finally got them on!!!

[Stump]

8) 8) I like them!!! 8) 8)

You'll notice that the mast is off, I'm putting on a slide so that I can take advantage of the new gooseneck. 8)

[Craig]

Those board look like they took a lot of work. What are the small symbols?

[umop_apisdn]

What is the tradition behind trailer boards?

They don't appear to be structural. And they are never mitered or mounted flush, it is always just a big slab of wood nailed to the side of the boat. There must be some kind of (hopefully fascinating) story behind why we put them on like that.

Noel

[Barry Pyeatt]

AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH! Fine tradional addition to your Weekender Stump. Should add an additonal 1/10 knot or so to your drag.

Trailboards in the past conformed to the hull shape on larger sailing vessels and working boats. They helped to reinforce the stems and bowsprit supports. Tradition being what it is and a certain sense of style was imparted to them to dress up the boats with fine carved designes and more elaborate paint and carved decorations. Some of them continued out the stems to form a part of the figureheads that adorned many of the boats.

Along the way as function replaced some of the grace and beauty, some of the trailboars became detached from the hull sides and stem and became lateral reinforcements for the stem and bowsprits. Some of them continued to have decorated panels on them and certainly on pleasure/luxury sailing yachts became things of beauty.

The trend has coninued with boats that have bow sprits and in many cases bow pulpits. Some are very elaborate and truly works of art. Most have some structural function some are stricktly decorative.

Mine serve to halp support the bow pulpit. You may not notice how when you first see the boat, but they are part of the planning for the attchment of the pulpit and help support that addition.

I think that they add a element of class to a clipper bow in particular. They give you something to hang onto or kneel on when you have to reach out onto the sprit to untangle a line. And if you are into woodworking and wood carving or design, an additional way to express yourself or in Stump's case, his daughters encouragement and participation in his project. I'll post a couple photos of some nice examples of Trailboards that may make you drooooooooool. At least they make me slobber all over the place. 8)

[Barry Pyeatt]

Couple more for those that like eye candy.

[Guest Oyster]

Stump you are just too classy for me ! 8)