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Greg Luckett

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Posts posted by Greg Luckett

  1. From this quote, ""This kind of wood could be used in cars, airplanes, buildings -- any application where steel is used," Hu said.", in the article, it makes me guess that it should be good for boat building too. At the very least, we could have fun experimenting with it?

  2. 25 minutes ago, Action Tiger said:

    Greg,

    I quit warming the epoxy. The idea worked, but the environment was still too cool, in my opinion, for a good cure. I just wait until temps are good, now.

     

    This boat also reminded me why I quit using epoxy years ago. I don't like building boats this way.

     

    Peace,

    Robert

     

     

    What method of boat building do you prefer? I was watching a video on Youtube yesterday where they were building a long boat as done in the middle ages. Pretty cool.

  3. On 12/7/2016 at 8:31 PM, Action Tiger said:

    So. My epoxy bottles are in the little locker I made on the shelf to close them in. Okay, it's a box.

    But, I stuck a bunch of Christmas lights in and around the bottles to warm the gloop up. It also works on citrus trees to prevent fruit loss from freezing.

    Peace,

    Robert

    How well did this work out for you? I like the idea but ended up toting all of mine down to the basement for the winters and back up to the garage when it gets warm enough. My first boat build ended up using 4 or 5 times the epoxy because I was too ignorant to realize the effects of temperature on how it spreads, and it created a huge drip mess. I then said what the heck, and learned the hard way that sanding epoxy resin sucks big time. My next boat builds all improved and I am glad I used less expensive materials on my early builds. Incidentally, those boats are now about 15 years old and still being used around the Great Lakes. Exterior grade 1/4" plywood. Still one in my back yard too, that my sons built over 10 years ago. Some folks may recall that one here, the Amphora, Dragon built by Sam and Ben when they were 10 and 9.

  4. Avoid installing the bailer in the turbulence that occurs after the board.   An Anderson Bailer located there (like mine) won't function as a bailer but still makes a good drain.   

    I have never used the Anderson Bailer while sailing, rather only while towing which is with the center board completely up or out. The bailer is installed on the port side near the aft end of the well.

  5. Greg, i think every sailmaker could make a pair of p26 sails if you give him Grahams plan and the dimensions of the sails.

    Show him some photos of the arrangement of the "boom" and the snotter and he will know what to do...

    It is more an oldtimer sail than a modern "hightech laminate thing" that every skilled sailmaker could make for you ...

    regards

    Sönke

     

    There is just the one sheet in the plan set for the sail plan. Is that all a sail maker needs?

  6. I have an Anderson Bailer, purchased from B&B, installed very close to the center board well on my Spindrift 12. It works great until something like leaves, twigs, or acorns clog it up (typical of any boat drain). I too forgot to make sure it was open, then heavy snow deformed the tarp into a huge pocket, then it melted and I could tell what was happening, but by that time the boat had about a foot of water in it. It did not sit all winter this way as the tarp only failed due to a hole created as I was trying to get the snow and melt out. I did not know the drain was closed. Have I mentioned that I really hate working in icy cold water? :rolleyes:

  7. If you're into pain, make your own sails. I've made real sails once and learned this lesson. Sail makers earn every dime they charge.

    I sent an email to B&B several days ago asking what a sail suite for the PS26 would cost and have not heard back from them yet. I would prefer purchasing them too.

  8. Howard, 

    I decided I did not like the aluminum mast that I was using on my Spindrift and will make a wood mast for her. I also plan to convert her to a Cat configuration and a keel stepped mast instead of the sloop rig on her currently. This will get rid of the stays and shrouds too and make for a better mast. How much does your Spindrift mast weigh and what did you make it from?

    Thanks.

  9. Hi Joel,

    Wow, another year gone by.

     

    I came very close to building a Weekender, bought the plan set, then decided I wanted something bigger. I am planning to build a Princess Sharpie 26 if I can swing the resources and funding.

     

    If I am not being too nosy, why haven't your been sailing your Weekender?

  10. 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.

    That is exactly the same problem I had while stepping the mast on my Catalina and also on the Laguna. I did learn to raise using a block on the bow and line and using that to hold the mast while inserting the bolt into the tabernacle.

  11. Thank you, Norman, for the excellent report and the offer of helping me with questions later. 

    May I ask, what are the things keeping you from launching and setting up? I ask because I really need to solo as much as I can, and one of the main reasons I choose the Princess Sharpie design is the ability to "easily" raise and lower the mast for going under bridges. That is also why I like not having to deal with shrouds and stays. 

     

    That reminds me of another question. I like the birdsmouth wooden mast and spars idea, bought two router bits about 10 years ago, then a friend of mine who builds boats for a living told me that he tried the birdsmouth mast design and was very disappointed because the mast bent too much and was not rigid. I never tried it then, but am wondering where the truth of things are about this method.

     

    I like the idea of making my own sails too but have always shied away from doing so. Did you use a special sewing machine, as the cost of those and materials for a one time project was more than just buying the sails. We do own a nice sewing machine that might do the trick, but it is a normal sized space wise, rated to sew canvas and heavier materials. What worries me about it is the room between the needle and the back.

     

    I hope things are progressing well with your current "projects" or endeavors. :)

  12. Where are good places to find the pots and burners to melt the lead?  I expect to need to buy lead as finding scrap is not going to happen around here.  Shipping cost must be high too, based on the weight, so perhaps driving to where it is sold with the truck would be better.  I have all of Charlie Jones pictures of when he did Pilgrim's lead keel, and that helps a lot with understanding the task.

     

    Howard, did you do the lead melting and pouring yet? I cannot remember.

  13. Greg......no worries. Anyone who might come across this thread and are interesting in this boat should be interested in what is being said.

     

    A couple thoughts of mine on the motor. First, the design places a short shaft motor of some type in the well, which is in the aft end of the cockpit. I've thought it over and unless you want to do as Wayne did and offset it off the centerline and cut a hole in the transom for it, you will need to use the lifting tackle to raise and lower your motor vertically, as designed. There isn't room to tilt it, which would be my first choice. So the physical size of the motor may be a limitation. In a calm, even a little 3 hp single stroke will move it along. Not so trying to make headway in a blow or bucking a tidal current. Yet another issue with the size of the motor is if you intend to use it's alternator to charge your house battery. If that is the plan, it will take a motor in the range of 10 hp to get an alternator big enough to move the dial much. I plan to cruise the boat, so that may involve long stretches of motoring in a calm. My likely engine will be a 10 hp. That will also require careful balance and placement of the on board weight.

     

    Once you get into a boat of this size, there is a lot to take into account and consider. A lot of options to alter to suite, as long as you know what the cause and affect of any decision you make is.

    A bigger motor will not help much if the current you are working against exceeds your boats hull speed, assuming it is a displacement type. For instance, my Catalina 22 would make hull speed on about 1/3 throttle with a standard prop (not the better power type prop), which was 5 or 6 knots. When trying to get up the river, when it was flowing at 4 knots, my throttle was wide open and the boat was only seeing about 1 knot actual. When the river currents exceeded the hull speed, the boat stayed in the slip or I anchored out until the river slowed down. It needed about 1 knot just to keep steerage.  It was very similar on the Laguna Balboa 24 too.  I think I will put a power prop on the 5hp and not have any trouble?  Hmmm? What is the maximum hull speed for the PS26?

     

    Good point about the alternator. I was thinking of going that route on the first two boats but it adds a lot of weight going from the 5 to the 9.9 hp outboards.  How about a sail drive type of motor? I saw one on an O'day 23 but have never used one.

  14. I have not started my PS26 yet but have been doing some rough budgeting on new material. There are four items which I would put at around $2500 each: trailer, plywood, outboard and two sails, a total of $10,000. Next step down is around $1000 each: masts, rigging, lifelines, lead, lumber, epoxy, electrical, fiberglass and paint. Now we're up to $19,000. I think a completely outfitted boat could easily approach $30,000. Anyway that's what I'm figuring as much as I would like it to come in much less.

    Wow, that stuff really adds up. What size motor are you looking to use? On my last two boats, both with fixed keels, a Catalina 22 wing keel and a Laguna Balboa 24, fin keel, all that was needed was a 5hp outboard to push them to hull speed. I still own one and am hoping it would work for the PS26. I am keeping an eye out for a used 10hp. Putting on a power prop would really help too.

     

    Trailer cost. Your estimate looks right on the money. I plan to find a good used one, do some upgrades as needed, for less than a $1000, maybe more like $500. I already have one trailer but need to check its capacity vs. the PS26. I have been using it to tote my Spindrift 12 around but it is made for a much bigger boat. It was selling for $300 a few years ago, in excellent condition, so I snagged it.

     

    Plywood is looking to be about $2500 here too. I usually use Okume as it is lighter in weight, but have used Merianti while building lapstrake boats. Okume cost more, so no decision by me yet. It may come down to a decision made strictly on cost.

     

    Dimensional lumber is another area I will save money on. Currently I have about 600 bdft, mostly white oak, sassafras, and catalpa. I also have a mahogany plank 12 ft long, 2 thick, and 14 wide, which could be used to make hand rails and other such things. There is a smattering of fir, maple, red oak, yellow pine, red pine, walnut, cherry, ash, etc. Maybe another 400 bdft. There is already some 6mm okume and several other panels of various types out in the shed, left over from other boat projects. One of these days I suppose an inventory would be a thing to do?  Hmmmm? Thinking about it, there is probably another 500 to 1000 bdft in the loft above the garage shop.  My wife and kids keep teasing me about being a pack rat. I have boxes of hatches, blocks, cleats, lights, and so on stashed in the shed too. All this should help a little in getting my cost down below the $30K. Oh, must be a dozen life vest out there too, and about a dozen sails from a variety of boats. Would a spinaker work on the PS26?

     

    Lead and the stuff to work on it is something I need to find around this area. At the moment I am not sure where to look.

     

    End of the year bills and expenses will tie up any extra money here in my house hold, so I will not be purchasing anything until after next years tax season. Hopefully, I can get the plywood & epoxy purchased and the hull made by the end of summer 2017. 

     

    This whole project is daunting to me at times.  Sigh.

  15. Thank to each of you for your thoughts and advice. I always appreciate that and learn a great amount too.  :)

     

    I have not seen any numbers yet as to what was actually spent to build a PS22 or 26, which is what I am curious about and hoping to learn. Build estimates versus actual build cost can be very useful.

     

    Graham just emailed me an up to date BOM, which will be used to update the spreadsheet that was created 5 years ago.  I am fairly certain that the estimate was about $15,000 back then, based on buying everything new or from the most common sources. Once this is updated I will share what I came up with, dollar wise. It should be interesting to get a critique of my estimate too. Design reviews save making bad mistakes; often anyway.

     

    An advantage of living on Lake Michigan is all the boat yards, which I use to haunt and find great bargains.  :D

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