My first sailboat, a project in the making

[Silent]

(Please please please feel free to offer me any advice)

Other the Christmas holiday I went over to my sisters and to my surprise my brother inlaw wanted to sell me his sailboat (dinghy) for only $50. I would have to be mad....er to pass up that offer so I did what any pirate without a boat would do. I commandeered it, as it were. She floats that's the good news but as the title states this is a "project." She has no mast, boom, center board, rudder or sails. However if I shop smart and play my cards right I can find all that stuff at my local hardware store for until $100.

Here are some pictures of the boat in which I've dubbed Lady Rose

I was happy to see all the rigging guides are still there with no cracks. The plan will be simple really, first thing I gotta do it clean the boat once spring comes with a little lime, soap and water.

For the mast I'm figuring about 8 feet of hard thick PVC piping. No need to get metal for a few reasons. It's a small boat and wont take a lot of stress from the wind. Plus the light weight of the PVC will help limit drag. If I can find wood that would be nice for the look of the boat.

Not to mention PVC is very flexible

For the boom, same thing with the PBC. I'm thinking to attach it to the mast I'll drill a hole and put a u shaped bolt or horse shoe shaped bolt like this THIS HERE (CLICK) to rest on the mast but let it move free. Then I'll put eye loop bolts at both ends of the mast and boom for the rigging.

The rigging is simple, since this is a small boat everything is in hands reach. I don't have a jib sail so I don't need to worry about a line for that. All I need is one line to raise and lower the sail through the eye loop bolts which I can tie off then one line to attach to the boom so I can trim and move my sail.

The rudder is a little more difficult to thing of. For the handle I'll use that of a shovel or broom. For the rudder itself I can make out of a play wood fixed with water sealant so it doesn't rot as fast. If you look at the stern there are two loops to attach the rudder so I'm thinking some sort of metal rod to attach to the rudder that I'll slide in place. I just don't really know how to go about it.

This is just an example of what I'm thinking

For the center board (what keeps me from tipping over) I don't know what to use. I know I want it to stick down at least 3-4 feet because the winds on the lake are pretty big and I don't want to tip. I want to limit my drag as much as I can so I want sharp edges to cut threw the water but to keep it attach to the boat I'm dumbfounded. I was thinking make something in a T shape there the top of the T rest on top of the hole. I need it to be removable for easy transport, air tight seal doesn't matter because the top of the hole is above the water line making it so I can't sink. I just don't know on that one.

This is just an example of what I'm thinking

Sail, this I could so many different way. Canvas from a fabric store? I need it to be water proof and wind tight. My brother inlaw said a blue tarp? I need it to be heavy and strong so the wind doesn't rip holes in it.

Anyway, hope you enjoy my little project. It's a big deal to me, it's my life long dream to live on a sailboat and getting this dinghy is my one foot toward that dream. Again feel free to offer any advice. I'm open to painting the boat to make it look wood, coloring the sails, making something to raise a pirate flag, items to use to name the boat. Anything, thanks!

As the boat gets finished I'll update with new pictures!

Edited December 31, 2009 by Silent

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Don't know where you are located, but if you want all those Scorpion parts, and we can find a way to ship or deliver them reasonable, they are yours. I have the mast, boom, all hardware from the hull, rudder, mounting plate/pin, and daggerboard, sail that is pretty rough but is good for the pattern. All wood is good, just needs treated. I gave up on an aluminum boat conversion project, no time or decent place to work on it right now. gave $25 for the whole scorpion but the hull was trashed and waterlogged. I salvaged everything but the drain, it was smashed. PM me if you are interested.

Bo

[j8ksdad]

Looks like a fun project. Best wishes!

[capn'rob]

Aye, she be a smart lookin' vessel, yer "Lady Rose". In a prior post I mentioned me ol' shipmates at "Sailorman" in Ft. Lauderdale. If'n ye check 'em out on ye 'ol com'pewter or by shellphone, ye might finds all ye needs or most at best. If'n ye mentions ye be shipmates wi' "Robbie" it may serve ye well.

As to yer Daggerboard. The only performance of this is latteral stability. To hold the original one in place that shock cord most likely passed around the aft end of the dagger board cap and the forward pressure kept it from rising. The only thing that'll keep ye from goin' by the board is Ballast! In dinghy sailing, the Ballast is you! A good practice is to never Make Fast the Cleat of the Sheet! A turn to hold strain and no more. What ever rudder you buy or build you can buy "Pintles and Gudgeons" to fit the thickness of your rudder and to fasten to the wooden plate on your transom.

The PVC mast will be too flexable and you will spill more wind than you will hold. You'd be better off with a bannister railing from Home Depot. You can coat it with Varnish, 1st coat thinned half and half with thinner to penetrate then you can build up coats of Varnish or Paint as to your desire. Varnish requires min. 8 coats to fill the grain and needs to be refreshed yearly. The results are beautiful. A few coats of "Mast Buff" would look beautiful and traditional as well. The Hull you're starting with has pretty lines and would "wear it well"! The boom would require either better wood (stronger while thinner) or aluminum. I still am of the belief that a used sail, mast and boom are in someones garage/basement/cellar that belong to a dinghy long gone, that would be glad to get rid of it. Try "Craigs list", Soundings Mag.(on-line) or just start with Google. One of the difficult parts will be the "Gooseneck". To join the mast and boom with a universal fitting.

I am back in Coastal No. Carolina having survived PiP. I will ask around this very active boating community and see if we don't have something to contribute to the "Lady Rose" here in Beaufort/Morehead. This be the resting place of the "Queen Anne's Revenge", Blackbeard's last command! You can check out the Vessel I serve on at www.pirate-privateer.com . The "Meka"II is Homeport Beaufort.

What is your homeport and pe4rhaps it won't be that difficult to get stuff to you. PM me if ye wish to. All the Best and a Happy New Year to you and yours! Dutch "X" his mark.

[Silent]

Thanks guys for all the info an help, this is really opening my eyes on the possibilities for Lady Rose.

My home town is Spokane WA, not far from the Idaho border, the lake I'm going to sail her on is called Coeur d'Alene lake which is in Coeur d'Alene Idaho. Pretty big, It spans 25 miles long, ranges from 1 to 3 miles wide and has over 109 miles of shoreline for boaters and vacationers to explore and enjoy.

[Island Cutter]

You can't go wrong with the advice that Dutch has offered... both the mast and boom need to be rigid, and it helps if the boom light.

Start out simply and traditionally, and you will find that you can get your rig together fairly inexpensively. I would bet that a suitable sail could be found on eBay for only a few bucks.

...and if you really want to make yourself crazy (in a good way) check out The Cheap Pages - Poly Tarp Sails

http://thecheappages.com/oddsails.html

The current issue of WoodenBoat Magazine (February 2010 Number 212) has a great section on "Sailing Rigs - A Beginner's Guide" The $6.25 that you spend on the Magazine will be money well spent. Find a rig that appeals to your eye, and go with that. I would suggest the Sprit Rig... no boom to smack you in the head.

Take things slowly. Keep things simple. You can do all is needed to bring this sleeping beauty back into her natural element.

(BTW: I have restored several boats professionally, and I would be glad to offer any advice that I can. PM or e-mail me if you have ANY questions.)

[silas thatcher]

the only advice i can give is to make sure that the square foot of sail area is less than or equal to the original... too much may make the boat not right.. when companies design these craft, they design the whole thing with a certain sail size, rig style may not be too important, length of centerrboard ( the width an thickness can easily be gauged by the opening of the centerboard trunk ) , and the width and length of the rudder...

if you deviate too much from these specified sizes, an uncontrollable craft is the result... ki nda reminds me of a "fatty knees" or maybe a "penguin" IIRC :) ... lemme locate a few books of mine... i'm sure i have seen this type in one of them.... starting off with some good info of what you are shooting for makes the whole project turn out better...

nice looking boat !! for a daysailer, two part epoxy type paint isn't necessary... can't remember the name of the paint i used on one hull, but thinned out a bit, it gave a great looking refresh to the hull !! 25$ a quart though for your size, you may need 2 quarts...

[callenish gunner]

If it were me I'd go with a good Maple(handrail) mast and boom, that you can get from most building supply companies. The stress put on your mast from a moderate wind even on an inland lake can over extend the tensile strength of PVC pipe and dismast you if it gusts over moderate breezes. The weight of wood will not create inordinate drag on a craft this size. ripstop sailcloth four to five yards should make a fine sail for this wee boat. The centerboard and rudder could also be made from solid wood and overlaid in fiberglass for durability. Just my t'ppence worth

[Silver]

that also my thinking on the wooden banisters, the sprits sail rig is a great rig because there isn't a boom down low to dodge, i built a lug rig for my boat, but it had more bow forward the mast then yours. there's is a book called "american small sailing craft" by howard l. chapelle" you may find it in your local libary or online, it shows tons of drawings of sail rigs. building the boom fork(goose neck) could be as simple as cutting a fork from a piece of plywood with a tange to run up under the boom slightly and bolting it on.

[capn'rob]

A few things to concider. The handrail will be best in a strait grain fir. Maple does't like sun and won't bend but will break. That's why the preferred wood for spars is Sitka Spruce. Light, strong, staight grained and enough flex. My Tender, "Imp-Patience" has a pine hand rail hardware store mast and has since 1968. She is Cat rigged, jib-headed. Ugly as sin but! She is stable with three adults and gear, rowing. Two adults and the gear sailing. In all her unshapely look she actually sails quite well. I do not own a motor for her. If there isn't enough wind, I can wait!

I had mentioned my friend's circumnavigation. Jodi, the Missus, had never sailed before this voyage. She said she wouldn't leave until she could sail. She took this dinghy, the afore mentioned book and when she could rig, sail and stow the "Imp-Patience", she would leave. That she did! Three years to the day. Around the World. The Order of Magellan. A true Shellback.

Bon Ami, next to the Comet in your grocery store. It's still less than a dollar. That, a nylon bristle scrub brush and a good flow of water and you'll have that "Lady" lookin' smart as paint!

The Pacific North West is a Mecca for traditional boats and boatbuilding. There is a huge community of cruising sailors and powerboats. I'm sure there are many that have had the misfortune of losing the dinghy but not the rig! Look for Marine Consignment Stores in the major yacht centers like Port Townsend and such.

Again, I wish you the best in this endeavor and hope you get sailing as soon as your season starts.

[capn'rob]

In addition to "Imp-Patience", for local cruising I will tow my Shearwater, "Key Lime". She's a Joel White design, 16' with a standig lug rig. Her mastis Sitka Spruce, hollow with a layer of carbon fiber. She has a center board with a pennant. As you can see, off the wind, she screams! A bit of a swell and she surfs!

[Coastie04]

Something to think about for attaching the boom to the mast is a yoke type fitting. Many traditional boats use it, and it's relatively easy to make out of a bit of spare wood and cordage. Essentially, attach a couple of bits of wood on each side of the boom that will cradle the mast. On the forward side of the mast, use some cordage to attach the two parts of the yoke. On the mast, you will need to put a collar that will hold the yoke up. I couldn't find a picture in the few minutes I had online, but I'm sure you can if you search. It's actually really a simple design, but it's also stood the test of time well.

Coastie

[silas thatcher]

In addition to "Imp-Patience", for local cruising I will tow my Shearwater, "Key Lime". She's a Joel White design, 16' with a standig lug rig. Her mastis Sitka Spruce, hollow with a layer of carbon fiber. She has a center board with a pennant. As you can see, off the wind, she screams! A bit of a swell and she surfs!

ooooh !! nice boat !!

[capn'rob]

In addition to "Imp-Patience", for local cruising I will tow my Shearwater, "Key Lime". She's a Joel White design, 16' with a standig lug rig. Her mastis Sitka Spruce, hollow with a layer of carbon fiber. She has a center board with a pennant. As you can see, off the wind, she screams! A bit of a swell and she surfs!

ooooh !! nice boat !!

Will you be attending any of the Eastcoast Gatherings besides PiP? We have a Pyrate Invasion of Beaufort in August that is a lot of fun and based on an historical invasion by Spanish Privateers in the 1740s. We re-enact the second attack by the Malitia and locals that repelled the Spaniards and retook the town. Several "Pirates" are arrested and after a brief and fare trial, there's a hanging! The weekend before is the Bald Head Island Invasion, as well. Of course in July there's Blackbeard Feastival in Hampton, VA.

The reason I ask is that, at least at Beaufort I will have "Key Lime" in the water and if you"d like you could take her for a sail. She sails really well! I may bring her to Hampton as well. For the present I'm just hoping this "skim ice" doesn't freeze hard around "Patience", the boat I live on! I've been getting by with electric heat so far. If it gets colder I'll have to fire up the coal stove! Stay Warm! Dutch "X" his mark

[PrincipessaMarley]

Tis lovely! Once it's finished you must take more pictures and post them here for us! :)

[Silent]

This project died, I ended up selling the boat. Not that it was to much work because it wasn't but I ended up getting this boat out on the water and it was so much smaller then I thought it would be and I'm 6'2, 200lbs and this thing almost sank on me so that's all she wrote on that one. Time to look for something bigger.

[capn'rob]

This project died, I ended up selling the boat. Not that it was to much work because it wasn't but I ended up getting this boat out on the water and it was so much smaller then I thought it would be and I'm 6'2, 200lbs and this thing almost sank on me so that's all she wrote on that one. Time to look for something bigger.

There are more Day Sailers on the market these days than I've seen in a long time. I will keep a "weather eye" peeled and let ye know what I sees!

[Bos'n Cross]

indeed Double Dutch is quite correct, there are many day-sailors.......... for sail these days(lol pun),most are in great condition and are just being sold by owners unaware of what getting a boat would really cost in funds and time. Heck you can even find much larger boats for sail quite cheaply, i was gonna get a columbia 26 for just $200 in great condition, but decided i couldnt really afford the cost of maintenance yet.......if you can afford the upkeep, getting a boat should be easy!

Yours &co

Isrl. Cross

Edited October 26, 2010 by Bos'n Cross

[D B Couper]

Before buying any boat, I would recommend sitting down with a bottle of rum.

(I would say good bottle of rum... but it's all good) Have a swig or two and

consider the cost of the boat. Have a couple of more swigs and consider

the cost and labor involved with it's maintenance. A couple more swigs

before you think about how much time you will be able to use it, where you're

going to store it when your not useing it, and the cost, if it's moored. Then, a

couple more swigs... oh the hell with it. Just keep drinking until all impure

thoughts about buying a boat leave your head.

[Dorian Lasseter]

[capn'rob]

Dorian, you've reminded me of several things. First, the bone chilling fear at the sight of a water spout and you're on the water with it! Second, why I don't race on sailboats anymore. Third, why I make no more offshore passages except on a cruise ship. Too many miles in crappy weather. Finally, I have seen first hand too much of the effects of wind and water when the conditions are in turmoil. I still live on the water and enjoy coastal cruising and recreational sailing but I've seen my share of the Oceans and give my berth to a younger shipmate.