I spent the weekend visiting my daughter in Chicago. We got crafty and built a platform bed for her and began repainting two dressers. Saturday's 70° weather reminded me that spring is nearly here.
Back to Central Michigan and boat work...
The sewing part of building the sail is done! Sewing sail edges will always be a challenge for me: balancing and supporting the sail feeding into and out of the machine calls for creative solutions. Two people working together made this part of the project easier than what I experienced building Karen Ann's sail. All that is left to do is install the grommets and finish off the corners with a hot knife.
The boom frame will be glued tomorrow. Wednesday I'll trim any excess goo and fit the plywood sides. It will be interesting to see how the weight and stiffness of this boom compares to the other boom designs I've built.
The weather is warming which means I can resume work in the shop.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Sewing the Mizzen Sail
Over the weekend we read the SailRite instructions that came with the kit and watched the SailRite Tutorial Video on how to sew a sail.
Today we set up the sewing machine on the dining room table, sewed a few practice seams to get the tension set correctly and began sewing Gardens' mizzen sail!
This project is going so much smoother and easier than Karen Ann's 105 sq. ft. balance lug sail two years ago. Admittedly, the mizzen is only 26 sq. ft. so it is easier to maneuver and handle but my sewing is much improved, too.
I have one question to ask SailRite in the morning (didn't realize I had a question until after they closed for the day) and then I'll finish up the sail tomorrow.
Today we set up the sewing machine on the dining room table, sewed a few practice seams to get the tension set correctly and began sewing Gardens' mizzen sail!
This project is going so much smoother and easier than Karen Ann's 105 sq. ft. balance lug sail two years ago. Admittedly, the mizzen is only 26 sq. ft. so it is easier to maneuver and handle but my sewing is much improved, too.
I have one question to ask SailRite in the morning (didn't realize I had a question until after they closed for the day) and then I'll finish up the sail tomorrow.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Starting the Boom
The spar bench has been topped with 16' of 3/8" plywood. This is adequate for the booms, yard and mizzen mast. An additional 4' of ply will be added before I build the main mast.
Dry fitting the top, bottom, plugs and spacers for the boom. Once I'm satisfied with the fit, I'll glue this assembly together and prepare the 9mm plywood sides (need to butt join the ply to the needed length).
Dry fitting the top, bottom, plugs and spacers for the boom. Once I'm satisfied with the fit, I'll glue this assembly together and prepare the 9mm plywood sides (need to butt join the ply to the needed length).
Thursday, March 28, 2013
New Spar Bench
A new, temporary spar bench is needed because the first temporary spar bench - used to build the mast, boom and yard for Karen Ann, my Goat Island Skiff - has been repurposed and wasn't long enough for Gardens' mast anyway. So, a new, temporary spar bench is under construction.
The base: Three (what have become something de rigueur for GIS builders) saw horses spaced 2' apart. See plans and instructions here
The saw horses are topped with two 2x10x10' planks (end to end, centered on the middle sawhorse).
Tomorrow the planks will be shimmed to match end to end and edged with 1x4s. Then topped with two layers of ply (3/8" because that's what I have on hand, and 3/4") 16" wide.
Actual assembly of the boom should begin tomorrow!
The base: Three (what have become something de rigueur for GIS builders) saw horses spaced 2' apart. See plans and instructions here
The saw horses are topped with two 2x10x10' planks (end to end, centered on the middle sawhorse).
Tomorrow the planks will be shimmed to match end to end and edged with 1x4s. Then topped with two layers of ply (3/8" because that's what I have on hand, and 3/4") 16" wide.
Actual assembly of the boom should begin tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Box Boom Construction
Forward and aft plugs with tapers and lightening holes along with blanks for spacers:
The top & bottom pieces will be milled to 12mm x 27mm x 12' (yeah, I know, mixing systems there). I need a clear span of 24' to run them through the thickness planer but with WildCat and Gardens' hull occupying the shop, I cannot get the needed space without opening the overhead door. And it just wasn't warm enough for that today.
The intended assembly sequence is to glue the top and bottom pieces to the plugs and spacers, trace the boom's profile onto the plywood, cut the plywood sides slightly oversize, glue the sides to the plugs/top/bottom assembly and trim the ply to size with a trim router.
The top & bottom pieces will be milled to 12mm x 27mm x 12' (yeah, I know, mixing systems there). I need a clear span of 24' to run them through the thickness planer but with WildCat and Gardens' hull occupying the shop, I cannot get the needed space without opening the overhead door. And it just wasn't warm enough for that today.
The intended assembly sequence is to glue the top and bottom pieces to the plugs and spacers, trace the boom's profile onto the plywood, cut the plywood sides slightly oversize, glue the sides to the plugs/top/bottom assembly and trim the ply to size with a trim router.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Back to work in the shop…
Work on the sail rig for Gardens began this past week. The boom will be of hollow-box construction with ½" pine top & bottom and 9mm (3/8") meranti plywood sides. Spacers and plugs will be pine.
The top & bottom will be milled from 1x2 stock tomorrow or Tuesday if it is warm enough to open the overhead door (not quite enough room in the shop to mill 12' stock without opening the door). There is enough plywood cut-offs from the planking to piece the sides of the boom together. Blanks for the spacers and plugs were milled from 2x3 stock and are to be cut to size and trimmed to shape (a bit of taper in the end plugs) prior to assembly sometime later this week (weather permitting). (Thursday's forecast calls for temperatures in the 50s, which means temperatures in the shop should be warm enough to resume epoxy work.)
Regardless of the weather, I plan to sew the mizzen sail this week (as that is an indoor project).
Work on the sail rig for Gardens began this past week. The boom will be of hollow-box construction with ½" pine top & bottom and 9mm (3/8") meranti plywood sides. Spacers and plugs will be pine.
The top & bottom will be milled from 1x2 stock tomorrow or Tuesday if it is warm enough to open the overhead door (not quite enough room in the shop to mill 12' stock without opening the door). There is enough plywood cut-offs from the planking to piece the sides of the boom together. Blanks for the spacers and plugs were milled from 2x3 stock and are to be cut to size and trimmed to shape (a bit of taper in the end plugs) prior to assembly sometime later this week (weather permitting). (Thursday's forecast calls for temperatures in the 50s, which means temperatures in the shop should be warm enough to resume epoxy work.)
Regardless of the weather, I plan to sew the mizzen sail this week (as that is an indoor project).
Friday, March 1, 2013
The First of March
March 1st - winter is almost over!
So, I didn't really plan to hibernate but I think that is what happened last month - figuratively, of course - more or less, at least as far as boat work is concerned. The mizzen sail kit is still in the box; the foils still need shaping and I need to find a trailer and an outboard.
While it hasn't been a particularly severe winter here in central Michigan, it has been cold enough to keep me out of the (unheated) shop. I did get some shopping done - blocks, rigging and miscellaneous boat bits. I found sources for a trailer, outboard and lumber for the mast (although I am still working on how to transport 20' long DF planks). I bought a new bike and I'm looking forward to a great summer of cycling. We made trips to Ann Arbor and Chicago.
John Welsford replied to my inquiry about a balance lug yawl sail-plan for Gardens, which was exciting news to receive. I'll begin work on the masts and spars as soon as I can get the materials to the shop (probably not before the end of this month, though).
Even with snow on the ground and ice in the driveway, it is March and the anticipation of spring and milder weather will have me in the shop very soon to resume work on Gardens' hull. Perhaps I need to get out to the shop to tidy things up so when the weather permits I can get back to 'real' boat work.
So, I didn't really plan to hibernate but I think that is what happened last month - figuratively, of course - more or less, at least as far as boat work is concerned. The mizzen sail kit is still in the box; the foils still need shaping and I need to find a trailer and an outboard.
While it hasn't been a particularly severe winter here in central Michigan, it has been cold enough to keep me out of the (unheated) shop. I did get some shopping done - blocks, rigging and miscellaneous boat bits. I found sources for a trailer, outboard and lumber for the mast (although I am still working on how to transport 20' long DF planks). I bought a new bike and I'm looking forward to a great summer of cycling. We made trips to Ann Arbor and Chicago.
John Welsford replied to my inquiry about a balance lug yawl sail-plan for Gardens, which was exciting news to receive. I'll begin work on the masts and spars as soon as I can get the materials to the shop (probably not before the end of this month, though).
Even with snow on the ground and ice in the driveway, it is March and the anticipation of spring and milder weather will have me in the shop very soon to resume work on Gardens' hull. Perhaps I need to get out to the shop to tidy things up so when the weather permits I can get back to 'real' boat work.
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