AmosSwogger

Good feedback Steve. Concerning centerboard strength after adding an extension, I would try to use a full length piece of glass that extends from the lead tip all the way to the pivot end (assuming your centerboard slot allows for the additional thickness).

Nice work Don, that boat is lucky to be in your hands. Whereabouts are you sailing in FL?

Thank you Alan. My early model 20.3 sails so well that I'm reluctant to do this modification. The helm is very balanced on all points of sail. The only time I have struggled to go upwind that wasn't due my poor technique (I learned how to sail on this boat), was an occurrence in the Chesapeake Bay when the strong wind died out, but the steep waves remained, so almost no wind with relatively big waves made it impossible to go upwind. Generally speaking, I don't get 90 degree tacks in the Chesapeake Bay, but I think that is mostly due to a light boat responding to wave action and/or my former poor upwind sailing skills. Using the upwind sailing tips Graham provided on this forum really helped and I can point a little higher using them. I did have to make new longer sprits so I could make my sails flatter, and I'm more attentive to my tell tails now. Graham did a quick informal upwind test with my boat and was able to easily get 90 degree tacks (light wind in smooth conditions). I'm sure the boat would point higher with the modification however, so it is probably worth doing. It really doesn't look that hard after you gain the courage to make that first cut, although a much easier solution would be to loan the boat out to Don next year!

I think we should promote Don to "Centerboard Trunk Modification Surgeon"; he is a little too advanced to be a mere technician. The promotion should rate him a team of nurses standing by with trays of tools and epoxy.

Ok, that makes sense. It does look better to have a straight bowsprit. Glad you answered because it sounds like I should also put a knee in place, which makes sense given the potential forces involved (and installing a knee is easy enough). I think I'll just offset the knee a little bit if I need to in order to prevent interference with the through bolts. I'll bet we're both overthinking this, but that is part of the fun!

Don, I plan on through bolting the anchor roller through the bowsprit and breasthook (I don't have a knee to work around; my breasthook is 2.5" thick and fiberglassed in). I'm a little confused on your knee thickness question: is the knee already installed or are you installing one? Is there anyway to get at least one through bolt if you angle the bowsprit a little bit more?

Don, I've been working on installing a anchor roller as well. I plan on angling it to port with the cleat fasteners going through a backing plate in the anchor well. B&B angled theirs to stbd and their cleat goes to a backing plate in the cabin (they show that in their CS17.3 tour video), so you may want to consider their layout as well. Here is my rough draft setup:

Nice work Don! Your cut out shape looks great. I agree with Don that if you pull in the mizzen too close to centerline you will no longer have good airflow on both sides of the sail. I watch the tell tails; if I pull in the mizzen too far, the tell tails no longer stream straight back, they are angled back. Let out the mizzen by as little as 1 or 2 inches until the tell tails start streaming straight back. I'm not saying the mizzen shouldn't be pulled in hard when sailing upwind (Graham and Alan recommend the mizzen be sheeted in a little bit more than the main), just remember to check the tell tails when you do.

Excellent, I'm arriving Thursday as well, we'll check the weather and play it by ear.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Messabout soon. Any interest in sailing up the Bay River and spending the night at anchor in Bonner Bay before or after the Messabout?

Great job bringing this boat back to life.

Letting it sit 20 minutes after mixing is unnecessary in my opinion. This may be allowing too much thinner to evaporate.

I can answer some of your questions until someone better qualified chimes in . . . The original plans had the main mast on a tabernacle with the mizzen in a socket. Now the plans show both masts on tabernacles (an improvement in my opinion). Bow sprit: you can build the boat with a socket that accepts a removable bow sprit (you don't have to build it with a socket, I didn't). For longer trips and/or racing, you can plug in the bow sprit and fly a variety of sails. If you do that then you should use running backstays as the load on the mast goes up. Both masts are unstayed if you elect to not use the bow sprit.

What is induction time?

Nice work. What are your plans for her maiden voyage?

Thanks Don, I used a bandsaw.

Todd (CS-20.3) and I are going to go on a short overnight sailing trip leaving from Harborton, VA (this is on the Chesapeake Bay, eastern shore of VA) if anyone wants to join us. We are meeting at the public boat ramp around 9-10am on Friday, 4/29, returning sometime Saturday. Feel free to come along. There are a ton of excellent sparsely populated anchorages everywhere in this area; we'll pick one based on current conditions.

My condolences. He was a pleasure to talk to.

I have some of my wifes elastic hair bands on the sprits, and I just tuck the excess line under them. Works well. I think I got the idea from someone here.

I agree Hirilonde. Hot coating rules. In colder temps I would put a coat on before I went to bed, set an alarm for 4:30 in the morning, and put another coat on before leaving for work. In a weird way it was kind of fun.

Very cool. Inspiring to see this boat being built.

For someone your size I would highly recommend building a CS 20.3 instead of a 17.3, even if you plan on sailing solo. I've completed several overnight solo cruises and never felt like it was too much boat for one person. The nice benefit of buying a kit is that it solves your marine plywood sourcing problem (which is hard enough in normal times, but with all the supply chain issues we are having, quality marine plywood might be extremely expensive if you can even find it in stock).

Paul cruising by the dock. https://youtu.be/HHYc4k-E7wM

Steve and his boat make an appearance is this video about 9:45.

Thanks for the excellent trip report Steve. The Chesapeake Bay has to be one of the best small boat cruising grounds on the east coast, and Core Sounds seem to be custom designed for the bay. I see a wake in your picture ??.