Building ‘Sharpy’ Part 28

Rudder Stock in the making. When it is assembled, a Yoke will need to fitted.

Ready to be tidied before applying the bottom panels

Ditto

When I built my Paradox, designed by Matt Layden, I could access loads of information about how to do it from the Internet, but I can’t do that to help me build ‘Sharpy’. As far as I know, only one ‘Sharpy’ had been built in her entirety, and she’s the original boat built by the designer, Derek Munnion. Mr Anonymous in the US is building the second one, and I am building the third. Derek is very accessible via the Internet or by telephone; therefore if I have any questions I can ask him. I can also ask Mr Anonymous.


There’s nothing quite so useful when building a new boat from plans as good photos, because the details can clearly be seen. That is one of the reasons I am posting photos to my Blog. They are there for anyone to see. By looking at what I have done, the prospective builder will be able to make a better informed decision as to whether he wants to go ahead, buy the plans and build the boat.


When starting on a venture of this kind, quite a few important decisions need to be made. The most important is, ‘Do I really want this boat?’ The second question is, ‘Do I have the resources, including the skills, to complete the project?’ The third question is, ‘Do I have the will to do it?’ If all of the questions are answered in the affirmative, then there’s nothing to stop you going ahead, but perhaps there’s one very important consideration to take into account before building the boat, and that’s where do you intend to sail her? You may be more interested in building the boat than sailing her, but in that case you may want to find a buyer, before you set about making the boat.


I intend to mostly sail ‘Sharpy’ on the River Crouch, where I think she will be admirably suited. The River has two prime launching sites; Hullbridge public slipway and the Burnham-on-Crouch Marina slipway, where there’s a small charge for day sailing. I shall also be able to sail her at several East Coast Rivers including the Thames estuary from Shoeburyness, or Leigh-on-Sea. Across the Thames there’s the whole of the Medway.


When I know what she is really capable of I may take her on more adventurous trips, but that may entail fitting her with hatches for the stowage of camping gear. In any case, without a doubt, she will be a very good boat to take camping at semi-static sites, by the sea, the Broads, the Lake District, even abroad, perhaps to the inland waters of Holland.