mixed feelings

[Steve Tarry]

Okay, here I was with parts cut out and not too far from going 3-D and school and show started simultaneously. I have three more weeks of "Odd Couple" performances still to go, and on Tuesday I start rehearsal for "The Fantasticks." When is this boat going to get built?

By the way, it strikes me that installing the steering mechanism would be easier before the sides go on. Is that totally impractical in the scheme of things?

[Mark Hughes]

I think you'll find that most people recommend installing the steering before the sides go on. I, of course, did it the hard way...after the sides were on. It wasn't too contortionistic, but then, I'm building a Vacationer,which tends to have a little more elbow room in general.

[Dave R1]

Ah, The Fantasticks. We did that back when I was in high school.

I would suggest you do the steering or as much as you can prior to putting on the sides. I recently made another modification to mine and I sure wish I could have worked on it with the sides off. It probably took me twice as long to install the new hardware because I had to work through a small hole.

[Steve Downs]

We had "The Odd Couple" and "Barefoot In The Park" at our Niel

Simon Festival this summer. Great shows!

I've seen a photo of the steering system using the Nelson (?) method and it was all done before the sides were installed. I'm thinking I'm going to use that method.

[Knut]

As mentioned before, I also chose the "Nelson" design for my Weekender and the actual installation was done after the sides were on. However, I did install extra wood backings where needed for the Harken blocks and to fix the end of line solidly as well as installing the turnbuckle for adjusting tension. Even the rope was fixxed in place with a bit of extra length, temporarily coiled up ready for threading through the blocks etc.

The advantage with this is that sanding and painting can be done on the rudderbox dismantled as well as on the hull (transom), the opening for the short tiller etc., without having all sorts of obstructions in place.

Threading the rope was not so difficult after sides were on and the end of the rope I took through a hole in the transom into a cockpit locker, where there is good access to anchor it. In my case I did not need to tighten the rope at all, there is no slip (rope through a hole in the tiller) and it runs very smoothly.

[Barry Pyeatt]

I'm an advocate of doing everything possible before attaching the sides. Steering without question. Finishing all the interior surfaces possible, especially in the forepeak and lazerette where you can't reach easily once the sides are on.

I finished the inside surfaces of the side panels before attaching them. I simply masked off all the contact surfaces prior to painting. A lot easier to caulk and finish the forepeak and undersides of the deck, etc. when you can easily reach them. I also flipped the entire hull assembly to paint and work on the interior before attaching the side panels. I also found it easier to attach the side panels with the hull bottom side up. I did all of that alone and it would have been very difficult, if not impossible, for me to do some of the tasks alone. It made painting the underside of the deck a simple task.

Install extra backing blocks where you might want to attach things while you can get to the areas. If you don't need them, then so what? They are there and you will be a lot happier that you took the time to do it when it was easy to do.

[Arnie Eaton]

One thing about putting backing in places under the deck, behind the sides or buckheads, or any other place you will not see later, is to be sure to make a drawing showing where they are located with dimensions from known points. Paint, glass and epoxy will cover any markings you may have made. And put the drawings where you can find them 6 months from now when you will need them. You could put them on the plans if you are careful.