Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

[gstanfield]

I'm excited to see this one come together as this has always been my favorite design sold here

[Rob Eades]

If we look up the term "rare bird" in the dictionary, we may very well find a picture of the FL26.I've always thought that a larger home build should be something that you can't just run out and buy.The FL26 is that in spades! I can't imagine a better day boat or short passage maker.I thought for awhile I might get to see Jaap's boat with my own eyes, since my daughter did one semester in Grondigen, about twenty miles down the road, but it didn't happen.I wonder where that boat is now.

[Matte]

Not wrong Gstanfield, shes a beautiful boat. i am curiouse to see the lines when she's in the water ... i wonder if aesthetically a shallow V may look prettier ...

Rob : i know Groningen, its in North (I worked for the dutch chapter of Doctors without Borders, as a logistician, spent more than a few weekends wondering around NL.). Also wish I had had the chance to see Jaaps boat .. wonder if he is back from Singapore? (or was it Thailand?)

[Matte]

Frugal : if had to pick, first characteristic of this build is ‘’frugal’. Don’t get me wrong, I love working for the Red Cross, but with the birth of second son, there is not much left over. (Slow is another word that comes to mind – a 2 hour drive to get to my shed does not make it easy to ‘pop down’ for a little bit of light fairing.

On the other hand, i am excited with modest progress, feel like there is a bit of momentum at last.

So I have decided its time to look at trailers. Ultimately I hope to get a good one (aluminium, disk breaks, the works) – in the near term, a trailer strong enough to bring her back to Sydney from the farm (200km) so I can work on her.

Back to ‘frugal’ – I have been luck, my epoxy supplier (or “dealer” as wife prefers) found me a 'bargin' second hand trailer; .

Only problem – it was in a swamp.

[Matte]

In this case ‘mates rates’ worked out at a six pack plus a few coldies for the motley crew assembled on a wet Saturday morn to drag the bloody thing out and off to its new home.



Not knowing a lot about steal, i am lucky enough to have friends who do (for me part of the motivation of building a boat is learning these things) and - for a little while at least - a place in Sydney to work on it.

The trailer is a 2003 MacGreggor 26 (26' / 8 meters) - build for a trailer-sailer of similar length as the FL26, so hopefully can be made to fit. (GVWR 4200 lbs/ 1904 kg - 7355 mm total / 6300 mm bed length) )

Most trailers – at least those not imported from the States, rest on leaf springs. Mine, like the axle, hubs and breaks are completely shot. Reading through a couple of other forums, it seems the prevailing wisdom is to use a ‘torsion axle’ . I figure an added advantage is the ‘U bolt’ mountings for the axle should make it easier to adjust for correct ‘tongue weight’ on the mounting ball. Which should change between now and the distant future when I can mount an engine.

(As an aside – its killing me looking through US based catalogues only to find the same thing in Oz costs twice as much with shipping falling far short of a justification on the difference)

I am hoping to find the ‘keeper’ axle and perhaps replace the frame at a latter date …

[Southern Gent]

Matte, Best wishing as you rebuild your (next) new trailer. I too am recycling a 25 year old Aluminum trailer in the USA. being Frugal sounds very reasonable to me. Keep stalking the internet and you will find all the right pieces parts to build out the trailer. Press on. Bill

[Matte]

Thanks Bill!

[Matte]

To thrust or not to thrust?

So while trawling the web looking for boat related bargains, I came across a second hand bow thruster. Curse you ebay.

I am in two minds about them. I have never needed one before, and amongst the ‘salties’ I know bow-thrusters are an anathema / no substitute for handling skills. 26’ is marginal for needing a thruster (?)

Pros:
I want the boat to be as accessible as possible, particularly for the kids (although at this rate they may be adults).
Can be of use in a tight mooring.
I own it.
Ease = access = more days on the water!

Cons:
Don’t like cutting holes in the hull.
Needs to be faired correctly to reduce drag.
9.6 kg (21 lbs for our American friends) is a lot to put forward of the collision bulkhead.

(Recognising good advice – thanks Shine) I will fair the hull before adding anything (swim platform mounts, my oversized rub rail ect) even if I have to grind back to the glass – I just don’t think I have the skills to do away with long strokes on a torture board. Still, I guess it makes to think of it now.\

So fellas – am I crazy to want a bow thruster on a 26 footer? Or does the convenience outweigh the weight penalty.

[AtTheBrink]

This has nothing to do with the bow thruster. I just have a question about one of you Aussie terms. What the heck does "Sussed" mean? Just trying to keep up.

[Matte]

Hey mike : you're getting close my friend ! Must be exciting to realize a dream
'sussed' as in 'got it sussed. Mate' to work it out / to understand. ( different from suss = suspect) no idea where it comes from. I would be more likely to use sussed when comfortable / amongst friends. ( rather than formal) : hope that helps !