Hirilonde

I use https://www.onlineindustrialsupply.com/ Their product is as good as any, and decent prices. All sand paper loads, especially when sanding epoxy or oily woods like Teak. Using an old sneaker sole helps remove some of the clogging and extends the life of each disc a bit.

Jeff's 15 footers come in in the low 30s or so pounds. Even they would be easy to pull on a dolly.

Back before B&B offered UHMW plastic connecting hardware for nesting boats a forum member Garry designed SS hardware for the purpose. I made them for my Spindrift. Almost 20 years later they still work. Nice simple hinge, and the rest of the boat looks great too.

I slightly chamfered the pin on both ends to help in sliding it in place.

The side deck reinforces the gunwals and provides a place to sit in a good wind. Dunno if reinforcement is necessary. It is also where many of use lead our main halyard, shotter and downhaul. On my Lapwing, the foredeck and a bulkhead create a dry storage place and flotation. I am all for customizing my boats, but there are many things that I say would be a mistake. I paid for an expert's design, and I won't try to fix it.

That is good to hear. So for those who want to save even a few more pounds, and don't mind buying an expensive sheet of plywood to do it, there is an option.

@Peter HK yup, epoxy goes from quite elastic to brittle over a couple weeks.

I did my bushings in stages, measuring after the epoxy set, but not fully cured, until they were the correct size. I hate sanding any more than I have to and more than having to add wraps.

The removable seat is for facing aft. If I wanted to face forward I would use the aft seat/flotation. It is slightly aft of perfect, but not so much that you would notice. It is located fore/aft exactly where I sit solo sailing, just aft of the middle thwart/mast partner. I wanted it to work with the masts still in place. And it works with the sails still raised, though for long distance I would take them down. Lubberly would be using an outboard.

I am still pleased with the removable seat, the location and design of the rowlocks and the oars in general. I think I would make them 9' instead of the 10' Pete Culler's formula resulted in. I am still happy with the carbon fiber connection ferrules from Duckworks. I also have a canoe paddle mounted to the side of the centerboard trunk for use near the dock. It is quick and easy to access and use. That, and the fact that it is wooden and gave me another project to do after the boat was done. I find making paddles and oars very satisfying.

I use my tiller extension on my Spindrift and Lapwing every time I go sailing, regardless of wind speed. The only time I remove them is to varnish.

But does it float? Looks great, now the 2nd part of the fun.

LOL, yeah. Was trying to condense what they do to a single sentence. This is the set I have................https://hardwickandsons.com/products/w-l-fuller-8-countersink-drill-set

When I build a traditional plank on frame boat I use bronze wood screws with a frearson drive. I use my Fuller combination counter sink, clearance and pilot tapered bits adjusted to depth.

Epoxy is very brittle and hard compared to wood, and it has no longitudinal strength like wood. If the stringers didn't break bending them, they would likely bend less than fair at these repairs. Either cut out the holes and scarf the pieces to get the length, or buy new wood is what I would do.

23 lbs? Mine weighs 32. Looks good, time to have fun. OK, building is fun too, time for different fun.

Or buy a tapered bit designed just for screws.

A pilot hole should be the diameter of the shank of the screw, not including the threads. In really hard woods, maybe even a tad larger. It not only makes puting in the screw easier, it reduces the compression the screw applies to the wood around it. This reduces the chances of a split occuring and allows the threads to cut into the wood better. It also reduces fastener fatigue. This is when screws damage the wood to the point they hold far less than they should/could.

Fir plywood has few plies compared to BS 1088 Okoume, Meranti or Sapele. The plies in Fir have gaps in some layers. The wood does not torture in shape as well. There is actually quite a list.

I had to make my 3 hole mast base plate for my Spindrift. I cut it out of a piece of stainless sheet stock.

Kennnee, coming to another Messabout is on my list, but not this year. I attended the 1st one. I have thought about towing Uinen to one, but I don't really need that adventure at this point in my life. The internet has made the world smaller, but doesn't help us drag our boats around the country. Too bad our Lapwings are sooooo far from NC. I would love to see yours, show mine off, and compare builds.

I did a couple wooden counter tops. In one case I just oiled the oak counter I made out of flooring shorts. It was now a 3 foot wide cutting board. It was still in use in my house when I sold it 36 years later. No one like varnish more than me, no one! (note exclamation mark here too) But for counter tops I use polyurhane. It is much harder than real varnish. And since UV damage is quite unlikely, repairs won't be an issue. Repairing UV damaged poly is a PITA. Some day they will probably invent the permanent bomb proof clear coat for wood. That day has yet to come.

I like varnish, real varnish on just about everything wood! (note the explamation mark) Bristol Finish is a clear 2 part LPU. I despise the stuff for a couple reasons. It is harder to repair than 1 part polyurethanes, and they are a PITA. The gloss comes from isocyanates, like in solvent based LPU paints, so there is a health issue. Brushing it is risky, spraying it is outright dangersous without supplied air and a suit.

hey Steve, You might want to start this thread in the B&B section of this forum. All those who document their B&B builds do it there. You will get lots of help and answers/ideas. I built a 9 Nesting, so the numbers you quote mean nothing to me. I can tell you that the bow, when nested is above the transom. So if that is where you are measuring from to conclude it doesn't seem to fit, I would not be alarmed.

The rub rails on my Lapwing are made of short pieces scarfed. If you do a nice 8:1 scarf, I see no issues.