Joining the Club - Spindrift 12 plans ordered

[cdunc]

I finally pulled the trigger and ordered the plans for the Spindrift 12. 

I will hopefully get started on construction soon and start posting some pictures. 

Craig

[Gordy Hill]

Welcome Greg!

Now; Where are you? Where are you going to build your boat? First boat? First build?

We gotta know.

Pictures, remember, lots of pictures.

Gordy

[cdunc]

Well I am outside Atlanta, GA.  I just recently completed sailing lessons up at Lake Lanier.  We learned on a 22' Capri.  Winds were very light most of the time.  I am hoping to go back in a few months when there is a little more wind.  Bobbing and baking on a lake in the middle of July was a drain.

I would have liked to build the boat in my basement workshop but I am afraid I would not be able to maneuver in there with a boat.  The shop is only 14' by 10' with a lot of power tools stuffed in there.  Plus I might not be able to get it out of there when it is done.  So I will be parking the car in the driveway and building in the garage.  This will be my first boat, first build, so I will be asking a lot of questions.

When I ordered the plans from Carla I talked to her about the B&B get together in October, so I might make it up there for that.  I have an 11 year old daughter and 8 year old son that I might take with me to do some camping and hopefully some sailing if I can bum a ride on someone else's boat. 

I don't have a timeline but I hope to have the boat ready by Spring.  With the son starting Soccer soon I will be busy with practices and games so time will be at a premium.  I am really looking forward to this project so I will find the time.

[lbrewer]

Welcome Craig,

    I'm looking forward to following your progress.  I fell in love with the spindrift after seeing Steve Day's nesting version of it at a wooden boat show near me.  I think there may be one in my future as well, but I have a couple of others ahead of it.  (That changes with the wind though).  I won't be able to help on the specific plan but I will sure cheer you on from the sidelines.  Jump in,  its addictive.

Larry

[Scott Dunsworth]

Welcome Craig

I enjoy the journey of building almost as much as sailing. Most do I believe.

We have 2 spindrift 12's going in the shop now. But with summer sports and all the other worries of life I haven't got much done in a while.

As for building in your basement any place will work. Heck if I wasn't married I would build in the living room.

My dad built a 14 foot runabout in his basement in the late fifties and him an mom still argue over the outcome today. She said he couldn't get it out of the basement without taking the whole door frame out and part of the wall. He says it was in his plans all along he just did'nt let her in on it till the end. It doesn't matter, but I'll never know the truth.

Anyway Welcome again and have fun!

Scott

[Greg Luckett]

Welcome to the Spindrift gang, Craig!

[cdunc]

Thanks for the warm welcome from everyone.

Greg, I have been following the progress on your boat as well as some of the other posters who have been logging their progress.  I am looking forward to seeing some of those boats in the water.  Looks like Wes is the closest to getting it wet.

I think I will try to do some of the preliminary work in my basement shop but when it comes time to wire the pieces together I will move it to the garage.  I will know more once the plans are delivered.

One question I already have is about using an outboard.  I plan to use the boat for sailing and some fishing primarily and I will probably get some kind of outboard for it.  When I was learning to sail this summer on the Capri 22' we used the outboard to leave and return the dock.  The outboard was in a fixed position and the tiller was used to steer.  Would that same configuration work with a Spindrift.  Obviously the outboard would be mounted on the transom off-center.  I might forgo the outboard to start and just row it and sail it.

Thanks in Advance,

Craig

[Garry]

You might want to consider using a trolling motor. I used a 30# thrust (<$100) and motored around the lake on one battery with no apparent trouble. I carried an extra battery but never had to switch.

[Greg Luckett]

Garry,

What size battery do you use?

Thanks,

[Garry]

It was a discount #24 (regular size) deep cycle battery from WxxMxxt or some place similar.

[Greg Luckett]

I bought a used electric motor from a moving sale a couple of years ago and hope to use it on the S12.  It has a 36LB thrust rating.  The transom seat is configured to hold a battery or two under it.

[Steve Day]

Craig,

Welcome to the Spindrift club! I built mine several years ago (2004) and have been using it as a sailboat and a dinghy for the big boat with a 2.5 Mercury. The boat is great and I'm sure you will enjoy it.

If you are considering an outboard, go for more than 2.5 HP. The motor pushes my boat JUST SHORT of planing speed with me in it. I'm sure a 3.5 would allow me to plane the boat just fine. I mount the motor just off centerline and take the rudder off for motoring. Under sail, the boat is excellent! In light winds, she allows me to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. When the wind freshens up, the ride gets a bit more exciting and she scoots along very well. She is kinda tender, but you should expect that from such a small boat. BTW, my boat is a 10N.

I remember Larry visiting and admiring my boat, but I haven't seen or heard from him lately.

Steve

[lbrewer]

I'm still hangin around Steve.

Larry

[cdunc]

I decided to order my plywood and it arrived today!  I worked from home this morning so I could be there when the truck arrived.  They surrounded the good stuff with some sacrificial wood which took a bit of a beating but the Okoume looks to be in good shape.  Now I can start laying out the lines and start making some sawdust.  Of course now I need to order some epoxy and fiberglass tape. 

Will post more when some actual building is completed.

[Hirilonde]

...................Will post more when some actual building is completed.

You can post more before you're completed too!  ;D

[cdunc]

[cdunc]

I was inspired by lbrewer's boat building enthusiasm and made some progress on the build.  It helped that my son did not have any soccer games this weekend. 

I cut out the sides, bottoms, transom and forward bulkhead.  Managed to cut some other smaller pieces as well.  I am using a butt joint to join the side and bottom pieces so I need to get that setup and let it cure.  I hope to make some progress on that this weekend.  I recently got into using hand planes for my other woodworking projects and found the block plane a great tool for tuning the cuts made with the scroll saw.  Less stressful to cut outside the line with the scroll saw and then clean it up with the block plane.

Posts below show a couple of my "helpers".

[lbrewer]

The inspiration comes when you gingerly open the panels and a boat is there (a leaky one at that point, but its a boat!)

The really hard part is over......you started!

[cdunc]

I found some 6 mil heavy duty plastic at the big box store.  I glued the two side pieces together using the butt joint.  I got a nice glassy smooth finish with the heavy duty plastic.  But I might have a problem.  I did not heed Graham's advice to use some finishing nails to keep the pieces from moving during the clamping process, consequently I have a small gap.  Is this going to be a problem?  Potential weak point?  Misalignment during assembly?  I can see where it would throw off some of the measurements.  I have not cut the sheer yet, I was going to do that after the glue up.  I have included a picture with a penny in the picture for scale.

Thanks for any help,

Craig

[cdunc]

Well I was able to correct the misalignment without having to compromise on the correct shape of the sides.  I now have 2 perfectly matched side panels.  Now to glue up the bottom panel without screwing them up.  ;D

Craig