Took some friends out to Union Reservoir yesterday. Winds were very light limiting us to 0.5 to 1.5 knots, but there were a few gusts that got us up to about 3 knots.
The winds at the ramp and the dock are aggrevatingly fluky. The ramp is on the southeast side of the lake and surrounded by large trees that I'm sure don't help. The winds were coming from the north and northeast. As light as they were, I hoisted the jib and main to try pulling away, but kept getting blown into the shore. I ended up jumping off the boat to push off multiple times as I had to keep coming back to the dock to switch out passengers. I have similar problems when coming into the dock, especially when its already loaded up with other boats.
I'm seriously considering setting the Neptune up with an electric trolling motor get me to and from the dock.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Class gets busy...
Been awhile since I posted (hope I'm not going to start every post this way). The final weeks of my summer semester research class were INTENSE. I did manage to get a few things done and get out on the boat one or two times.
I had Sarah drop me and Sydney II off at Union Reservoir at about noon while she took the car to work. Sarah would come to pick me up at about 6:30 that evening when she got off. This was my first time taking the Neptune out solo, which I wanted to make sure I could do before I got Sarah out with me. Winds were VERY light, and I figured I'd wait on the shore in the shade until they picked up. I waited until about 3, but no dice. Too bad Sydney doesn't have any backstays to scratch :-) Tired of waiting, I ended up going out in the zephyrs. I tacked across the lake a few times before the wind started to pick up at about 4:30 and I ended up cruising a full circumnavigation of the lake. Meanwhile, I had been watching a thunderstorm grow in the east. Figuring that it would continue to head east and away from me, I didn't give it much thought until I started to hear thunder. Again, this didn't concern me until I noticed that the number of seconds between the lighting and the thunder were getting fewer, not greater. The wind was also picking up at this time and I decided to head in to the dock. I heaved to (an action that the Neptune does well) and took in the jib. After a frackus at the dock involving a nice looking runabout that couldn't make up his mind whether or not to put in, I finally got tied up to the leeward side of the dock. The mast was lowered just before the wind hit with a force and I helped a couple of motor boats get settled and tied up, as well. It was about 5:30 when the hail hit and I crawled into the cabin. The rudimentary hatch that I had made was in the car with Sarah, but as long as I stayed to the windward side of the cabin, the wind was blowing the rain and hail straight over the hatch. When Sarah showed up, I got soaking wet in the process of loading everything onto the trailer, but it was a good day, all in all.
Another time, I got Sarah out on the boat with me in some zephyrs that built to about force 3 (?). She gets really uncomfortable when the boat starts to heel, so I handed her the tiller and had her keep us pointed as close to the wind as we could get. Her instructions were to pull the tiller towards her if Sydney started to luff, and push the tiller away from her if she started to get scared. Meanwhile, I worked the sheets. When Sarah had had enough and the wind was starting to build, I doused the jib and we headed in. Off course, someone else was trying to make up their mind if they wanted to put their boat in or not (the dock and ramp are not the place to decide this, ok?). We had a doosy of a time waiting and getting the boat back to the dock as we were under main alone and the wind had decided to die just then. I left the boat tied up at the dock and drove Sarah home while waiting to hear from a friend whether or not he wanted to go out when he was off work for the day. In the meantime, I ran to Lowes and got some outdoor carpet, which I ran home with and replaced the bunks on trailer since the boat was off.
The carpet had come off of both old bunks and one was aging to the point that it was cracking laterally around a knot.Also, some of the bolts were missing their nuts and the bunks had been tied down! The new bunks were made from a ripped pressure treated 2x8 left over from replacing the swing keel winch brace (still needs some work, but that's a different story). I had routed each edge with a round-over bit to help the carpet take the curve better. Worked well and I stapled the carpet down. Adam wasn't able to make it that evening, so I drove back to Union and Sydney slid onto the trailer nice and easy.
I brought her back home yesterday to see what I could do to her. Got a rough potty knocked up quickly. Haven't been able to find a bucket that fits in the potty cutout, so I just made a seat that holds a heavy-duty trash bag and some sawdust to keep the mess and odors down. My neighbor's friend works at a scrapyard and is going to try to make some backing plates out of stainless steel for the shroud's chainplates. Right now they're only bolted through the cabin top and liner and are starting to pull through the liner. We also discussed the possibility of making stainless bezels for the portlights since the plastic ones are cracking and breaking. And he thinks he can lengthen the tongue of the trailer for me. As it is, I can barely get the boat deep enough to push it on or off the trailer at the Union ramp without putting the tailpipe of the Tracker underwater. A couple extra feet on the trailer should help that and the coupling needs rebuilt anyhow since its a bit mangled.
I had Sarah drop me and Sydney II off at Union Reservoir at about noon while she took the car to work. Sarah would come to pick me up at about 6:30 that evening when she got off. This was my first time taking the Neptune out solo, which I wanted to make sure I could do before I got Sarah out with me. Winds were VERY light, and I figured I'd wait on the shore in the shade until they picked up. I waited until about 3, but no dice. Too bad Sydney doesn't have any backstays to scratch :-) Tired of waiting, I ended up going out in the zephyrs. I tacked across the lake a few times before the wind started to pick up at about 4:30 and I ended up cruising a full circumnavigation of the lake. Meanwhile, I had been watching a thunderstorm grow in the east. Figuring that it would continue to head east and away from me, I didn't give it much thought until I started to hear thunder. Again, this didn't concern me until I noticed that the number of seconds between the lighting and the thunder were getting fewer, not greater. The wind was also picking up at this time and I decided to head in to the dock. I heaved to (an action that the Neptune does well) and took in the jib. After a frackus at the dock involving a nice looking runabout that couldn't make up his mind whether or not to put in, I finally got tied up to the leeward side of the dock. The mast was lowered just before the wind hit with a force and I helped a couple of motor boats get settled and tied up, as well. It was about 5:30 when the hail hit and I crawled into the cabin. The rudimentary hatch that I had made was in the car with Sarah, but as long as I stayed to the windward side of the cabin, the wind was blowing the rain and hail straight over the hatch. When Sarah showed up, I got soaking wet in the process of loading everything onto the trailer, but it was a good day, all in all.
Another time, I got Sarah out on the boat with me in some zephyrs that built to about force 3 (?). She gets really uncomfortable when the boat starts to heel, so I handed her the tiller and had her keep us pointed as close to the wind as we could get. Her instructions were to pull the tiller towards her if Sydney started to luff, and push the tiller away from her if she started to get scared. Meanwhile, I worked the sheets. When Sarah had had enough and the wind was starting to build, I doused the jib and we headed in. Off course, someone else was trying to make up their mind if they wanted to put their boat in or not (the dock and ramp are not the place to decide this, ok?). We had a doosy of a time waiting and getting the boat back to the dock as we were under main alone and the wind had decided to die just then. I left the boat tied up at the dock and drove Sarah home while waiting to hear from a friend whether or not he wanted to go out when he was off work for the day. In the meantime, I ran to Lowes and got some outdoor carpet, which I ran home with and replaced the bunks on trailer since the boat was off.
The carpet had come off of both old bunks and one was aging to the point that it was cracking laterally around a knot.Also, some of the bolts were missing their nuts and the bunks had been tied down! The new bunks were made from a ripped pressure treated 2x8 left over from replacing the swing keel winch brace (still needs some work, but that's a different story). I had routed each edge with a round-over bit to help the carpet take the curve better. Worked well and I stapled the carpet down. Adam wasn't able to make it that evening, so I drove back to Union and Sydney slid onto the trailer nice and easy.
I brought her back home yesterday to see what I could do to her. Got a rough potty knocked up quickly. Haven't been able to find a bucket that fits in the potty cutout, so I just made a seat that holds a heavy-duty trash bag and some sawdust to keep the mess and odors down. My neighbor's friend works at a scrapyard and is going to try to make some backing plates out of stainless steel for the shroud's chainplates. Right now they're only bolted through the cabin top and liner and are starting to pull through the liner. We also discussed the possibility of making stainless bezels for the portlights since the plastic ones are cracking and breaking. And he thinks he can lengthen the tongue of the trailer for me. As it is, I can barely get the boat deep enough to push it on or off the trailer at the Union ramp without putting the tailpipe of the Tracker underwater. A couple extra feet on the trailer should help that and the coupling needs rebuilt anyhow since its a bit mangled.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Out again...
Officially named the Neptune 16 "Sydney II". Sydney was the bird-mutt that I got from a rescue 7 years ago. We had to put her down the same week that I got the Neptune 16. Had received my registration number from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. Since I was putting letters on the boat anyway, I went ahead and put the name on the transom, along with an "Equipped by Duckworks" sticker. Yep, even my boat has gone "all Boulder" with stickers.
Spent this week relocating the attachement points for the mainsheet purchase on the Neptune 16 to aft end of the cockpit coamings. Used some padeyes from duckworks for the attachements. Made some more marine ply backing plates and epoxied them. Again. Had to crawl under the seats a few more times. Again. I need to get all the foam and paint dust out of there. I think it gives me a sinus reaction everytime I go under. At least the mainsheet attachement points are farther outboard and the mainsheet no longer puts pressure on the tiller.
On the downside, I can now be sure that it's not the mainsheet producing the lee helm that I noticed. I took the boat out with a couple of freinds as crew and discovered a few things:
-She sails better with her weight forward. The anchors were right up in the bow, there was no motor hanging off the transom. She seemed to do better with a crew in the cabin hatchway and the other two in the cockpit than she did with one over the winch on the windward side of the cockpit, and one on each side against the bulkhead. This also got the scupper out of the water.
-Taking the mains'l all the way to the top and leaving the foot a little loose seems to produce a good baggy sail shape for light wind.
-With all sail up, she has a fair amount of lee helm. This disappears when I was sailing under the main alone (the wind picked up pretty stong and we had a kiddo onboard) with only one other crew in the cabin hatchway. This might be the encouragement I need to try a gaff main. It would add a little sail area, put the center of effort farther aft, allow me to try a heads'l, and give her a traditional rig :-) If the COE is too far aft, I can just raise the swing keel a bit.
All in all, it was really nice day with light winds to start, building up to a fun chop that threw a little spray at us. I remember at one point we were on a broad reach keeping up with 1-2' waves going the same direction. It was wonderful!
Spent this week relocating the attachement points for the mainsheet purchase on the Neptune 16 to aft end of the cockpit coamings. Used some padeyes from duckworks for the attachements. Made some more marine ply backing plates and epoxied them. Again. Had to crawl under the seats a few more times. Again. I need to get all the foam and paint dust out of there. I think it gives me a sinus reaction everytime I go under. At least the mainsheet attachement points are farther outboard and the mainsheet no longer puts pressure on the tiller.
On the downside, I can now be sure that it's not the mainsheet producing the lee helm that I noticed. I took the boat out with a couple of freinds as crew and discovered a few things:
-She sails better with her weight forward. The anchors were right up in the bow, there was no motor hanging off the transom. She seemed to do better with a crew in the cabin hatchway and the other two in the cockpit than she did with one over the winch on the windward side of the cockpit, and one on each side against the bulkhead. This also got the scupper out of the water.
-Taking the mains'l all the way to the top and leaving the foot a little loose seems to produce a good baggy sail shape for light wind.
-With all sail up, she has a fair amount of lee helm. This disappears when I was sailing under the main alone (the wind picked up pretty stong and we had a kiddo onboard) with only one other crew in the cabin hatchway. This might be the encouragement I need to try a gaff main. It would add a little sail area, put the center of effort farther aft, allow me to try a heads'l, and give her a traditional rig :-) If the COE is too far aft, I can just raise the swing keel a bit.
All in all, it was really nice day with light winds to start, building up to a fun chop that threw a little spray at us. I remember at one point we were on a broad reach keeping up with 1-2' waves going the same direction. It was wonderful!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Toon2 gone...
The Toon2 is loaded up and gone with a very excited fella from Las Cruces who is ready to finish it up and start enjoying it.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Paul's recommendations...
Yesterday I did a little work on the boat per Paul's recommendations. Sawed an inch off a bolt on the bottom of the mast that lines or people could get caught on. Taped the frayed end of a stay that was pretty sharp. Replaced a bolt holding the forstay with a clevis pin. Loaded the boat with cushions and extras.
There's a few things I need to do yet which became apparent when we took her out:
-adjust the attachment points on the transom for the mainsheet purchase. As it is, the mainsheet puts pressure on the rudder when the boom is out
-install a topping lift that doesn't involve an eyebolt sticking out of the top of the mast to starboard
-add another hank to the jib tack to keep it from falling off with the extension to keep the jib off of the bow pulpit
-replace the jib sheet. The current one is old, stiff, and too large for the clam cleats.
-consider repositioning the jib sheet fairleads for a better angle
There's a few things I need to do yet which became apparent when we took her out:
-adjust the attachment points on the transom for the mainsheet purchase. As it is, the mainsheet puts pressure on the rudder when the boom is out
-install a topping lift that doesn't involve an eyebolt sticking out of the top of the mast to starboard
-add another hank to the jib tack to keep it from falling off with the extension to keep the jib off of the bow pulpit
-replace the jib sheet. The current one is old, stiff, and too large for the clam cleats.
-consider repositioning the jib sheet fairleads for a better angle
Monday, June 18, 2012
First sail...
Took the boat out yesterday with Paul on Union Reservoir! He backed her into the water while I crawled under the seats again to check for leaks. Nothing! Nice and dry!. We kept a plug in the scupper because she wanted to drag her stern. Probably in part from Paul's new Suzuki 4 stroke on the transom in case of emergencies.
Winds were up to 15mph at first, so we hoisted the iron jib that Paul brought along and he motored us out to the center of the reservoir while I rigged everything en route since it was so crazy busy at the dock. Must have been two dozen boats on the water!
We ran around under main alone, needing to backwind it to come through on a tack. She still seemed to point pretty high and handled the chop just fine. As the wind dropped, we hoisted the jib and she came through a tack allright. Gybed gently. The wind dropped to just ripples on the water and we brought her in to the dock under sails alone.
All in all, a successful shake-down cruise, a lot of fun, and plenty of sun-burn to prove it!
Winds were up to 15mph at first, so we hoisted the iron jib that Paul brought along and he motored us out to the center of the reservoir while I rigged everything en route since it was so crazy busy at the dock. Must have been two dozen boats on the water!
We ran around under main alone, needing to backwind it to come through on a tack. She still seemed to point pretty high and handled the chop just fine. As the wind dropped, we hoisted the jib and she came through a tack allright. Gybed gently. The wind dropped to just ripples on the water and we brought her in to the dock under sails alone.
All in all, a successful shake-down cruise, a lot of fun, and plenty of sun-burn to prove it!
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Anybody want a boat...
So, now that I've got the Neptune 16 to work on, I need to clear out the garage. Since the Neptune 16 is more of what I wanted than the Toon2 is, I'm looking to get rid of the Toon2. I'll be listing it on Craigslist, as well as the Michalak, Duckworks, and Sail Oklahoma yahoo groups.
The Toon2 is a design my Jim Michalak, protege of the late, great Phil Bolger. I think it's heritage lies in Bolger's advanced sharpies via Michalak's AF3. Basically a multichine version of the AF3, it's 15 feet long and 5 1/2 feet wide. Other's have built this boat and it appears to be a good sailer.
I have completed the sail, birdsmouth mast and spars, leeboard, leeboard guard, and a pair of oars. All come with the boat. I'd like to see $250 for all of this and I might let some additional supplies (glass, epoxy, ply, etc.) go with the boat if I can get that price. I might be able to convince my wife to let me part with the rudder, rudder cheeks, and hardware for the same.. I could also be convinced to part with a 4' x 8' flatbed tilting trailer that I was going to convert to haul it. I'd like to see $150 for the trailer.
My Toon2 has been mildly modified with input from Jim Michalak. I have added 2" of freeboard at the gunnels, moved the aft cabin bulkhead forward to create a 6 1/2' cockpit with a bridgedeck. The space under the bridge deck is open to the cuddy cabin so that a person could lay down in there. 4" of height has been added to the aft cabin bulkhead so that a person could sit on a bucket in privacy in the cuddy cabin. The rig has the sail as designed, but spars have been made to convert it to a sliding gunter with a 14' birdsmouth mast and a 16' gunter, as well as the originally designed 14' sprit boom. I planned on using this hull to test multiple rigs, so there is an adjustable mast step in the cabin.
The Toon2 is a design my Jim Michalak, protege of the late, great Phil Bolger. I think it's heritage lies in Bolger's advanced sharpies via Michalak's AF3. Basically a multichine version of the AF3, it's 15 feet long and 5 1/2 feet wide. Other's have built this boat and it appears to be a good sailer.
I have completed the sail, birdsmouth mast and spars, leeboard, leeboard guard, and a pair of oars. All come with the boat. I'd like to see $250 for all of this and I might let some additional supplies (glass, epoxy, ply, etc.) go with the boat if I can get that price. I might be able to convince my wife to let me part with the rudder, rudder cheeks, and hardware for the same.. I could also be convinced to part with a 4' x 8' flatbed tilting trailer that I was going to convert to haul it. I'd like to see $150 for the trailer.
My Toon2 has been mildly modified with input from Jim Michalak. I have added 2" of freeboard at the gunnels, moved the aft cabin bulkhead forward to create a 6 1/2' cockpit with a bridgedeck. The space under the bridge deck is open to the cuddy cabin so that a person could lay down in there. 4" of height has been added to the aft cabin bulkhead so that a person could sit on a bucket in privacy in the cuddy cabin. The rig has the sail as designed, but spars have been made to convert it to a sliding gunter with a 14' birdsmouth mast and a 16' gunter, as well as the originally designed 14' sprit boom. I planned on using this hull to test multiple rigs, so there is an adjustable mast step in the cabin.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Mentor and more...
Today and yesterday and the day before I worked some more on the Neptune 16. The ladder rungs were sanded and got another coat of epoxy and then were roped up.. The rigging was set up again using new hardware from duckworks so I could get a full picture of the boat:
New clevis pins were used to hold the forestay and shrouds instead of the nuts and bolts that came with the boat. A small swivel block was used to set up the outhaul for the mains'l. This, the downhaul and an extension to the jib tack were set up using some 1/4" or 3/8" low stretch line that I had laying around from who knows where.
My messing-about-in-boats mentor, Paul, came up and gave me some suggestions and a hand putting in the backing plate. Taped on the lower gudgeon, drilled and used the screws and Paul to hold it in place while I measured, taped and drilled for the upper gudgeon. The backing plate turned out to be too thick as it was with the doubled 1/2" marine ply, so we shaved about 3/32" off of it, trimmed and rounded the bottom, and routered a round edge on the bottom to fit better (Paul's idea). I held it in place from the inside of the boat (got to crawl under the seat again), while Paul placed a couple of screws to hold it in place. Then we drilled the scupper hole, gudgeon bolt holes, and bilge drain plug hole.
I also tidied up the trailer wiring since it was put in kinda hectic-like :-)
The upper gudgeon was installed and I learned to place a nut on a bolt to hacksaw it down to size without mangling the threads. Made a bit of a mess with the silicone caulk. I caulked the lower gudgeon and 5 hours later Sarah screwed the lower gudgeon bolts while I held the wrench on the lock nuts from the inside (yes, I got to crawl under the seat. Again). I then caulked the scupper and drain plug fitting in place.
Looks like it's all gonna work out. Hopefully I can put it in the water with Paul on Sunday :-)
New clevis pins were used to hold the forestay and shrouds instead of the nuts and bolts that came with the boat. A small swivel block was used to set up the outhaul for the mains'l. This, the downhaul and an extension to the jib tack were set up using some 1/4" or 3/8" low stretch line that I had laying around from who knows where.
My messing-about-in-boats mentor, Paul, came up and gave me some suggestions and a hand putting in the backing plate. Taped on the lower gudgeon, drilled and used the screws and Paul to hold it in place while I measured, taped and drilled for the upper gudgeon. The backing plate turned out to be too thick as it was with the doubled 1/2" marine ply, so we shaved about 3/32" off of it, trimmed and rounded the bottom, and routered a round edge on the bottom to fit better (Paul's idea). I held it in place from the inside of the boat (got to crawl under the seat again), while Paul placed a couple of screws to hold it in place. Then we drilled the scupper hole, gudgeon bolt holes, and bilge drain plug hole.
I also tidied up the trailer wiring since it was put in kinda hectic-like :-)
The upper gudgeon was installed and I learned to place a nut on a bolt to hacksaw it down to size without mangling the threads. Made a bit of a mess with the silicone caulk. I caulked the lower gudgeon and 5 hours later Sarah screwed the lower gudgeon bolts while I held the wrench on the lock nuts from the inside (yes, I got to crawl under the seat. Again). I then caulked the scupper and drain plug fitting in place.
Looks like it's all gonna work out. Hopefully I can put it in the water with Paul on Sunday :-)
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Backing plate and rungs...
Spent about 3 hours today cleaning up the shop, making some rungs for a rope boarding ladder and making a new backing plate for the bilge drain, lower gudgeon, and cockpit scupper.
The original backing plate was rotted out and that's what I spent hours pulling the old floatation foam out of there to access and remove. It looked to be made of 3/4" plywood. I wanted to beef it up a little so the new one is made of 2 layers of 1/2" marine ply glued together and coated with epoxy mixed with cabosil. I also added about 1" to each side and the top of the backing plate to spread the force out over a wider area.
Pics to follow...
The original backing plate was rotted out and that's what I spent hours pulling the old floatation foam out of there to access and remove. It looked to be made of 3/4" plywood. I wanted to beef it up a little so the new one is made of 2 layers of 1/2" marine ply glued together and coated with epoxy mixed with cabosil. I also added about 1" to each side and the top of the backing plate to spread the force out over a wider area.
Pics to follow...
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Work begins...
Have the day off, so I went to work on the Neptune 16
Removed the 2" lag bolt the guy had been using for a drain plug and drilled the hull out for a new one.
Removed the gudgeons. One was only held in loosely with no way of tightening the nuts on the inside of the transom. The other came off in my hand and was held in by a bolt with no nut and a self-tapping metal screw.
Removed the 1/2" scupper in preparation for a larger one to drain the cockpit faster.
Removed all the expanded floatation foam from under the aft end of the cockpit by crawling under the seats and hacking away at it with a small pry-bar. Nastiest job of the day, hands down! But, now I can access the interior of the transom to replace the rudder gudgeons, etc.
Fabricated a temporary mast crutch to transport the rig since the former one was held in place by the gudgeons.
Fabricated a temporary hatch to shed most of the rainwater and protect the interior and contents.
Placed a duckworks order including new gudgeons (was going to replace them with stronger ones anyway), some clevis pins, sail slugs, and a pulley for the mains'l outhaul.
Removed the 2" lag bolt the guy had been using for a drain plug and drilled the hull out for a new one.
Removed the gudgeons. One was only held in loosely with no way of tightening the nuts on the inside of the transom. The other came off in my hand and was held in by a bolt with no nut and a self-tapping metal screw.
Removed the 1/2" scupper in preparation for a larger one to drain the cockpit faster.
Removed all the expanded floatation foam from under the aft end of the cockpit by crawling under the seats and hacking away at it with a small pry-bar. Nastiest job of the day, hands down! But, now I can access the interior of the transom to replace the rudder gudgeons, etc.
Fabricated a temporary mast crutch to transport the rig since the former one was held in place by the gudgeons.
Fabricated a temporary hatch to shed most of the rainwater and protect the interior and contents.
Placed a duckworks order including new gudgeons (was going to replace them with stronger ones anyway), some clevis pins, sail slugs, and a pulley for the mains'l outhaul.
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