Lessons Learned

1-Epoxy is Wonderful Stuff

I have heard many things over the years about epoxy, the mess, cost, ultra fast set up times etc. Bull puckie! It's awsome, I want to build my next house from it!

2-Cost & Materials Best Guess x2

Without a rocksolid set of plans, cost and materials will always be more than expected. I have learned enough over time not to get too screwed with this one.

3-If you need to bend plywood, Check First!

My whole bow was based on wrapping 3/8 plywood over it. 3/8 not bending that much made me have to re-think and re-do the whole front end of the boat.

4-Do Not Build a Boat Without Plans

Figuring it out as I go works for me, I'm imaginative and resourceful when things go for a shit. I would never recommend anyone else try the same thing though, besides, I don't even know if it floats right side up yet.

5-Build A Boat

Over the years I have done more projects than I can count. House renovations, campers, even a skateboard 1/2 pipe. Nothing I have ever done has given me half the pride and pleasure as this. If it doesn't sail worth a damn then I'll display it as art in my front yard only because its so damn pretty.

6- building the hull is the fast part

The hull was completed far quicker that I had expected the the balance of the project has been much slower. Detail work = slow work.

What would I have done differently?

1- The cockpit

I built the cockpit straight down the middle of the hull 32 inches wide rather than curve it to match the hull. this does give a nice wide seating area but in retrospect I wish I had curved it to add some more interior room.

2- The rudder

The barn door hinges that I used to mount the rudder though funtional are already bending, must take a hell of a strain in the water. Spending the money for the proper pintle and whatever the hell its called would not have been a deal breaker and I wouldn't have to look forward to redoing it now.

3- The paint

The white oil base deck and porch paint on the topsides looks good and standing up well. I wish I could say the same for the blue hull paint. It is a very good quality oil base exterior paint but it is very soft. Everywhere that contacts the hull from the trailer, it is rubbing off. If I was going to hold off until I had bought the proper bottom paint I still wouldn't have it in the water so fair trade I guess. Must be some other finish I could have used though. 

Acknowledgements

Sailing for Dummies - JJ & Peter Isler ; IDG Books 1997

Will be the entirety of my knowledge base when I hit the water for the first time.

Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding - George Buehler ; McGraw-Hill 1991

George believes in building boats (big ones) like work boats. Strong.

The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding - Reuel B Parker ; WoodenBoat Publications 2005

A wonderful book covering nearly every aspect of construction.

Glen-L Marine. www.glen-l.com

An incredible site with hundreds of plans advice and experience. Web letters "rigging a small sailboat" proved invaluable to the rigging of my boat. Written so even I could understand it!