My name is Ellery and am 40 years old from Sao Paulo, Brazil. I never sailed solo before (sailed once with a hired captain) yet I possess an Amateur Master license... I never owned a boat either. My dream boat is the Bristol Channel Cutter or maybe one day build myself a "Seraffyn".
After perusing many different plans, I've decided on the MiniCup. It looks sleek and beautiful. Should I mention that I have ZERO knowledge of woodworking? Is the MiniCup too much to ask for? Maybe I should start off with a stitch-and-glue plan?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Welcome, Ellery! You've come to the right place. I am currently finishing up a Mini-Cup, and I can tell you confidently that this is the perfect place to come if you have any questions, or if you would just like some encouragement. My own level of woodworking skill was fairly negligible when I started as well, and I think I can say I've learned a fair amount during the build. I'm not going to be building any masterpieces of craftsmanship, but I had no trouble getting through the Mini-Cup build.
Good Luck, and send lots of pictures
Welcome! The Mini-Cup is a fun little boat to build. And they are (to my eye at least) quite pretty considering the simplicity of the design. I think you've made a wise choice going with the MC for your first build. Stitch-and-glue requires some pretty precise cuts to get the pieces fitting just right, and you can waste a lot of epoxy goo fixing mistakes. The mini-cup is more forgiving, uses cheaper goo if you follow the directions, and still looks cool if it's not perfect. Happy building!
Paul: Good to know that masterful woodworking ability isn't a requirement! I have indeed been following your work! I was a little dismayed about the missed New Year's launch day! Looking forward to seeing more of your progress.
Will: Thank you for cementing my decision to stick with the MC. My friend did a stitch-and-glue canoe which was fun to watch. Looked simple enough. But a more forgiving method is probably safest. It's good to know that the MC uses cheaper goo since I've read that goo makes most of the material costs.
I'd also like to share with this forum a Brazilian Optimist design for adults named: Optimaster. Similar pedigree as the MC though not as pretty. It allows older folks to start their sailing careers just like little kids do with their Optimist.
http://www.proboat.com/proboat-drawing-b...dults.html
Welcome to the forum, glad to have you
, Have fun and enjoy your build! Fabricatin anything requires keeping flexible and fluid as you progress in the build, as no cuts are perfect and most mistakes can be blendeid in to be barely noticeable. I look forward to seeing pics of your progress
Regards,
    Will