Topcoat
Final adjustments to the rudderAs I had hoped, I finished painting the deck. Apart from touching up, there’s no more painting to do. I also did the last varnishing of the keel weights. To make the weights more streamlined, I’ll fill the gap between the aft edge of the keel and the plywood infill with household putty. Anything more substantial would make it difficult to remove, which may be necessary in two or three year’s time for renewing the keel wire.
Hatch cover tie
Split pin for retaining the rudder
ToggleSo that I shall not lose the inspection hatch covers I have attached thin cords to them which I’ll tie to screw eyes within their relative compartments. Likewise I tied a small split pin to the rudder stock for retaining the rudder, by passing the pin through a transverse hole in the lower pintle. Another small job done today was tying on the toggle to the stem head.
You are getting very close Bill! Soon be sailing. You bring great authority and experience to this design and I am really looking forward to following your exploits in her.
ReplyDeleteMy experiences with a Laser Stratos Keel might be interesting for you. She is 16' with a 100kg bulb on a dagger board. She was fantastic out in the Solent, best boat my son and I have ever sailed. Very fast and safe. Dealing with the keel was ok in shallow waters in Keyhaven River, what was the problem was the deep rudder would kick up and the boat would loose control. My Wayfarer was fine to control in the same situation, I think the Laser hull shape needed the big rudder down. So perhaps test Sharpy's shallow water handling, how she steers when her deep rudder is half up or knocked up. Brian
Brian,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for the tip re. testing the rudder in various positions.
I'm not sure I shall have much control over it, because as it is at the moment, there is a bungee that puts the rudder under permanent tension when in use.
It's either down or up!
I would need an uphaul line for fine control, or have a weighted rudder and an uphaul line.
Bill