Outer Banks 26 #1

[yacht1255]

Hello. Cool project. How much will it weigh at the end.

[Steve W]

Wow, that is fantastic. I've dreamed of doing the Great Loop and that looks like a perfect boat for that. Congratulations on launch.

[Kennneee]

The designed displacement is 3,360. I weighed her on the trailer and she came out at 3,000lbs. Not much fuel or gear aboard so she should be in the ball park.

[DaveH]

Ken,

 

BRAVO ZULA!

[Kennneee]

Hi Guys- Luanne put this video of yesterdays launch together. Dave, I found the key so she could use both hands.

https://youtu.be/st5rF_CpAek

Ken

[ejds]

Congratulations on launching Rosie.  She just looks beautiful, specially floating in her element.

 

Egbert

[Paul356]

Outstanding.  Great construction of a great design.  Very happy for you and B&B.

[hightechmarine]

Glorious Fantastic job. Enjoy the Good Times ahead  

[Kennneee]

HI All- Since launching Rosie in June my work progress slowed quite a bit. When given the choice between working and going out on the water, I chose the water. I can't say enough good things about this boat. The more I use her the more I appreciate her design. She is a total joy on the water, looks great and is economical to run. Her lines are a constant source of attention which can be fun sometimes but when tied to a dock can get in the way of relaxation ( I must admit I mostly love it but don't tell anyone). 

I put her back in the boat shed at the end of September and took off for a few weeks of travel. Since returning I have gotten a lot of loose ends complete. As we know a boat is never finished but she is awfully close. I am heading south again for the Winter and probably won't do much more until I return. It is down to the small stuff like installing a VHF, a few bits of trim and paint. At Graham's suggestion I bought a set of trim tabs. Rosie planes effortlessly without them and rides beautifully. The only time I notice anything slightly bothersome is when there are 4 on board and 3 are are on one side in a beam wind. Trim tabs will correct that. I have them sitting in the shop waiting for me to install them in the Spring.

Below there is the link to my build pictures with written descriptions.  I added a bunch today to show the interior details. Using the boat for a few months helped me to tweak a few things. Luanne and I both wanted to sit higher than the original way we set her up. In the pics you will see my solution which works great. A lot of 3am. design work on that one.

I have includes 2 photos of Rosie under weigh taken by an admirer on another boat. We met later and he sent me these.

https://goo.gl/photos/

Cheers,

Ken

[Justin C]

Ken, I'm a little late to the party, but CONGRATULATIONS! Amazing build and helluva achievement!

[Oyster]

You have done and continue to do a splendid job on your fine craft. That is one of the finest build and designs that's been detailed on here too.  Hopefully you will not stay too long on your winter vacation and will get back to work and finish it up before your "six weeks of summer" is upon you.  And since your boat resides on a trailer, I think you need to consider making it to next year's gathering in the fall of the year on the banks of Chapel Creek. 

 

 

[Kennneee]

Thanks Mike!

 

HI All- Since launching Rosie in June my work progress slowed quite a bit. When given the choice between working and going out on the water, I chose the water. I can't say enough good things about this boat. The more I use her the more I appreciate her design. She is a total joy on the water, looks great and is economical to run. Her lines are a constant source of attention which can be fun sometimes but when tied to a dock can get in the way of relaxation ( I must admit I mostly love it but don't tell anyone). 

I put her back in the boat shed at the end of September and took off for a few weeks of travel. Since returning I have gotten a lot of loose ends complete. As we know a boat is never finished but she is awfully close. I am heading south again for the Winter and probably won't do much more until I return. It is down to the small stuff like installing a VHF, a few bits of trim and paint. At Graham's suggestion I bought a set of trim tabs. Rosie planes effortlessly without them and rides beautifully. The only time I notice anything slightly bothersome is when there are 4 on board and 3 are are on one side in a beam wind. Trim tabs will correct that. I have them sitting in the shop waiting for me to install them in the Spring.

Below there is the link to my build pictures with written descriptions.  I added a bunch today to show the interior details. Using the boat for a few months helped me to tweak a few things. Luanne and I both wanted to sit higher than the original way we set her up. In the pics you will see my solution which works great. A lot of 3am. design work on that one.

I have includes 2 photos of Rosie under weigh taken by an admirer on another boat. We met later and he sent me these.

https://goo.gl/photos/

Cheers,

Ken

[Kennneee]

HI All- I guess it has been almost 6 months since I added anything to this thread. I am in the middle of quite a few projects with several of them about to be completed. I made a Sapelle radar mount and installed it this week. I was originally going to buy an aluminum one but decided to give a wooden one a shot. Turned out to be more involved than I planned which is often the case with bright ideas. I am pleased with the outcome, however. The mount is easily removable with 4 bolts for trailering. I was able to integrate a load hailer and air horn into the design.

I mounted a 9.9hp Tohatsu kicker on a bracket with 16’ of vertical travel. Positioning it was harder for me than I would have anticipated. With Rosies stern being curved and having a 13 degree angle complicated my ability to see where the kicker would wind up relative to the bottom when the bracket is fully extended. For those with better abilities to see in 3 dimensions it probably is pretty simple. I spent way to much time mouth breathing and having my eyes glaze over.

I have installed a set of LectroTab trim tabs as well. Rosie did fine without them but there are a few situations where I think they will be an asset.

When I launched Rosie for the first time last year one thing that I noticed immediately was a small rooster tail off the stern on the STBD side. It took me a few minutes to realize it was coming off of the transducer. Had no idea how to correct the problem until Oyster sent me a link to a little metal plate that fits over the top of the transducer and prevents water from getting between the hull and the transducer. Hope it works. Thanks Mike!

I have also added a AIS transponder and VHF radio, compass, etc. Now I have to figure out how all of this high tech stuff works and remember to look out the windshield occasionally and not at the plotter screen! 

With the Spindrift 9 AKA The Kendrift and Rosebud a coat or two of paint away from completion, I am building the crane Graham designed AKA Kencrane. Waiting for a few parts to finish this project. There are lots of little trim pieces and a dinette table to build and I will splash her for the season. 

One little project I did the other day was to deal with a annoying problem I have had when refueling. Before I can stop dumping fuel in I often get a spurt of fuel coming out of the tank vent. Messy and polluting.  If I fill the tank very high, I will get a weeping of fuel out of the vent when the temperature rises. I made a cap to go over the vent with a removable container to catch the gasoline. Used stuff I had lying around here to make this contraption and the container is from some mint chocolate chip ice cream. I think that is the best choice to go with the gasoline. Wouldn't you agree?

[Jknight611]

Ken, the radar mount is beautiful, as is all your woodwork.  Nice you incorporated the other items in your design, nice clean look! Beautiful boat, a heck of a “Great Looper”.  

[Kennneee]

Jay- Thanks for the kudos. I would love to do the Great Loop in Rosie and mentioned it to Luanne tonight. She would be game but we have a lot to explore in this amazing part of the world first. So many boats, so many trips and so little time! I enjoy your Mathew Flinders thread,

Ken

[Kennneee]

Hi Guys- We relaunched Rosie on a high tide Sunday evening at 9:00pm. We were barely able to float her off the trailer as the local ramp is no very steep. Thanks again for a little help from my friends and Luanne. It is said that a boat is never done but Rosie is as done as any boat I have ever built. I spent the last couple of months doing all sorts of little details on “the list” that never seems to have an end. A piece of trim here, a wire tie there, etc. Luanne got into high gear and sewed up curtains,  knit what she calls a “Cozy Rosie” for cold nights in the forward cabin. Finished the dinette, galley stowage, and a bunch more things that needed doing.

I only got to motor her over to the nearby dock where she is berthed and haven’t tried the kicker, trim tabs, etc.yet. Lousy weather has rolled in so I won’t get to play with the trim tabs, radar, etc. until things clear up.

Getting to this point in the project leaves me with mixed emotions. On one hand I am elated to see my girl looking so lovely.  After almost 4 years of being laser focused on this build I have to learn to think about other things again. In the mean time, I have to get cracking on the KENCRANE and a few other things. Ok, disregard the part about her being done. Who am I kidding?

 

 

[Hirilonde]

Very pretty!

 

My wife has been saying that she doesn't want to go sailing any more.  But that she might approve of us having a power boat.  I just might have to work on her to build an OB 20. I will use your pictures as part of my sales pitch.

[HighDesert]

Be careful Dave...unless you secretly want to build an OB26. 

[Kennneee]

A few more shots.

[Mike The Desert Rat]

Ken,  I've read all your post.  Awesome boat.  Thank you for sharing your journey.  I'm thinking about building an OB 24 or OB 26.  The extra space of the 26 really has my attention.  I've never owned or built anything this large.  The biggest boat I've owned is an 18' pontoon boat.  I can launch, dock, and trailer that boat by myself.  I'm wondering two things, 1) How comforatble would you be handling this boat on your own, and 2) What are your thoughts on bow and/or stern thrusters for a boat like yours?  Have you ever considered either?  Thanks, Mike.