Annie M re-launched yesterday

[Tim Diebert]

I though some of you folks would be interested in some of the changes I made to my weekender.

http://www.timtone.com/tt/ttphotos/PhotosSailing2.htm

[Stump]

Very nice looking boat. I Really like the paint job on the hull. How did you come up with the hights for the paint breaks/waterline?

[Tim Diebert]

Actually...the boot top is not too accurate at this point.....with the addition of ballast

But, I initially marked the water line while the boat was in about three feet water, i just moved the boat around while standing next to it and marked fore and aft and midway points with my pocket knife in the paint. That was when the boat was empty.

With small boats...any water line or boot top, in my opinion is really to make the boat look nicer in two ways. When it is on the trailer and as viewed from the lee side when you are sailing. Otherwise, there is no way to keep it level...the tiniest amount of weight retrims the boat so it is never just right...unlike a big boat where it has more of a chance to stay static at rest. I have always preferred the look of a nice boot top.

[tdrown]

Looks great. Where did you get the kranz iron? Is it custom/homemade?

[Frank Hagan]

More on the daggerboard:

Do you think the change to the keel forefoot helps more on tacking and working to windward or the daggerboard?

I don't have a problem tacking in my Weekender, and come about pretty smartly even in light airs. I've always thought that I had the right combination of deep-forefoot and high aspect rudder to make it work that way. I sometimes have to pump the rudder, but even that's rare.

I can see how pointing would be improved with the daggerboard. It might be something I consider, just to gain a few more "points" toward the wind. Can you sail with it removed from the daggerboard box?

[Tim Diebert]

Beaker....it was waaaay too long. I really bit off more than I could chew....time wise. It really hurt missing last season. I will be sailing as often as work allows until the lake ices up....it doesn't usually ice up, but did last year. Thanks for the compliment on the companionway.

"kranz iron? Is it custom/homemade?" .....are you meaning the aluminum thing on the bowsprit? Is that what it is called? Excellent, I had no name for that thing. I made the parts and had a welder do his thing on it...and the other version on the masthead...what's that called? I have been calling the mast hounds....

The kranz iron is old timey but make total sense load-wise. I always use a bob stay so need the lower tab...I added the side tabs for whatever comes along. Thinking of a location for a battery powered nav light.

Frank. That is the weird thing...other folks don't seem to have any trouble, but I did. It was a giant pain. I feel the removal was part of the improvement...but you could be right, the dagger board helps the pivotal action. Makes sense. I was SO impressed with the way she came around and kept the way on. After one particular tack, after the headsail was re-trimmed and I was accellerating again, I looked behind to see that my wake was a perfect 90 degrees and all within about 15-20 feet....like a fleet footed dingy almost, I say. I was quite pleased. A permagrin attached to my mug for a whole afternoon. My 'old boat' was a huge pig during a tack and almost always stalled.

I could point higher...I think...than before. Though as I said on the webpage, I did not sail much to windward with the old boat because of the lousy performance. I kept an eye on my compass and was tacking 90 or so...at least that's what it looked like to me...I have never sailed with a real compass and really have not got a clue about it yet....actually I have sailed lots of boats with compasses but never actually used them except to hold a bearing. I am going to teach myself some level of navagation. I have always just used charts and dead reconing when on the salty...I use the brail method on the lakes.

Oh, and I only sailed off the wind with the board removed....only as high as a beam reach...but I am sure interested how it might sail to wind without it...now that you mention it. For skinny water and such....

[tdrown]

are you meaning the aluminum thing on the bowsprit? Is that what it is called?

yes, and there are multiple spellings of kranz just too make it more obscure and confusing. I think your's looks great, probably another thing that will be added to my to-do list

and the other version on the masthead...what's that called?

not sure, sorry, I'll try to look it up

I added the side tabs for whatever comes along. Thinking of a location for a battery powered nav light.

the side tabs would be attached to the whisker stays. I too search for a location for nav lights (which I have yet to buy). I think if I were to add whisker stays then right at the attachmentts to the bow would be excellent spots for individual color bow lights

[Frank Hagan]

A daggerboard is a pretty easy modification (looks like it would be easier than trimming the keel back!) I would add to help with pointing; I think I get close to what gaff rig boats get pointing to the wind (I've forgotten the angle in degrees; its considerably less than the angle you can get with a bermudan rig).

[Tim Diebert]

"the side tabs would be attached to the whisker stays. I too search for a location for nav lights (which I have yet to buy). I think if I were to add whisker stays then right at the attachmentts to the bow would be excellent spots for individual color bow lights"

Right, yes the usual use would be the addtional stays...but hardly necessary on a wee weekender. I just added them because I could.

Individual nav lights would be the better way to go of course, but I am saving that for when/if I do a 12v system. For now, I have a bat powered version for this summers cruising.

Yes, the dagger board and case are not too difficult...does kill some interior room for those who care. I am not sure as to the complete benifit without forefootectomy. Seems to me, someone said the original plans called for a center board or dagger board...might want to look into that.

The tricky part was the layout. Making sure a four foot long plank can be slid through the hatchway, angled into the case and slipped into place.

[Dave R1]

Tim, very nice work.

More questions for you.

How did you decide upon the fore/aft location of the dagger board case? How far off center is it?

I like your cranse iron (you'll find that's the more common spelling Sometimes "kranze." ) You were smart to add the side lugs. Those would normally have whisker stays attached to them and leading back to the side of the boat. You can see the whisker stay in this picture with its bottle screw nearest the viewer and passing over the CQR anchor.

I'm keeping my eyes peeled for some appropriate stainless scrap to make one for JULIE K.

[Tim Diebert]

How did you decide upon the fore/aft location of the dagger board case? How far off center is it?

Without measuring it...and relying on memory...it is either 11 or 12" off centerline to starboard. It does not have to go that far over...I was trying to maximize interior space...keep room enough on the centerline for the ballast box and be sure that the board was able to slip in through the hatchway. If anyone plans to complete this mod...I will provide accurate dimentions as needed. (Fore/aft location will be dependant on sail and keel mods.)

Fore and aft was done through guess and calc for the stock CLR....versus what it might be with the kelson partially removed...also factoring in what I might do sail plan-wise. As it turns out, I decided to stick with the stock sail plan for now. The only change I antisipate right now or soon, is to go cutter and perhaps rig a topsail. The location of the case will work very well if the CE is moved forward with the addition of a lapper or an another headsail. (cutterish) The boat is best ballanced with the board full aft right now.

[Tim Diebert]

I would like to mention one more thing.

The fellow that built my boat built it to the exact letter of the plans.

Though I consider the tabernacle arangement.... and so the ease of launch and retrieve of this design to be its great feature...I really disliked the whole mast tabernacle deal. All those gate parts, bolts and such. So I came up with something a little different.

Because the mast is so much lighter, it is effortless to raise with one arm will standing on the front edge of the cabin top. As I lift it, the sleeve just slips right down onto the gooseneck nuts and bingo, you are done. The sleeve was molded using the mast as a form. It took two tries. The first one with mold release wax and fibreglass did not work....got stuck. The second one I made a tapered abs 'liner' then glassed over that. Super strong.

The mainsail lashings slip over with no effort. I am quite pleased with the way it turned out. I looks kind of funny, but that is the least of my worries.

Here are some images of the Tabernacle....and one of my masthead fitting that I am still looking for a name for...

http://www.timtone.com/tt/ttphotos/temp1.htm

[capt jake]

Way too cool Tim! It is a really impressive report!

[Frank Hagan]

Tim, that's a great way to handle the mast tabernacle issue! George Marousek did a great job with some large copper drain pipe, but I could never find it large enough. I hadn't thought of molding one from epoxy and glass.

I'll be removing my mast to make some repairs, and to revarnish it, and if I can't find the center of my "side strap hinge" (its hidden under a trim piece) I may adopt your mod.

[Frank Hagan]

Well, as to your fitting at the top of the mast ... according to the Gaff Rig Handbook:

If its a band around a mast that the halyards attach to, and it holds the halyards out a bit from the mast, it is a "crane" on a "mastband". Put a grommet or eye on the mastband and it is called an "eyeband" or "mast eyeband".

The "hounds" are the highest point the gaff gets to, and the "masthead" is just above the hounds, and are where the shrouds usually attach.

Traditional English style gaffers may have a fidded topmast, so the area directly above the hounds is called the "lower masthead" (there's an "upper masthead" for the topsail in these boats).

Leather notes three methods of attaching shrouds to a mast:

1) Shackling to a mastband or tang

2) Passing a single eye over the masthead and settling it on a wood bolster on the hounds cheeks (in other words, making an eye in the end of the shroud and looping it over the top of the mast, so that each shroud is "lasso'd" over the mast).

3) Fitting the shrouds in pairs formed by a wire passing up from the lower eye, round the masthead on the bolster, and down to the next lower eye on the same side. The upper eye is then formed by seizing the parts of the wire together with wire, close under the bolster.

So, your fitting on the top of the mast could be called the masthead mastband and crane. I think it could be shortened to "mastband", although that seems not quite descriptive enough for the combination fitting you have up there!

[Tim Diebert]

Frank. Thanks. If you do decide to build the sleeve thing....I used some 1/8" thick walled ABS drain pipe as the portion against the mast. Cut long-wise, hand planed until it fit well. Make this piece 4-6 inched longer than you want you finished product. Duct tape the thing where you want it...but only on the ends then glass between the tape. I did several layer of cloth and mat. Then cut the ends off and finish to suit. It really does work quite well, light enough that it does not actually cut into the varnish.

Thanks for all the research on the mast thing. Wow, sounds like I should get a copy of this book. From what you say, my version of this device is not usual....but it seems to me that it is not an original idea....I am sure I must have seen one very much like that somewhere before. In a previous life I worked as a joiner/shipwright in a large marina and got to work on and just be on 100's of boats over the years. Many of the boats were west coast style commercial fisherman, or converted fishers or forestry boats. This style of fitting seems to me to be very 'work boat' looking and think I may have gotten the idea there....not a sail boat at all. Whatever. We will name it something as close to your info as possible...

how about a "Masthead Crane" has a nice ring to it...plus Crane----Cranse have a commonality to them. Right then.

Good research.

Hey Jake, thanks. So....you got your boat wet huh? Imagine that. I bet you took a shammy along to dry it off once you got out of the water? Haha...a prooper furniture boat that beauty is. Been lurkin on ya. My boat is butt ugle once you get up close. Just the way I like it. So...you are always looking for someone to go sailing? Me too. I sail 75% of the time solo...maybe this year will be different.

Yesterday I had emailed a local friend to say the boat was done...he emailed back ruight away and said call when I am next going out....so I picked up the phone and said, tomorrow morning.....he said, oh, can't do it bla bla bla. I recon he changed his mind when I mentioned thunder storms and a predicted 20km breeze.

Beaker. You have a magic boat...we all know that. And that whole changing-seating-to-get-her-to-come-around-during-tacking-thing ....didn't you mention you weight like 500lbs or something? Human Ballast Man...you have an unfair advantage and it not fair to compair. I bet you would be impressed with how my lady turns her head. But, as you say, you have documented and irrefutable mathamatic proof that your boat does perfectly well without any mods whatsoever. (as always). You will no doubt be challenging me to a race...so I will beat you to the call.....you drag that sorry ass lobster boat up here to my side of the world and we will see brother. I'll woop ya bad.

My boat just did not have any of your lobster magic dude. So I added my own.

Now I can feel the magic. I am now truly enjoying this boat.

Time to fill her up with beer and go sailing in the rain. Later.

[Frank Hagan]

Thanks for all the research on the mast thing. Wow' date=' sounds like I should get a copy of this book. From what you say, my version of this device is not usual....but it seems to me that it is not an original idea....I am sure I must have seen one very much like that somewhere before. In a previous life I worked as a joiner/shipwright in a large marina and got to work on and just be on 100's of boats over the years. Many of the boats were west coast style commercial fisherman, or converted fishers or forestry boats. This style of fitting seems to me to be very 'work boat' looking and think I may have gotten the idea there....not a sail boat at all. Whatever. We will name it something as close to your info as possible...

how about a "Masthead Crane" has a nice ring to it...plus Crane----Cranse have a commonality to them. Right then.

Good research.

[/quote']

There could be a "real name" for it that Leather doesn't cover ... his book is really about traditional gaff rigged boats. I was surprised to see that Rigger's Apprentice didn't really cover anything on the hardware attaching shrouds to the mast ... I think Brion's book assumes all that stuff is there, and he tells you how to attach to it. Out of the half dozen books I have, only Gaff Rig Handbook had info close enough to quote!

[capt jake]

Hey Tim, while cruising you site I found Tim Simmons. I am interested in his album, but it seems thaht the sound bite you have on your site is not on his album. "Farewell my love".

Does he possbily have a 'larger' album that includes this and/or others of similar style?

I really like his style of playing.

I see that Walmart carries his album Eternal Dream, i think I will run out and grab it, unloess there is one availble more along the lines I am trying to describe.

Thanks,

Jake

[capt jake]

Tim plays guitar as well as he builds them! I have spent the better part of the day listening to some sample cuts of his and others.

Check out this track of Tim's

http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?PID=254830&T=5825

I hope they don't make you sign up to listen; if so, maybe I can plug it in here somehow (Frank??).

[Tim Diebert]

Beak.....260 huh? No worries there. If you wanna loose weight....and I am not saying you need to......I lost a crap load of lbs and keep it off with Atkins-like eating. That's why I had to add balast....

Generally when one is challenged, the challanged party gets to call the terms.

So drag your but ugly up close boat DownEast and we will have a rip roaring day tacking back and forth qaround Rockland Harbor either during the Friendship Sloop days or at the Wooden Boat Show.

And you can't have any more sail area than I do.

Man....I have been there....I love that area.....sounds like a fine dream to me. But poor guitarmakers don't get such grand events in thier lives. I will have to be content with knowing I could waste your hairy butt in a heart beat any day of the week. 8) But next time I have an extra 40 or 50 bucks for gas, I will be down there. Watch out......it's only 4000 miles or so.

Thanks for the compliments beak.