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Agreed!
Just an idle thought after finding it on-line. Pretty cheap too, wouldn't want to rely on it.
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Interesting, but not for me either.... I wonder where the on/off and speed controls are? You don't have too many hands left if you are paddleboarding!
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Cuddy complete and first coats of teak oil applied on the (dust free) kitchen table. Wife away for a couple of days!.
All reclaimed hardwood, so there are quite a lot of plugs, but I am generally pleased with the result.
I have fitted toggle catches on each side underneath, and plan to hinge it at the front so I can lift it to install and remove the pedal drive, or to provide a windbreak when anchored.
The oil takes a few days to dry and then I will fit it to the boat and post completion photos.
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Nice work MartinC, you're a deft hand at this kind of thing! That it's a Labor of Love is apparent!
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Thanks SP. Not up to your workmanship standards, but I enjoyed doing it and I am pleased with the result.
I am struggling a bit with the front hinge at the moment as it needs to be rather more massive than I originally planned.
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Why a hinge at all when some kind of Bungee tie-down ought to suffice? Hinges grow tricky when the bits they're hinging aren't straight. Your cuddy just needs to be flexibly secured at front so back can be elevated when necessary then returned to meet coaming.
I humbly appreciate your compliment MartinC yet in truth your skills surpass what I can claim.
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Oh that does look rather lovely Martin, I look forward to photos of it fitted! I like that you managed to use reclaimed wood for it to - something I suspect I should be better at myself when making additions or modifications. G
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Finished at last!
A bit of fun on the inside:-
Removable hinge:-
Cuddy removed:-
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Splendid customization MartinC! Ought to serve you well in your outings!
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Martin, that is truly a work of art! I was impressed with the first few photos - but when I scrolled down to reveal the Union Flag painted on the inside - that really made my day - super effort! I also like that you managed to get it mounted with such minimal hardware - I find that very neat, when it's off, the metalwork on the boat is really quite small and neat. I hope it works as well in practice as it looks like it should. Dare I ask how many coats of varnish went on? Will you get to test it over Xmas - or will you wait till warmer times? My excuse for not having used my now finished hollow mast is that the lake near my house is currently frozen...
Merry Christmas to you all!
Guy
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I also got round to making a proper (ish) video of my trip to Denmark in the summer:
There isn't much new footage -but a bit of Svale seen from the outside which is maybe fun for waterlust lovers!
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My excuse for not having used my now finished hollow mast is that the lake near my house is currently frozen...
That'd certainly put me off going out anytime soon Guy!
View of hedge outside bedroom window last night:
- with a forecast for another 9" (maybe...) by this time Friday morning. Sheesh.
Merry Christmas to you all!
You beat me to it Guy! Seasons Greetings & wishes for you all!
Sunny today but @ -15C not much time planned for outdoor activities....
Last edited by spclark (20 Dec 2022 3:54 pm)
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Thanks for your kind remarks chaps! It was a lot of fun.
The varnish was easy Guy. I used Deks Olje parts one and two (High gloss). You saturate the wood in part one (keep brushing it in until the wood doesn't take any more). Then allow it to dry and add 5 coats of part two with 24 hours between coats. The secret is on the penultimate coat to sand it with very fine wet and dry using part 1 Deks Olje as a lubricant.
I am afraid the boat is now tucked up for the winter so no chance of testing it before the Spring.
I loved your video Guy and would dearly like to join you for a scandinavian cruise some day. Keep me posted for your 2023 trip. You never know!
Very happy Christmas to you all. Do keep in touch in 2023.
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Not Waterlust related, but over here we are just hearing about the 'bomb cyclone' about to hit you SP.
Do stay warm and safe.
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Thanks. It's here, though the predicted 8" of snow ended being only about 3" on top of the 10-11" fallen the last week. A mite chilly for so early in the season (Winter starts for real in 20 minutes!!) and it's all of -8F / -22C outside right now & brisk NW winds gusting to 20+ mph.
We're kinda used to it. Folks farther south, not so much.
Rudolph's gonna need a coat & maybe warm hat this Saturday night....
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Plannning for next year's expeditions, I came across this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrXILsexxh4 and wondered if it would be a handy kit to carry onboard to be able to fit if the weather turned foul. It might also help for stability when sleeping on board and be a useful fender.
Do you folks who have fitted the outriggers think that this would add anything to sailing stability in rough weather?
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I'd be concerned it'd generate some sudden resistance to forward motion under sail, not being pointy-ended.
As a fender or stabilizer when pedaling it ought to work well enough though.
The amas, when deployed, add vastly improved stability at the expense of time and trouble when launching/recovery. If from a beach maybe not so much but my single experience to date from a trailer, at a pier, cut a lot off the enjoyment once under way.
Really looking forward to the '23 sailing season & beyond!
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Thanks SP. Yes. I think you are probably right about water resistance under sail. It could have unintended consequences and they are not cheap!
Wishing you, FBK and all FBK sailors/builders a very Happy New Year and fair winds for 2023.
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Happy New Year, everyone!
The weather after the bomb cyclone has turned balmy again (70F) here in Alabama so maybe there could be some January sailing this year??
Martin, that is really a very nice addition to your coaming -- I wish I had one!
Guy, I see in a post above that you have successfully hollowed out your mast. What do you think of the result? Would you recommend it?
Last edited by Chuck (31 Dec 2022 8:43 pm)
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Happy new Year!
Here’s one from the summer in Denmark.
Chuck, I don’t know yet as I haven’t had a chance to use it. I actually made a new mast so have both and will be able to compare. I will report back. It’s clear already that the new mast is both lighter and more flexible than the solid one, it will be interesting to see which aspect is most important with our lug rigs!
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It’s clear already that the new mast is both lighter and more flexible than the solid one, it will be interesting to see which aspect is most important with our lug rigs!
Beautiful pic Guy, thanks!
Happy New Year back at yah! (5 hours left in 2022 where I am....)
I'm thinking both qualities are worthwhile: lighter means less weigh aloft which means less heeling moment when under sail; more flexible means the mast will yield to a greater degree under pressure, spilling the wind to relieve pressure before a mishap. With hulls as tender as ours are both of these conditions may make for more predictable performance.
I have 'just enough' Sitka spruce left on hand to fabricate a new, lighter mast over this winter. My zeal to get my first'un built may have been unwise, as was adding carbon fiber in between the pieces I laminated to get to the required thickness.
No worries!!
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Hi SP!
I think with our lug rigs a stiff mast is generally considered to be an advantage, as the tension in the halyard/sail/downhaul circuit is important for controlling sail flatness. As the wind gets up, we want a flatter sail to keep the power down and maintain pointing ability. If the mast bends, then the sail takes a fuller shape, which is more powerful and generally not what is wanted as the wind starts to pipe up. The yard can be more flexible and that twist is fine from what I understand.
I am very interested to see how this all works in practice. I have low stretch halyard and downhall- let’s see - maybe it becomes a nice light wind stick!
I will keep you informed as I experiment.
All best for 2023
Guy
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I think with our lug rigs a stiff mast is generally considered to be an advantage, as the tension in the halyard/sail/downhaul circuit is important for controlling sail flatness. As the wind gets up, we want a flatter sail to keep the power down and maintain pointing ability. If the mast bends, then the sail takes a fuller shape, which is more powerful and generally not what is wanted as the wind starts to pipe up. The yard can be more flexible and that twist is fine from what I understand.
I am very interested to see how this all works in practice. I have low stretch halyard and downhall- let’s see - maybe it becomes a nice light wind stick!
As I was contemplating the beginning of my build (for about 30 months!) all this and a lot more were discussed with Dillon via e-mails and a couple of brief phone conversations. That's entirely the source of my 'opinions' on the subject, I'm simply parroting what he'd allowed.
Adding the amas makes a Waterlust an entirely different experience over what his original design provides to an inexperienced hand! I can personally vouch for this even after the one single, brief outing a friend and I managed six months ago.
I too have added low-stretch running rigging (among other inspirations) since that afternoon but as the results are as yet unquantified I'm probably more anxious than most of you others (Chuck I hope you're enjoying the weather where you are after that last Arctic blast you got a taste of!!) for the arrival of decent sailing weather north of 42° N in these parts.
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Planning this year's trips and I have decided to do the Dorstad Raid in Holland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNVlQnN1gsM
Living and sailing on the boat requires quite a lot of thought regarding sailing, storage, sleeping, cooking and general layout.
I have decided to add to my 25 litres of water ballast (in the forward locker) and my 15kg daggerboard, by fitting an 8kg removable lead weight (old window sash cord weights) either side of the cockpit. This will improve stability when camping at anchor.
I have also found a method of stopping the pedals moving around when under sail by inserting a removable pin through the pedal adjustment holes. This holds the pedals in the up position which must be better in terms of drag.
As I am planning to sail now in unfamiliar waters I felt I needed the minimum of navigational instruments - a compass, a horn and a clock. The aft main mast position provided the perfect alcove for the compass, as I have decided I am never going to use the mast in this position.
I am now working on the cooking/sleeping/storage situation. The ideal place for the cooker for me is in the Hobiedrive well (as it is well sheltered by my 'cuddy', but this would involve the gas cylinder being partially submerged! The cylinder wedges very nicely underneath the pedaldrive support shelves, so although a little unauthodox, I don't see a problem with the bottom of the cylinder being in the water. I'll post a few photos when I have worked things out.
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Quite the 'customizing' you've done MartinC, you certainly know what you want in a watercraft that'll be occupied for days on end!
Your skills as a writer will serve us all well when it comes time for you to relate your coming adventure's activities, maybe even worth posting a copy to the folks at CLC for their enjoyment!
How will you transport Gaia across the channel? You can trailer her over on a ferry or some such? How long is this raid planned to continue? You may find your gas bottle tends to perform weakly if half-submerged in coldish water....
I have yet to get under sail with my Mirage drive in place so I'm noting your comment on resistance & what you've done to minimize it. Hope being that with the new season approaching (and my own efforts at adding stability under sail) I can see what works for myself. Those amas are a wonderful thing, my removable lead ballast remains to be tested. I do plan on adding a compass as you have before the season begins, I have a birthday between now and this year's First Day Out, so perhaps....
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