Arnie Eaton

I used gal. steel for mine. They are the fence brackets for a chain link fence. When closed or fastened they are 3" in dia. I made the wood part from some 1.5" oak cut with a 3" dia round cutting bit. Recessing the metal into the wood is not required as the metal fits very tight around the wood part.

Ed, just to keep all things straight, I beleave that the fitting at the mast top is called a "Mast Band", while the fitting at the foreward end of the bowsprit is called the "Kranz Iron". Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I too have contructed both items from SS pipe and 3/8 SS round stock. I don't weld but did do the cutting and bending. I have seen Kranz, Krans, and Cranz as the spelling.

Well I did it, got DSL this morning. Costs less then a second phone line. Man, it is fast and your on line all the time. Cost from QWest is $15 per month plus $3 modem rental, less than my 2nd line. Got both computers hooked up and can use both at the same time plus use the phone for calls. Whoopee! You can also buy the modem for around $56. No more dialup and dropped hookups

Frank, I have both a Delta planner and a 6" joiner. I find the joiner gets used about twice as much as the planner but both are nice to have.

Along with what Jake said, you need a vise and a hammer, also a drill with asorted bits. As far as paint, wash with a solvent, let dry, then used a good metal primer, then paint. Again use a good metal paint. On some heavy metal, I used a reciprocating saw with metal cutting blade. These are small jobs you can do between the big ones.

Phils drawing is good. Tom Surbrook of Spokane WA has the same setup. He had only a screw in the bottom hole and when he and I were sailing in a stiff breeze, the screw snapped with a loud crack. Needless to say a bolt replaced the screw. Spreaders are a great help to keep the gaff from hanging up.

I found that most good hardware stores stock gal. steel in flat stock in different sizes and thickness. I made almost all the fittings I needed from that kind of steel. I do have a bending tool for steel and that helped. I also made the mast head fitting from S.S. pipe and rod. Bent the rod into "V" shaped pieces and had them welded on the sides of the pipe. Did the same for the "kranz iron" for the bow sprit. I try to make all the items I can. Saves money and is sorta fun.

Just curious about what boat you are building.

Jake, I have a 74 lb riptide, 24 VDC. Paid 499 new. I think it should do well for my Vacationer. Check out the internet, that's where I got mine. Free shipping also.

A tuned sail rig and good balance is the key to speed. Sail trim is very important as well. I really don't think the keel material will make much difference as to how the boat handles if properly contructed.

While looking thru some old books in a local used book store, I ran across a large paper back called "Basic Sailing" by M.B. George, published by Motor Boating in 1965. The book covers from Types Of Sailboats to Glossary of Terms, 37 topics in all. I paid a buck for it and after looking thru it would have paid much more. I suggest you may want to try to find a copy. For example, there's three pages on how to recover form a capsize, how to unstick a anchor, jibing, good and bad sails, reefing, how wind affects sails, and many more subjects. The book is 9" by 12" in size and has 121 pages.

Jake, I don't do updates. Can't post pics yet either. I'm mostly done until the weather will let me get outdoors. Maybe about late March or April. No raiseing the mast indoors, my shop ceiling is only 8 feet.

Hi Alex, Enjoy your weekend building. Making a boat is one of the most fun things you can do, followed by sailing the boat you have made yourself. Keep us posted on your progress.

Could that material be something like Dynel? It is a plastic type cloth and can be used just like glass. It is much lighter and is stronger and not so brittle as glass. Get it the same place as glass and epoxys.

Got the e-mail, thanks. From the appearance, these look like they would be used to hold the planks of a clinker style boat. I do have a use for them on my next boat.

Neat! I could use some of those. Please send a drawing. Thanks, Arnie

I would like to see your boat. Sounds like it would have a schooner rig, maybe with a gaff main sail, triangler foresail and standard jib. I live in Hamilton Montana and that's about 300 miles from you. If you could post pictures it would help. Jake (above) lives in Puget Sound area and might be a little closer. I have a friend in the Spokane area who maybe could help. Here is his e-mail address. tcsurbrook@surbrook.org. His name is Tom. Let me know what you do and/or find out. Arnie Eaton Phone 406 375 8290.

Jake, for a large opening between rooms, they do make curtains made of plastic strips, each strip about 6" wide. The strips hang from the top of the opening and overlap about an inch. Makes for a good dust blocking device but still can pass thru yourself and even shove wood thru from your table saw while cutting long pcs. Just a thought.

Jake, when I built my shop on the side of my home, part adjoined my double garage. So I opened up a 12 foot wide opening between the garage and the new shop. What I'm saying is to make the opening between the two rooms as wide as you can. With a good header you should be able to go 14-16 feet with no problems. This will allow the max use of all your space.

Gosh Konrad, it looks like one could sail right under that cloud. Might be fun!

My stepson is in Irag and I sent him the following: Drink mix, beef jerky, warm socks,hard candy, car magazines, DVD's, and other things they can't get there. They play the DVD's on their computers as they don't have TV's (yet). Things are getting better as I heard they are getting a PX and a dayroom. Don't send chocolate or liquids, and sex junk would NOT be in order.

Nothing to be sorry about. We knew you would come thru in the end. Thanks from ALL of us.

I too would like the same answers to the above questions. I have a 74 lb, 24 volt trolling motor. Have not used it as yet but will in the spring. For pushing a Vacationer, I thought that a big unit would be in order. I also have a small 30 lb unit. Would it be enough to do the job?

As I understand it, teak turns gray with weathering outdoors. Makes great outdoor furniture. Would be better if finished with a clear poly type finish in my opinion. Great for sailboat decks.

Way to go Steve! You have more than one talent!