What happens when Stitch-and-Glue boats get old?

I came across this excellent article entitled "What happens when Stitch-and-Glue boats get old", posted on John Harris's blog "The Life of Boats".

John illustrates how epoxy-coated plywood boats age, and provides info on how to maintain and repair them.  It's an excellent article with very valuable info.

Here is the link to Part 1, and Part 2.

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2014

The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival was fantastic.  My wife and I had a terrific time seeing all our old friends again and meeting so many new ones this year.  Here is a short video compilation that I made with just a few of the many sights I was able to capture when I was able to sneak away from displaying Ellie.

Sucia Small Boat Rendezvous 2014 Day 2

Saturday morning, after sleeping in a bit late, I fired up the Kelly Kettle while Tim did some writing.  Our Kelly Kettle, by the way, was a big hit.  Just about everyone who saw it was impressed with the speed it could boil water.  Several said they were going to get one for themselves.

There was no reason to hurry because we weren't going anywhere.  This is what the perigee-syzygy  does to shallow Fossil Bay.

 

A -2.8 tide does provide an excellent opportunity to see parts of the island normally hidden from view.  Like Sucia's treacherous reefs for example.

"Boaters should use caution when in the waters around this park. The word "sucia" is Spanish, meaning foul or dirty in a nautical sense. It refers to the numerous rocks and reefs which surround the island. These rocks and reefs have grounded and sunk numerous boats since European explorers first named the island in the 1790s. Boaters should check their charts frequently and pay particular attention to Clements Reef on the north shore of Sucia, as well as the entrances to Ewing Cove, Fox Cove, and Shallow Bay. There is a long reef which extends to the west of Little Sucia Island. Reefs also extend outward from Ev Henry Point, North and South Finger islands, and the Cluster Islands".

A couple years earlier I discovered what remained of one unfortunate boater's yacht, claimed by the reef at the entrance to Fox Cove.  This morning's low tide would be a great opportunity to see if the shipwreck was still there.

As I was about to set out for some shipwreck and fossil exploration, James McMullen appeared, looking for someone interested in going for a hike.  I told him about my plans and he agreed to join me.

We found the rusted, barnacle encrusted remains of the engine block and the boat's windlass right where I remember seeing them years before.  They were straddled one on either side of the reef that obviously sank the boat.  We looked for evidence of exactly where the boat hit the reef but saw no obvious scratches or anything in the reef, but James found some other bits of metal nearby.

From there, we went on to explore the fossils on the southern cliffs of the point.  Every year they look a bit different as the cliffside slowly erodes away, replacing last year's fossils with newly exposed ones.  Fossilized clams are by far the most common.  We didn't see anything else this year, but James discovered an unusually large one.

Later that afternoon, when the tide came in, Tim and I finally had an opportunity to explore Little Sucia Island.  This is a completely undeveloped little island just outside of Fox Cove.  It is surrounded by reefs and swift currents.  There is only one small patch of beach suitable to land a boat. The little bay on the North side looks inviting, but it's a boulder field just below the surface. We anchored at the patch of beach and walked around the island.  The entire shoreline is covered with rocks and there are no trails, no campsites, and no indication that anyone has ever visited the island.  Quite nice, actually!

We returned to our campsite at Fossil Bay.  Tim went for another hike out to Ev Henry point.  As he came around a corner, he startled two bald eagles which took flight only a few feet from him. He said he could hear the wind whistling through their feathers and it scared the crap out of him!  Tim also came across a pile of white feathers, apparently the remains of a seagull eaten by something.  The park ranger we talked to later said it was probably a hawk.

Later that afternoon was Wine and Cheese night, a visit from my fishing buddy Ray, followed by an evening around the campfire with drinks and music.

Good times.

Sucia Small Boat Rendezvous 2014 Day 1

My son Tim and I just got back from one of our favorite annual events - the Sucia Small Boat Rendezvous at Sucia Island State Park.

Like the last two years, we launched at Sandy Point Shores marina. 

The entrance to Sandy Point always makes me a bit apprehensive. The narrow and shallow entrance goes through a blind S-curve, which then opens to a shallow area with a 270 degree exposure to the vast Straight of Georgia.  During an ebb, the tidal current rushes through this S-curve like a river.  At low tide, there is barely enough room for one boat at a time to fit through the entrance.  You have to approach slowly and peek around the corner to see if there are any oncoming boats, then zip through if the coast is clear.

High tide was 8.9ft at 3:18 am
Low tide was -2.4ft at 11:02 am

We launched at 10:00am.  The worst possible time.  Right near the end of a minus tide with a swift outgoing current due to an 11.3' tidal change.

We should be Ok, I figured.  After all, Navigator only draws 6" of water.  In the back of my mind, I wondered if that was still true when fully loaded with two people and a week's worth of camping gear.

As we approached the entrance, I idled the motor, double checked that the centerboard and rudder were fully up, and cautiously peered around the corner as I slowly crept toward the entrance.

The swift current immediately grabbed Ellie and swept us into the narrow channel. I instantly realized that the current was so strong that there would be no turning back. I'd be using the motor to try to stay in the middle of the narrow channel and not much else. I shot a quick glance for oncoming boats, fortunately there were none, thank goodness. The channel looked too narrow for two boats to pass and there was no room to maneuver.  We were going through, no two ways about it.  Along both shorelines we could see about a dozen spectators, waiting to watch the next fool to try and shoot the rapids.  Up ahead the water looked "funny".  Ripply.  What'd that mean?  Shallow?  Must be shallow.  How shallow?  I glanced over the side.  Gravel!  Crunch!

We were aground in the middle of the narrow channel with a swift current all around us.

Ok, now what?  Think.  Tide's going out. We gotta get out of here or we'll be stuck here for hours, or until the next boat comes along and hits us.  Should I get out and push her off?  Probably a real bad idea.  The strong current would most likely rip the boat from my hands.

I looked over the stern.  The prop was still above ground.  "Ok, Tim, we're gonna try and back our way out of this.  Hope it works".

I turned the motor around and gave it half throttle.  Nothing.  Gave it full throttle.  Our mighty 2hp outboard was giving it everything it had, but still nothing.  Still stuck.

"Tim, let's try shifting our weight around".  Ellie slowly started to move, then broke free!  We backed a safe distance away from the gravel bar and took a couple minutes to regain our composure and assess the situation.

Looking more closely at the water, we could see that it was shallow and ripply on the right, but on the left, closer to the opposite shore, it was clearly deeper.  But then it shot directly into a rocky breakwater.  "I think we can make it, Tim.  We'll have to hug the left shore, then quickly zip over to the right at the last second to clear the rocks, then we're home free".  Tim agreed, it looked doable.

So we checked again for oncoming boats, then cranked up the Honda to half throttle (full speed for Ellie) and rocketed through the channel.

Whew.  Made it!  Next time, we vowed, we'll pay closer attention to the tides.




After that ordeal, we were rewarded with many hours of  absolutely perfect sailing conditions.  We saw lots of dolphins.  One surfaced less than 20' from the boat.

We arrived at Sucia and set up camp.  This was our first opportunity to try out my new Anchor Buddy - a Father's Day gift from my daughter Heather.  Thanks, Heather!  It works great.

That's Cameron I'm talking to.  Cameron and his son take a month off every summer and stop by Sucia for the rendezvous.  They sail a beautiful Wayfarer.

Jamie Orr, organizer of the event, always brings along a set of bagpipes, which he uses to greet arrivals, wish them farewell, or summon the group to various get-togethers like wine and cheese night, campfire gatherings, and the around the island race.  Boaters all around the island applaud using their horns.  In this video clip is Bob Ennenberg (Scram Pram "Duck"), Jamie Orr (Chebacco "Wayward Lass"), Paul Miller (Benford Friendship sloop "Friendship") and Dan Rogers (Balboa 16' "Ladybug").  Dan is organizing an 8-day Movable Messabout in Eastern Washington and Idaho that I am looking forward to attending.

Here, Jamie is summoning the group to celebrate the 11th anniversary of this Rendezvous, with a fine bottle of single malt scotch.

There is so much more to write about, but it is getting late.  I will write some more soon.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this most beautiful sunset.

Boarding Straps

I finally got around to adding Boarding Straps to Ellie.  This was long overdue, and I fully admit that sailing around without them for the past 3 years was a serious act of negligence on my part.

Especially considering how easy they were to make, and how well they appear to work.

I made my boarding straps from 1" nylon webbing.  The same stuff that cargo tie-down straps use.  I have a big bag full of tie-down straps, way more than I ever need, so I recycled two of them.

After doing some research, I found that 20" below the waterline is where they work best.  I formed the webbing into a big loop, ran the ends through two holes that I have in bulkheads 5 and 6, and tied the ends together.  That's all there was to it.

I like the bright yellow color of the webbing.  I think it will be easy to see under water and in an emergency.  I will simply bunch the webbing under the side deck.  In the event of a capsize, the webbing will spill out onto the seat tops and should be easy to find.

I added one on each side of the boat.  I tested them in my driveway and was very pleased with how they worked.  It was much easier to get on board the boat than I thought, after only one attempt.  Here's a video.  Try not to laugh.  This is serious business.

While at anchor at Fossil Bay, a friend of mine dove into the water and used them to get back onboard.  He said they worked just fine.

Navigator Capsize and Recovery

I'd like to extend a big Thank You to Paul Rickett, for posting the following YouTube video of the capsize and recovery test of Peter Kovesi's cat-catch rigged Navigator Whimbrel.  The video clearly shows how high Navigator floats on her side, doesn't turn turtle (with floating masts), how easily she is to right, and how she can still be sailed, even when swamped.

And another big Congratulations to Paul for making the cover of Small Craft Advisor magazine  with this magnificent photo of his Navigator Matthew Flinders!  This issue features a great review of  Navigator.  I was honored to provide Ellie as the review boat.  Thanks to everyone who participated in the review.

Pull and be Damned

The Pull and be Damned messabout in Anacortes was fantastic.

I am a member of several small boating clubs.  The Coots, the TSCA, the Pocket Yachters.  They all have a slightly different focus, ranging from inexpensive and experimental boats to honoring authentic traditional craft.  From production trailerable cruisers to homebuilts. From power to sail.

But this weekend was my first opportunity to spend a weekend with the Old Anacortes Rowing and Sailing Society OARSS.  The beauty of their boats and their seamanship skills left me awestruck. From deftly launching their craft by crane, to sailing in reverse to make a perfect mooring at a dock, camp cruising, clothesline anchoring, traveling anywhere and everywhere by sail and oar only.  They even rescued a stranded aircraft once.  With just a glance at the sea, they knew how the tides and currents would swirl around the myriad islands that day.  I had nothing I could offer as I spent the weekend in humble admiration of their seamanship skills.

It was also a weekend of many other firsts for my son Tim and I.  The first first (ugh) was Ellie's launching by crane, deftly done by James McMullen (in the red vest) while I nervously tried to assist and learn anyway I could.

(btw, these are all hi-def videos. Click the [ ] in the lower right corner to make them fullscreen)

Relieved at not making a big splash, I headed over and tied up to Small Boat Dock, where the messabout was to be held.  There was my second first (ugh).  I had to rig Ellie on the water.  It took about twice as long as usual, but was a success.  Fortunately there was flat water and no wind.

One by one the remaining boats arrived.  The messabout officially began at 10:00.  Several boats were available for anyone to borrow.  My third first was testing one of the Gentry skin on frame whitehalls. Here are some videos of the event:

The James led a group aboard Island Star, a 4-oared racing gig.  A replica of the worlds fastest boat in 1824.

After the messabout, most of the group headed over to nearby Saddlebag Island for an overnighter.  I've never been to Saddlebag.  Another first!

And yet another first. While there, I got to try out my new Kelly Kettle.  The Kelly Kettle is a cookstove that uses sticks, twigs, and dried leaves for fuel.  It will boil water and heat food at the same time, very quickly.  It also fries and has a BBQ grill.  I used it twice and love it already.

The next morning, the sail and oarsmen set out early for a circumnavigation of Guemes Island.  Simeon Baldwin, with his SCAMP Noddy and I decided to spend the day sailing together instead.

 

And the end portion of this video is really pretty.

This also gave me an opportunity to fully test my tiller locking device.  It works perfectly.

We spent many thoroughly enjoyable hours sailing side by side in the warm sunshine and gentle breeze.  After a while we took a break and hiked over to my favorite bar and grill, The Rockfish, for lunch. The sail and oar group returned from their circumnavigation so it was time to head back to the crane.  Once again, The James came to my rescue, expertly extracting Ellie safely from the water.  Here is a video of Noddy taking flight.

There are some really nice photos of the event over on the Woodenboat Forum.
A fantastic weekend.  Simply fantastic.

Pull and be Damned Small Boat Messabout

This weekend's messabout is one that I've been looking forward to for quite some time.  I'm really excited.  It's called Pull and be Damned and it will be held at Seafarer's Memorial Park in Anacortes, WA.


Looking over the posts on the Woodenboat forum, it looks like there will be an impressive selection of drop-dead gorgeous sail and oar boats to drool over.  There will be a potluck bar-b-que, and an optional overnight campout on nearby Saddlebag island.

The event is organized by legendary sail and oarsman James McMullen.  I'm looking forward to hearing firsthand about his recent epic capsize off Port Townsend.

Hopefully the weather will hold out because I plan on taking lots of photos and videos!

A New Navigator in Germany

Congratulations to Dietmar Edelmann of Viernheim, Germany, on the sucessful completion of his beautiful new Navigator.

The project took 18 months to complete, which seems to be about the average timeframe for the typical family guy with a day job.

Dietmar built his Navigator in a small, single car garage measuring only 18' x 9' (5.5 x 2.7 meters).  Building a Navigator in a small shop like this has been done many times before, but I still find it remarkable every time I see it.

How'd he do it?  Look closely at Dietmar's building jig and you can see how his clever use of locking casters enable him to roll the project out to his driveway for some relaxing and fulfilling woodworking in the fresh air and sunshine.  And adjust the height of the jig too.

Dietmar purchased his sails and rigging from Duckworks, and he says he found my rigging examples helpful.

Dietmar spends his holidays at Lakes Chiemsee, Bodensee and Ostsee in Germany.  Beautiful sailing destinations to be sure.

Sailing a modern classic like Navigator is but one of this electrical machine builder's notable interests.  When he's not sailing you may find him and his wife enjoying themselves in this Western Cub.

Or you may find him enjoying his other modern classics.  These are his 18th and 19th century replicas of old American rifles.  He builds and shoots them himself.

Well done, Dietmar!  I wish you many, many years of smooth sailing aboard your beautiful new Navigator.

How to build an adjustable tiller lock for a couple bucks

This is my tiller lock.  It is fully adjustable, easy to make, unobtrusive, easily removed and set up, and only costs a few bucks to make.  I'll show you how to make one.

Tiller Locks:

When it comes to tiller locking devices, there's certainly no shortage of them.  Do a Google search for "tiller tamer", or "tiller lock" or something similar, and before you know it you'll have spent your entire day looking at a bewildering assortment of different types, both commercially available and home made.  Don't ask me how I know that.

Tiller locks generally fall into four main categories.

First, you've got your on-off lever action type, like this TillerClutch for example.  These usually have a lever mounted towards the front of the tiller that allows you to alternate between locking the tiller in place, or allowing it to move freely.  It's always locked or unlocked, there's no in-between. 

 

Then there's the Solid Brace type.  These consist of an adjustable rod that goes from the tiller to a box usually mounted on the seat back.  They're designed to be rugged.  The rod doubles as a tiller extender and can be easily detached to unlock the tiller.  The rod's length can be adjusted as needed.

Next, there's the Friction Knob type, like the ever popular Tiller Tamer.  Here, a knob is used to adjust the amount of friction anywhere from very loose to a full lock.

 

Also using adjustable friction technology are a variety of DIY Shock Cord, Rope and Bungee types, like the Huntingford Helm Impeder.  These are usually home-made and can range from a single piece of rope stretched between two cleats, to devices constructed from bungee cords, fairleads, camcleats, various blocks, plastic hooks, elastic straps, neoprene tubing and other stuff.


Of course they all have their pros and cons.  So how do you decide which one to buy or build?

What makes a good tiller lock (in my opinion):

• Adjustability means flexibility.  I favor the devices that allow the friction to be adjusted from completely free tiller movement all the way up to a full lock.  Dialing in just enough friction to hold the tiller in place still allows an occasional nudge to adjust the boat's course.  Full lock is needed when the boat is going in reverse. Like when launching or heaving-to for example.
  
• Don't get in the way.  Most devices have ropes that lead from the front of the tiller to the sides of the boat that block access to outboard motors, block seats, and so on.  This can be a major drawback on a boat with limited space to begin with.
• Quickly disabled and enabled.  I want to be able to quickly and easily disable or remove the device when I'm done using it, or in case of an emergency.
• A DIY solution, inexpensive and easily constructed from readily available parts.
• Strong, reliable, and should not be ugly.

How my tiller lock works:

My tiller lock is a Friction Knob type.  Tightening the knob pulls up on an eye-bolt, pinching a line against a strip of leather with increasing friction. The amount of friction is fully adjustable from very loose to a full lock.  The friction between the rope and leather is smooth, consistent, and the leather will not wear out any time soon. It is not necessary to locate the tiller lock near the front of the tiller on a boat the size of mine, or on any boat with a well balanced helm.  I located mine slightly forward of my aft coaming and ran the line almost straight across. There, the line is not blocking my way at all but still functions perfectly, so long as I keep the line free of slack. Two jam cleats on my coaming allow me to easily tension the line tightly.  I can instantly remove the device by pulling the line off the jam cleats. A leather washer under the knob protects the tiller from damage and its friction prevents the knob from turning on its own.

Materials needed:

To make my tiller lock all you'll need a stainless steel eye-bolt and a few other small items that you can probably find lying around the house or garage.  The eye-bolt I used is a Stanley V2161 that I got from Lowes for $1.28.  You'll also need a small scrap of leather, a couple stainless steel screws, a short piece of rope, and a couple small scraps of wood.  You may also need to purchase a couple small jam cleats.  The knob can be made from a scrap of wood by tapping a threaded hole in it or using a threaded insert, or you can buy a threaded plastic knob at a hardware store for $2.60 like I did.  Or simply use a stainless steel wingnut.

Building the tiller lock:

The lock is very simple and building it should be quite self-explanatory.  Here is a cutaway diagram of how it goes together:

You'll need to drill a 1/4" hole through your tiller for the eye-bolt.

Make the bottom piece from a scrap of wood measuring 2-1/2" long by 1" high by 3/4" thick.  I used white oak.  Cut a 1/4" slot completely through it, long enough for the eye-bolt to fit through, and counter-bore a couple of screw holes in it. Round off the corners.

Cut a strip of leather as wide as the inside diameter of the eye-bolt and long enough to wrap around the wooden piece.  Leather from an old belt works fine.  Insert the eye-bolt, then add the leather strip, holding it in place with glue or a couple brass tacks. Make a leather washer for under the knob. Drill the hole in the leather washer oversized so the eye-bolt can freely move up and down through it.

Attach to your tiller, kick back and relax!

Navigator Setup Times

A while back, someone on the JW Builders forum asked how long it takes to rig a Navigator for sailing after arriving at the boat launch.  Most owners replied that it took between 20 and 30 minutes, but one owner said it only took him 15 minutes.  It takes me about 30 minutes, but if it can be done in 15, I'd really like that!

So I set up a camera to record myself rigging for this morning's sail, hoping I could spot which steps could be done more quickly.

I've only reviewed the video once, but already I see room for improvement.

• I've got a lot of clevis pins that use split rings.  Split rings are a pain and time consuming to attach and remove.
• I didn't realize how long it took to set up my roller furler.  Room for improvement there for sure.
• Too many lashings and bungee cords.  They take a significant amount of time to remove.

If you have any suggestions, please post them below.  Help!

My daughter's wedding

My lovely daughter Heather married our handsome and charming new Son in Law Kevin last September.  I made this video of the wedding that I think you may enjoy.  It was a lighthearted ceremony that was a lot of fun.  I built the wedding arch that they were married under, using my Shopsmith.  Heather and Kevin plan to use this arch in their yard when they buy a home together in the near future.  They were married at the Everett Yacht club, which has a spectacular view of the bay.  In the background is where I daysail Ellie. Directly behind and slightly left of the wedding arch is Hat Island.  Anyway, I hope you enjoy the video.