Dale Benham recently finished his Sooty Tern in, of all places, Nebraska. Somehow the local TV station got “wind” of his doings. Pretty cool. Notice how easily the boat moves with hardly a breath of air. Congrats Dale!
Art by Bowman
Almost 2 years ago a crew of us sailed in Belhaven, NC waters. I noticed Curt and Mike were sketching at a small distance while the rest of us either lunched, napped or both. It was warm in the lee of the pines ringing the shore. Today I get this:
“Two Mizzens” of UNA and NIP resting at the beach. Nice work. Thank you Curt!
Lugger? Bugger!
There is nothing like self imposed distractions. Winter has a habit of forcing more of them upon me. Is it a restlessness? Perhaps. If so, it seems to have set in early this year.
While motoring LUNA around to the boatyard a few weeks ago, I thought it preferable not to undertake all I was about to go through: the down rigging, packing the trailer, rechecking that, hauling the boat some 80 miles and then providing cover for the cold season (forget the hassles of a flat trailer tire, old tarps, etc.). Such was my mindset when someone suggested looking again at Paul Gartside’s Design #166: the 6 Metre Centerboard Lugger (above). Shouldn’t have done that. Firstly, Gartside can’t draw ugly lines. His catalog demonstrates that. Secondly, this pretty trailer sailer was all it took to get me dreaming of extended cruises along distant coasts. No offense is intended towards UNA, but this other lugger appeals in many ways also. Some quite differently. A couple days on and LUNA was home under wraps. I paused. The bug struck again. Attempting to be rational about it all, I began a list outlining the pro’s and con’s of not just this design, but several others. A quick spreadsheet of the contenders considered size constraints, construction limits, sail area to displacement ratios and naturally that question, “Is she fast?” Further on, an inordinate amount of time was spent perusing WoodenBoat Forum and the myriad of suggestions and opinions. Some were valued. To justify my growing library of design books I flipped back through volumes by the likes of Chapelle, Oughtred, Culler, Gardner, etc. Another few days passed. So many beautiful small boats with history. However, undaunted, this little lugger kept popping to the surface.
I had to do something. You’d guess enlisting “moral” support from fellow sailors isn’t helpful (boy, was that putting gas on the fire!). Right, no firehoses were offered. Any critiques were mere droplets, and only objections to small details or did I even hear them?
I ordered study plans from Gartside and crafted a half hull model at 1″ to the foot.
I find the study process enjoyable. Maybe that is part of the forever search of the “next” boat. From selecting wood, cutting lifts, laminating, planing, carving, sanding, and finishing, each stage allows meditation. What is the damage anyway? If you choose a nice boat, at worst, you’ve some wall art. Yea, but does it end there?
But what about the Ducker?! I know. I know. She’s not forgotten. Her molds are still hanging ready to be used in the shed.
But then, what have I done? I should have just finished putting the leather ties on the F-1 and stayed out of bigger trouble.
Why has it so far been painless? That’s good, right? … or is it?
Merry Christmas
LUNA is not quite under the tree, but close enough. Over the next few months some of the projects on the “list” can be completed. And, as she waits on me, she’ll warm my heart with the promise of that first Spring cruise. Can’t wait.
Getting her home was no small effort. Before yesterday’s sunrise, my middle son and I left for the marina, had a cold motor trip around to the boatyard (no wind), spent 3-4 hours removing the masts, hauling the boat, and tidying up the equipment for travel. 12 hours later we found ourselves back home, but unable to move LUNA from the bottom of our gravel drive onto the concrete apron beside the house. Apparently a Ford F150 has only so much umps to haul uphill. After several attempts and digging too much gravel, we called it quits for the day. This morning a trip to Enterprise returned with a real truck. Make that a Ford F350 dually diesel. That beast in 4 wheel low yanked our boat up the drive like a wet rag. Amazing.
The Home Owners Association is specific about not keeping boats in yards. So far, no calls. In my opinion, her beauty adds to the neighborhood. God knows there are enough ugly house additions around. Besides, she’s really just visiting and … its Christmas. Hope yours is a blessed one.
My Buddy Huckleberry
As the season closes, Huck and I stole a brief sail across Mobjack Bay and back yesterday. Believing he is still a lap dog, he made for a nice heater as we pushed to weather.
We’re still assessing the new sails. The stainless steel slides are not right for bronze or naval brass T track. They still snag slightly when raising and lowering. Either I need to file round edges on each slide or replace them with naval brass, if those can be found. Such is the challenge of ordering sails at a distance. Add it to the winter projects.
At 10:30 wind fluctuated between 5 mph or less. LUNA still moved along. Maybe the bottom isn’t as slimy as I thought.
By noon the breeze built to 12-15 and we really chunked along.
Short and sweet.
Steampunk Sailor
Yesterday, my daughter and I took a short, brisk sail with LUNA up the East River, stopping by “Ed’s Cove” on the return for lunch on the hook. The menu offered hot tomato soup, ham wraps, beer and sunshine in a protected cockpit. No one else was around. No one. Granted it was mid-week, but too many boat owners put their craft away after Labor Day here. So many wonderful days are missed. You can have July and August in my book. From September up until Christmas frequently is truly the best sailing time of the year. The water’s summer heating holds its inertia well into November. Yesterday was beautiful … ah, so is today.
Here’s one of my favorite sailors working out music for the picnic.
Wind In The Willows
Old Bay Club members Barbara and Harris couldn’t have been any better hosts this past weekend. They invited the “Club” to their house. True, and that after last year’s visit. In attendance were 8 boats and 12 sailors. Some arrived Friday afternoon for a sail down the James, oysters on the beach, a fire, cocktails (beware of Dark and Stormies) and a beautiful sunset.
Saturday was a dream sail in the marshes of Grays Creek near the Jamestown ferry landing at Scotland. Took lunch on a sandy spit with Dennis and Jim while watching Barry in his 1947 Lightning glide back and forth. The others took lunch at a small restaurant in the creek. H & B win the race home. For the record, Barbara was at the helm.
Sunday’s sail was brisk. Winds in the upper teens. I climbed in with Barry under full sail. We were quick to sit on the rail of his sprite Lightning and eventually doused the jib to carry on. The fleet was reduced to Harris and his Caledonia, Doug and Kevin with their Marsh Cats, Dennis in his Wisp and Tom and Francie in their Sea Pearl. Couldn’t have asked for a better weekend or folks to share it with. Here are some phone clips as proof.
A Friday Night
Sorry, nothing raucous to show here. No overhang thrills. Just a simple overnight sail. With winds at 12-15 and gusting to 20, LUNA beats up the East River under full sail. She puts her shoulder into it without protest. Not far past Put In Creek, we turn downwind, pass the magnificent Bruce King ketch “Chanty” (there’s some varnish), and set out into Mobjack. We reach toward Ware River, before tightening up to beat up the North River. Sails are lowered across from an old 1848 neo-classical home named Elmington. It owns the largest magnolia tree I’ve ever seen. Perhaps its age matches the house. I set the anchor in 5′ of water. The sunset highlights a beautiful golden tree line. Cocktails and a quick dinner compliment.
Sack time for this rowdy Friday is 20:30. The night is still. Stars are blazing at 02:00. At 07:15, dawn brings a flock of crows who are bent on waking the roosters to their job. They do eventually. The orchestra is complete with a few dogs giving their say. As coffee brews, I wipe down the dew from the cockpit. A feathery mist lifts off the water.
With mizzen and main raised, I haul the anchor. No mud. Must be sandy. I put away the brush. We ghost out of the river to meet a fresh breeze back into Mobjack and reach to East R. Opposite the marina, we flatten the mizzen, head to windward and go forward to drop the main. It lowers 18″ and then sticks repeatedly. No yanking of the halyard persuades otherwise. So, I toss the anchor, drop the jib and am just able to hoist my lead tail up the mast with the bosun’s chair to reach the snag above the spreaders. Wouldn’t this be a perfect time for one of those powerboats to roll by? Well some idiot did decide to swing by at full tilt to see what was up. If my hands were free, I’d have “waved” back. I’ve sent the main and mizzen back today to remove the shackle to slide connection for webbing. That should fix that problem.
The SNAFU did nothing to remove the glow of the perfect sail. In fact, it was a point of accomplishment in an odd way. The time on the water was grand. Here’s some video.
Cape Falcon’s F1 Kayak (part III)
DAY 9: (4 hrs)
- cut, milled, shaped and glued 1/2″ x 1/2″ stringer to gunnel. Dowelled every 18″ for added security.
- made form for cockpit coaming.
- cut coaming material from oak. The circumference is +/-7′ so a longer steam box is needed. This one I’ll make from blue foam sitting around.
DAY 10: (5 hrs)
- made a foam steam box for larger cockpit coaming pieces.
- put “boat soup” (equal parts pine tar, turpentine and tung oil) on boat.
- steamed oak strips for coaming. The sharp forward nose of the coaming kept breaking. Will add a block for this and tie coaming into it.
- used ringed bronze boat nails to hold rim together.
- ordered ballistic nylon and 2 part urethane coating.
DAY 11: (5 hrs)
- decided to add some floor slats. I wish I had added them in the few SOF fuselage kayaks we’ve built. I don’t want to stretch or distort the skin once applied. This may be particularly a problem where your heels contact the hull. These were thinner than the ribs, but spanning only 6″ between ribs. Lashed in, the floors should provide additional rigidity.
- also pulled the coaming, drilled skin threading holes every 2″, sanded and coated it.
- the fabric and goo have arrived. Must wait for the boat soup to dry. Should have added some japan drier. By the time we can get back to the project, all should be dry.
DAY 12: (4 hrs)
- decided to remove the outer most floor slats. They will telegraph and distort the bottom, not by much, but I don’t want to increase drag.
- installed the foot pegs. These are the best of the 3 I’ve now used: Harmony Sidelock Footbrace System. I’ve through bolted them after checking their location by sitting in the kayak. I like the ease at which they can be adjusted and the rounded edges of the pegs themselves. I have also used both Sea-lect and Attwood adjustable pegs, but I prefer the Harmony so far.
- drilled all the holes in the gunnels for leather tie downs and stem grab holds.
- added a plastic deck hook under the foredeck for bungee cords to hold a bilge pump, water bottle, thermos or whatever.
- put on the last coat of “soup”. This time using Japan Drier in the mix. That gets the drying moving.
- Next up: covering and coating.
Here is a walk-around video:
Total hours thus far: 66 hrs. One more kayak post and we’re done.
Lingering Lunacy 