Mark Hughes

Now doesn't that just figure. A get together in my neck of the woods and I'm going to be out in Phoenix at my sister's wedding. I'll have to catch y'all another time around.

Don't feel bad, I'm in that club as well. I'm 2 and a half years into a nine month project! Life has a funny way of getting in the way! Carry on, you'll probably be me into the water yet!

Yep, I did know that, but they are as hard to come by. I have a 2.3 Turbo SVO Mustang engine and a Mazda 5 speed from a Ranger that I have been considering putting into it. Long project though. Takes up too much boatbuilding/sailing time. I'm also working on a daggerboard set-up for a one sheet dinghy I built with my son to get some better sailing performance out of it. Too much leeway slip as it is.

Well, adla, as it just so happens, I have a second one- a '74 in Carmine Red. We get these boats done and in the water, and have time for the next project, I may be able to work something out with you on one of them. Of course, if I can't find a good crank, I might just install a mast box and have a gaff-rigged spitfire. Would probably be more relieable!

Well, I have been on hold with my boatbuilding for awhile now too, struggling with transportation issues. Looks like my '88 Ranger has finally passed the point of nursing along and will need a full rebuild, not really worth it for the condition it is in. My '76 Spitfire is much faster and simpler to rebuild, but then I discovered that a machineable crank is next to impossible to come by. This after taking Friday off from work to remove the engine and tear it all down. So, on Sunday I bought a '97 Mercury Cougar (with my father-in-law's assistance) and solved the transportation problem. Not sure I can get used to all this luxury, like air conditioning, power anything, etc. So, now I can get back to the boat. It is upside down, faired and sanded and ready for the glass. Spars are built and shaped, just need final sanding and finishing. Rudder and box are done, just needs to be glassed and assembled. I believe I have all the materials needed to finish except the lines for the running rigging.

Congratulations Fintan! She looks beautiful! Sorry I'm so late in getting to this, but I've been drowning at work, and haven't been able to catch up with the forum. Say... Whatever happened to that wooden trailer you were building from the plans the Stevensons sent you? I remember an initial discussion regarding your short tow distance, but never saw anything more on it.

Happy Birthday Alexander! I have a birthday coming up myself, on the 23rd. I wish I was turning 10 again, but no such luck. I plan on spending my birthday on my boat. I hope you got a chance to do the same! 8)

Beautiful work as usual, Charlie. One question though- I was expecting to see some sort of raised lip around the top to keep things from sliding/rolling off. Won't that be a problem with the formica top?

I agree with Both Ray and Fintan. When I started bogging down here and there, I would clean up the carport I'm building in. With everything neat and clean and organized, it was relaxing to just go out and sit in my moaning chair and look at what I had done so far. And as I was looking it over, I would find myself saying "I'll just take care of this little part while I'm here". And one part led to another, and another... Then, as I crossed a certain point to go from "building" to "finishing", I set myself a target date. For me it happens to be my birthday- June 23rd. That keeps me going like gangbusters to get the details wrapped up and have it functional, if not completely pretty, by then. Something about grilling some steak and lobster, and sipping champaign from the cockpit of a boat I built from scratch rocking gently at anchor in some quiet little cove will make this a very special birthday indeed! 8)

Actually, a square topsail will be the next step for my Vacationer in the evolution towards a Brigantine rig. I'll be launching her as a cutter, hopefully before the end of June, and will get used to handling her in that configuration. Then start adding sticks and string to play with as I go along.

Looks like you've been very productive. My son and I built that same dingy in the dining room this past winter, SWMBO was off on a trip to Chicago. It worked out very nice, and rows suprisingly well. VERY low freeboard though. I'm thinking of adding a layer of styrofoam between the gunwale and the bottom external chine, then another layer of 3/16" ply over that, just to give it a lower waterline. My son wants it to be a sailing dingy, so further modifications are on the drawingboard.

Absolutely fantastic, Captain of Boats! I think this was the most eagerly awaited event on the board for the past year or better! Glad to hear it came off so well. I look forward to as detailed reports of your sailing adventures as you have provided us of your building experience.

Nice start, and welcome aboard! Your keel looks beautiful, and I can see why you would want to finish it bright. Certainly not a problem to do so, as long as you don't mind the extra maintenance typical of any brightwork. But then that's part of what makes a wooden boat so special in my opinion. A little time, attention, and elbow grease and they are the most beautiful things you could want to see on the water!

I, like Greg, named my Vacationer after my paternal grandmother, who passed away nearly a decade ago. She was always known as Adelaide, and it wasn't until my late teens that I discovered her actual first name was Regina. I have liked that name combination ever since, so the Regina Adelaide it is. If she were here to see it, she would make a bunch of bluster about using her name so, but inside she would be tickled pink, I'm sure.

I have a pair of Siberian Huskies I could lend you for the aging process! They would fit right in to your climate. Build yourself some runners under the boat, and they could provide your auxilary power for ice boating!