Pete

Started planking today. Looks sweet to me so far. Hope my luck holds.

If you know of anyone with a ship going from nz to where you are I've a couple of masts and booms plus the rigging and a couple of sets of sails for the Hartley 18. Good on you for building her. I wonder if it could not be stitched and glued? Built using epoxy saturation would make her last nearly forever. I believe mr Hartley used to suggest that if using marine ply epoxy wasn't required.

Gday Gene, I had an Hartley 18 for a while and a good mate had a 14. Both great fun which I'm sure your 12 will be too. Hope yours was well built. Well you better not keep us in suspense so please let us know what the attention is that she needs.

Hi Richard, Thanks kindly. I'm in Gisborne so we are nearly neighbours, at least as far this net stuff goes. The Lapwing looks an interesting build. How far along are you with it? Now you might be able to tell me what this stuff is that I've come across. Its about the weight and sound of wrc ( could use this stuff for the soundboard of a guitar) I think its a native because all the other stuff I was given was locally sourced, indeed scavenged from the beach. Its a brown fawny sort of a colour. Has some small tight knots. I could take a sample to a local joinery but I've a few mates who are in the trade and they don't have a clue what it is. Cheers Pete.

Thanks kindly Dogdad, I read through most of the System 3 stuff and found heaps of useful tips. I've been using Resourcinol Formaldehyde on the 8 foot Benford Dinghy. Its so much cleaner to use I love it. Have to be real quick though as it sets up in about 5 to 10 minutes. I've used it to laminate the stem and transom. So nice to simply wash up with water. I'm going to build her with the strip planking method as I've been given some suitable stuff which is not Totara as I thought but something that hasn't been identified yet. After lofting and building the strongback and setting up the stations building the Spindrift has got to be a lot easier!!

Elbow grease was what I was trying to avoid! I didn't realise epoxy thinned as the heat from setting up got to it. Thanks for the tips. I did make a small pram called apple pie. I was living aboard a yacht while working away from home and I used this little flat bottomed dinghy daily for about a year. I found it to be great with the wind, rowing that is and feet did not get wet when getting out onto the shore:) Still I remember sanding for way too long so I'll be doing everything I can to make a clean job of the Spindrift.

Thanks kindly John, I'll take you to task on that offer:). Is there a best way to keep stitch and glue construction clean? I guess masking is the answer but wonder if there's a simple and cheap way to go about this. I think an ounce of prevention has to be better than pounds of cure. cheers.

Hi Mate, Yes working clean is good. Sails in the workshop! Time to use your authority. Get Mum onto him. cheers Pete.

Hi folks, I've been reading the posts here for while now and thoughtit was about time to get involved. I've just received the drawings for the Spindrift 10 N which I'll pprobably build soon after I finish the 8 foot Benford Portland dinghy. I'm in nz so had a bit of a wait for the 10 n plans to arrive. So I lofted the benford from his small craft book and cut the stations then set them up on a frame which is where I'm at now. A friend gave me some Totara, native nz durable often used for fence posts and stumps to support hoses, so I'll have a go at strip building her. Totara's a softwood, that is a conifer, a bit lighter than pine I think and a light pink colour. I've a nice workshop with good tools so my only excuse will be a lack of experience but there's only one way to cure that. I'm 55 years old, Danish born Australian with 2 fully grown kids. I'm into making furniture and a has been surfer. go sailing often and love it. Trying to get my wife enthused with the ideal of going cruising. I'm impressed by the positive attiitude of the folks that post here, also the level of experience and I hope to benefit from all. Happy new Year, Pete.