It was the first time...

[Mike Henderson (Oregon)]

...for me and the boat.

All went well. We launched at 3pm on the 24th of May. The breezes were gentle.

We had a great time. Tacked. Gibed. I got caught up in the main sheet. My wife wishes she had gotten a picture of that! We had a couple lulles and a couple good pushes to really make us move. We were both pleasantly surprised how easy and fun it was.

This picture tells it all...

We're looking forward to going again...with the kids next time. Maybe on Monday but don't know if we want to be around the croud...?

Thanks, Frank...for this board and all the work you do!

Thanks, Stevenson's.

Thanks, Barry....and everyone else who posts here.

I'm a terrible lurker but will try to do better. This really is a great place to hang out.

[Barry Pyeatt]

All I can say is...WOW the one photo does tell it all. I'm really tickled to see this happen. It looks great! Glad you had some wind to add to the outing and I just knew it would go great. Yes, get those kids out on the water and let them sail it, with some supervision and assistance, but they will be hooked, just like you are now.

Thanks for sharing it with us Mike. It was all worth it...wasn't it? :wink:

[Bill Paxton]

That's a great looking boat, Tom. Congratulations! You are now among the small percentage of the world's population that knows the feeling that comes only from sailing a boat you built.

[Guest]

Nice work on your boat, and nice looking sailing scenery! Please tell us about your access hatch paint work.

[Mike Henderson (Oregon)]

The entire boat (except the rubrails) is painted with Valspar porch @ floor oil based paint. I'm not sure what might be interesting about the paint. Purhaps it's the shine on the non-skid. It almost looks sparkly in the picture to me. (The camara is very forgiving) It was all rolled and/or brushed on. I still have a couple places, here and there that need some paint.

I'm a rotten painter and I don't like to do it. It's right up there with sanding for me. No matter how careful I am, I'm not happy with all the imperfections. (Maybe I should learn to like sanding) However, when I look at the work, overall...step back...enjoy the day of sailing we had...Barry's right...it was worth it.

Mike

[Tim Diebert]

Wow, great sailing report! Excellent Mike. So another addition to the PNW fleet. Where in Oregon are you?

So, you have never sailed before? How about your wife? So, you are saying you just dropped the boat in, hopped on and off you went?

Super.

The boat looks awesome.

Nice little motor too. I didn't know Honda made a wee guy like that. Is it a four stroke?

You are going to have a great summer! :shock: Perfect timing for completion.

[Mike Henderson (Oregon)]

I'm from Salem. The launch was at Detroit Res.

No experience--none.

Actually, we did motor away from and back to the dock. But the rest of the time it was back and fourth and a bit of up and down the lake on sail power. I wanted to take the kids the first time. Mama wouldn't have it though. She was really nervous. She was sure this was an event begging for a rescue and didn't want the babes hurt. Now, after the first sail, she can't wait to go again. And, she says to me...It seems like you know what you're doing. I say...It seems that way, huh?

The motor is a 2hp 4-stroke. It was donated by my Dad. It performed flawlessly...Thanks, Dad! By the way - I have memories growing up, of Dad saying he would build a boat and sail away to Tahiti. So, I wonder at why, all of a sudden in my late 30's I had this uncontrollable urge to build and sail something....I suspect it's all Dad's fault. Thanks again, Dad!

No, I'm not planning on sailing this boat to Tahiti, Mom.

[Tim Diebert]

Impressive Mike. Sounds like you are a natural!

I have been talking to a friend lately who sailed once or twice 25 years ago....he figures there is no way he could sail again without help. I say it is like riding a bike, go for it.

Don't forget a sail report on your first windy day. :wink:

[Guest]

The access hatch appears to have some form of nonskid in the paint, from the lighting. I like the paddle storage along the boom. Heck don't worry too much about picking the paint job apart for fear of being criticized by others. Just keep a piece of sandpaper in a hidden part of the boat and pass it to the offended. :wink: Then ask for comments. :twisted: Most of the time you will be redoing or touching up the new boat upon dings the first season, which always seems to happen. Give it the 20 feet test upon launching. Have fun.

[Mike Henderson (Oregon)]

The storage is Barry's idea. The oars are a couple inches shy of 10' and they wouldn't fit anywhere else without cutting holes.

The non-skid is crushed wallnut shell. Very agressive...it bites nuckles around the cleats and catches clothing. I guess I'll have to sand it.

We picked the right day to go. On a real windy day, it might be another story.

[Frank Hagan]

The non-skid is crushed wallnut shell. Very agressive...it bites nuckles around the cleats and catches clothing. I guess I'll have to sand it.

I sanded mine just briefly with a 1/4-sheet sander to knock the tips off the walnut shells. It didn't take much to flatten out the sharp points sticking up, and now it looks a bit like that "Kool Deck" you sometimes see around swimming pools (and similar to a "rock salt finish" in concrete). Its still an agressive non-skid pattern, but it doesn't tear up your knuckles and knees as much.

[PAR]

The idea to build a boat starts out as a dream, 'a distant cloud on the horizon'. As the desire wells up in certain individuals, the cloud becomes more clouds, the desire increases and before very long the 'whole of the sky is overcast' with clouds from horizon to horizon, consuming you, with thoughts of little else. You had few choices once you realized what this itch was. A fine job you've made of this particular disease. A very nice effort in deed.

The worst (or best, depending on who you ask) thing about this ailment is, now the sky is clear. Enjoy this time, because another cloud will appear on the horizon before too long. It's a strange disorder, most don't know, but a select few bother to scratch, which relieves the tension for a while, but the itch will return. Bigger, better, faster, with more sanding and paint, but not to worry. It will take some time for the overcast to fill in again. Have fun, you should be quite proud of your handiwork, learn the artistry of making mother nature propel you, be careful and always pull aboard the fenders just after leaving the dock (it's very lubberly if they're left hanging) Congratulations . . . (one of the best days of your life wasn't it?)

[P Doug (WA)]

Great looking boat! Please post more pictures if you have any or can take some. Would like to see more of it.

[Mike Henderson (Oregon)]

That's cool. Thanks, PAR!

Well, we went out again today. Took all the kids this time. 4 of 'em from 5 to 11 years. Lots more wind to. Probably not what some would call windy but it was a challange for me. Much distraction with everyone on board...We motored more than half the time.

but as soon as we raised sail...yep...a hat gos overboard. So, back and fourth we go to retrieve the hat. I'm glad it wasn't a kid. (we would have lowered and motored if that happened.) Almost got it on the fifth our sixth turn but the boat hook operator couldn't grab it. Finally got it on the 8th or 9th turn.

It was much more challanging today. The youngest crying didn't help but she was okay before too long and she said it was fun, later.

We ended the day with what was a very fast run in under sail...for me. Something wierd happed when I tried a jibe here...it seem like the wind died as soon as the boat turned....then....the wind bucked up suddenly and knocked us back on the original course. We were running under main only at this point. Which, I'm not sure that was a contributing factor. Anyway, I didn't feel totally in control and we pulled the main down shortly after that.

I think I'm going to try to get out a couple more times without everyone...to practice.

See ya

[Mike Henderson (Oregon)]

P Doug,

I'll work on that. Thanks.

[Tim Diebert]

I assume you have read some on the theory of sailing. If not, a good book or two can do wonders to open your head up to what's actually going on. And it gives you a way to work on your sailing skills will not having to actually sail...if you know what I mean.

In the old days, I took the books out with me. (I learned on a very stable heavy displacement keel boat).

What really impresses me Mike....is your age and the number of kids you have :shock: ...and that you have the patience and strength to take them all sailing on such a tiny boat :shock: You have my respect. I could not have done that with my two boys when they were little...hell, I couldn't do it now! (Or perhaps they were all Grand Neighbours?)

Loosing your hat is a great drill. Man overboard drill....two sailing days ago I did the same thing. My toque ( wool cap or beanie to foreigners) was blown off.

This toque was an old one I really liked and needed to get to it fast before it sunk, and I did. Best to use something bright and floaty for the drill though.

Look it up in your book. There is a procedure that works well....and should be something you practice on purpose regularly. I never trust motors. Actually....now that I think of it.....might be because I never had one that was trustworthy. Maybe if I had a nice new one like yours I would have a different story eh?

Oh, and another fun drill is to sail in circles. I did this yesterday while talking to another guy in a big(er) sailboat that was stowing his sails. Sailed right around his boat four times....his wife was dizzy by the time I left. :roll:

[Stump]

OK, this is very not PC but I can't resist...Are you sure she wasn't dizzy before you started sailing is circles? :twisted:

[Tim Diebert]

It's as though you had met this woman Stump....! Very perceptive.

Actually the whole story is pretty interesting to me.....but I would be hijacking Mr. Mikes thread..... 8)

Can't resist :twisted: Actually, she had just spent the whole day on this new large trailer sailer (a Sandpiper 565..?) with her husband. They just got the boat, and I think may have had a few lessons on a lake about two hours from here. First time sailing it in Christina Lake. I watched them all the way from home (Grand Forks) to launch, to sailing and retrieval. I don't know these people, it just worked out that way.

Daphne and I were sailing for 45 minutes before that boat got wet and we arrived at the ramp at exactly the same time. Then it took him another 30 minutes before he any sail up. We sailed on different parts of the lake, I could occasionally see him in the North end through the glasses.

They motored up to the the launch ramp at the end of the day same time as us. (we sailed in) His mast was still up when we drove out of there.

When Daphne spoke to the woman on shore. She asked Daphne, "don't you find this boring?" Daphne just laughed and said she loved sailing. This lady seemed dismayed and shocked that this new hobby of her husbands was sooooo boring.

I walked by the boat admiring her lines (great looking boat below the sheer line) and I said so, Mrs. said "wanna buy it?" "Cheap!" I said sure, but I don't have much on me. She said, "twenty five bucks and its all yours!" Another fellow walked by at that exact point and said," ya, and I bet you want that all in cash too".

Mr. looked pretty uncomfortable.

Lifes little scenarios.

Lessons for Tim:

Be very glad your best buddy loves to sail, be on the water and be with me.

And don't be in a hurry to own a boat that is so much damn work just to sail.

Oh, and back to the original thought. While I was sailing around this lady, her hubby and their new boat in a sturdy working breeze she looked a little shocked that you could actually do that in a boat with sails. I believe thats why she stood in the middle of the cockpit, spinning around as we circled the boat speaking. At one point she said, "you have been doing this for a while haven't you?" 8)

Daphne just whispered...."showoff". hehe

That's me. 8)