Belhaven 51 plans

[Ray Frechette Jr]

Just received plans to Belhaven hull 51.

What a happy coincidence that I have plans 51.

I also own Coresound 20 Hull 51.

One of the key pieces of information that convinced me to build a Belhaven is that the sail plans between the Belhaven and the race rig for the CS 20 are close enough to use on both boats.

And the sails I have for my CS20 have a big 51 on them.

So, I can forgoe buying new sails for my Belhaven and will already have sprits built that will suit the Belhaven as well.

This week I will start on the centerboard for my new Belhaven and work on some of the bits for the boat before I start the hull later this summer/fall.

[John Turpin]

That's great, Ray. Keep us posted on your progress.

[Kyle H.]

Congrats Ray! Now you already have some answers to all of the questions I have asked you ;-)

I will look forward to your build pictures and seeing your boat in progress. A professional build will be lovely to watch develop.

Kyle #44

[wkisting]

What a relief. When I first saw the thread topic, I thought you had commissioned a 51-foot Bellhaven! I'll look forward to watching your build. Be sure to take lots of pics.

[maligno]

Great to know there's another Belhaven in the works!

I will follow your progress as closely as I have been following Kyle's.

You both are indeed inspirations for me to move No. 30 from a virtual build in my mind to a real one.

Thanks! And pictures please.

Rolando

[Hirilonde]

What a happy coincidence that I have plans 51.

I also own Coresound 20 Hull 51.

Ooh, I hope that means 51 is a lucky number. I have Pearson Renegade #51.

Have fun building Ray, and I look forward to the pictures.

[rattus]

What a relief. When I first saw the thread topic, I thought you had commissioned a 51-foot Bellhaven! I'll look forward to watching your build. Be sure to take lots of pics.

Yeah, I though the same thing, and that bending inch-and-a-half plywood would be pretty tough!

Mike

[Ray Frechette Jr]

First saw dust made on Belhaven hull 51.

ripped down three doug fir 2 x 10s into strips 1.2 by 1 5/8 inch strips and glued up a massive blank for the centerboard.

Blank is glued up and measures 5 feet long by 22 inches wide by 1 5/8 inches thick.

Wow, is that thing huge!

Will be using power hand plane to bring thickness down to 1 3/8 inches and flat across both planes.

Sure would be nice to simply drop on Grahams CNC machine to exacting tolerances of thickness with two parallel flat surfaces.

But since he is such a long drive I will do the best I can by hand.

Then I will get the profile out and then spend some quality time with bench planes getting a beautiful foil shape out.

[Ray Frechette Jr]

Well the foil shape is roughed in.

After supper I will sand it down, drill the bushing hole for pivot pin and fill it. Tomorrow I will cut off tip for lead mold and do the epoxy soaked rope on leading edge thing.

Every time I build a sailboat I am fazzled about the number of hours to make and install the sailing bits.

Makes an engine looks reasonably priced once you add the cost of rigging and sails.

6 hrs already in cboard . All up when labor is factored in a centerboard and centerboard case comes up to at least $1,500.00 once installed. The Belhaven one will likely be closer to 2 K with extra lifting tackle and lead tip and 1208 glass cloth.

[John Turpin]

Ray,

Any idea how much that lead cboard tip will weigh?

[Ray Frechette Jr]

As designed by the Apostle of Speed it should come out right around 60 - 65 lbs.

As built I think it will be a touch heavier.

Cboard maximum chord depth thickness is supposed to be 1 3/8 inches thick. Once I cut off tip I measured it and found it a strong 1 3/8 thick. Layed it on the full size profile for giggles and found it very close in conformity but a trifle oversize.

I learned long ago. Don't build the centerboard trunk until the board it self is finished, glassed faired smoothed and bottom painted. The decide how thick to make youur kingposts for cboard trunk.

[Maria CS20 104]

On a good track, how long will it take for you to do the basic hull up?

Jim

[Ray Frechette Jr]

How long is a Piece of string?

Depends.

Rudder, cboard and bilgekeel mold has taken me 10 hrs to date.

Will not likely stitch and glue hull till winter.

Just making bits till then.

Making rudder case next week and then starting on cboard case on an as time allows basis.

Basically doing fit in work and currently working on 3 separate boats at the same time juggling them around as glue sets up on given parts.

[Brent]

Ray, knowing you are a thoughtful guy...what drove you to the Belhaven versus say a Princess 22? I have thought about this choice a few times, and go back and forth myself.

[Ray Frechette Jr]

A couple of points became deciding factors.

1.) the post of the motor well on a Bellhaven got me seriously thinking about it again. I really did not want a motor on a bracket.

I had seriously contemplated the P-22 and the Bellhaven for a while including making transparency overlays of the interior plan pages comparing cabins.

Cabins of the two are very close to same size. Princess has advantage of centerboard being further aft allowing a dedicated Porta Potti room port to cboard.

But to me a spacious galley is of more importance than a dedicated porta Potti room. I was going to use Belhaven interior ina Princess 22 if I built that.

I do admit to prefering the aesthetics ofthe Princess 22 hands down. But as Gordy Hill said to me once. If you like looking at pretty boats go sailing in a fast easy to lauch boat where there are a lot of pretty boats to look at.

This Belhaven is going to be outside stored and may very well be all paint no brightwork.

As low maintenance as possible.

2.) As I considered the Belahven and re read it I saw Grahams description of it being inspired by the CS boats witha cabin...

I then looked at the sail area and noted it was awfully close to the CS 20. A quick phone call to Graham and research from him determined that the sails are close enough for the two for the CS 20 sails to work really well on a Bellhaven so gee, I don't need to buy sails or make sprit booms as I already have a CS 20 with 2 suits of sails.

3.) I happen to have a very low mileage galvanized trailer with enough capacity to handle a Belhaven and gear.

The combo of having sails and trailer suitable was the tipping point for me.

The weight savings is also attractive to reduce towing costs.

I think if I didn't have the sails already and the trailer I would still be building a Princess 22 instead for improved aesthetics.

I think however that the Cabin on the Belhaven will have a more spacious feel than the Princess even though dimensions length width are so close I think Belhaven might have more cubic foot volume...