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martysgone

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About martysgone

  • Birthday 02/12/1970

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Salt Lake City
  • Interests
    Messing about in small boats.

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  1. @Thrillsbe, yes, just like @Chick Ludwig said, you want to ground it out. It can be hard on the ignition system otherwise. Just like doing a compression test. Make sure you clean the plug too.
  2. Alex, the times I have had hydro lock is when I have transported it on the "proper" side, but maybe not on an ideal angle for more than 6 hours. Bouncing in the back of my van not properly laid down invites it. However, it is such a easy thing to deal with, pull the plug and clean it, pull the starter a few times, reinstall plug and you are on your way. I don't really see it as a problem.
  3. Man, what a great answer. Thanks Alan!
  4. Can anyone tell me the cockpit length of the P22. Having already bought Belhaven 19 plans, I am curious how they compare.
  5. I have had a Suzuki 2.5 for 6 years now. I used to push around a Walker Bay dinghy initially. I spent 6 weeks in the San Juan/Gulf Islands for 3 years running and used it to death. Had a little water in the gear case year 3, time to replace the impeller anyways. Dunked it in the Great Salt Lake, no amount of ultrasonicing the carb made it run right so I bought a new carb for under $100. Have popped out the spark plug multiple times to clear the cylinder of oil after less than careful storing in the back of my van. Not a big hassle really. Put it on a 15' wooden boat and motor-camped Georgian Bay for 2 weeks with it. Now I use it >10 times a year on my Phoenix III to go fishing when I don't want to bother with sails or oars. I guess what I am saying is that I couldn't be happier with it. All the things people complain about are true. They are also a non-issue to me considering it was about $700, easy to fix, and it just always runs. Next it will hang off the back of a Spindrift if I can get around to ordering a kit.
  6. I have a chevy express with a queen-sized folding bed in the back. with the bed down I have 53.5" opening, so I could just squeak by with either. I built a puddle duck some years back and put removable wheels on the sides so I could "wheelbarrow" it around. It was 4' wide, wider with the wheels. With two 10' boards I would just wheel it up onto the bed. I really loved that stupid little box and spent many overnighters on it. But being my first build I got carried away. Quite lovely, if you can call ducks that, but stupid heavy. And it towed like a sea-anchor. I think I am leaning towards the 10' spindrift. Both feel a bit ridiculous to tow, so what is another 6". I also figure I will love it as a tender or quickly decide it's not feasible. Either way, I get a playboat. Small prams are pretty quick and cheap to build if the spindrift makes an impractical tender. Sometimes I just need to think out loud to others to process my thoughts.
  7. I have decided to build a Spindrift to serve as an occasional tender for my unstarted Belhaven and as a play boat that I can throw in/on my van when camping or for quick afternoon fun. If I love it enough I may sell my Phoenix III to help fund the Belhaven. My wife is already complaining that our backyard is starting to become a boatyard. So, my first question is, how many sheets of plywood are needed for the S9 (not nesting)?. For the S10? I have never built from a kit before, but I am liking the idea of it. It really comes down to if I can justify the cost of the kit + shipping over buying ply locally from Macbeaths and just getting plans. My second question is sure to annoy, it annoys me thinking about it. It's whether I should build the 9 versus the 10. Logic and common sense says that if I plan to use it as a tender I should build the 9. In fact a catspaw would make more sense. But it will have dual roles, will always be towed behind the mothership, and Spindrifts are supposed to tow quite well and I want something to keep me happy sailing. The 10 is really only 6" longer with a few inches more beam. The 10 was the original, but I am wondering if it offers that much more performance and space. Just like with bigger boats, I am cursed with the idea that I would be happier with a few more inches. I know some may think it is ridiculous to tow even a 9' boat behind a 19' beachable Belhaven, but one of my favorite areas to sail is the San Juan and Islands where beaches are rocky and anchoring out requires a way to get to the docks. So, sorry for this question. I just think other opinions will help me find my own.
  8. PS, the afore-mentioned pdr is in my avatar. Dumb little boat but more fun/$ than anything I have since built. To bad it tows so poorly. Plows and hunts around like a dog from the pound.
  9. Walt,my wife (and I) really like the cabin of the Belhaven. I considered a nesting dinghy just for the convenience of transporting it when I am not using it as a tender, but the size limitations of a ≤20' boat really only leaves towing it behind the boat as an option when cruising. As far as davits go, would not want to hang that much weight of the back of a 20 foot boat. Ken, part of the dilemma is wanting to kill two birds with one boat. I built a lovely little pdr some years ago and used to throw it in the back of my camper van. We got a lot of milage out of the little box. If I am to build a tender, it's most frequent use would be for camping. I also can't under exaggerate how much satisfaction you get while cruising when you have a decent dinghy. Hassling with folding and storing or trying to drag an inflatable is not worth it to me. Rather have a boat I will enjoy. I guess I will just have to build said dinghy and if it doesn't work out, I still have my little play boat. Thanks for the comments. It helps distill down the decision process.
  10. The San Juans do not have forgiving beaches, mostly rocky pebbles or worse. A dinghy almost becomes a necessity. We have also had some crazy experiences with dinghies in big water and definitely learned to lengthen the painter. Our Great Salt Lake can kick up some scary conditions. Worse than I've been in on the ocean. I have only camp cruised Georgian Bay, but it reminds me of tales I here on the great lakes.
  11. I wanted some opinions on the practicality of towing a dinghy half the size of the mother ship. To be more specific, I have decided I am going to build a Belhaven. I wanted a boat that would get me back in the San Juan/Gulf Islands, but also be convenient enough to sail local lakes. We had a 26' Macgregor and found it just wasn't worth the hassle to take it out on anything but long trips. I would sail my little 15' phoenixIII weekly, but finally sold the big one because it was under-utilized. The wife misses it. And the San Juans. The Belhaven seems the perfect choice. Easily rigged, coastal capable. But it's hard to travel there without a dinghy. We used our Walker bay plastic fantastic to death. It's also hard to see myself enjoying a boat as small as a mini-paw. If I am to have a dinghy, I would like it to be able to sail so that I can use it to go for quick local weekend sails. Something to tag along camping trips. Something that can transit a dog and a couple of friends in safety. That means 8 feet. Am I ridiculous to want to tow an 8 foot pram with a 19 foot boat? Opinions please.
  12. OK. I agree on losing fore deck space. But I can't help but think a traditional cabin design with a squared off front would help. A lot of the Selway Fisher pocket cruisers embrace this and look good. Sound like I need to build a model and experiment a bit.
  13. Ok, I know this is an old thread, but I would like to bump it because it is exactly the question I have been asking myself. I am in a dilemma between building the Belhaven or P22. I feel like the Belhaven is a better interior layout, definitely a quicker build, and easier overall to handle. But the P22 is just so classic looking. I realize that some of this is the sheer line that rises so high in the front. But I think the Belhaven could look a little classier with a slightly longer cabin and lines similar to the P22. Finish the sides and coamings bright and it might just satisfy in me what I feel the Belhaven lacks aesthetically. Any takers on this discussion?
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