tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-365334222024-03-13T21:13:39.545-07:00The BoatSince I'm starting out on building a small sailing boat, I thought it might be useful for others to learn from my experience.
This will be a log of the building project, and any problems and solutions along the way.Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.comBlogger263125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-20721465463741040332020-08-11T13:18:00.000-07:002020-08-11T13:18:04.062-07:00Great big holes I wanted a hatch, so that I could access the space under the fore deck. I figured out the size I needed and then spent about a week trying to work up the courage to cut the hole.I drilled 2 holes through from underneath, right beside the each of the two beams so that I knew exactly where to cut.I marked out the 300mm square, twice. And then set to work with my jigsaw.I reinforced the sides Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-57058045436537033652020-07-13T11:58:00.000-07:002020-07-13T14:21:42.046-07:00Island hoppingIt's been a while since TLC has been out sailing. But on a trip down to Kerry we were staying on Valentia island. It has a beautiful sheltered harbour at Knightstown.
There is a little island about 1 mile away.
That short journey isn't quite as sheltered. Luckily my daughter was on the Sea camp and she made a new friend whose father was a keen sailor. He was delighted to come and join me on TLC Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-34438044766467997962016-08-28T04:10:00.003-07:002016-08-28T04:10:47.133-07:00An interesting weekend of sailing and repairI've added a topping lift to TLC. That helps a lot for motoring.
It was quiet gusty (for my skill level) when I took TLC out on Friday, so when the little ones arrived later for a spin, I dropped sail, and tied it up with some bungy cord & toggle button sail ties, also newly made, and popped the boom up out of the way with the topping lift. Then we motored out around the lake for a bit.
We Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-73716566819181918972016-08-01T13:59:00.001-07:002016-08-01T13:59:00.060-07:00Lowering the MastIt's a whole lot easier now. If you look under the stern, you can see a small wooden stand that keeps the boat from tipping back as I walk aft of the trailer wheels.
I just run a line from the fore-stay through the bow plate to the mast. Then I can release the fore stay from the bottle screw, and it's held at the mast. Once I am ready to drop the mast I release the line holding the forestay and Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-84159627295258171902016-08-01T13:52:00.000-07:002016-08-01T14:32:03.223-07:00I got to go sailing...This weekend, I got to go out sailing twice (Thanks C), once in Ramor and once in Gowna. Two long narrow lakes, where the wind tends to blow along the length of the lake. Mostly I got to sail on my own, but I also took the little ones for a quick spin.
The winds were mostly light on both days, but I started with the main reefed, since I wanted to try shaking out a reef on the water to see how itRational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-14828994269379070632016-07-16T10:15:00.001-07:002016-07-18T05:32:47.884-07:00The bilge pump is installed...
It does not move as much water as a bucket, but I can pump and sail at the same time.
The handle is clipped into a bicycle pump holder.
I had to route the outflow behind the seat otherwise it blocked me from lifting the floorboards. I was just plain lucky that the outflow itself did not block lifting the floorboard, I had not thought of it, nor measured it. There is about 3mm (1/8 Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-60801225697223721982016-07-12T10:49:00.000-07:002016-07-12T10:49:59.580-07:00Start of bilge pump I installation.
This is the pump, with the newly cast pivot and the removable handle. It's on the base I made for it. It's out of the way, under the seat. And there's plenty of room to pump the handle with the floorboards in place.
More pics will follow when I have installed the hose. The inlet will be across the boat on the Lee side so that I can pump from the windward side. There's only one pump so if I'm onRational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-5402192121392493842016-06-05T13:46:00.001-07:002016-07-18T05:19:43.458-07:00First sail of summer, new toys tried outCavan is supposed to have one lake for each day of the year, if you look at a map, it could well be true. There is a nice spot near Gowna where you can launch into either of two lakes. I've been there a couple of times and it's easy to launch and retrieve.
I nearly called it quits, there was no wind as I set up, but I don't often get the boat out, so I'd motor if I had to.
This was the first Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-30732956914256788372015-11-28T12:44:00.001-08:002015-11-28T12:44:21.970-08:00A Ditty BagAfter a fair bit of a search, I managed to get Heavy Canvas (ebay) and natural look polyester rope, sail makers needles, and waxed twine (Jimmy Green Chandlery).
So I se about making the ditty bag from "Sail Makers Apprentice". I had a few goofs, and I could not easily source brass thimbles, so I just whipped the cringles instead.
This is what I ended up with.
Given the length of Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-19858396561267287682015-11-03T13:10:00.004-08:002020-08-11T13:06:06.594-07:00Rope Grommets
S'funny I work with pretty high tech stuff. so I play with old tech.
Everything from
Furnaces to wooden
sail boats.
I was reading The Riggers Apprentice and I came across Grommets. Nylon Rope is
a poor starting point, but it was the only three strand I had. It simply does
not hold it's lay, and it unravels faster than a middle east peace accord.
I did soak it in a Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-62099858664601953252015-09-24T13:53:00.002-07:002015-09-25T00:22:41.473-07:00Casting a new handle for a bilge pump.The cockpit sole is removable, but not easily, so the pump can't go on the sole, nor under it.
I need it somewhere I can get at it while sailing, so I can pump and sail. Ideally on either tack, but that's asking a lot.
And sadly I bought a whale urchin, without a removable handle.
The pump will sort of fit in under the benches, but the handle sticks out. The original handle comes across Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-4004864983724389452015-09-06T14:15:00.003-07:002015-09-07T13:35:48.649-07:00Bits and pieces I'm toying with the idea of remaking my mast. It's heavy and not quite straight. A birds mouth oval might be just the trick. Lighter, better looking, a diverting project.
On the other hand that does mean managing 20' long staves dripping in epoxy. And I have only got a small garden to work in.
In the mean time, I added a "Huntingford Helm Impeder" to The Lady Caroline. I have a simple loop Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-7026929890617925732015-08-14T14:14:00.002-07:002015-08-14T14:22:29.455-07:00First Carburettor Strip down and Rebuild... I really should have photos on this, but I was up to my bits in... well little bits.
My Suzi DF 2.5 was quite unwell. She has only run for a bit, but she's spent 2 winters sitting in the shed. At first I could not even turn her over, but (with the kill cord removed) I spun the prop and then pulled the starter, rinse repeat until things freed up. I guess it just took a while to get oil all aroundRational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-79565746454839247672015-08-13T13:55:00.004-07:002015-08-17T00:42:49.461-07:00Sailing in Clare
After spending so much time building a boat, I have learned that it's much easier to steal an hour or three to work on the boat, than to steel an entire day to go sailing. But on this trip to Clare with the family, a day presented for me to go sailing, by myself.
The sea is a very different place, with tides and proper waves. At first I found a lovely place to launch from, Bell Harbour, only toRational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-15088125006819672592012-08-14T01:39:00.001-07:002012-08-14T04:24:14.982-07:00More Bike than Boat
The front gears are not yet set up, the rear are, the brakes work. As does the steering Some things I have noted...
The bent plywood seat is SO much better than the original.
Foam sleeping mats for camping are perfect for lining the bent plywood seat.
The (very) tiny play in the linkage is not a problem at all.
I had to "fix" the USS as the original steering tabs were Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-607521081814625042012-07-31T02:35:00.002-07:002012-07-31T02:36:10.505-07:00A little about welding..
Some good books
Farm and Workshop Welding
How to Weld: Techniques and Tips for Beginners and Pros (Motorbooks Workshop)
Phases of not being able to weld (just stick welding mild steel - lets not get silly just yet)
Can't strike an ark
Can't run a bead
Can't run a neat bead
Bead is (too high,
too flat, undercuts the metal, laced with inclusions)
Can't join metal at all
Can break Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-79338298129333944192012-05-07T05:08:00.000-07:002012-07-09T02:11:52.342-07:00And now I'm learning to weld...It's a long way from boats, but I'm planning on building a recumbent bike. See http://www.atomiczombie.com/
I've started learning to weld, there's tonnes of stuff out there, the good the bad and the ugly.
Some of it is just plain wrong.
The dedicated sites are better than instructables & such.
www.mig-welding.co.uk
www.millerwelds.com
Welding with Stretch
Ymmv, Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-8871496660947587082011-11-29T14:07:00.001-08:002011-11-29T14:19:44.507-08:00Winter ListNo boat is ever finished, and I have my list for the winter....
Brass rubbing strips on the rudder, centreboard and the front of the hull
Cargo Netting for bits and pieces
Fix the bow eye, it was too small and it bent
Add a nose wheel to the launching trolley
Add a winch to the trailer or trolley. This needs some thought, I want to make it easier to get the boat onto the trolley and the Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-46966657729842046972011-11-06T13:03:00.000-08:002011-11-06T13:13:39.143-08:00Sailing in NovemberMy wife's family is from Cavan, and my parents have retired there too. So, on Friday we drove to Cavan, with the boat in tow. While my wife and the children visited her parents, I met my parents at the lake with the boat. (Thank you my love for the time you give me to sail.)
The lake was up about 4 - 6 feet over it's banks, which meant the car park was flooded to 18 inches. So I had to pushRational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-62846085976427304752011-09-26T12:47:00.000-07:002011-09-26T13:13:16.630-07:00A new toyI picked up a Ceramic Folding Knife on the internet. $49 + $5 postage - from Canada to Ireland. Nice, usually postage makes things like that prohibitively expensive.
You can see them at http://www.ceramicknife.org/
It's about as sharp as you will make a steel knife without taking a strop to it. That is it slices paper like all the demos you see on youtube, it won't shave the hair off Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-7003752947301673812011-09-25T11:48:00.000-07:002011-09-25T11:55:29.966-07:00Cutting RopeI have a Myrchin P300 knife. It's really quite nice. But the serrations are very aggressive.
This means that
It catches in the rope if you try to cut rope.
I can't sharpen it very well (ymmv)
At the end of it all, I take 3 serious attempts to cut 8mm double braid.
I have a small Leatherman and it has a plain blade and a serrated blade. The plain blade will take an edge which Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-2814649660162802962011-09-19T12:16:00.000-07:002011-09-19T12:16:29.643-07:00Well that didn't suck !The wooden pump sucks water just fine, provided that it's either in water, or primed. It won't self prime more than about 3" or so. I could see the water climb about 3" through the clear plastic hose. No More.
I guess that while the clearance of the piston, and the valves was just fine for water, air just flows past them. I could do a better job, and add seals, and improve the valves, but now Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-10028795687143031562011-09-12T04:30:00.000-07:002011-09-12T04:30:20.942-07:00A wooden PumpI can't claim credit for this, I found it here at duckworks (thanks By Tim Ingersoll - Superior, Wisconsin - USA) but I thought it would look a lot better on my boat than a grey / black plastic thingy.
I cobbled one together out of scrap plywood to see if it simply functioned. I didn't want to spend a lot of time and effort and expensive wood to find out that it trickled water outRational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-66304954369972705732011-08-29T06:59:00.000-07:002011-08-29T07:14:54.827-07:00Some things that I wish I had known before I started.Don't underestimate the importance of setup time on a small boat. Sloops have tall masts, which are more effort to build, set up, and store. Gaff / Lug rigged boats have multiple, but smaller spars. Often fitting right inside the boat itself for storage / trailering.
Every Cotter Pin you need to put in place, with a tiny, fiddly split ring takes more time, especially with cold tired hands. (And Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36533422.post-64571554718305244112011-08-21T13:05:00.000-07:002011-08-21T13:05:56.553-07:00Quick Sailing ClipOk, so I need a whole lot of practice.
To get off a shallow lee shore, stick one foot on board, hold the tiller centred, and shove a few times with your other foot like you were on a child's scooter.
Don't lower the mast in a cross wind. Really, Don't
Rational Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548699235171215976noreply@blogger.com0