Richard Whitney CS#70 Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Hi Tom I read earlier in the thread that you were planning to use a tabernacle set up for the fore mast. I was interested to get an idea of how you will set that up (or some pictures when you get to that bit). Hope all is going well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted June 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Richard, I did think seriously about making the tabernacle for the foremast but, did not do that. The reason for the tabernacle is that I am getting a bit long in the tooth for gymnastics near the bow. I think the sail track and remote lines for reefing make the boat usable for an octogenarian, which I hope to get to and still be able to sail Lapwing. Stepping the masts while the boat is still on the trailer is not much of an issue. On anything larger than the lapwing, I would go with the tabernacle. Graham has this well worked out. I am making the Lapwing centerboard and rudder while catching up on a list of "do's" that I could not get to while recovering from back surgery. Just finished the first repair on one of the Optimist prams yesterday. It seems that the common reaction to an impending crash by many of the little tykes is to freeze on the tiller and duck. I am strongly considering attaching a swim noodle to the bow of the Opti's to cushion the bumps. I am not adding any ballast to the centerboard since it works well with the standard control line and shock cord set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted June 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 After a bit of disappointment in not winning the Summer Solstice race with Southern Skimmer last weekend, I got back to some work on Lapwing. We missed first place by a bit over 1 minute :-[ We won last year and no one has ever won more than once since the handicapper puts a big penalty on the winners for later races. Good fun and food anyway. Here are a couple photos of some new work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Tom, Ohhh, that is a pretty boat. I can't wait to see pictures of it when it is completed. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted July 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Mahogany deck has two coats of epoxy and has been scraped. I often use a scraper to go over an epoxy coated surface before it is sanded and then varnished. I think it helps level the surface more than sanding will. Less dust too. This scraper was made from an old 7 1/2" carbon steel saw blade, the common kind used on a skilsaw. I don't take any specal effort to sharpen it if the surface is to be sanded later. I just hold it up to the side of a grinding wheel and don't bother turning the edge. Makes a tougher edge this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Niemann Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Tom, What color is the cockpit? I used white and it is too much. Yours looks like a cream color maybe? What brand and type? Thanks, Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Dale, You are right about white on an open boat interior being too bright in the sun. I often use epoxy paint for my decks and interiors, especially where a tough finish is needed. I buy it from Glidden/Devoe/ICI (same company) (product # 4508) although I'm sure other suppliers have similar stuff. It is intended mainly for industrial use on watertanks and steel bridges. About the same stuff used on concrete garage floors too. I roll it on with a small short nap roller which leaves a semi gloss pebbly finish that doesn't glare and is a tough as nails. The only way to get a smooth finish with it is to spray it and I have done that also. It costs about $30/gal so the minimum outlay is about $60 for the two parts. I keep it on hand at all times and find regular uses for it, like on centerboard and daggerboards. It's been on the cockpit sole and decks of my powerboat for 8 years with no maintenance and is still good. In the sun it does chalk a bit and get dull but that is fine with me. It comes in white only but I tint it to whatever color I like at the moment, usually a shade of gray but, in this case, a traditional cream for Lapwing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rattus Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 OK, I finally got back to work enough to finish getting all 16 strakes on. You can see that lapwing will be able to carry her sail with the broad bottom midships and fairly sharp turn of the bilge. The sheer and second strake were left unglued to the transom to make it possible to get the hull off the mold past the tumblehome. They should be able to spring enough to do that. Much sanding and finishing work before it comes off though. I will try to break it loose to see if I left some hidden screw somewhere that binds the hull to the mold. Yes, it does happen. The rig is tilted to give easier access to the underneath. Tom, this is in response to an old post, but... Would it be possible to glue up the upper 2 strakes on each side, remove the screws, unfasten the frames and rotate them 45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted July 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 Yes, that could be done, but would prove very difficult since all the strake stringers are also screwed to the station molds. It would require some means of attaching these stringers to the transom mold that would allow releasing them from the mold from the underside. This would not be an easy thing to accomplish. In any case, reattaching these strakes after removing the hull from the mold was a simple task. This may not be a problem with the kit boat since there is no mold or stringers to deal with in this area. That issue has not actually been tackled yet so some difficulty may rear its ugly head and need a solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted September 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 The deck is finally varnished on Lapwing. Weather has been terrible for varnishing as I have been trying to get it done for over two months, interrupted with other events also. Anyway Graham and I spent several hours yesterday carving the bow trailboards with the Shopbot. The machine time took only a few minutes but worrying with the computer program took hours, not to include the hours spent trying to find and import a suitable font. The smaller aft trailboards will get a curlicue of some kind also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted September 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 If there is not a better library of fonts that can be imported into Graham's program, there will be a lot of tailoring to be done each time. It took a lot of fiddling to get this one acceptable. The Bird was easier. All he had to do was copy my drawing and digitize it. It all takes time and effort. The trailboards were my work and are not a part of the Lapwing design. I don't know if Graham will be willing to incorporate anything like that or not. Of course anyone can do that for themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docpal Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 I'm hoping to get down to B&B sometime around the October messabout, and I'll be glad to help in making this process shorter. I know the program which Graham is using pretty well, and I think I can make almost any font, as well as thousands of designs achievable without too much trouble..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted October 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 Lapwing is on a trailer, if not her own, for the trip to Georgetown. Not really finished but going anyway. Will definitely be at the messabout, barring uncontrollable circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkisting Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 Terrific work, Tom! She's a beauty. Your work looks impeccable in the pictures, and it looks like a top-quality finish on the transom. I'll look forward to seeing her in person if we can make the meet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 I just got in from visiting Tom and the Lapwing and it looks even better in the flesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 Wow, looking forward to next week even more now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Jones Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 Graham, that's hard to buy, 'cause it's absolutely gorgeous in the pictures ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbrewer Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 That is definitely going to be an attention getter! Nice work Tom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Niemann Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 Tom, She is a beauty!!! I love the curved transom, color scheme, superior workmanship, name, etc. etc. You and Graham have combined to produce a fantastic boat. Please deluge us with photos of her at the boat show and sailing at the messabout. Hope I can do half the quality workmanshop you exhibit when I build my Lapwing. Now I am really sorry I will not be at the messabout. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollymon258 Posted October 18, 2008 Report Share Posted October 18, 2008 Tom Saw the boat today in Georgetown. She is beautiful (even when soaking wet). Well Done! Very Well Done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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