Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

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Matte
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Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

WOW I just realised that tomorrow marks 2 years since I first received the plans to this prettiest little boat.

EDIT:

I figured I would edit this and add some of my thoughts behind why I went for the FL26.

I grew up mucking around on the water and I want my kids to be able to enjoy the same. The first step was to work out what I actually wanted from a boat – Sydney harbour is full of boats that don’t appear to move, ever, which seems such a waste. I also love a good project (one life and all) .

In the end I narrowed my requirements down to a few core essentials. Large enough to have 3 couples for a picnic lunch. Small enough to be able to trailer (for my many sins, I am overseas a lot). A bed so No. 1 son and I can camp on the odd overnight. A burner to make coffee. A head, or the girls will not come out. Shade for the summer sun. Fast enough to troll for tuna, economical enough to never ask anyone to chip in.

For a long while it didn’t seem this boat existed … then I saw this:

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Simple enough that I would feel confident to start the build, plans detailed enough details that one day she may actually float. Someone to call and beg for help when it all went horribly wrong (Thanks Jacque ~ you have answered more than a few of my dumb questions) A forum of fellow afflicted (this one), is an absolute bonus.

Of course, nothing is that simple – there was quite a gap between choosing the boat and getting the plans, and between getting the plans and getting on with it!

It is my profound hope that at the end of this, there will be a floating boat!
Last edited by Matte on Wed Sep 04, 2013 11:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

Matte
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Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: Sydney australia
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

So in as few words as possible - how i got from where i was to where i am now.

I started building in my small Sydney appartment, but it was a little less than ideal...

Image
Last edited by Matte on Thu Aug 20, 2015 2:59 am, edited 2 times in total.
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

Matte
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Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: Sydney australia
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

After a little while, my lovely wife suggested the Wren might be happier ... elsewhere :lol:

I friend who lives on a farm about an hour or so from Sydney kindly offered me some space in his tractor shed ...

Image
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

Matte
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Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: Sydney australia
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

Having pre fabed the stations they went together pretty quick ... leveled with a lazer as they say in the manual ... (with yours truly)

Image
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

Matte
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Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: Sydney australia
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

Image
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

Matte
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: Sydney australia
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

Sometimes - often - i have been lucky enough to have a friend or two come down and assist ... other times, well a more creative approach.

Image

These pannels are about 8 meter long ... i had stored them for the month between visits on top of the stations / bottom of the hull ... this ad hoc pully system worked suprisingly well. (Too heavey and long to move by myself and i had already done my back in once mucking around with a stringer)
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

Matte
Frequent Poster
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Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: Sydney australia
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

All stiched up ...

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Later i cribbed a technique from Jaaps build - using a batten to keep the 'splits' on an angle to reduce the amount of fairing ... unfortunatly, not nearly aggressive enough. (Paying for it now)

EDIT: i am an idiot - i have spent days and days fairing down what could have been fixed by adding a few more battons to get a fair-er hull ... Duh. Still part of the reason for building not buying was to 'live and learn'. My aching back, i have learnt!
Last edited by Matte on Wed Sep 04, 2013 11:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

Matte
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Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: Sydney australia
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

Tapped (2 x 12z Biax) and the first / initial fairing pre adding the cloth ... really not sure if i was doing this the right way around

Image
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

Matte
Frequent Poster
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Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: Sydney australia
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

Here i was really lucky : i had 7 friends come down from Sydney to help with glassing the hull. We managed to do both layers on the bottom plus a single layer on the chine in 12oz biax and then the finishing veil in one continous sitting (over easter) ... i suspect it may hove gone a little smoother if we hadn't stayed up until dawn on a 'liquid planning session'.

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The terrible tiger stripes are the result of (very) poorly applied peel-ply. But by the time i mentioned 'one last thing' i reckon i was half a glass ahead of a mutiny. My poor planning i am afraid.
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

Matte
Frequent Poster
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Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: Sydney australia
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Matt's FL26 - building the Wren

Post by Matte »

And at long last - 2 years later - i spent the weekend with a torture board creating what looks a bit like mass death meets smurf village.

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As bad as the bald patches look, i am only through the veil and not into the biax. Something to watch as i move down the hull ~ in a fit of madness i added an extra layer of tape around the bow.
Last edited by Matte on Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Building a FL26 in a dirt floor tractor shed

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