Toyachta...... the adventure continues!

[Guest ib1boatnut]

Well I decided to make a few changes starting with the seats. Time and the water will tell if I made a bad decision on not following the plans. If nothing else my little guy will have a very unique play house ;D  I attempted my first fillets and lets just say I will practice this a little more before I put any more on the boat!

The cabin sides are also different from the plans just have an idea for a unique lid well maybe : If it does not work than back to plan a.

my pics are at  http://picasaweb.google.com/toyachta

[P Doug (WA)]

Looks to me like your seat arrangement is a good Idea.  Obviously you plan on a tiller instead of the wheel.  The boat is looking great.  Keep posting pictures of your progress.

[Frank Hagan]

That may work out well.  I've always thought that the one design change I would make to the Weekender is to widen the stern of the boat to give more room in the cockpit ... the Potter 15 is about the same size boat, but has a wider stern and can carry 4 people with ease.  Your seating configuration isn't one I've seen before, but it makes sense.

[Guest ib1boatnut]

Thanks, I feel better about changing the seats. (I have not given up on the wheel just yet but it does not look good) Tonight I was thinking for a guy that has never sailed in his life, making changes may not be so smart. So if I start coloring outside the lines please let me know. Speaking of which here is my new roof.

Edit: image removed and re-linked below.

A ways to go yet. My idea is to use the hatch guides as support kind of putting most of the rafter on the out side giving more room inside as is I gained 3 inches (at the front) and still fairly sleek. Well back to the seats for now and time to think more on the roof before I attach it for good. more pics at link

[Frank Hagan]

I rarely used the cabin ... I don't think I've ever been in it while on the water.  I guess if you're going camping or something like that, but when I'm sailing I want to be at the helm.

Speaking of which, I think a tiller makes more sense with your seating configuration.  I added one after not feeling secure with the standard wheel set up (all the builders I knew were having failures at least once with the wheel).  It changes the way the main sheet ... the line that controls the boom ... is run, but we can help you with that when the time comes.

[Guest ib1boatnut]

Thanks Frank.  When I think about the cabin no I wont be in their much either more for 2 of my smaller crew members in bad weather or just to play.

[Frank Hagan]

I'll admit my wife used the cabin ... she loves to nap on the boat.  So I understand that perfectly.

[Guest ib1boatnut]

thanks for having me back Frank (to many silly pops at logout time :-[)

I have been reading on changes required for a tiller setup. I think I understand whats needed. My question is if you decided on a tiller for the weekender could you end the keel at the transom, maybe thinned down to rudder width last 6" say or concave it to accept new tiller/rudder there by eliminating the "gills" and large rudder box. Or does the extended keel have a performance purpose? I seen something simular to this idea but cant find the pics/mod now.

thanks for any insight.

[Greg Luckett]

I appreciate your detailed pics as I always learn a thing or two from pics of construction.  The way you handled that curving/beveled cabin top is a good example.

How do you plan to handle the rudder without the wheel?

[Frank Hagan]

thanks for having me back Frank (to many silly pops at logout time :-[)

I have been reading on changes required for a tiller setup. I think I understand whats needed. My question is if you decided on a tiller for the weekender could you end the keel at the transom, maybe thinned down to rudder width last 6" say or concave it to accept new tiller/rudder there by eliminating the "gills" and large rudder box. Or does the extended keel have a performance purpose? I seen something simular to this idea but cant find the pics/mod now.

thanks for any insight.

Most of us just extend the rudder box up so that a rudder can come over the transom:

That tiller was a shortened Catalina 22 tiller, and later I made an even shorter one.  My curvy lines for the tiller box extension are a little over the top; others have used two straight "pillars", one on either side of the rudder box, to provide the height.  I wanted to get the fulcrum point of the tiller back a bit, and would probably have made a new rudder box to do so ... but got fancy with curves.  I have a bit more on what I did at http://www.frankhagan.com/weekender/tiller.htm

If you have a tiller coming over the transom, you need to move the main sheet block that is usually on the top of the lazarrette; the "three point" rigging is what most of us used:

The nice thing is you can put a hatch on the top of the lazarrette and be able to get in there.  I was afraid I would get stuck trying to reach through the small access hole between the cockpit seats.

[Guest ib1boatnut]

I read allot of your posts Frank on the modified rudder box and other builders too. One thing that always lost me was "the three point rigging". the bottom pic cleared that up thanks. The only thing I was pondering was to include the extended keel to the rudder box and use Pars advice go aluminium.  I realize what work would be involved though and I keep forgetting the life span on this boat may be low(ATX ply Poly resin ect). Epoxy is on the way for mast and brightwork. The shape you chose does seem to fit the weekender nicely may be I should just play with that aspect.

Thanks Gregg I thought about taking a pic half way that roof but it really looked silly, now that we decided to keep it I am kinda getting to like it. The wheel idea was just tost last week to be honest I was going to try a 3/4 wheel though the deck behind the seat. This was my idea for hooking up the original wheel

I'm no artist. I think it could work but I have no idea how much resistance a rudder gives. My 3/4 wheel would have tied in from the top. Now I'll never know :'(

[BuildDre]

Thanks for the link ib1boatnut .

Nice windmill in the background.

Interesting seat arrangement at the stern.

Your last picture just pointed out something to me.

Im going to need a real belt sander..