Tim Diebert

As you say Craig. Doing a good and correct job on the planned project, regardless of what it is, is accepted and often unremarkable. But when one of those big curves is tossed at you, throwing the sequence out, the schedule out and having to be corrected under pressure...is really the challenge and the measure of skill and patience. The fun stuff. But still....a wood stretcher would be nice.

:idea: You might want to consider the purchase of a wood stretcher so these minor errors won't be so stressful in the future. :wink: And I just thought I would mention that I have spent my life building junk out of wood I can tell you some of the best work I have ever done is fixing mistakes. The very stuff you never point out to a client. Early on I worked for a 75 year old cantankerous shipwright. One day, after fuming and beating myself up about an error I made (I still get really mad at myself) he told me a saying, his Dad taught him, that has stuck with me, I am sure many of you have heard this, "The measure of a craftsman is not by how few mistakes he makes, but buy how well he fixes the ones he will make." I love doing a good fix.

Jim. When I first got my boat it has wheel steering. It was very easy to modify the stock design to tiller. I just sawed off the stub, so it was even stubbier, and added some tiller 'cheeks' and a tiller. Not an ideal fix, but lasted me two seasons. But, as you say, your stock rudder box is toast, so you could replace the whole thing, basically like stock...but rather modified for a tiller. Here is the best image I could find that might be of some help to you. The red color is the stock box, then the buff color are the cheeks for the tiller. http://www.timtone.com/tt/ttphotos/images/DehaanAnnieM1big.jpg It was a two hour job. I used 1/2" ply for the cheeks, which was nowhere near strong enough. My new rudder has all 3/4" hardwood parts. On the whole standing water issue, agreed, a bad thing for sure. When I designed my new unit, the down haul is located such that it is mostly external so something like this could not happen.....as well, it simplifies the process. I like simple. You could build something similar to my all solid wood unit, though if you are using the stock mounting points for the rudder box, you will need to design around those parameters. Closing the transom hole up is a good thing. As for the tiller location. I like mine to be not too high off the stern deck (Or taffrail if you have one). Angling slightly downward towards the cockpit, that way the usable section of tiller is at a low enough height to be an armrest as well...and high tillers look silly. The length will be up to you and your style of sailing. I keep mine on the shortish side and use an extension for when I am playing racer boy. In these boats, because the cockpits are pretty small and the boom is low, I like my tiller to have the ability to raise up and out of the way for tacking etc. Also when I motor I often stand in the cockpit or on the two benches, and that way the tiller is still usable. I also have holes in my tiller at strategic locations to be able to use lines and bungees to self steer and I also have a steering line (that has an official boaty name I can't remember) that runs forward so I can steer the boat while motoring from the companionway on cold days and from the cabintop for fun. (to freak out motorboaters mostly) Other than that, be creative and have fun with it. Good luck. I would be happy to help you in any way I can....if required.

Damn those renderings kill me every time!

That is dang cool Barry, thanks! I might be able to use some of that. I went out to the boat to measure up for this little project and discovered that I should have done this sooner. Turns out, as brilliant as Daves idea is, I would have had to go with the Adjustable Whisky Crotch Pole version anyway, as I forgot that in the area that the mast end of the pole would live....is where my high tech glassfibre mast support is. This is basically a 1/4" thick custom made fiber glass sleeve (tapered like the mast) that slides over the mast hinge once the mast is up...or slides up to let the mast hinge back down. The bottom of the sleeve naturally rests on the gooseneck so there is about a foot of the sleeve on either side of the hinge when supporting the mast. It works great, but it sits right where the Adjustable Whisky Crotch Pole jaws will have to go. So I will have to keep that new radius in mind I recon.... Oh...now that I think of it....I could build something more like the R1 Special right into the mast sleeve.....not having to monkey around with my slim wisp of a mast. That could be cool....and it would have the added bonus of a rotating fitting! Ha. I wouldn't need two fittings, just rotate the pole, fitting et all when gybing the sail over. I think perhaps one of my other personalities was thinking well ahead on this...and was just waiting for my slower personality to catch up. Inspirational Insanity. This thread has been fun. Thanks for all the help folks. Funny story John. So you folks in NZ import Western Red? I can't imagine what you must pay for it. Great material. (or do you grow a version of it there?) I use it occasionally for guitars.....and boat parts. Actually, the new rudder I just made is local Larch. Sawn by a local sawyer buddy of mine a few years ago. Air dried, perfectly quartersawn, 14" wide 2" thick, and mmmmmmmm nice. It was meant for guitar stuff (don't tell anyone that is sounds very nice) , but ended up being a rudder. One confused piece of wood.

How do you mean 'an emergency' rudder Charlie? They would replace the broken one with what you made, in the same location? Or a whole separate system? Just curious.

I bought this video from the Small Craft Advisor people a few weeks ago. I have watched it several times and enjoyed it every time. If you are interested in other small 15' to 22' boats, this video shows some great footage of a race they have every year. This particular year was the best wind conditions yet. Good comparative shots, close up, of several different kinds of boats crossing the finish line, down wind...taken from the commitee boat. Man, I have always loved the Monty 17....I wish I could afford one. Even used they are spendy. Having watched them sailing on this video re-enforces my thoughts. There is a very good interview with Justin Pipkorn, the guy that built a Vagabond.... as well as some great sailing shots of her as well. http://www.amateurboatbuilding.com/ProjectJustRight/ Also an interview with Bill Teplow, the guy that sailed a Potter 19 from Frisco to Hawaii. Pretty good stuff for $15. http://www.smallcraftadvisor.com/store.html

Build one like this Mike. Lots of solid wood. Very strong. 8) Actually, it sounds like you are on the right track by going heavier with all your bits and pieces. It also sounds like you are a maniac sailor ...anybody busting up rudders like that. Good show. :thumbsup:

Yes, no speaking out allowed! NO soup for YOU! I think we have a very polite crowd here. Kind of like going to church on Sunday morning. (Just going by what I see in the movies) I think it should be manditory to speak your mind and say it like it is. Kind of like real life. Go for it Yoyo. Cut loose Dude.

Now this is getting interesting.

Russ. Why don't you build another baot? I wish the guy that built my boat used walnut shells....my side decks are like a cheeze grater. It is common practise to warn all new crew and supply a roll of paper towel and a box of bandaids. On Sunday I mounted some new deck fittings and had to drill through the stuff 8 times. Had to sharpen my bit after every hole. Walnut shells sound pretty good to me.

Mighty fine folks! Looks great.

Dave, it really does sound like that last thing you need is more sail. You are fortunate to be in a consistently windy place. What water do you sail? Me, I have the good fortune to be forever changing up and down for conditions. I am real tired of bobbing around when I want to stay out until the wind shows up...so I would like some big planks for those days....thinking a light weight reacher or blooper of some kind.(along with the topsail) Not sure how yet....like how do you gybe one of those things over when the tack is at the end of the bowsprit? Out on a buddies 'modern' boat and he just swaps tack for clew and swaps sheets....easy when the tack hooks to the bow and not a stick 4 feet over the water. Anyway, I am thinking about it. At the same time, I get days that have blown 20-30 for hours, and like to stay out. Even double reefed and jib is too much sail in that case(with two aboard it is OK), so I am thinking a wee staysail or spitfire.... and maybe a trysail...one with it's own wee gaff you can roll the sail up on and stow. I am doing at least one of the big lakes this summer, a ten day cruise with my 24 year old, Zach. I have online access to the wind records on that lake (lake Okanogan) going back 50+ years, and it commonly blows upwards of 30k there and with a much longer fetch...so I would like some much smaller sails for that possibility. And some much bigger ones for the light days....keep moving. Yes, the jaws idea could be the ticket....and as you Dave wrote about the possibility of it falling off the mast...I was thinking of having a line around the back....and here John B. comes up with that idea. And I think I would work that in with the crutch or crotch or jaws. Maybe design the jaws so they go about half way and have a tightish shock cord run around back...? Call it an Adjustable Whisky Crotch Pole. I like it. I can well imagine a whisky pole(I mean Whisky Crotch Pole) on Waione is right longish.....and a topping lift would be the thing. Do you have a separate topper just for this John...or you utilize the one off the main boom? You probably have jacks for the main....Just curious.

Very nice. I wish I had thought of using aluminum. DOAH! I live in a very small town, and would have had to order it in.....but I do have this large electric company that rebuilds transformers and motors and they use this 1 1/2" X 1/4" bronze (or is it copper?) stuff for a thing like a giant fuse (bus bar?) So I can buy it in any length from them, but is still a tad pricey. Has come in handy (used it for hatch slides in another thread) Here's an image of my install. Back in myshipyard days, we put shoes on of all types of boats all the time, and generally they were bedding down the entire length. Depending on the size and material, we would use Irish felt, white or red lead or Polysulfide (like Sikaflex or Boatlife caulk) I used Sikaflex...and generally do for bedding anything down.....on deck or below the water line.

Just looked in my Harken book and something around like what you are describing would be this for about $100 plus this for about $40 plus line etc would be a pricey little sustem. But it might be something worth thinking about. Once I am back on the water, it is always easier to picture the use of a system like this. Speaking of Harken stuff.....I used this cool little swivel cleat thing for my main and now have mounted two more for jib sheets. Havn't used them yet, but the reason I got them was because last season whilst sailing solo in big wind, I found I had to luff up to get across the cockpit to get enough purchase on the sheet and to draw it aft to harden up. Man, in little boats like ours...if you don't luff up a tad and move across the boat like that, things happen really fast! (Even with light sticks and ballast)...So I thought with these units I can stay hiking out on the weather rail and still trim headsail. Cool huh? Oh and I would like to mention that this Mauri Pro Sailing outfit (where I swiped these images) in Texas has very good prices (best I have found) and great service.

John, thanks. That also makes perfect sense. Simple and effective. Wow. Dave, whadayathinkofthat? I could not envision my tiny sail requiring a topping lift....hasn't so far, but I know that is the correct way to do it. You know, the jaw idea would serve double duty as well. Could be quite handy for the next time I break a leg. Great stuff John....but how much whiskey do you drink? Agreed Jake. A veritable bottomless well of imformation we have in this here forum.

Boy Ray....now you got me thinking. It sure would be nice to get those aft main sheet lines out of the way...and I already use a bridgedeck system. I wonder how much mechanical advantage you would have to come up with to go mid boom?I too have had the sheets foul on the outboard...many times, though it has never caused an 'incident'.

Your Bio says Biomed.....so you are doing the forum thing at work.....ah ha. Me too. In my work, I love to take the idea guys idea....and make it a reality. So we make a good team. How are you making out with the topsl idea? I am still doing it, but need to just complete a whole bunch of stuff just to get back on the water first. I actually have several sails I want to do, but the topper is first on the list.

Holy Crap Martha....that is some clever technique you got there Mr. R1. Mission impossible type stuff. Considering the fitting would be under compression, that is very good advice. Once I am all done and get to use this miracle of modern technique.....I will take all the credit for the sheer cleverness. Give that lad a Gold Star and send him to the head of the class. :idea: Thanks. Great advice and great help. The Forum strikes again. Invaluable.

Wow. Five posts in all and you are done. Cool. Nice report too. I like the embedded ballast idea. Too bad about the knockdown, sounds like it turned out OK in the end though. Do you think that perhaps raising the center of effort that 8" might have had something to do with it? My wife has all but pleaded with me to do the same thing, but I choose not to, take the chances and keep the CE a little lower. I have been smacked a few times. (Can you tell.... :wink: ) Great name BTW. I had always wondered what the species you guys call Oregon was...so basically Douglas Fir...but the I guess the southern hemisphere version eh? Good advice for the rub rails too. I wish the guy that originally built my boat did it that way. Any kind of exterior rail, in my mind, should be considered sacrificial or at least prone to damage, and measures should be taken to make them removable. Putting them over the glass is also very good advice. I intend to remove all my rails and do a proper set some day. I envision splitting them off and away, then and grinding the screws off. I am really hoping he didn't glue them on...... :shock: Have you got any pix yet? Launch day or sailing?

Good one ray That's almost exactly what I have been doing. Thing is the pole I now have is too short for the lapper, and I figure I could have much better sail shaping options with an adjustable pole that sits basically level with the clew. That way it will work with any of my sails. I have never used my boat hook pole as a boat hook yet, it has really been my whiskey pole :? ....so I figure I will leave that one at home and take the new one. Dave, great idea. I have lots of 1/8" brass sheet around here and often do metal fab for my work related stuff. I could cobble something together that way. I like it. If I had your cad drawing expertise I would show you what I had in mind, but I am thinking a version of your idea is better and removes less wood. My mast is just a slender wee thing and I don't want to create a weak point just for this.

Somehow I just knew you were going to say that beaker. Yes, almost certainly that would be the case. How often do you use the WE these days?

Thanks Dave. That is very similar to what I had in mind....but way easier to actual do. Where have you seen such things for sale? I don't recall seeing anything like this at a hardware store. Yes, something like this would work. I have an old handle from something....I can't remember what...maybe a window washing thing. Anyway, it is light metal and telescoping (sp?)...or adjustable for length. I figured I would just set whatever fittings were required into epoxy. Cool.

I am taking an informal pole as to show how many whiskey drinkers this forum has....... OK, sorry. I always thought what I called a whiskey pole was actually a whisker pole. Could be that the guy that I learned from screwed me up.... What I was wondering is, what any of you creative characters out there do for an inboard attachment point for your whiskeR poles? On a mast with sail track rather than lashings or hoops, you have a kind of pad eye on the forward or leeding edge of the mast...often on a track for vertical adjustment. This wont work on my mast because of the mainsail lashings. I have (maybe) come up with a solution, but I am wondering what folks have been doing. Me? I have been just clipping the inboard end to whatever is handy...and it doesn't work well at all. I love the new lapper for down wind and want to have a functional whisker pole. Now I am thinking of making a light reacher or ghoster as well. Hey John B. you out there man?

My first mate has been asking me about a boat with a little more room. We even scoped out a San Juan 21 recently. At one point I figured on buying the next boat....but am now toying with the idea of building. Now that I have my boat basically.....getting closer anyway.....sorted, I would not want to be doing anything for a long while yet. I want to enjoy this little guy for a spell. But as with most boat owners, RVers and airplane owners....they are always thinking of the next move. Daphne recently said to me during a casual conversation: "You know, I have been thinking, rather than get that new camper we were thinking of, why don't we get a bigger boat to holiday in." That pretty much had me google eyed :shock: But, the more I think about it, the more I am worried that a bigger boat (even a little bit bigger) will slow down the frequency of sailing I do now. I love John Welsfords Sweet Pea, and am waiting to see how Scott Dunsworth's Belhaven turns out......but then I was thinking the Vacationer with some changes could work well for us as well......or or. Anyway, it is fun to ponder these things. In the meantime, I will plunk away at Annie M. and enjoy the boat I have.