Still here...

[tomstock]

Hi everyone.. I've been lurking on and off here since 9/2003, when I first started my weekender. When I started, I imagined it would take me from 6 months to a year, but here it is almost 2 years later and I'm still working on it. Whew, how time flies.

Ok, so I've finally gotten around to painting the boat and am in the process of installing the portholes, cutting the mast and installing the rigging. I'm tempted to announce a launch date but I hesitate to do so because that depends on the availability of a trailer in my area (Tampa/St. Pete, FL).

I'm hoping to have the boat in the water before the end of July. I still need to decide on a name before that too :roll: because I can't register and launch without it, and well, I believe it's bad luck.

My boat is not going to win any workmanship awards, but I have no doubts it'll sail just beautiful and I'll get plenty of enjoyment from it. Most importantly I have had a great time building it. I confess while I have no immediate plans to build another boat, I still catch myself drooling over sailboat plans. Most recently, the Hartley TS16 and TS18. Sometimes I wish I had built the TS16 instead of the weekender, but I think, considering the time it's taken me just to build the weekender, I made the right choice for a first attempt.

Pictures of my progress are on my new website:

http://www.pinellaskiteboarding.com/weekender/

I'll keep everyone posted on a launch date, and will of course include photos and a full report following the launch.

Thanks for all of your help and most interesting discussion,

Tom

[Mike Henderson (Oregon)]

That looks great, Tom. I really like your web page showing the process and progress. I like the squared of cabin to. I attempted a couple deviations from the plans but it seemed like I always decided to stick with the plans after messing around too much, trying to decide. I admire those on the board who can make other ideas work. I may make some major modification over the winter....after I've had some time to sail.

Yeah, I can relate. My original idea was start in Sept '01....and launch the following spring. It took me until this month to actually launch....And it was worth the work and the wait.

Looks like you have a young family as I do so we know there are other more important things to do. (Did I say that???...yeah, Mama was looking over my shoulder --kidding--)

[tomstock]

Thanks Mike. The squared cabin was done because I didn't feel like buying more wood on that day... and I had previously been trying to decide whether or not to square the cabin, so the lack of wood made it an easy decision. Glad I did it because it made the building easier, and the cabin just slightly bigger and stronger since I could use thicker plywood.

Also, went with the tiller instead of wheel. I like simplicity and the feel of the tiller.

-tom

[Barry Pyeatt]

Looking just great Tom. I've always been a little partial to brown hulls with light topsides. Always seemed kinda.... er, ah, nautical. You are making good progress. I fully understand the things that happen in life that get you side tracked along the way.

I've been at the glass stage now for almost three years and am not able to get to it to get it done yet. Patience and perseverance along with some help from those little shipmates of yours and it will get done. I'm amazed that you can work on it in the heat down in Florida and get much of anything done anyway.

Hang in there, it is coming along fine. :wink:

[Tim Diebert]

Man, you put a ton of work into the website alone. Great job. The boat looks excellent!

I love the one shot of it almost done sitting there in the back yard, grass all around except for a raw patch of dirt around the immediate perimeter of the boat Been there done that. Dirt on dry days, mud on the others.

But my favorite image is this one....

[tomstock]

The dirt perimeter...oh so true. Nothing removes grass faster than 2 years of boat building on it!

As for the picture, well, it's pretty obvious I was dreaming about a weekend camping trip on the boat. I has the same dream this morning. Hopefully soon it will become a reality. The only sailing experience I've had was sailing 16ft day sailers in sailing lessons. This will be my first boat. When I think of sailing, I dream of complete freedom... charging across the open ocean free from everything... job, people, etc. This dream bit me hard 4 years ago and the first thing I did was take sailing lessons and then buy Weekender plans. I spent 2 years staring at the plans unable to build because I was living in Canada jobless with my now ex-wife's family, dreaming of being back in Florida. When I finally made it back to Florida, on my feet and divorced, I immediately started building. Was making great progress until I met my current girlfriend...whoops building stopped. Now that the hooks are set I'm back to building.

So in reality, I've been dreaming of this boat for 4 years... hundreds of minicruises exploring the beaches of Florida... and then a bigger boat and cruising with daughter, girlfriend, and friends to share the experience

-tom