Epoxy and other Sticky Thoughs

Yesterday was spent adding some epoxy and fiberglass to the S/V Sea Hawk. The front of the chines were armored and  the bottom and transom coated in the sweet smelling concoction. Had I just painted the vessel I think I would have been fine with the Payson "two coats of each will do" to ensure the wood is protected. As the date of our first event of the year approaches it's been satisfying to watch the boats of the IP&NCo. come together.
I've secured indoor storage for the vessel over the winter which takes a load off my mind. The current issue of Wooden Boats has a great little supplement on winter layup and storage. It also has a great article on the joys of the dingy. Magazines like Wooden Boat, Small Craft Adviser and Good Old Boat act like seed catalog for us boaters during the the darker months. I enjoy curling up in one of the leather couches in our local library and going all over in my imagination as I look over the beautiful wooden boats and the far away places they sail. Following along as repairs are made and seeing other wooden boats that have been launched.
And as I have since the name change here is an older post.

Someone recently made a comment to me that sailing between far flung points on Flathead lake alone might get lonely. And that is exactly the point. To be alone and commune with nature and reflect on the moment at hand. It's just that I happen to be on the water when I do it. On the other side I can find fellowship and community while doing the same thing.
If I told people I was planning on hiking the Bob Marshall or the Appalachian Trail the looks might not be as bad. But I tell them I'm sailing six miles between campground and they think I'm looney. But the concept is the same. It's just a different manner of accomplishing the same goal. When people talk about sailing, the same may be said for boating. The draw is the same and the result can be very beneficial. It can be a form of exercise and is for many rather accessible.
Add on top of that a boat you built with your own two hands and it becomes unique. Going from raw material to finished product and then using that product must be a wonderful experience. The steps to the goal of sailing a home built boat encompass design, carpentry, naval architecture, elbow grease, seamanship and navigation, and imagination. Many who never new they could do some of these skills will find that not only are they within their grasp but that they enjoy it.
These are things I hope to explore over the next few months. And if you're reading this, you might to.

She'll Make a Fine Rowboat!

We had gorgeous wind today. From the west at around 7-10mph. So naturally I went sailing! I fixed the rudder last night in preparation. It was chilly on the pond today I'd say WMO sea state 2. Now this may not SEEM like much but it was a lot for this new sailor and this new boat.

 I was a little concerned but bravely struck out from the shore. And snapped the tiller. Land ho!

Turns out I could steer with my hand on the top of the rudder so that is what I did. And dang it, I WENT SAILING! First was a very quick reach across the pond. Sailing with a boomless rig is different and will take some getting used to. I would like to keep my weight balanced but hanging on to the end of the sail puts me farther back then I'd like. Trying to get close hauled I'm having to hike out while IN the boat. Sounds odd I know and let me tell you it feels it. But let me tell you this boat SAILS. Maybe not as well as I'd like or hope but she will move upwind and reach and run like a banshee. And she'll pound your teeth out in a chop. I have a few more rudder issues to work out but I can say this boat gybes very well. As the wind comes around the wide beam of the boat helps to keep her on an even keel. But it was a learning experience and here is what I've learned so far

• MAKE OARS!!! She paddles well but as a rowboat she'll really shine. 
• Accept the fact that as a sailboat she may always just be a fair to middling performer.
• Figure out a better way to get the sail close hauled so I'm not stretched out towards the stern
• Leeboard position is huge on this boat. You can feel it when you put the board down and she straightens up. 

I have no idea how well it all went didn't get the GPS set up as sailing is still a fairly full time job for me, still learning don'tcha know ;) but she sailed as well as I could have expected. Save for the freeboard it's a fine little boat. I'm pleased with this build but I'm hungering for more. But here is a video of the S/V Sea Hawk heading upwind.

 I think to make a proper lady of her I need to get some oars on her. In the end I was wet and tired. But it was a good day!

She Sails! Er...paddles!

After a whirlwind morning it is my honor to say that the S/V Sea Hawk was launched to much success today. This was a "soft" launching so the normal page and a half script for the naming ceremony was not used.

"I christen thee Sea Hawk! May God bless her and all who sail her!"

Formalities done it was into the water. There were very few leaks and after a few minutes she stopped leaking. There was NO wind at all. But a wise man says "Sometimes you have to paddle to find the wind", so paddle I did!

This boat is amazing. Okay maybe not amazing to some but compared to my first effort this is a far better craft! The hull is for a better word slippery. Rowing is a breeze and if I got my numbers right the sailing should be good. The keel and skeg really help to keep directional harmony and it shows in the rowing and general tracking. A wise man also say "If you can't find the wind, take a nap". This boat lightly loaded has plenty of room to lie down!

With no wind I decided to let The Typesetter have a go. And wouldn't ya know it, I broke my rudder! It should be noted the entire rudder assembly is overbuilt to an amazing degree. Lots of through bolts and a big heavy tiller. This thing is massive thanks to my little "incident" on Lake Union this summer. Turns out the rudder is fine but the tiller/rudder joint was weak.

Snapped right at the bolt. *Shrugs* Easy fix and a lesson learned I guess. The bungee works great to keep the rudder down and it'll be up and running soon. So Mike took a spin. Even with low freeboard the boat handled it well.

 And I finished the day by looking for a geocache using my GPS and my skiff.

All in all I'm very pleased. The boat is stable, paddles well, not much more to say. I just hope for some wind on Sunday!

Little Bit O' Work

It was a relatively short and quite day. Experimented with a boom on my spirit sail. Excessive boom rise but I'll keep at it. I do like the spirit sail for it's simplicity and ease of set up. One thing I need to remember is this is a SMALL boat and should be treated as such. I draw inspiration from the Ensigns Gig a two sheeter I found at Duck Works. I am a patriot. So today I raised Old Glory above the deck of the S/V Sea Hawk.

This means my sail will no longer be stored outside as the flag is permanently attached to the sail. Well as permanent as duct tape. No tape on the flag though! I also spruced up the mast step a bit.

Now is the time for the dreaded bits and painting. I'll be varnishing the inside for a more traditional look and I'm excited to get that started. But I'm off to Idaho for a few days so I'll be boat free for a bit.

Es hält Wasser von Gott!!!

S/V Sea Hawk does indeed hold water! But we'll get to that in a second. The hardest part of building a boat is the very end. Where all the bits are going on and it's tough to find a direction to go in. My way of getting past this is to work on the boat until decent progress is made every morning. And I have fulfilled that requirement for today.
The plan for the Cygnet calls for a whimsical duck shaped rudder. If I were to show up on a wharf in Hong Kong with a rudder like this I'd have the tar kicked outta me by wharf rats. A ducky rudder will simply not do. So I decided I'd make it like I have everything else, I'll guess.
First up was the top part of the folding rudder. I got a pencil and drew out what I think it will look like. Then I cut it out. Now I'm using 1/4" luann so I'll laminate it for a full 1/2".

 If the lamination fails I'll simply these bits out of full 1/2" plywood and call it a day. With that sorted out it was on to the rudder. Yes, I am still fascinated by Titanic's rudder so I made one that looks like that. Much bigger and broader then my last one mind you.

That...looks about right. I think.

Once that was cut out twice and put in a vice grip to cure I decided it was time for the dreaded water test. That and I had nothing more I could do at this point.So I grabbed the garden hose and filled her up.

Takes a lot of water to fill this small boat!

 The good news is that if I was taking water over the bow at the rate of the hose and if the world were perfect I could bail fast enough to keep the water out. Of course she leaked. but nowhere near as bad as I had feared. It was mainly along the tops of the chines and along the bottom of the transom where the angle isn't the best. All easily fixed.

  I think once she takes up a bit the leaks will slow down and or stop. I also plan on running a bead of DAP Roofing Sealant around the interior edges as an added barrier. But these leaks are at acceptable levels and sea trials are a go as soon as I have the rest of my bits done. Darn those bits!

More and More Boatlike!

Not as much progress as I was hoping for today. I blame it on lack of good plywood. I have a loot of checking scrap lying around but for my leeboard and my rudder I'd just as soon use good plywood and only have to use it once. But on to today's progress!
First thing out of the gate was the leeboard support. I wasn't satisfied with what the plans called for, surprise surprise and I put the thought of a centerboard out of my head. I ended up following Andrew Linn's leeboard he used on his Harley 8a, a simple sideways table like set up. I cut them short, then had to cut them shorter. Then had gaps I'll use PL Premium to fill. But they seem to be sturdy and in the right place. That's what counts!

Looking over the plans and from what research I've done it appears I need about about 1 1/2sqft to get the proper leeboard to sail size ratio. I'm thinking I'll do the Michelak thing and do my boards out of laminated 1/4 ply for strength and straightness. With the support out of the way I grabbed an old skeg I had kicking around, cleaned it up with a jigsaw and attached it. Now lying upside down the S/V Sea Hawk looks like a boat lying upside down.

 That is my favorite part of building a boat, watching these pieces of plywood come together into a form someone can recognize as a boat! And this is going to be my trim little racing privateer. I've decided on having a regatta during the WMHBBA messabout in September so this is going to be my best and only chance of winning! Sailing ability is going to be key in this boat and the ones that follow it. I want a boat that sails well in a good wind. I'm not so worried about slight and gusty winds but in a good stiff breeze I want to have a vessel answering it's helm and commander and allow me to worry about getting there and not if I will get there at all!

One Sheet Skiff or...

I'm debating if OSS stands for One Sheet Skiff or One Sh*&#y Ship. The S/V Sea Hawk is now partially completed. It's been a hell of a day. It wasn't until after I started the build that I realized everything I need to do a quick build is over at the S/V Pica site. Great....well it's just an obstacle right? So I thundered on, I have a deadline to meet! Got the sides cut out and then dug right on in to the center frame. It was raining like crazy so I was in my neighbors shop. Got the frame finished and the rain stopped. Wandered next door and did a test fit. Hmmmm...something wasn't right. Made the frame 4 1/2" to long. No problem, took 2 1/4" inches out of each side and secured them back together.
Now the directions say to attach the stem first. This is the same general design as the Teal and the Mayfly 14 so I decided to warp the sides around the main frame. Turns out the work table I have isn't exactly flat. Well crap. Then I found out my Titebond I swore I had kicking around here wasn't to be found. So I used some Gorilla Wood Glue. We'll see how it turns out. But with lots and lots and lots of little nails I got the sides on the frame.She started  looking like a boat so I was doing something right.
Found some decent 1/4 ply in the scrap heap and framed up the transom. Now here is the odd thing: The sides are 9" high but the transom is listed on the plans as 10 1/2" inches high. Oh well I followed the plans. Now it should be mentioned at this point I was beyond the point of no return, I was going to get as much done before dark as possible. Attached the transom and figured if it was wrong I could maybe..uh...we'll figure it out.
Now for the last part of the evening, the stem. Oh the stem. I have access to a table saw but it's not ready yet. So I had to use a jigsaw. Next time I'd rather nail my tongue to a cactus using a rusty Popsicle stick and a dull hammer then ever do that again. In the end it was a bloody inch short. Oh well looks fine from about fifteen feet away so why worry?. Slobbered some glue on it and with a few 3/4 screws got the stem installed.
Right now I'm sweaty and tired and need a shower. My throat and nose are full of sawdust and I itch. But  have a good start on my boat. The OSS is a decent size and I would suggest anyone out there build it. But make sure you have everything you need first.

Not to shabby, not to shabby at all.

Tomorrow I plan on getting the gunwales and chines on to stiffen her up. Bottom will go on later in the week. This boat will be saved by PL Premium, God's gift to those who build cheap boats.

Did I I Forget to Mention...

My first spirit sail. 25 sq. ft.

In my last post I made the comment I'm cheap and lazy. I'm also rather impatient. The sail for the S/V Sea Hawk is done. Yes yes I know I said it was going to be a gaff rig. But I don't have the blocks nor the lines to set up a gaff rig tonight. After looking at it I DID have all the parts for the spirit rig. Took a few notches in the mast and spirit and I had a sail.
This is the best sail I've made so far. The shape is much, much better the then any of my previous sails. I don't get the wrinkles or folding at any of the edges when the wind hits it. Sail creation is not witchcraft it just takes some time and research. The sail was amazingly easy to put together and I see why it's a popular sail option for small boats. I need to figure out a better snotter (How cool is that? Snotter snotter snotter!) set up but the sail is done. In his book, Jim Michalak says to build the sail first. With that out of the way the only thing left to do is get the hull built.

And it even works!