Joining the Club - Spindrift 12 plans ordered

[Ken_Potts]

It can be kind of a roller coaster, can't it?  Something goes wrong and everything looks gloomy then you find a way to adjust things and realize it wasn't really wrong after all, just not quite done yet...

[cdunc]

No new pictures yet. 

But I have been busy since returning from the mess-about.  My bottom panels have been cut and I created the butterflies.  I need to attach the transom stiffener before I open it up to go 3D.  I already have the temporary bulkhead ready to go. 

A couple of questions for the collective.  This is a Spindrift 12 - Cat Rig.  From looking at the pictures and the plans there is a beam/stiffener at the top of the forward bulkhead.  It is located on the bow side of the bulkhead.  Should I attach this to the bulkhead before I go 3D?  I couldn't tell how wide the beam needed to be so I made it 3" wide.  Is that right?  Width doesn't seem critical here but I wanted to check.  Last question, I am assuming that I should be using epoxy to glue the stiffeners in place.  Would it hurt to help secure them with some brads?  Or is it better just to use clamps and epoxy?

Thanks,

Craig

[Greg Luckett]

I must qualify this answer with the fact that I have not built this model S12, but I started to.  In any case, I would not and did not attach the beam until after the bulkhead was positioned correctly.  The ends of the beam should be beveled to accomodate the curves of the sides.  Come to think of it, I found the best postion for my bulkhead, then removed it, added the beam and some more than the plan set showed, shaped the assembly, then reinstalled it permanently.  I did this because the sloop has a different bulkhead and foredeck arrangment.  Had I stayed with the cat plan I would have simply wired the bulkhead panel into place, epoxyed it, and then added the beam and other lumber.  Things tend to shift around a bit and I like to make fitted pieces that way.

[cdunc]

After chatting with Graham I decided to attach the beam to the forward bulkhead before going 3D.  Graham recommends it so that you have some solid wood to screw into.

So I have everything set to go 3D.  It seems like I will need at least one extra helper if not two.  Can it be done solo?  I can recruit the kids to help me out.  Should I go ahead and screw in some reinforcement blocks at the bow seams for preventative measures?

Thanks in advance,

Craig

p.s. I will try capturing the opening of the butterfly to video if possible.  Will definitely have stills.

[Greg Luckett]

My wife and I took the S12 to 3D in less than 1/2 hour.  She held things at the bow area and I then pulled the rest together at the transom.  It was surprisingly easy, but is ackward.  I think my joints creaked and popped more than the boat did. ;D

[Ken_Potts]

  Hi Craig,

  You definitely need two helpers at the very least.  One to take care of the bow while you unfold things at the stern and one to take the video.  The more capable helper should crew the camera 

  Now that I'm thinking of it - Has anybody ever posted video of the unfolding process?  You could be the first.

[Greg Luckett]

A video is a great idea.  I know there are multiple shots of a Core Sound being folded, but I have not seen a video of the process.  Craig, are you game?

[Hirilonde]

Can it be done solo?  

I did my S9N solo, but a helper would have been nice.

[Greg Luckett]

I could have done it solo using ropes and pulleys, which happen to be lying around the shop anyway, but then it would have taken more time for the rigging.  Edith and I took about 20 to 30 minutes tops to fold it together.  It was already prepared and maybe a hundred or so pieces of wire and another bag of nylon wire ties were strategically laid out before Edith came out to the shop to help me.  The worst problem was the height that the sides went to and the tendancy to flap as the centers of gravity shifted.  I also had some ropes looped around every thing that were then tightened up around the assembly to help keep it in shape and take strain off of the few wire ties in place at first.  It took me another couple of hours to get all the wire ties installed, then I left it overnight knowing all the strains were minimized.  The worry was the fiberglassed sections holding the side and bottom together at the bow.  The next day I begain setting up the final shape and prepped it for glassing the inside seams, but then I forgot to tape the outside seams to keep the epoxy from making more sanding work.  The hand drum sander fixed that up later.

[cdunc]

I had a busy afternoon.  I recruited my daughter and her friend to help stabilize the boat and managed to get it to 3D.  Man is my back tired.  Here are some pictures.

[cdunc]

And I did get some video.  I will have to figure out how to get it loaded on youtube.

[Ken_Potts]

  Sweet!  Good job, Craig!

  I'm looking forward to the video.

[Greg Luckett]

   Sweet!  Good job, Craig!

   I'm looking forward to the video.

DITTO!! and me too!

[paul_stewart]

Crag,  well done going 3D.  I'm glad Dawn and I had a chance to meet you at the B&B Messabout.  Lookin forward to seeing your progress and pics.

--Paul

[lbrewer]

Voila!  I always love that part .  One minute there's a couple of flat panels....then all of a sudden... a boat!

[Joe Anderson]

Craig,

Looks like your boat is coming together. I will not soon forget your story of how your son asked if your Spindrift would have sleeping accommodations. I know Graham slept in his dinghy when he was a wee lad. As a matter of fact very early one morning at the messabout I heard some snoring coming from Skimmer as she rested on her trailer at the edge of the boat ramp.

Enjoy the progress.

Joe

[Hirilonde]

Yup, those pictures look like a Spindrift alright.  It would seem that you stitched the right pieces together in the right locations    I look forward to future updates, photos and videos.

[cdunc]

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement.  I would never have started this project without the supportive forum that we have here.  I will be installing the bulkhead, temp. frame and transom soon.  Will post more pics then. 

When does the boat stiffen up?  After the bulkhead, frame and transom? Of after the "spot" welds are in place?

Craig

[Greg Luckett]

...When does the boat stiffen up?  After the bulkhead, frame and transom? Of after the "spot" welds are in place?

Mostly when the seams are epoxied, then more as the bulkhead and gunwhales are installed.

[lbrewer]

As Greg mentioned, you'll see an amazing difference when the the gunwhales are installed.

You probably already have figured it out, but be sure to measure diagonals and square everything up at this point, so when you fillet and tape seams and bulkheads that you aren't building in a twist to the hull.

It looks like a boat!