Steve W

Jay, thanks for the update......she's beautiful!

Wow! Congratulations. Crossing the finish line is a big deal. Loved the video! Take Care, Steve

FWIW, On Skeena I carry an adjustable length SUP paddle. It allows me to reach the water from standing or kneeling. It also works well to fend from docks when I'm by myself.

Don, The poles are linked in the writeup. Jay, I love the pics of the Flinders. I hope to see it in person at some point. Also, that would be a great boat for Maine. We had a wonderful trip up (Video in previous post) there this year and I think it's going to turn into an annual. And yes, Skeena does a bit of hunting at anchor, and deploying the shade helps a lot. But I do like the idea of a riding sail. Take Care, Steve

I've had some questions about the canopy my son Teddy made for Skeena. It's four years old and still looks great. Here is a pic from when we first made it. I will measure it's dimensions soon. I bought these poles which are quite sturdy. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GBY77WV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1 They can be folded down, but since I've never had to, I think flexible wood slats would work fine. The key here is flexibility. The whole rig is under tenson and can spring/deflect a bit in high wind. I left the rig out when we first built it for a week in the yard, with the mindset that if we didn't build it good, it didn't have a place on the boat. To erect it fast, I use a strap that I wrap around the mizzen mast twice and clip. Then I walk forward with the long line that is attached to the forward loop. I wrap this around the main mast one full wrap and then tighten it with one of these. Don't be judgy.......Yes, you clever knot tying people could probably knot (see what I did there) need that. https://www.amazon.com/Carabiner-Clip-Rope-Tightener-4-1/dp/B000QGJN60?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1 On the way aft after getting the ridge under tension, I clip the four forward side clips. The four front ones clip to D-rings I installed along the hatch runners. The two aft ones go to D-Rings I added to the outside of the boat, just aft of the mizzen. It's so quick to rig I'll often do it in the midle of the aftenoon having lunch at anchorage just to get a break from the sun. As for the material, I have no idea as my son bought it. But it's something like this: https://www.sailrite.com/SureRite-Charcoal-Gray-60-Fabric When not in use I roll the whole thing, poles and all. Hope this helps.

Samantha, great write-up. If you follow my writing on Skeena, you know how much of a fan of this design I am. I did the Sailish 100 with a friend in a Cornish Shrimper 19 a few years ago. Great boat in heavy wind, but not great in the light winds we had. I was wishing I had Skeena the entire time. That is an amazing place to sail. As for the awning, I'll add my .02. My very clever son Teddy came up with this design: It's fantastic. It stands up to 20+ knots of wind and gives me protection from rain going down the hatchway. It provides a nice dew free place to emerge in the morning. And it's high enough that it allows good 360degree visibility. I'm going to post the parts/size on my page if your interested. Anyway, Congratulations. I know how much work it is to get to where you are! Take Care, Steve

FWIW, I took that weak mechanism off my 2.5 when it bent. I now use a lanyard and loop. See pic. Easier to latch, more secure. I tow Skeena with the motor mounted, but not tilted. I do have a lock on the motor.

As promised (love this boat) .......

Hi jeff, I just noticed this thread. It took me a minute to realize you added a cabin. That makes things a bit trickier. I really like the B & B setup in the video, but I'm constantly dialed in to figure out how to launch Skeena, my 20.3 faster and running all that line seems complicated. I have my mizzen like Graham's. My main has two downhauls both with enough line to extend each hook to the first reef point. If I need to reef, I start by sheeting the mizzen in tight. If I'm solo, I pull up the C-board and rudder. The boat will just drift backward, under nice control as the mizzen keeps it head to wind. If I'm not in a place where backing up is desirable, I'll drop my outboard down, start it and put it in gear a bit faster than idle, without the rudder or c-board down. She'll stay head to wind and just sit still. This trick works great if you need time to sort stuff out, but my reefing is fast so I rarely do this. If I have crew, they steer me head to wind. Next, I lower the halyard to a spot I have marked with a sharpie, then pull on my second downhaul that was hooked during rigging. My aft reef is as designed with the cleat on the aft end of the main sprit and I reach up and pull it tight. If I'm ambitious I'll tie a few aft sail ties so things look a bit neater. A little snotter and I'm sailing again. This takes a minute at most unless I add the motor, than it's two. Taking the reef out is the reverse and is simple. It get's trickier if the wind speed is predicted to increase. If that is the case I go forward below decks and pop my head out of the hatch and move the original looses downhaul to the third grommet. Looking at your cabin and the distance the cabin hatch is from the base of the mast makes this look tricky. It might be wise to think of a third downhaul. Adding the second reef is a continuation of the steps above. If I didn't make myself clear, LMK. I'm heading to the MASCF and I can take pictures/ video. I will mention that a few of my sailing buddies and I have gone to boats with cabins. We refer to ourselves in our group as "Cabin Class" Welcome to cabin class. Take Care, Steve

The link worked! That brings back a lot of mostly good memories! Nice work.

She looks great. Thanks for kindling memories from my 11N!

Alan, maybe an option! I'm sure if it was designed from the beginning, it could have been a bit lighter.

After 5 years of laying down and reaching to the abyss of the aft storage behind the bunks, I finally did something about it. Here it is. The new deck is even with the bunks and now stuff just slides out like butter. I will store heavy stuff (camp chair, radar reflector, etc.) below and sleeping bags, clothes, guitar, etc. above. I haven't tabbed the sides into the hull yet as it's been really hot and stuffy working in there, but they are rock solid on the stringers. Negatives are a little weight added. I am very happy with this mod.

I do what Don has shown in the pics. I usually put sail ties around the sail and sprit together. If you undo the downhaul, you can pull the whole bundle up the sail track. With a topping lift (I use my mizzen staysail halyard) you can get the whole rig up and out of your way. This is probably the best pic I have although the topping lift is normally pulled higher.

I'm of no help other than to add that having compass that's easy to read is a joy. I use mine mostly to hold course or make sure whoever I'm sailing with is holding course. I know you are younger than me, so make sure you anticipate the days of older eyes. Bigger and closer are better. I added that same Silva compass I had on Wildcat and it was just too small where it was mounted on Skeena. Here is the backlit big font upgrade on the cockpit forward bulkhead. Sadly, it's hard to see exactly where this is. I'll shoot a better pic tonight.

Thanks Alan, 1. I spent a lot of time in Maine in light wind, Adjusting the snotter constantly on various point of sail was tiring. I couldn't see any reason not to change, but I'd rather have your endorsement. 2. That's exactly what I meant. Thanks for the pic. Sharp edge it will be. Video close to done! Also, FWIW, I think it's time to finish your boat and join the fun. Finally, thanks for the great boat. You and Graham and the whole B & B team provided a boat that has brought me a lots of joy.

Some stuff. I spent 8 nights in Maine. I'll have a video soon. Skeena was a beast. Maine is amazing. Two great moments for this group: 1. We went to visit Brooklin Boat Yard and there was a sign "dinghy's only". I sailed close to ask where to anchor and an employee asked if I build Skeena. When I said yes he told me I could stay, but my friends production boats could anchor "over there". Ha! 2. At Southwest Harbor a Hinckley Yacht employee was in the middle of fueling a new power boat with 850 gallons of fuel. I walked up with my 1 gallon can and he pulled the hose out of the new boat and gassed me up and said it was on him. Said he had noticed Skeena coming in and engaged me about the design, build etc. More to come. For now, a couple of questions. 1. The mizzen snottier attaches to a single attachment point. The main is on a bridal. I'd like to switch the mizzen to the bridal setup like the main. Any reason not to? 2. I never filled in the aft part of the C-board trunk after lengthening it. Alan suggested using foam in the instructions. Is the leading edge sharp? Rounded? Tapered? Take Care, Steve

I have a 50' dock on the Erie Canal in Pittsford NY. Plenty of room to tie up if you get out this way. What do you expect the displacement to be? Take Care, Steve

Paul, you will have to ask Alan. My boat didn't have a mizzen tabernacle as designed. During the build I was sailing a Sea Pearl, and while the masts weren't that heavy, they seemed to get heavier each year! Someone asked if there could be a tabernacle for the mizzen (Pete McCrary- "Chessie" maybe) and once I saw the design I added it to Skeena with the plans Alan & Graham supplied. It allows one handed mast raising. As for lowering it, remember that lowering the mast pivot point would make the horizontal masts interfere with the cabin hatch. I've motored down the Erie canal with the masts down and lived on the boat for a few nights before I got to open water to sail. I wouldn't want them any lower, and I'm planning on making an extension to raise the aft part of the masts higher to support my rain fly for those types of excursions. Hope this was helpful and I'm enjoying your build. I'm especially interested in you experience with the electric motor. Take Care, Steve

I just got back from a week in Maine on Skeena. What a boat (full report to come). Anyway, I had made a mod that worked out really well. Here it is: It's a clamp on golf umbrella made for a push or pull golf cart. I added a handle to the front of the mizzen tabernacle to clamp it to. Unbelievable how a little shade can be like magic. We had a few stretches where we motored with no breeze and it was nothing short of amazing. It's tilted a bit here, but the umbrella is very adjustable and stood up to a decent manufactured breeze just fine. I was thinking how handy this would have been when Amos and I were getting scorched last fall heading to the messabout. Link to Umbrella Link to handle

I added the gear shelves to Skeena this past weekend. It took so much time I couldn't help wonder how I was able to ever build Skeena. I didn't have any 6mm Okume, so I overed the pre-cut pieces from B & B. They fit great except the slot for the first bulkhead was off. No biggie, I filled it with Epoxy. Both the shelf bottom and face were a bit short, but I had a few scraps to stretch them. The location Alan sent a diagram might have had them a bit higher, but I leveled the waterline and put them where they seemed right, and I'm pretty happy Of course the Epoxy had crystalized over the winter, I couldn't find all my tools, etc. so the going was slow. I also added a couple of new cleats to the cabin top and created backing plates, so there was a lot going on. I had to sand the paint back and later tonight I'll clean the blush so she'll be ready for paint later this week. Not shown was a little dam I made so if I spill something on the shelves it won't run down the wire cutout. I feel like this shelve will hold the book I'm currently reading and stuff like snacks that I need access too during the day. I may run a 12V socket so charging is close by. We'll see. Garage sailing has me convinced it's a great upgrade. In a week and a half my daughter and I are heading to Maine for a week so I'll have a full report. Update: this mod is a must! So much easier to keep stuff handy both during the ay and sleeping.

I am adding 3/4 hollow back stainless Rub Rails to Skeena. I'm having trouble sourcing 12' long rails (4 required) without enacting a $400 dollar truck shipping charge. I can get 6 foot lengths. Any source for 12 foot or 10 foot pieces? If you used 6' pieces how did that work? Any other advice? Thanks, Steve

When I was finishing up Skeena, I had a lot of trouble finding 3/4 hollow back stainless rub rail. After refinishing the teak rubrails I used, I'm revisiting this again. I made them with profile that would allow me to add 3/4 so it's a matter of sourcing. It's hard to find in 12' lengths (would need 4 lengths) , so if you have a source LMK. If you went with 6' sections (readily available), also LMK how that went. Thanks in advance!

Paul, That hatch is really nice. I like how you can still have the dodger, solar panel and have the IMHO superior sliding hatch. My kids love to hang their feet in the cabin sitting forward on the cabin top and I like to sand up their captive like a tank commander on the lookout while someone else is at the helm. Well done. Take Care, Steve

That does look great. I can't see the pic of the garage top.