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Newcomer presentation and some questions about ordering at Stevenson Projects


CoolGuy

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Hello all,

As I'm new here, some words to present myself :

I'm not yet a real (Amateur) boat builder, but I've owned and done some wooden boat work and I liked it so I would like to begin to build my first dream boat.

To let you see where I am in my learning skill process I have some links to my works :

Tahiti Ketch (from chantiers Sirvent, 1982) :

http://www.alomphega.com/bateau/LeSoddary/dematage/

http://www.alomphega.com/bateau/LeSoddary/preparation_mats/

http://www.alomphega.com/bateau/LeSoddary/200501_janvier/

http://www.alomphega.com/bateau/LeSoddary/200502_fevrier/

http://www.alomphega.com/bateau/LeSoddary/200503_mars/

http://www.alomphega.com/bateau/LeSoddary/TAHITIKETCHVENDU/

(sold because harbour too heavy costs)

Vaurien (from chantiers Montbaillard, 1962) :

http://picasaweb.google.fr/Alomphega/AntaresVaurienNo10414De1962

Bel orme (from chantiers Guind

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I barely get by in my native tongue of English, so I can't even try French!  But I like the international flavor!

The Weekender looks like more boat than she is, and what I mean by that is that for a small flat bottomed boat without ballast, she is very pretty.  The typical builder here sails her in lakes and harbors and feels comfortable in winds up to 10 mph, and if they venture out of a harbor into the ocean like Ray and I have done, we stay pretty close to shore.  That's not a criticism of the boat, but just a description of how she is usually used.

I like to think of the Weekender as a sailing dinghy, where crew weight makes a big difference as you sail and tack.  I think its the best looking little boat out there, but it is not the fastest, or the most comfortable in swells (the flat bottom pounds like the dickens).  So a lot depends on your sailing style as well as where you want to sail.

If you like to race, its probably not the best choice.  If you want to venture out into weather, I think Ray knows better than I, and I agree with his assessment.  If you want to build a boat you can be proud of, that ghosts along in the lightest of winds while you gaze up at the gaff sail, and that gathers a crowd every time you launch and retrieve her, then the Weekender is a good choice.

As far as support from the Stevensons ... its been spotty.  The one good thing is that the builder community here and on the BYYB.ORG site are very helpful, and I think that's where most of the support is coming from.

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Et Dennis comprends la francaise plus bon que mois.

As I can tell after receiving some French words from you, you're too modest Ray !

Frank : tx, I understand that you tell about the seaworthy of Weekender and the Stevenson support, but do you know if I can order plans and DVDs online from now, or if I have to wait a sign or contact from they before to do ?

atb,

Guy.

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[..]

It does seem that most peoplewho place an order with Paypal do receive their plans within 6-8  weeks.  Even without any cointact form the Stevensons.

There may possibly be an issue withthe DVD. If I understand correctly Not all DVD's ar e the same.  I have heard of issues with DVD players form other countries not being able to play DVDs made in the USA and not designated for other countries.

[..]

So we really need some English speaker which would accept to phone to their new updated phone number "650.873.0216" to ask Stevenson Projects and to give us some fresh news...

Nobody in the San Francisco area could do that and tell us what is happening about their business and if we can order and what ?

Please, help !

atb,

Guy.

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Tried the phone #.

Reports it is disconnected.

They really should let Duckworks or someone handle the plans for them.

Guy - I think they make the DVD using the US region code; France uses the European region code (2, I think) and the US is region code 1.  You may not be able to play the DVD in your DVD player, but usually people can play them on their computers (the computer DVD players usually allow changing the default region code, but you might check with someone technical over there ... I don't know how strong the copyright laws are there).

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Hello,

Tried the phone #.

Reports it is disconnected.

Thank you very much Ray !

Good to know, but also strange they give a new number which is disconnected ! :-/

They really should let Duckworks or someone handle the plans for them.

Definitively yes !

Does someone know if Chuck Leinweber is aware of this Stevenson contact problem ?

Guy - I think they make the DVD using the US region code; France uses the European region code (2, I think) and the US is region code 1.  You may not be able to play the DVD in your DVD player, but usually people can play them on their computers (the computer DVD players usually allow changing the default region code, but you might check with someone technical over there ... I don't know how strong the copyright laws are there).

Ok Frank, tx for the warning.

I think to try to order online via Paypal as Denis private [French] message tells me.

But before I would like to understand this strange price : why $90 for plan+DVD if : plan $35 + DVD $42 = $77 ? What is for the $90 price ? Why this $13 difference ?

atb,

Guy.

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Hey guys,

I have only sailed on one weekender so far but I did it in some pretty substantial winds at the Lake Pepin Messabout.  I can't say that I noticed a whole lot of pounding that day.  Granted there were three pretty big guys in her, but I thought when we left I would be watching out for my fillings coming loose. 

I have a question regarding why this might have been.  When sailing with the boat heeled over somewhat, doesn't that change the underwater shape of the hull such that it is no longer a flat bottomed boat?  It seems to me that by sailing on the chines the flat bottom becomes more rounded thus cutting the flat surface resisting the impact.  I also noticed that the boat rose and fell on the waves without very much splash at all.  I figured we were riding dry because we weren't smacking those waves like a hammer. 

Al

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Hey guys,

I have only sailed on one weekender so far but I did it in some pretty substantial winds at the Lake Pepin Messabout.  I can't say that I noticed a whole lot of pounding that day.  Granted there were three pretty big guys in her, but I thought when we left I would be watching out for my fillings coming loose. 

I have a question regarding why this might have been.  When sailing with the boat heeled over somewhat, doesn't that change the underwater shape of the hull such that it is no longer a flat bottomed boat?  It seems to me that by sailing on the chines the flat bottom becomes more rounded thus cutting the flat surface resisting the impact.  I also noticed that the boat rose and fell on the waves without very much splash at all.  I figured we were riding dry because we weren't smacking those waves like a hammer. 

Al

Lake Pepin is probably too small to get the small chop we get on the oceans ... you also get it on the Great Lakes, but most other lakes and harbors are too small for the chop to develop (San Francisco Bay and Pugeot Sound are exceptions, of course). 

Here in the Santa Barbara Channel off the coast of Southern California, we can get days with light winds and 1 - 2 foot chop.  A boat like the Weekender doesn't get up to the 3 or 4 knots required to heel it a bit, and the chop pounds the heck out of the boat.  In those conditions, the boat can take it but it certainly isn't a pleasure sail!

Healing the Weekender does change the bottom shape and its a comfortable boat up to hull speed in fairly flat water.

We often repeat what the Stevensons say, that the Weekender has a hull a little like a dory, but in reality, the Weekender is much wider on the bottom than a true dory:

21.jpg

The fishing dory that was used along Southern California when I was a kid was a larger version of this kind of dory, with a narrow bottom and fine ends that sliced through the waves rather than pounded on top of them.  The fishermen rowed through the surf, out to the fishing grounds, and then back in with their fish.  They would push the boats up the beach on rollers, clean the fish and sell them to people from their little booth.  The fish market is still there at Newport Beach, but I think the boats are long gone.

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Hi Salty_Dog and all,

Thanks for the information, so I think I'll go to order soon.

But in order to let me know what I have to order online, could you tell me what is the difference between a $90 set of plans+DVDs and the $35 plans only + $42 DVDs set only ?

So well, I think I'll try to order some Stevenson Projects boat plans and DVDs as you and Denis told me this works well enough, but I wonder how to send money via Paypal if the "mail(at)stevproj.com" mailbox is full and can't receive emails anymore ?

Could you explain how to process with detailed step by step please ?

I would like to order the plans of : the Weekender, the Pocket Cruiser, the Vacationer ; and also order the 3 1/2 hour DVDs set.

(This is US$157 if my count is ok with the $10 over sea shipping one time)

How can I do it ?

Thanks a lot in advance,

Guy.

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Hi Guy

Goto www.paypal.com and create an account if you don't already have one.  You need to link your credit card, just follow their instructions.  Once that is all done login to paypal and click on 'Send Money'.  I dealt with Shannon Stevenson , her email address is shanneen@sbcglobal.net. Add her address and the correct amount of Dollars.  Select Goods and add a brief description of what you want.  Simple as that!  8)

Cheers

Salty_Dog

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Thank you very much Salty-Dog !

(may be you should edit your message then put a "(at)" instead of the "@" and "(dot)" instead of the "." within the email address because spam, as I wouldn't want this address disappears ! ;-)

I'll inform you here about the story...

ATB,

Guy.

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Cool Guy, did you try ordering via Paypal, or did you just try emailing Shannon?  I was going to order a set of Vacationer plans and the DVD next week myself - and was getting geared up to start so I could be sailing by the end of next season (I even got the 'squids' interested in helping!).

Does any out there have any 'inside' knowledge?.  Salty Dog...didn't you just order your plans about 3 or 4 weeks ago?

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I ordered plans via Paypal in March.  The Paypal address for them at the time was "mail at stevproj.com".  Now, if they say the business is shuttered for now, and they are not selling plans...I don't think I'd be sending them money and expecting the plans anytime soon. 

I also would not be sending Shannon money directly if she says she does not work for the Stevensons any longer. 

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