WouldWork's V12, Sailing version

[Grainhopper]

Looking good.

[WouldWork]

Thanks Doug. It's an exciting time in the build but I get very impatient waiting for varnish or resin to set. I just want it done now! Lol I'm hoping my gudgeons and pintles turn up tomorrow to give me something to do over the weekend. I've got to get into the city to get some more resin, a bit of paint and the finish varnish but that could be a couple of weeks away. It'll drive me crazy waiting.

How's your build going? Did you get your glass seams all done?

Take care

Cam.

[WouldWork]

Things are really coming together! When you start tying ropes and screwing bits together you realise just how close you are to finishing.

Gudgeons and pintles turned up. Did a test fit, looks good.





So then I drilled out the holes oversized, put resin then thickened resin in the holes, covered the bolts in thickened resin and refitted the rudder gudgeons. Wiped the edges etc... Should be sealed and strong.



Now for the rigging, I know this boat has minimal rigging and I'm not going to use a boom right away making it even simpler, but I still have some questions...

I have a hole drilled near the top of my mast, if I have a eyelet or D-ring at the throat I can just tie it off to the hole in my mast? Or even just tie it to the mast?

Also, the tack, do I just tie it to the mast making sure the sail is pulled tight between the throat and tack? Or should I use a cleat on the mast? The plans state that with no haylard, you don't need to lace the sail along the mast, just tied to the top and bottom making sure there's good tension. Now being that I don't know what a haylard is, I've opted to not have it.

The peak, I'm going to have a pocket sewn into the sail so the sprit will sit in said pocket to prop the peak up. Or am I better off with an eyelet or D-ring in the sail and tying it to the sprit?

The clew will just be a eyelet or D-ring as there's no boom.

Lastly, tying the block to the mast, what kind of knot? I've done a dry rig without a sail and tied it to the mast with a simple hitch like this?



Will that suffice, and if not can someone tell me the right knot to tie here please?

I know I said 'lastly' on the previous question, but I've though of another..... To anchor the rope from the block holding the sprit in place - the plans suggest either a cleat on the partner or on the mast. The advantage of it being on the mast is that the whole show can rotate and the advantage to it being on the partner is it will keep it all together if and when I capsize. Any advice on this? I'm leaning toward putting a cleat on the mast.

If the first step in learning to sail was being able to build a sailing boat, then i'm almost there!

I'll finish the transom next, as in sand it, resin it and varnish it so it's done. Then I can drill out the holes for the pintles, fill them with putty, and refit the pintles. Then I'll work forward sanding for resin coats. I'm going to paint the rubrails as the joins are a bit ugly and also where they terminated at the transom and meet at the bow is not beautiful. I used thickened epoxy to make them even and fair, but it might look a bit out of place if varnished.

Anyway, I hope someone following this can offer advice on the above questions. I didn't want to start a new thread and take up room in the boards technical area due to this boat being almost finished and if I don't get advice I'll just trial and error stuff until I get it right.

Take care

Cam.

[Jaysen]

I just looked at my V12 plans and JM included a nice rigging explanation. I may have more understanding of rigging since I'd been lusting for a "blow boat" for a while and had been trying to decide what rigging would work best for me before I decided on the V12. My local library had some good books that I started with. You may want to look up "sprit sail rigging" in google and read some of the longish explanations. That said, my answers are mostly theory and "big boat" experience.

Halyard is the line to raise the sail and maintain tension on the luff.
If you are not using a halyard, i'd consider using a downhaul on the tack to allow you to tension the luff as the sail stretches. Then you would fix the throat with a pin. Doing it the other way... pinned at the tack with adjustable tension at the throat... that's a halyard.

Pocket at the peak is perfectly fine. But you may find more wear on the sail/pocket fabric. Eyelet with a loop to the sprit would increase the life of the sail between repairs.

My rigging will be a bit more complicated (only because I'm stupid) and all block will be attached "though" the mast using stainless eyebolts. But I think your hitch (I think that's the clove hitch) should be ok considering how little the sail and boat are.

If you want to secure the mast, do it under the partner and not via the a line/cleat. A simple pin under the partner will hold it in place. freedom of the mast to rotate in the partner is something that all the skiff sailing lit says is important for sprit rigged boats. As to it all coming apart at capsize, that might a a good thing. the mast should float long enough for you to right the hull and secure the rigging. Righting a hull free of the mast/sail is much easier. Mine will be free with a "retaining line" to make sure I don't lose the rigging. If I go over I want to pull the mast and make my life easy. I'm that kind of lazy.

Which brings up another point that I've been thinking about. Rudder, dagger and oars should be secured as well if you expect to capsize. I expect to windup up swimming every time I go out (again... I'm stupid). make sure any retention lines you use are long enough for you to "clear" the hull for righting, but not so long as to present a real obstacle. I've been told that this is an impossible state but one that will be found the more you are ... wrong side up. I figure I'll get it figured out on my first trip.

[WouldWork]

Thanks for your reply, I really appreciate it.

I've read so much, several books, online blogs, wikipedia, reviews, pretty much anything I can get. I've received advice from a friend on this board also. I just wanted some extra points of view, from someone familiar with this design. I have read through the sprit explanations provided with the plans and yes, they are great. I guess the problem is - the more I read, the more options I come across, the more confusion I have with what's the best way to go. I'm happy to just tie it all up, hit the water and see what happens if need be. Lol

Your tips are just what I wanted, thanks.

I'll rethink the pocket for the peak idea, maybe a loop will be better.

I'll maintain not having a haylard... Yet.

Everything in the boat will either be secured or have a suitable lanyard for recovery.

I am a complete sailing novice, and I realise all the theory in the world is going to only get me so far. I need to get in the boat and see how I go. I'm very excited to do so.

Never know, I may encourage others teetering on the edge of giving it a go to go right ahead and do so. On the other hand, an epic fail or two may discourage some from ever trying... Sorry in advance. Hehe.

I still have a couple of weeks left to resin/varnish/paint so the extra little tips or pieces of advice, I find priceless. Sets my mind a little easier.

Thanks again.

Cam.

[terrulian]

Great looking, clean work throughout the build. You're getting very close!
I'm sure you've read by now that capsizing is just part of the deal. Even really experienced sailors are going to go for a swim once in awhile.
That said, I'm going to offer another consideration on the mast not being secured. I understand the logic, but I think you will be able to right the boat with the mast still stepped. You swim it around until the bow is in the wind, otherwise the wind will just put you back where you started. Stand on the centerboard and grab the gunwale and as it comes up, jump in. You will probably need a few tries at first. Then bail. The boat will have a lot of water in it so you need to take a bailer. A plastic gallon milk jug cut in half will work fine.
If the mast is not stepped, on a blustery day you may find it difficult to fish it and the sail out of the water, and then balance yourself on the boat as you attempt to step it. It would probably be doable on a calm day, however.
A float at the top of the mast is a good idea. Maybe I mentioned this before. Catamaran sailors use them and although they are available commercially, you can tape a milk jug to the masthead. Put the cap on. This prevents the boat from inverting during a capsize. You probably won't need it after awhile but getting your mast stuck in the mud is a real pain, and can be expensive.

http://www.mustoskiff.com/sub-pages/mast-head-float.htm

I'm very excited to see you get on the water, so post pictures.

[Jaysen]

That's a good point. Stepping the mast with wet sail will be much much more difficult than a dry mast and sail on shore. Especially out here on the coastline.

You see any issues with the retaining pin below the partner?

[ks8]

Nice progress Cam.

[terrulian]

You see any issues with the retaining pin below the partner?

I don't, can't visualize an issue, but I've never sailed this boat before.

[Jaysen]

You see any issues with the retaining pin below the partner?

I don't, can't visualize an issue, but I've never sailed this boat before.

Picture a sprit rig on the front of your v10

I was thinking a dowel places about 1/2 the thickness of the step below the partner. That should keep the mast in the step at any angle but still allow free rotation.