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PadrePoint

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Everything posted by PadrePoint

  1. Today’s progress. I know, it looks the same as last night. Except that I installed the second layer of the sheer clamp (most outside stringer) and everything is now permanently glued and screwed together. We have some minus 15-20 degrees coming so I’m not sure what I’ll be doing on the boat for a few days... we’ll see. Meanwhile, I’m trying this approach with a small ceramic heater to help cure the epoxy glue applied during the last couple days.
  2. Aaahh... the shape of the Stiletto hull. I’ve loved these lines since the mid-1960’s. The first layer of the sheer clamps (the long, lower, and thinner stringers) are installed/glued; I might install the second outer layer tomorrow. The battens that will support the bottom plywood are still only screwed in for now. The chine logs (the long, upper, and thicker stringers) are also only temporarily screwed into the frames... and they are tied together in the bow to let the wood get comfortable with the shape. It took some manhandling to get the chines twisted and bent into the notches and to meet at the stem in the bow. The chine logs are only roughly cut where they meet the stem and will be more accurately cut and installed/glued tomorrow. After all these members are permanently installed, I have a significant amount of shaving and belt sanding to get everything ready for the side and bottom plywood planking.
  3. Some progress today (4 are battens were dry fit.) I made varied depth notches in the frames and transom to set the battens at the correct height throughout. Things are level and correct to receive the plywood. I will fit the other two battens tomorrow and then permanently glue/screw things together.
  4. I now begin what I think is the most meticulous and important aspects of the build: fitting the bottom battens to create the fairing needed for the flat/slightly-flared back 6 feet of the bottom, avoiding any kind of rocker or hook that will adversely affect the boat’s planing characteristics at speed. I think this step will take a lot of care and time. I recall the work needed in my high school build of the same boat (4 feet shorter). I thought alignment of the frames was good so I installed the bottom battens. Then, I noticed some waviness in things... an eighth of an inch here and a little more there, and a slight hook in the 18 inches leading into the transom. (WHERE did all that come from? ? ) One adjustment with my Surfoam tool or hand-plane caused another spot to be off... very frustrating. I created mounds of shavings over many many days, trying to get things as correct as possible (in an unheated Minnesota garage in winter.) I will try to not replicate my experience and endeavor to get things as correct as possible prior to installing the battens. “Good luck, Padre!” ?
  5. Time to Get Serious Now I ordered a Honda 60 hp for the boat in the fall. It came in last week... so I decided to move the build from the basement to the garage. I planned to reassemble the boat in the garage around March 1, so this moves things up by a full month. This is where things were last week... the frames were screwed onto the building form. I had hoped to use work-time in the basement to possibly fit the keel, battens, chine log and sheer clamp (using only screws, since it would need to be dismantled for the move in March.) The full hull would fit in my workshop but it would be a little close. I dismantled things last week... ...and moved into the garage for reassembly. Yesterday, I assembled, glued, and bolted together the transom knee and stem/breast hook to opposite ends of the keel, making a 15 foot assembly. Moving it from the basement through the front door is a straight shot, but narrow with the jog at the top of the steps. And here is the full 15 foot length: Using my new router table (building stuff lets me justify buying new tools ?), I made 1/2 inch round-overs on the two edges of each of the six cut-to-shape battens... as I did yesterday to the keel (I’ve been rounding over all edges that will NOT connect with plywood... I think it will produce a nice effect.) After gluing and bolting the transom to transom knee today, I finally installed the keel assembly to the frames this evening... making everything connected for the first time (and permanently connected. ?) I’m very satisfied with completing this keel installation on the final day of January, more than a month ahead of plan. ?
  6. Today, (after The Wheezer took a “week off” for school,etc. ?) I set her up with my palm sander and a long vacuum hose to connect to her Shop Vac for... epoxy sanding... in preparation for taping. She had already cut a lot of the fiberglass tape pieces, but some more prep work would be helpful for the taping. For a first effort on making fillets I think she did well. Still this weekend, perhaps she can get to a couple things: glueing in the forward bulkhead (it looks like it is fitting correctly) and taping a few joints. Sanding will be an ongoing thing for a while. The Wheezer is quite independent in these current tasks, and I’ve recently had some available time (along with a spurt of inner and motivating energy) to move my own boat build from the basement into my garage. I can actually begin its assembly instead of just making some of the parts (like frames.) I did, however, make canoe seat last month from a B&B Yachts downloadable plan. I will sand it again later and varnish it. Likely, I will make a few more.
  7. You have a very appealing boat. Great job.
  8. Today, the morning of the Packers championship game, we worked for an hour getting things ready to make the inside fillets. The Wheezer has watched Alan’s CS15 videos and she is READY!! (We started at 10:30 am and she had already done a swim meet... I had barely finished my coffee.) I suggested starting with the under-the-seat filleting, sort of as practice. “Then, just keep going... I’ll be at my home if you have questions (she won’t) and will stop in later (after the game... or before, should the Packers forget to “show up” today) to see how things are going.” Easy day for me. ? (Pizza, beer and chips in a little while.) Edit: The game is not looking good as the second half begins... down by 18. Sigh. At least I’ve got pizza in the oven. Edit: The Packers showed up, had a chance, almost did it, but lost. Pizza’s gone.
  9. I think your build is looking great and is coming along nicely. I bought these from B&B Yachts for my Core Sound 15 build last year (I have a motor so I’ve only tried rowing once so far):
  10. I went skiing ⛷ early this morning for a couple hours on a first sunny day in many weeks (it is about 8 degrees... “fresh”) ?. Then, it was time for me to “punch in” with The Wheezer across the street. I assisted her for a couple hours this afternoon installing four of six outwale/gunwale strips (two layers on each side.) With left over thickened epoxy we made an initial small fillet on the underneath joint of gunwale and side. We’ll do the third strip-layer later in the build. A productive day. I find that the Spindrift 10 is becoming a very cute looking little boat. I enjoy looking at it sitting on its building cradle. Maybe The Wheezer will post some more update boat-build photos. (And, Amos, the frosting tube worked nicely for The Wheezer. Of course, I managed to have some of my typical messiness.) ?
  11. Amos, this is mostly me just whining. I have a way of bumping something that has epoxy on it and passing it to other things... and that stuff is tenaciously sticky. This morning I noticed a “dirt smudge” on my wrist that wouldn’t just wipe off... a leftover from yesterday’s work that I missed when cleaning up... OR I picked up the smudge WHEN I was cleaning up. See... whining at my own carelessness. ? And, I am going to run out right now to get some frosting bags for The Wheezer. ? I didn’t try this when I built my CS15.
  12. Yup. Outwales tomorrow. (These were thin tack welds.)
  13. Ah, the joys of working with thickened epoxy... the stuff has a way of getting on everything She had a few long hairs appear in the goo. That wasn’t a problem for me. ? The Wheezer was introduced today to using my 40 year old Craftsman belt sander, along with some more work with a saber saw, drill, and table saw. Her initial fillet work looks pretty good and will not need a lot of sanding ... yet. That will come after wires are pulled out and thicker fillets are put in preparing for fiberglass taping. The kit pieces continue coming together nicely, fitting well.
  14. These are questions I wonder about as well. Adding to yours, in stronger wind it seemed like my CS15 would often get stuck in irons when tacking (maybe I was not using enough rudder and turning about too slowly.) I welcome any pointers on effectively sailing the Core Sound boats. (I’ve sailed sloops a few times in previous years but I still feel new to sailing... and, I only had my CS15 sails a couple weeks last fall before putting the boat into winter storage.)
  15. I made the building form solid with a few angled braces. Then I placed blocks on the form that the frames are screwed onto. Frames are now VERY solid for bending the chine logs and sheer clamps. Then I needed to epoxy-coat frame two. With leftover epoxy I coated the top of the canoe seat.
  16. Thanks for the explanations. Very helpful. I made one-piece masts for my CS15 but I think The Wheezer would prefer this sectional approach for her Spindrift build.
  17. We took a few minutes tonight to tighten up and adjust the bow area (added a few wires), wire in the forward bulkhead, put screws into the temporary bulkhead and transom, and do a first check for twist (just a bit... close enough for now.) The Wheezer has to be a student for the next few days. ?
  18. After The Wheezer’s swim meet yesterday I offered to come over after supper to help her get things ready to unfold. Since we got things ready to go and the bottom loosely wired, I asked whether she would like to invite her mom, dad and two siblings to be part of the next step: forming the hull shape by unfolding the two halves and wiring the chines. They all pitched in. I only took a photo of The Wheezer with her mom and dad as the wires were snugged up a bit. It was our third day of the build. She woke up with a headache this morning and has an afternoon swim meet... so I had a chance to work a bit on my 15’ ski boat build. Link: Building Form is Ready
  19. I got the building form made today. It is ten inches higher than the plans (less having to work near the floor.) It is also proportionately spaced to make a 15 foot boat and the plans are for 16 feet. Some ratio math was needed. Things are square and level. I only laid the frames in to check on shop space. I need to move some stuff out while I’m in the basement. (Frame five needed a piece to be glued in.) I’ll block in and firmly set the frames tomorrow. Next will be the keel, stem, knee and transom. A few more pics: The little canoe seat is coming along:
  20. Finally, I am beginning to make the building form upon which will be placed the frames and keel. Still moving slowly in the build until I move the pieces from the basement to the garage. But, the 9th grade girl across the street has begun building her Spindrift 10 sailboat from a B&B Yachts kit. I’m coaching her; she is doing the work. The Wheezer is quite busy with school and her swim team, so building time will be sporadic. These past few days have provided our first building opportunity. Tonight, the third day of the build (and after her swim meet) we prepared the panels for the big unfolding step. She invited her mom and dad to help in this step of forming the hull. The Wheezer is the kid on the right, tightening a wire. Thid is her build blog: https://messing-about.com/forums/topic/12581-spindrift-10-build-by-a-9th-grade-girl/
  21. Removable side seats for sailing: Hadn’t thought about these for a nesting Spindrift. Are they part of the plans or a personal addition?
  22. The Wheezer was introduced to my table saw today. From 5/4 treated deck boards (southern white pine from Lowe’s) we cut six strips for the gunwales, four pieces for stringers, and a couple pieces for the dagger board trunk. The zipper joints for the bottoms/sides were done this morning and are curing. Good progress continues. (Luckily, she has swim practice this afternoon... whew! Time for a glass of wine and a few munchies. ?)
  23. I bought the trailer today and placed it in the boat-storing place next to the house. (Those streaks aren’ little meteors... it’s starting to snow. ?)
  24. A power lifter.... exactly what you need... A strong guy whose ego just might pressure him do it. ?
  25. We started the build today, learning to mix epoxy and thicken it for gluing. The Wheezer is a fast learner. I demonstrated the various processes needed to glue finger joints, but she did everything (feels a little lazy to just “watch”.) Three hours and the finger joints (bottom, sides, seat tops) and the assembled/glued transom were set aside to cure. The build is moving along. ? Again... it is SO nice having a B&B sailboat kit with the CNC cut parts.
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