Hi all I am new to the site and have been wanting to build this boat for 9 yrs now. I will be starting as soon as the weather breaks here in Michigan. Thanks any help would be greatly appiciated.
I have gone to the lumber yard to locate 20 ft 1x12 #2 pine with no luck. Any ideas? I was thinking that if I used 10 ft boards stagering the joints that this might be an opp. I also was reading in the Gaff Rig articals and seen the builder that built the friendship sloop VERY COOL. any one have any thoughts on the size of the trolling moter used and any thoughts on how well this setup will work out.
You'll love the vacationer. I got mine in the water last Sept and it's a great boat. There's a lot you can do to modify her to suit your needs. I raised my cabin by 4" and I'm glad I did. It provides more headroom but it's still low enough to see over easily. Inside I made port and starboard bunks with storage under. I have no sink and I cook on a grill on the stern rail. Check out my pics on my site just click on my www link
Keith
Nice boat I like the raised roof. Did you raise the entire roof or just the back?. Ihave been looking at the other posts on wieghting the keel. I will be sailing in the great lakes under normal conditions. any thoughts?.
Mark, as drawn the Vac is a bit nose high with motor gas and pax aboard. I have ~260 lb of lead at the base of the mast and it tamed her right down. The nose would tend to blow off in a tack. I also gained a lot of stability with the addition. I can run her all day with the water running across the cabin windows with perfect control. She will tell you when she's had enough. Some of the Wkndrs have also added weight. Ray went so far as to cast a bulb for his keel the worked out very well. I agree the cabin height is a bit low and the rig is really to low as drawn, raise her up and save your head. Happy building...
Mark The 10ft. 1X12 will work fine just stager the joints and glue good. As for motor if I were going to sail in the Great Lakes I would go to the gas motor. I have a 4 h.p. johnson but I have seen up to a 9.9 on a vac. just remember the bigger the moter the more it weigh and you are wanting weight up around the mast not back on the transom. Now make saw dust Bud.
Keith -
You have a beautiful boat!!! I've said it before but I took a look at the pics again and really admire your vacationer...
now i am off to admire Craig's boat!
a.
Mark, welcome aboard.
Now that is idea that I don't think has been done before on a Vacationer-- to only raise the aft portion of the cabin roof. I can visulize it and like the look.... like a coach roof, maybe add eyebrows to the raised portion over the portals, nice coamings around the cockpit. I like it, I like it alot.
Wonder why. :lol: HEHE :lol:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/PhotoView.js...454205&
Angie it would seem that the link you provided is broke but I have seen your boat and I must say it is a very nice looking boat I just hope that mine comes out looking as good. As for weighting the keel I will keep it in mind as I am rounding up matierials. Ill start clearing some room and fill it with a keel and saw dust. I will post some pics as I proceed. I dont think I will go with the trolling motor on the keel. I have a 3 horse gas and I think Ill stick with that. The one that I was looking at is 1,000.00 for 80 lbs of thrust. A little pricy. Thanks all read you latter.
Hi Mark,
Good to hear of another Michigan builder. Looks like you're only a little over an hour away from me. In the area there are a few boats coming along. I've got a mostly done but heavily modified Weekender I've been using rather than finishing. A friend of mine is putting together a really nice more or less stock Weekender in Dexter. In Mount Pleasant, another person is considering starting a pocket yacht of some type in '07, and currently has a Triad. I think there are a few others around Michigan, including a weekender in Rochester Hills that has been on the back burner for a couple of years now.
I'm expecting to be out on the water most weekends this summer at Kent Lake, and should be camping in Jamestown, PA with her at least once this summer. I'm still hoping for the heavens to smile down on me and arrange for things so that I can get down to Florida for the B.e.e.r cruise, but it's looking more and more unlikely. Ah well, water's water and sailing's sailing. Either way, if you're interested in seeing a weekender up close, feel free to send me an email and we can arrange for either a garage visit over the winter or an on the water visit during the warmer months. By the way, don't feel shy about hosting a boat shed when you've got to a point where extra hands can come in handy, or there's lots of work in different areas to be done. I've held a few now, and they're always great fun, a chance to meet fellow boat builders, and a good way to get you that much closer to the water all in one go.
Talk to you later,
Hi Stuart,
Thanks for the info and it great to here from you too. I do live about an hour from you but I am a kitchen contractor by trade and do some work out of the direct buy store in the troy area. I will email you when Im in the area again as a matter of fact I just arrived home from there. As for the boatshed I didnt know wat that was, thanks. You said your going to be at Kent lake this summer is this the kent lake up at Traverse city? I have an uncle that lives in traverse and my wife and kids love to camp at the three CCC bridge on the little manestie river. If your into fly fishing you have herd of it it is said that you can catch a fly of wall hanger porportions...HA HA HA..Have you ever sailed in the great lakes?.