’ve never understood the fascination that some have with gaff rigs.
Other than on a classic boat of the era, I agree.
There is no way reefing a gaff is easier than a sprit Marconi. And if you are looking for a sail plan for a good blow, a fully reefed main and mizzen on a cat ketch is about as short of a lever arm as you can get with a still viable rig.
As to sleeping floor plan, I would do what I had to do with a well rigged sailboat.
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Narragansett Bay is the best small boat sailing on the east coast. David gave you some ideas closest to you Curt.The East Passage north to Providence can be busy with ships. If you are looking for a less busy area East Greenwich has a nice ramp on the EG Cove which accesses the upper West Passage. This was my childhood sailing grounds. If you head towards the town of Narragansett and Joe Anderson, there is a ramp in Wilson Park in North Kingstown. This accessess Wickford Cove and middle West Passage and Jamestown. Once you reach Joe, you have salt pond sailing ( 6 in RI) or out into Block Island Sound.
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13 hours ago, Thrillsbe said:
The acid test for power is heading up into a stiff breeze to raise your sails.
Not for me it isn't. If the wind is blowing my auxilliary will be buried in a locker. I just wanna get home when there is no wind. Or maybe use it to crawl around exploring tight places.
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2 hours ago, Thrillsbe said:
@Joe Anderson I do wish the Suzuki wouldn’t foul my mizzen sheet, though.
That, and that they are ugly and weight in the wrong place are why I must have a removable/installable under way option. Even if the oil/fuel draining issue wasn't, dealing with spilling gas is no fun.
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Don asked me to start a thread on this stuff. Can't say I am an expert, but I probably have more experience and luck with the stuff than most.
A few things to consider before even using it. It will never match solvent based when it comes to gloss. If you must have a mirror, it won't satisfy you. There is a clear coat, and fanatics can do the super fine sanding with clear coats to finish. But it will still not match. But if almost as shiny, but safer seems good to you. System 3 is a lot harder than one part polys, but not quite as hard as solvent based. That being said, I like semi-gloss. This is especially so for my Lapwing which is a classic look, and planks vs. big smooth hull. The biggest plus as I see it is there are no isocyanates or Xylene. Isocyanates are the big unknown. They are proven carcinogens, organic vapors cartridge masks do not filter them out of your air, and they have no smell. Professionals wear a full suit and supplied air. There is more study needed here. Yes, they are much safer rolled and tipped vs sprayed, but no one seems to know where a safe place to put the line is.
What I have learned about rolling and tipping System 3:
1. System 3 does not go on well in high humidity, humidity cures it too fast.2. System 3 does not go on well in any amount of breeze, cures it too fast.
3. System 3 does not go on well in high temperatures, cures it too fast
4. No 2 people working together can go too fast to keep a good wet edge, they sure can go too slow.
5. The hot recoat time is fantastic. It is days down to less than an hour. So if you did want that super finish, no sanding till all the coats are done.
6. They suggest thinning it. YES!!!!!! You may get some drools during rolling, but it will have started curing so fast you will still be racing by with your tipping and it won't get a chance to drool after that.
The ideal day is no wind, 50°, low humidity and cloudy.
Because I paint my Lapwing 1 plank at a time, and can alternate sides, I can paint solo. I don't keep a wet edge from plank to plank, just along each plank. When I painted my Renegade it was large smooth continuous surface. This is where it gets fun. Even under those ideal conditions, and the planking all set up on both sides. It was a race to get from bow to stern without drag marks. My partner rolled vertically and moved fore to aft. I tipped horizantally and followed him as fast as I could. The result was a quite smooth semi-gloss. For tipping I used a badger hair brush and made sure not to let anything cure on it in the process. Have a bucket of water handy. A wet brush doesn't hurt, just don't slobber the water as you go. A SS wire brush helps clean the tipping brush. To say that having all these things handy before you start is a good idea would be an understatement.
Anyone with experience please chime in.
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As I see it, the biggest issue is running time/range for an electric. I conclude they are now a great choice for daysailors. Not so much for cruising. Unless you have a good solar charger and don't use it a lot. I look at electric motors the same way I look at water-borne 2 part LPUs. There are a few sacrifices, but health and envirnonmental concerns put both over the top.
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I have never tried, but consider the physics. Due to the angle of the lines the strain on each rope is greater than 200#.
Interesting idea, but I will let someone else try first.
Thinning epoxy/cleaning hands&tools
in B & B Yachts Forum
Posted
West System (the Gougeon Brothers) has done more to bring epoxy technology, additives, procedures etc to the general public than any company. They wrote the book.