special things youve done to your boat?

[Wild Dingo]

What nifty bits did you do to make your boat special?

I recall ages ago someone posting pics of their wheel really interesting with intersecting gaelic looking centre posts anyone remember who built that one? Also someone with a great boom crutch... and now I read of someone whackin a great 9.9 Honda on the bum of his overbuildin his transom and outboard hinge thingy to the max in the process!!

I have also read that some would prefer to have their mast reduce to 2" at the top for the riggin to be hitched to rather than drilling holes through the mast...

So what special things would you have you done to your boat to make it just that wee bit special?

Oh and if anyone has any clue... where does one whos missus holds the purse strings find free boat trailer plans on the net?

[Guest]

Okay you ask me, so I will tell you. Begin right here for some tips on trimming out your boat and check out Capt firetruck's boat for some added drippings on the keyboard. When you are done, find Chris Gerskins? boat and finish off your wishlist.

http://www.messing-about.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3404

[Wild Dingo]

Chris Gerkins!! That I think was the fella with the weird wheel... maybe? gawd what a stunning memory!! :roll:

[Barry Pyeatt]

I think Kevin Green had the Irish knot wheel. He has drawings available for it as well.

I would be thinking about a bronze mast band with tangs rather than drilling so many holes thru the skinny part of the mast. A four tang band will give you some spread on the shrouds and add an additional tang on the front and rear of the mast band and you have enough connection points for everything you might need. The mast bands are available in 2", 2 1/2" and 3" diameters. A two tang version would make a great band for the tip of the bowsprit as well. Eliminate some more holes where the stresses are the greatest.

The bronze mast bands are available thru www.Tendercraftboats.com and www.Glen-l.com. You will not find them on the website at Glen-L but they do have them in their boatbuilding catalog of materials.

[Wild Dingo]

The irish knot? yep that would have to be it... sorta gaelic looking thing eh? wonder if the pics are still about is Kevin still aboard?

Thanks for the tip on the mast tangs Barry will look into them... cheers appreciated! 8)

[Jacob]

Chris Gerkins!! That I think was the fella with the weird wheel... maybe? gawd what a stunning memory!! :roll:

Be this the wheel?

[Barry Pyeatt]

Here is the link to the post on the wheel. Scroll down and a link is there to the templates for making it. http://www.messing-about.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5539&highlight=#5539

[Dave R1]

Hey Shane, how 're you doing mate? I think you'll have a great time building a Vacationer or a Pocket Cruiser. I think you'd better do a Vacationer with all those hoons runnin' around.

As to special things, I did a few to my Weekender. For example I made a laminated taffrail of mahogany and maple. There's also a mahogany coaming around the cockpit.

I did a number of things different from the plans. I added 3 feet to the mast and a foot or so to the bowsprit which allowed me to spread out the hardware aloft and keep the shrouds and gaff jaws apart. (Sometimes, when built to the plans, they get into fights and the jaws lose.)

I also made slatted seats for the cockpit so that I could stretch my feet out under the opposite one of pull them back under me as the desire hits me. It also gives me a place to stow the dock bumpers when under way.

I wish I could help you out with trailer plans. Maybe Mike Pennington would send me the dimensions for the trailer he's building and I could draw up a set of plans.

As soon as those plans show up, go start scrounging the lumber so you can get busy building. Be nice to Possum poop so she'll loosen the purse strings.

[Barry Pyeatt]

I have a number of friends/acquaintances that have built boat trailers from plans provided by Glen-L. His book, "How to build a boat trailer", is a good resource. I went to my local library and they got it for me. Took a few weeks but they did it. I photo copied the information I wanted and then returned the book.

You can get it at a good price from the Amazon link in the "Store" provided by Frank.

The trailers all came out great. All amateur builders and for most of them, not a bit of experience in the lot. Several of them sent the frames out to have them galvanized after they had finished fabricating them, two that I know of had them powder coated and the others just painted them.

The plans for the Series 1700 trailer are about right for the Vacationer. Series 1500 or even 1000 for the PC.

The book is included with the plans if you order them. You can see the listing and some builder experiences at the Glenn-L site.

[Wild Dingo]

Thats the one Barry!!! awesome isnt it!! truely a stunning wheel... but the link didnt work for me :cry:

[Barry Pyeatt]

Doesn't work for me either.

[Tim Diebert]

Hi Shane.

I have done a few odd things to my Weekender as well.

I made a different mast head fitting, sorry I forget what you call it. You can see a distance shot of it in the first image on the webpage this link is pointed to.

You can see that and most of my mods here:

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

If you wanted a closer or better image of the mast head fitting (mast hounds...?) , just let me know and I will pop one off.

[Konrad in Lincoln]

I put rat lines on the sidestays of my boat, and I just can't envision a Stevenson's boat without them now. They even work, I climb on them now and then, although they're a little twisty.

Someone here probably has a better photo, but you see them on this Stevenson Page: http://www.stevproj.com/VacPCBBB2.html

I had a few better phots, but time has stolen them from me, and I don't know where they're at.

.

[Tim Diebert]

I had never seen any images of your boat Conrad. Excellent job. That is a fine looking rascal. Nice choice of colors and tight lines. I also like the way you overhung the house top. Cool.

So those things are called rat lines. I had thought of adding a solid wood version. I thought they would be very handy for tieing things off and hanging stuff from.

[Tim Diebert]

Hey Conrad.

Have you got any actual speed figures for your boat? Or heard of any? Just wondering how much faster a VAC is over a WE....if at all.

Also, is your boom high enough to clear human heads?

Thanks.

[kydocfrog]

I'm not terribly far along, but I have determined a couple of things. I've made a major change to the cabin companionway and hatch. You can see the start of this mod several threads back in a series called "extended hatch/soft cover." I based it on a design called Stornoway that you can see at www.scruffie.com, a boatbuilder from somewhere downunder.

I have also pretty much decided to go with a loose-footed, i.e., boomless, main -- possibly even a standing lug rig. There are a number of examples to look at, but again Stornoway with her standing lug and double head sail rig is what has caught my eye. Finally, look really hard at Tim D's set up. If I get the nerve, I'm going to cut a daggerboard rig similar to his, although I think I may use a long, narrow ballast box running directly over the keel so that I can bring the board closer to the center line.

There's lots of really great small variations floating around on this website and the other ones. Cheers.

DocA