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Building the Bay River Skiff 15 #152


Don Silsbe

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My centerboard designs are very similar to that and I've had success with it for years. I think your lanyard attachment is overly complex (6 metal parts), where just epoxying the knotted lanyard in a hole will do just fine. This does mean you have to yank the board to replace the lanyard, but you probably have board maintenance to do anyway. I also use internal pivots, where they don't exit the case, so can't leak. These pivots are pins set on brackets that hang from the top of the case (see attached). You pull the board, lanyard and pivot brackets as one shot when doing repairs, through the removable case top.

 

On small boats I use tackle, but on larger, heavier boards a winch or a simple wheel/drum assembly is employed. A flat destroyer wheel, with a drum on the back and a clutch or a spring loaded pin and hole, to lock the board in position. The wheel is mounted on the side of the case, and sheds lines pretty well. A fold down, suicide knob on the wheel can speed up deploy or retract duties.

 

I've found the lanyard groove works better if it's V shaped, not a cove or U shaped. It tends to self center the lanyard. On heavy boards I use 7x19 wire and I swedge the end in a hole, like a knotted line lanyard, gluing it in place afterward. I have used a rigging barrel to hold the lanyard, but I prefer the lanyard to strain the epoxy, not the strands within the wire. If using wire, I armor the groove with metal or a UHMWPE strip (grooved). I've also gone away from having the sheave inside the case, preferring to exit the case first (usually through the king post) then to the turning block. A HDPE or harder plastic bushing, drilled for the lanyard in the king post works well.

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This is a cut and paste from one of my 17' sailor plans for the pin. In reality it's usually wider and is set in a shallow groove, in the case side, to keep it aligned.

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Lanyards are terribly reliable things. I've replaced 7x19 lanyards that were 40 years old and still doing their jobs. Line doesn't last that long, but I've seen them over 10 years old. After 10 years, I'll assume you'll want to yank the whole assembly to fix other stuff, like corroded pins, torn up leading edges, etc., so I like the idea of an assembly that can be lifted out of the boat (while it's in the water even), repaired or serviced and dropped back in. I stole the hanging pin idea from a dead designer of some note, many years ago. I stole the lanyard system I employ from a different, longer dead designer of considerable note. His used a hydraulic ram attached to a wire lanyard, to lower a bigass board. I substituted tackle for the first few, then changed it to move the turning block outside the case and added a winch on heavier boards. I have a 300 pound board on a 23' ketch and employ a used centerboard winch, I stole off a derelict Rhodes 19. ten turns from full up to full down, self braking, etc. The only way to go on heavy boards. It still uses a turning block to get the lanyard into the case.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks, Paul.  I used a kit for the oars, but the sprits were done from scratch.  I bought the leather from Tandy-- a belly patch.  I also bought a tool from them, to punch the holes.  (See photo.)  I highly recommend having one of those!

 

By way of an update of my build, the pine pollen bloom here has brought my varnishing efforts to a screeching halt.  I was hoping for another coat or two on my deck.  Guess that'll have to wait for 5 or 6 weeks.

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I'm almost ready for launch now.  Looks like the hold-up is my bride, who is out of town for a few more days.  In the meantime, here are some photos of my rig.  This includes my mizzen sheeting set-up.  What's the trick for getting photos rotated?  It appears OK when I view it on my computer.

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Graham, 

I love the lines of this boat!  She turns my head every time I go outside.  They are vaguely reminiscent of the rowboats I played in as a child.  (My hand is on the oar.)  But this one you've designed is far lighter, faster, and prettier.  And she will sail, too!  I can't wait to get her in the water!

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I agree. That is one very handsome skiff. Well, two handsome skiffs. That old black and white decided me to go fishing tomorrow, even though it's Saturday. Everyone knows Saturday is amateur day. :)

This yellow BR, though. I honestly think it's the yellow that adds the last bit of fantastic. The dark rail makes the sweet sheer POP!

I have absolutely no computer knowledge, though. If this phone thing won't do what I want, I ask one of my kids. ;)

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Hi Thrillsbe,

 

Locate the photo you want and right click on it and you will find the option to rotate clockwise or anti-clockwise. It is as simple as that. Have a go and try it. By the way your boat looks great and I can't wait to hear how well she sails.

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