Randy Jones

I absolutely loved the systems three silver tip two part epoxy primer. Good above or below the waterline, good build up, thins and cleans up with water and dries quickly. I applied mine with a foam roller and did multiple coats in one warm day, then let it cure for a few days before topping with traditional oil based marine enamel below the waterline and systems three LPU above the waterline. Five year later I would do the same again.

I plan to participate in the 2023 Salish 100 on my Belhaven 19, Clementine. Would love to see some other B&B builds partcipate. Registration opens Jan 6th and will fill up quickly. Schedule is July 20 to 27th. https://nwmaritime.org/salish100/

Even the mental exercise is making me back hurt. I think the rolling cradle is the solution. Apologies for diverting the thread. Thanks.

I've got floor, seat top, and deck work to do on my CS17. A little worried about spending hours bent over and reaching into the boat. Climbing into the trailered boat is a hassle too. Is a low cradle a back saver or would you keep the boat on the trailer?

I use a plow anchor which resets on its own when the current changes. So far, so good.

I've had an EP Carry electric motor for a few years. They were designed for tenders going back and forth from dock to a moored boat. Should move a Spindrift along smartly and the battery will last for 1 hour at full speed.

A friend of mine whipped up the two-piece sprit shown in the attached video for my Belhaven 19. Significantly more complicated then the previous solution but I rather enjoy it. I store both sprits inside the cabin. The carbon fiber fittings are from Duckworks. 20171028_124348.mp4

I didn't make it to the Salish 100 but I did find these photos. Mizzen in stored position clears the Bimini by a healthy margin and it is about the same when opened. I'll get a photo with the Bimini deployed next chance. I don't use a topping lift but will use the halyard to support the boom and furled sail at anchor. Also included photos of the halyard knot and for extra credit added the mizzen sheet photo. Once I moved the mizzen sheet tiller attachment into vertical alignment with the axis of the rudder the mizzen sheet no longer tries to steer the boat.

Dnjost, I wondered why your were having troubles with the same model that has performed flawlessly for me. Mine is just fine except for the noise, the little fuel tank, and the two-stroke issue. I'm looking now at the EPropulsion Spirit. Is anyone using one?

The Bimini on my Belhaven 19 (Clementine) is wonderful for protection from sun and most of the rain. The only drawback it that the view of the mizzen sail trim is blocked when close hauled. My mizzen clears the bimini but I don't recall exactly how much. I'll get some photos during my upcoming Salish 100 trip that starts 7/15. I'm also looking at installing a portable flexible solar panel on top of the Bimini. I use the knotless halyard attachment with a ball. No problems to date but I'm going to keep an eye on it. Great to see some Belhavens out there. Perfect boat for the Texas 200, especially with a bimini.

Don, I'm not sure but I suspect the battery monitoring system would probably object to running the motor while attempting to charge. Next best thing might be charging a spare battery and changing it out. Considering the high cost of fast chargers, perhaps a 1kW portable AC generator and a 10 or 15 Amp charger would be adequate. Long trips wouldn't be much different from running a gas outboard except you would have to manage your speed to stay within your battery recharge rate.

good stuff. Looks like great fun, at least for the first few hours. Thanks for posting.

For years, I used just a single hard roller on my CS17 trailer along with two carpeted bunks and it worked fine on reasonable ramps. After moving to a location with a flat ramp I added a length of pvc decking down the middle of the trailer for the half round to slide upon. It works well, especially when wet. I think the slick plastic strips that screw to the bunks would work well too and might have been easier. Keep in mind, I put my trailer wheels into the water so the boat is partially floating.

I sometimes use an EP Carry electric motor on my CS17Mk 1 and achieve 2.9 knots in calm water, mostly to pull crab pots. The battery and motor are separate with a combined total weight of 21 lbs. Not enough power to get you out of trouble. It is purely a substitute for rowing and works well in that capacity. Their standard battery gives you 1 hour run time at full speed. You could easily unplug and store the battery while leaving the motor in position and probably not notice it. Controls are a simple variable speed handle without any fancy electronics, soft buttons, or integrated battery to fail. I get slightly more than 1 hour at full speed. Only down sides are once battery voltage drops the battery stops motor operation without warning and the motor at the top of the assembly produces some mechanical noise. Dramatically quieter than a gas motor but not completely silent like some of the underwater motors. These motors were designed for boats much smaller than our. Not sure how fast it would push a MkII but I'd guess it would exceed your steady state rowing speed. https://www.electricpaddle.com/

Sent you a PM. The lower half of Puget Sound is easy access from Olympia and often overlooked by everyone rushing up to the San Juans. Should be mostly empty in May. You might easily kill two weeks cruising your way around the lower sound and/or the 100 miles up to Port Townsend along the same route used by the Salish 100. Google "Salish 100" and you'll find good info on the route which takes you north thru the populated central sound. San Juans are much more natural and remote then the central sound but a long ways from Olympia and probably best accessed via trailer. Weather is another consideration. Most of our rain comes October to April. You may be OK in the south sound in May but Olympia gets significantly more rain than the San Juans. Rain stops everywhere up here mid July to mid September along with most of the wind. San Juans in May could be an ideal combination of dry weather with some wind. Just for fun I've attached a photo showing my bottom paint issue - ankle deep in pacific oysters. Too big for my taste but I don't feel good about mooring over them with copper bottom paint.