Friday, August 24, 2018

Alcort Standard Sailfish 1949

24 Aug 18:

Sailfish now available as easy to assemble kits! Well, back in 1949...Or buy the assembled boat from the factory for $189 USD.

Trailer Guides

24 Aug 18:

We have trailer guides on our Drascombe Lugger trailer to help keep the keel over the rollers while we load it. We upgraded the guide arms to galvanized steel, they had been aluminum, which weren't as strong and not as hardy in the salt water. The old pair was also a little too tall, so these look better. We color coded them for Port and Starboard so we don't get confused (insert obligatory Red Right Returning comment here).


Log of ONKAHYE.

Penobscot 14 ST. JACQUES 15 Aug 18 Tiller Replacement

15 Aug 18:

Tiller v1.0 on ST. JACQUES has broken several times where it necks down to fit inside the yoke. I chose to make it out of solid cypress vs laminate it or pick a harder wood. The cypress I selected was also pretty grainy on the business end. We tried grafting in a teak end and the teak held up, but the cypress fractured the next time just ahead of the teak splice.

So we regrouped and decided to make the end of the tiller as wide as the yoke, and we will use Sunfish tiller straps to attach it. We will also laminate a strip of marine grade oak plywood between outer layers of cypress.


Skipper wants the tiller to be a little straighter up forward and sit a little higher, but the original tiller still gives us the basic shape.


Fastened the boards with TotalBoat THIXO, brushed onto both faces.


Clamped the boards, light clamping just until the epoxy started to squeeze out.




Sorry for the fuzzy photo, but we are shooting for a tiller along the lines of Culler's 16 foot Biloxi catboat, designed for Hagan.


Mock up to get the angles off of the tiller yoke and set the tiller height above the seat, Skipper wants it about 16 inches off of the deck.


Used the old tiller for a few of the lines then straightened out the forward end.



Cut out the tiller with a jigsaw, then ripped off the sides on a table saw to get it to the proper width.


Rounded the edges with a 3/4 inch roundover bit on a compact trim router, then did some shaping with the Stanley #51 spokeshave, belt sander and random orbital sander.



Shaped the tiller some more, decided against the goose egg knob.


Attached tiller with Sunfish tiller straps, machine screws, washers and nylon stop nuts. We will be looking for some bronze hardware long term, if this v3.0 works.


Set the tiller to 16 inches above the aft deck.




A little camouflage until we find bronze hardware.


Log of ST. JACQUES.

24 Aug 18:

Tape is off, ready for Sea Trials!


Stay tuned.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

How To Build a Skipjack

23 Aug 18:

We picked up a book from a boatbuilder's library and it is a gem, How To Build a Skipjack, from an article published in The Rudder back in 1898. The article was so popular that The Rudder reprinted it in its own special hardback edition in 1901.




The book has been very helpful with instructions on how to layout the building forms and the backbone, we will use some of the ideas when we set up the jig and keel for our catboat.


So if you need to build a small skipjack, give us a holler!

Cheers
Clark and Skipper

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Why Knot: Skipper's Guide to Small Boat Knots

21 Aug 18:

We just published a small book about small boat knots. Don't tell anyone, but you can use these knots on not-small boats as well. A good primer on knotology.

"A little book of the 4 basic knots to get started messing about in small boats. Color photos of real knots in use on real boats, the bowline, figure 8, half hitch and square knot. Also includes chapters on the sailor's spar hitch and marlin hitch. Bonus chapters cover nautical terms, how to tie a cleat hitch, wrap a flemish coil, belay a line and whip the end of a line, all the boatcraft skills needed to keep a small ship looking ship shape. The small boats featured in this guide are some of the most popular sailboats ever made, the Sunfish, the O'Day Daysailer and the Drascombe Lugger, so there is a good chance you'll be tying lines on one of these boats."

Available today on Amazon Publishing Why Knot: Skipper's Guide to Small Boat Knots



Thursday, August 16, 2018

Sea Rat from Wind In The Willows

I thought the Skipper was Water Rat and I was Mole, but I think she is actually Water Rat's sibling Sea Rat, from the book Wind in the Willows. Here is a little musing from Sea Rat, speaking on looking to the sea:

"There, sooner or later, the ships of all seafaring nations arrive; and there, at its destined hour, the ship of my choice will let go its anchor. I shall take my time, I shall tarry and bide, till at last the right one lies waiting for me, warped out into midstream, loaded low, her bowsprit pointing down harbour. I shall slip on board, by boat or along hawser; and then one morning I shall wake to the song and tramp of the sailors, the clink of the capstan, and the rattle of the anchor-chain coming merrily in. We shall break out the jib and the foresail, the white houses on the harbour side will glide slowly past us as she gathers steering-way, and the voyage will have begun! As she forges towards the headland she will clothe herself with canvas; and then, once outside, the sounding slap of great green seas as she heels to the wind, pointing South!

And you, you will come too, young brother; for the days pass, and never return, and the South still waits for you. Take the Adventure, heed the call, now ere the irrevocable moment passes! 'Tis but a banging of the door behind you, a blithesome step forward, and you are out of the old life and into the new! Then some day, some day long hence, jog home here if you will, when the cup has been drained and the play has been played, and sit down by your quiet river with a store of goodly memories for company. You can easily overtake me on the road, for you are young, and I am aging and go softly. I will linger, and look back; and at last I will surely see you coming, eager and light- hearted, with all the South in your face!"

Wind In The Willows, Grahame, 1908

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

1978 AMF Sunfish SUGAR 2 15 Aug 18 Sea Trials

15 Aug 18:

15 Aug 18:

Catching up on SUGAR 2 news. Cleaned the deck edge and cockpit trim and reinstalled.



Rigged a bridle and bow line.





Installed inspection port with #8 stainless machine screws, 1 1/2 inches secured by washer and nylon stop nut.


She moved out of the hangar for transfer onto the dolly.


Skipper's boat hoist works awesome, we added Sunfish blocks and cleats to tidy up the line handling, we use 2 Sunfish mainsheets with the bronze snap shackles.


WINNIE let SUGAR 2 borrow her dolly.


Sea Trial Report, SUGAR 2 went out under the Skipper's steady hand, hesitant for about 10 seconds as to what the wet stuff under her keel was and confused by the fact that she had all of her parts. She caught a little puff and shot away from the shore in a light breeze.


















SUGAR 2 took a break then I jumped in for ghosting practice!


She tacked with ease around the bay and gybed beautifully. The sail set nice and her colors were amazing, should be easy to spot.

Bravo Zulu to SUGAR 2, she was very patient and she is now part of our Armada!


Log of SUGAR 2.