Core Sound 20 Mark III #3 "Skeena"

[paul_stewart]

Cool!  (Pun intended)

Thanks for sharing, Steve! 

Is the height of your mizzen tabernacle as specified in the 20.3 plans ???

(I was thinking of reducing the height of mine by an inch or two. Maybe.) 

[Steve W]

Paul, you will have to ask Alan. My boat didn't have a mizzen tabernacle as designed. During the build I was sailing a Sea Pearl, and while the masts weren't that heavy, they seemed to get heavier each year!

 

Someone asked if there could be a tabernacle for the mizzen (Pete McCrary- "Chessie" maybe) and once I saw the design I added it to Skeena with the plans Alan & Graham supplied. It allows one handed mast raising.

 

As for lowering it, remember that lowering the mast pivot point would make the horizontal masts interfere with the cabin hatch. I've motored down the Erie canal with the masts down and lived on the boat for a few nights before I got to open water to sail. I wouldn't want them any lower, and I'm planning on making an extension to raise the aft part of the masts higher to support my rain fly for those types of excursions. 

 

Hope this was helpful and I'm enjoying your build. I'm especially interested in you experience with the electric motor. 

 

Take Care,

Steve

 

 

[Steve W]

Some stuff. 

 

I spent 8 nights in Maine. I'll have a video soon. Skeena was a beast. Maine is amazing. Two great moments for this group:

 

1. We went to visit Brooklin Boat Yard and there was a sign "dinghy's only". I sailed close to ask where to anchor and an employee asked if I build Skeena. When I said yes he told me I could stay, but my friends production boats could anchor "over there". Ha!

2. At Southwest Harbor a Hinckley Yacht employee was in the middle of fueling a new power boat with 850 gallons of fuel. I walked up with my 1 gallon can and he  pulled the hose out of the new boat and gassed me up and said it was on him. Said he had noticed Skeena coming in and engaged me about the design, build etc. 

 

More to come. 

 

For now, a couple of questions. 

 

1. The mizzen snottier attaches to a single attachment point. The main is on a bridal. I'd like to switch the mizzen to the bridal setup like the main. Any reason not to? 

 

2. I never filled in the aft part of the C-board trunk after lengthening it. Alan suggested using foam in the instructions. Is the leading edge sharp? Rounded? Tapered? 

 

Take Care, 

Steve

[Alan Stewart]

Steve,

Can't wait to hear about your trip.

 

1. Yes the mizzen snotter should now also be on a bridle if the mizzen mast is held fixed in a tabernacle like the main. I should updated the rigging plans to show that since the mizzen tabernacle is now standard on all mk3 boats which it wasn't originally. 

 

2. We did this to Graham's boat before the 2024 EC. We glued in a solid piece of blue insulation foam (Extruded polystyrene XPS). And then covered it with a single layer of 10oz cloth. Inside the trunk we glassed it as well as we could knowing it didn't have to be perfect. The front edge was just square. Is that what you mean?

[Steve W]

Thanks Alan, 

 

1. I spent a lot of time in Maine in light wind, Adjusting the snotter constantly on various point of sail was tiring. I couldn't see any reason not to change, but I'd rather have your endorsement.

 

2. That's exactly what I meant. Thanks for the pic.   Sharp edge it will be. 

 

Video close to done!

Also, FWIW, I think it's time to finish your boat and join the fun. 

 

Finally, thanks for the great boat. You and Graham and the whole B & B team provided a boat that has brought me a lots of joy. 

  

[Steve W]

After 5 years of laying down and reaching to the abyss of the aft storage behind the bunks, I finally did something about it. Here it is. The new deck is even with the bunks and now stuff just slides out like butter. I will store heavy stuff (camp chair, radar reflector, etc.) below and sleeping bags, clothes, guitar, etc. above. 

 

I haven't tabbed the sides into the hull yet as it's been really hot and stuffy working in there, but they are rock solid on the stringers. 

 

Negatives are a little weight added. I am very happy with this mod. 

[paul_stewart]

Brilliant, Steve.  Copy that! 

[Alan Stewart]

Probably should add that to the kit. 

[Steve W]

Alan, maybe an option! I'm sure if it was designed from the beginning, it could have been a bit lighter. 

[Steve W]

As promised (love this boat) .......

 

[Don Silsbe]

That was an awesome video, Steve!  Thanks for taking the time to out it together.  Looks like you and Helen had a fantastic week.  

[Don Silsbe]

@Steve W  Regarding bridles, Avocet uses a bridle for the mizzen.  

 

 

Since the builder is an avid Wayfarer sailor, he mimicked what they do on that boat.  There is a fixed loop amidships with a block attached.  The mizzen sheet runs up the sprit, and is cleated to the thwart at the base of the mizzen mast.  Paul in Australia also did this.

 

[Don Silsbe]

I did put a bungee on one side, to keep it from fouling the outboard.

 

[Andy B]

The "Wayfarer" bridle is interesting, Don.  I assume that cuts down on the amount of sheet line in the cockpit.

Your videos did not come through, by the way.

[Don Silsbe]

Thanks.  I uploaded it to YouTube.  Here’s the link:

     But they are all in one spot, which is nice.  It only gives a glimpse of the bridle, though.

 

Since the single sheet runs forward, it’s up there with the main sheets.

 

I tried this on my Bay River Skiff, and didn’t like it.  For me, the traditional way worked better.

[Steve W]

I've had some questions about the canopy my son Teddy made for Skeena. It's four years old and still looks great. Here is a pic from when we first made it. 

 

I will measure it's dimensions soon. I bought these poles which are quite sturdy.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GBY77WV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

 

They can be folded down, but since I've never had to, I think flexible wood slats would work fine. The key here is flexibility. The whole rig is under tenson and can spring/deflect a bit in high wind. I left the rig out when we first built it for a week in the yard, with the mindset that if we didn't build it good, it didn't have a place on the boat. 

 

To erect it fast, I use a strap that I wrap around the mizzen mast twice and clip. Then I walk forward with the long line that is attached to the forward loop. I wrap this around the main mast one full wrap and then tighten it with one of these. Don't be judgy.......Yes, you clever knot tying people could probably knot (see what I did there) need that.

https://www.amazon.com/Carabiner-Clip-Rope-Tightener-4-1/dp/B000QGJN60?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

 

On the way aft after getting the ridge under tension, I clip the four forward side clips. The four front ones clip to D-rings I installed along the hatch runners. The two aft ones go to D-Rings I added to the outside of the boat, just aft of the mizzen. It's so quick to rig I'll often do it in the midle of the aftenoon having lunch at anchorage just to get a break from the sun. 

 

As for the material, I have no idea as my son bought it. But it's something like this: 

https://www.sailrite.com/SureRite-Charcoal-Gray-60-Fabric

 

When not in use I roll the whole thing, poles and all. Hope this helps. 

[Don Silsbe]

That’s very interesting, Steve.  I have a couple of questions.

 

1. Are those standard fiberglass poles that you used for the bows?

2. I see that the bows are passed through a tube in the middle of the awning.  Are those simple pockets at the ends?

[Jknight611]

Hi Steve, just checking in!  We built a similar cover for our Core Sound 20.3, it was/is a good thing!  We could have sold seating under it during the Texas 200.  Sure is nice an anchor and it seems to help sailing at anchor a bit.

 

 Just got home from a week or so on the Flinders and it will be getting a riding sail.  It likes to sail around like the Core Sound does at anchor. 

[Steve W]

Don, 

 

The poles are linked in the writeup. 

 

Jay, 

 

I love the pics of the Flinders. I hope to see it in person at some point. Also, that would be a great boat for Maine. We had a wonderful trip up (Video in previous post) there this year and I think it's going to turn into an annual. 

 

And yes, Skeena does a bit of hunting at anchor, and deploying the shade helps a lot. But I do like the idea of a riding sail.  

 

Take Care,

Steve

[Jknight611]

Maine is a fantastic sailing destination, we had our Core Sound there 4 or 5 years ago.  We had minor problems on where to leave the truck an trailer.  Great sailing, beautiful shoreline.  The beauty of trailerable boats!  The scenery never gets old!