Gdnuff's Mast

The plans for the Spindrift call for an aluminum mast. I have always liked the wooden mast and have made them for the other boats I have built. However, I decided to use an aluminum mast this time. On the B&B Yacht website, one can purchase a mast kit. This kit includes the three piece mast and starboard plugs for both ends. I took the easy way out and purchased the kit along with the mast step. Yes, instead of making the mast step... I bought their beautifully machined step. 

I have added to my tools collection. That was kind of an expensive hole, but if I ever need another 2 inch hole cut... I have the tool to do it.

My brother got real excited when I told him I bought a table saw. Because I will store it at his house.

SHE HAS A NAME

Every time I've worked on this boat, I heard myself say, "That's good enough." So, that's her name now... Gdnuff.

All the seams have fiberglass tape on the inside. Gunwales are on, and the temporary bulkhead is out. This week, I'll be working on the centerboard trunk, and shopping for aluminum for the mast.

3D

My Spindrift went 3D this weekend. It feels good! I do have to say, the plans are not as easy as my previous builds. I am confident this is not for a newbie in the boat building world. My son was my extra pair of hands. He was a big help with the unfolding and getting that forward bulkhead in place. I think I may have cut that bulkhead wrong, but I made it work.

The cradle where she will live for a little bit.

With both sides and both bottoms stacked, you are able to have both side exactly the same.

This seemed backwards to me. Glass the sides to the bottoms for the first 8 inches, wire the bow and two bottom pieces together, and then open her up and work your way back wiring the sides to the bottom. It was very difficult getting that forward bulkhead in place.

Clamping the longitudinal bulkheads together, I was able to make sure they were the same for the seat.

And there she is. I do like her shape. All my other boats have had flat bottoms, so I'm sure this will sail a little different than I'm used to. But, I just had to share my progress! Yay!

LET THE BUILDING BEGIN

Since I sold my Mayfly, I am now ready to start another boat. I did a lot of looking around, and decided the Spindrift was the perfect boat for my needs. The plans arrived and I have started making sawdust again. There are a lot of firsts for me with this boat. Spindrift is a stitch and glue, has a centerboard instead of a swing leeboard, and the sail is not a balanced lug.

All of the pieces have been cut out and, the bottom and side pieces have a couple coats of epoxy. If my plan works out right, she will be 3D this weekend. There will be another post with pictures when that happens.

HAPPY DAY

As the saying goes, the two happiest days of a boater's life are the day they buy a boat and the day they sell it. Today was one of those days. Idris is on her way to Arizona. She will be happy with Scot, and hopefully join the Texas 200 group one summer.

I know she will get more time in the water with Scot, than I could in West Texas. She found a good home.

When the weather warms up, I will figure a plan to get out on the water. I'm thinking maybe start with a kayak, then think about building a small sailboat... Spindrift!

FOR SALE: MAYFLY 16

Since moving from "saltwater at the end of my block" to a dry and dusty West Texas, I have decided to sell my Mayfly 16. The water in our area, is not great for sailing and I know I will not drive the hours it would take to get to better water. She's a great boat, splashed in 2016, per Michalak's plan. I made white vinyl cushions for a comfortable ride. She has a Sunbrella cover to keep rain and dirt out when stored, 2016 2.5 hp Tohatsu outboard, tan 100 sq ft 6 oz polytarp balance lug sail (building it now), 10 lb anchor, dock lines, fenders and a trailer. The trailer has new leaf springs, bearings replace 2000 miles ago and repacked a couple weeks ago.

Lezlie without a boat? Of course not silly, I plan to build a Spindrift 10. 

If interested, or just have questions, shoot me an email. If you are seriously interested, make me an offer.

lezliehenson@gmail.com

LEZLIE'S BIG ADVENTURE: DAY 8 & 9

"If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all."

There was a heavy fog Sunday morning. I thought it best to wait until it lifted to pull out on the road. About 8:30 I said my goodbyes and continued my trip to Lubbock, Texas. The miles and hours past without incident. Just when I thought it would be smooth sailing the last four hours, I saw smoke bellowing from my right trailer tire. I pulled to the side of the road and got out to see what kind of damage I had. The fender was only about 1/2 inch from the top of the tire. A little of the tread was worn, but I couldn't immediately tell why. I creeped down the shoulder with my flashers on trying to reach the exit to the truck stop. When I was able to look closer, I could see the spring was not springing, and it appeared that the axel was not centered because the fender/tire location was not the same for both tires. It's 4:00 pm on a Sunday. What do I do? I call my brother. It was too late to do anything that day, so I spent the night in Cisco, TX.

Hanging over the red line.

DAY 9
Monday morning, the sun rose and it was beautiful.

My brother borrowed a trailer and headed to Cisco. He and a friend of his, got there about 3:00 Monday afternoon. The trailer he brought, was not quite wide enough to hold the boat and trailer. Plan B... do some Southern engineering to get it road worthy.
First we tried wood blocks to raise the frame, but my C clamps were not quite big enough. In the dumpster was a metal fence post. It was the perfect size to hold that shackle in the right position. We didn't have wire, but I had zip ties. Zip ties it is! That took care of the wheel on the right side, but the fender on the other side was too close to the tire and would rub if we hit a bump in the road. My brother pulled out a jack stand and used the saddle to elevate the left frame, providing more room between the fender and tire.

We filled our gas tanks and headed to Lubbock. When I was 38 miles from Lubbock, I looked at my gas gauge and it registered 1/4 full. I thought that would be plenty to get me there. Well, it did. However, the next morning when I was moving the boat into the drive, the Ford died and would not start. Turns out, my gas gauge isn't working right. I best not let it get below 1/4 tank full. But, I am here with all my stuff, and I am not going on any road trips for a long time!