Ahoy Mates!
I'm just starting to build a "Weekender" in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada.
So far I have made the wheel, and the rudder, while waiting for the plywood. I want to modify the cabin-top slightly by bringing the sides out to the shearline. But so as not to weaken the deck/side structure I will leave the deck as drawn, but within the cabin it will become a full length shelf with turned staunchions every so often up to the coach-roof and fillets to the sides below. If anyone sees a flaw in this thinking please let me know.
I hope to be able to participate in some of the meetings once I am sailing again, they sure sound like fun.
"Baketejiisi" (Peregrin Falcon -- "the hitter" -- Ojibwe)
Ian Clark.
Welcome aboard Ian, Glad to see you Join the Madness. We have alot of good folks with alot of experiance to answer your questions, Paul Riccelli or Barry Pyeatt comes to mind for your current question.
If I can be of any assistance dont hesitate to ask.
Brian.
Welcome Ian, good last name you have there
I am in the same "boat" and just beginning my Weekender as well, is it a race? haha.
Welcome aboard Ian.
I'm just to the north-west of you in Grey County and Bob Burgess has another Weekender over in Elmira. Bob's Weekender has been done for a few years and I'm hoping to launch mine this summer.
Andrew Butchart
Thanks for the welcome. It sure feels good to finally be able to get started. I have had these plans for about three years now. Once I have "Bucky" in the water maybe we could get together and have an Ontario fleet, sub-fleet or whatever. No, bad category. No way I want to sailing underwater :? Anyway, it is nice to hear of so many Stephenson Sailors in this area. Thanks again.
Ian.
Ian there are a couple guys from Ont that come down for the BEER cruise over to Pensacola in the spring. Might be a plan for next year. Happy building and keep the photos coming. 8) .
Craig,
My excuse is I am Irish. What excuse do other pirates use for being this stupid? Thank you for the invite, but have I got this right; You "cruise" from Phoenix AZ to Pensacola FL? Hey I want some of THAT beer you guys are drinking. Talk about grog!!!
I might just make it to AZ, but I think I would have to fly.....No, with that grog in me for sure I'd be on some no-fly list. Anyway, got to get her in some water first, get the balance & junk all squared away. By the way where do you post pics?
Again, thank you for the invitation, I'll talk to you later.
Ian.
Actually the cruise is in Fla. to is red neck for "down to" or "over to", or "fixing to". I've been down here too long I guess. From west Michigan.
Craig, there's no such thing as being "down here too long" unless you have a weather fetish you've been the closet about.
Ian, your "raised" deck idea sounds great and if done properly, it will substantially increase the strength of the structure. It will also increase the angle of vanishing stability about 5 degrees on Weekender, which is a good thing. Not to mention the huge increase in interior volume you'll gain.
On the down side (there's always a trade off in yacht design stuff) you'll be adding a fair amount of weight, relatively high up in the hull (excess weight in small boats is their own worst enemy). It will also make climbing up to the foredeck more of a chore and if routing lines back to the cockpit (a common feature), some interesting arrangements will need to be worked out.
A raised deck Weekender will be a welcome addition to the fleet. I'm not sure if it's the first, but it's the first I've heard of. A cool idea, go for it.
Quick tip, build light. You'll do no good by adding extra braces, stringers, battens or increasing the dimensions of things. The boat is well over engineered as drawn and this family of pocket cruisers are more then stout enough (ask Craig).
Welcome aboard.
Paul, Thanks for the vote of confidence. It would be a smaller edition of the boat I learnt to sail on (65 years ago, a 23' Gaff sloop, but a keel boat). By my calcaulations I would be adding about 60 pounds up there. You say she is overbuilt anyway, so yes I will leave off the additional bracing, which I had planned only to be on the safe side. I don't think the climbing to the cabin-top from the cockpit should be too hazardous, and I have the sail plan very slightly altered to have a stays'l sheet fairlead right at the forward edge of the cabin top.
I really appreciate your comments Paul. She may not be as pretty as a boat built exactly to the drawings, but one of the things that attracted me to this boat was the versatility, looking at some of the photos of others. It seems every second one is modified to some degree. So here goes!
Again thank you for your comments,
Ian.