Daysailer by G.L. - FINISHED - scale 1/10 - SMALL - gaff-rigged sailboat with centerboard

[G.L.]

On 1/16/2020 at 10:27 PM, michael mott said:

Geert

"The only thing that I can mention to my defense is that the boat is not designed to sail on open sea, but in sheltered waters like on a river or on a lake and probably only in nice weather. In such conditions the force on the gaff will not be so heavy."

Thanks for your explanation of why you made it the way you did.

 

The actual physics of the arrangement in the drawing would still put a much greater strain on the Gaff regardless of the weather conditions. Please I hope you don't misunderstand my intention It is my opinion the whoever drew that arrangement likely was not a seasoned sailor. That does not detract from the superb model that you have built.

 

Michael

 

Michael,

 

This morning, I went through my library to watch to other drawings of open gaff sail boats. You are definitely right: The bridle has to be spread a lot wider. The rig plan as drawn by Mr Van Beylen is not good. There is no need to consult other experts, I will change the gaff in the way you suggest.

Thanks a lot for your advise.

[michael mott]

Geert, I am happy that I was helpful.

 

Michael

[G.L.]

On 1/19/2020 at 7:07 PM, vaddoc said:

Well, the peak halyard indeed does look a bit odd. Two ways of looking at it. Either you follow exactly what the designer had in mind, or you change the rigging to suit your needs. After all it is your boat and in real life I think during the initial fitting and much more during the life of the boat, many changes take place. I d say rig it as you like! 

 

I was looking again at your photos, I think the vividly grained wood works incredibly well at this scale! The boat is alive, the more boring woods like pear and boxwood would not achieve this I think. Lovely!

 

On 1/20/2020 at 6:42 AM, mtaylor said:

A little spray starch and an iron and the sail will be shipshape. 

 

On 1/19/2020 at 10:49 PM, Moab said:

Looking good!...Moab

Much thanks for your reactions, Vaddoc, Mark and Moab

[G.L.]

This week I started with modifying the gaff accordingly to the expert advice of Michael.

Then I continue the work at the fore sail. Before starting to sew the main sail, I want to finish the fore sail. It will take a while because here are new skills that I yet have to learn.
Around the sail a bolt rope has to be sewn. In the corners are thimbles. I think that I have seen the method to make them in the log of the Jaciente of Aviamator. I use electrical end sleeves from which I remove the plastic part and saw them in small sheaves of about 3mm each.

 

 

 

Then I open the edges a bit with the help of a punch.

And finally I weather the thimbles by soaking them a while in oxidant.

Now it is again sewing work, this time not with the machine, but by hand. The thimble goes in the bolt rope at the clew. and the rest is sewing along the jib leach.

That is where I am at this moment.

 

Thank you to follow

Thank you for the likes

Thank you for your constructive comments

 

Till next week

Edited January 25, 2020 by G.L.

[Bedford]

Looking good there my friend, I'm probably going to do sails for my dinghy too but fortunately my sails don't have a bolt rope to worry about.

 

I think the new position of the gaff span is much better, if you look at the pic of my full sized boat you can see where the span is and how it relates to the mast, gaff and halyard. I should have posted this earlier in the conversation.

 

[michael mott]

Nice proportions Steve, I like the way the gaff lines up with the forestay, It really shows the benefit of the gaff rigs versatility.

Michael

 

 

[G.L.]

On 1/25/2020 at 12:46 PM, Bedford said:

Looking good there my friend, I'm probably going to do sails for my dinghy too but fortunately my sails don't have a bolt rope to worry about.

 

I think the new position of the gaff span is much better, if you look at the pic of my full sized boat you can see where the span is and how it relates to the mast, gaff and halyard. I should have posted this earlier in the conversation.

 

Steve, Your boat is a beauty. It must be a real pleasure to sail her. 

[G.L.]

On 1/25/2020 at 5:36 PM, michael mott said:

Nice proportions Steve, I like the way the gaff lines up with the forestay, It really shows the benefit of the gaff rigs versatility.

Michael

 

 

Seeing this picture of the Caroline. I am happy that I changed the gaff rigging thanks to your advise, Michael.

[Bedford]

I haven't sailed her enough but when I do she's an absolute joy!

[G.L.]

This week I continued to work at the jib. Sewing the jib leach is very time consuming, it took most of the time this week.

Pressing the needle through the 'canvas' goes very well but when it has to pass through the leach I have to use sometimes the pliers.

Finally the whole jib is fit with the leach.

The jib has one reef level. A thimble has to be inserted at the luff and at the leech side. I us a thick needle as a spike to make a hole for it. The I widen the hole with a pricker.

 

In the hole comes a thimble.

And the job is finished with sewing a thread in and out around the thimble.

 

To make the reef points, I start with applying a bit of textile glue on the spots where the points have to come to prevent the canvas of fraying out.

Then I prick the holes with a thick needle.

 

The reef lines are passed through the holes and fixed with a knot at each side of the sail.

Now I hold the lines straight and soak them with a bit textile glue to hold them straight and prevent them of unraveling and cut the lines to equal length.

 

This is where I am now, next week I will try to hoist the jib. My sailboat will then finally be 'under sail'.

 

Thank you to follow

Thank you for the likes

Thank you for your constructive comments

 

Till next week

[michael mott]

A very nice looking sail Geert.

 

Michael

[Jim Lad]

A beautifully constructed sail, Geert.

 

John

[FriedClams]

Beautiful job on the sail G.L.

On 2/1/2020 at 2:52 AM, G.L. said:

Sewing the jib leach is very time consuming, it took most of the time this week

Looks like time well spent - it turned out great.

 

I like your method of producing the thimbles. Very authentic looking.

 

Gary

[druxey]

Very neat needlework, Geert!

[G.L.]

On 2/1/2020 at 8:32 PM, michael mott said:

A very nice looking sail Geert.

 

Michael

 

On 2/1/2020 at 8:42 PM, Jim Lad said:

A beautifully constructed sail, Geert.

 

John

 

On 2/3/2020 at 12:03 AM, FriedClams said:

Beautiful job on the sail G.L.

Looks like time well spent - it turned out great.

 

I like your method of producing the thimbles. Very authentic looking.

 

Gary

 

On 2/3/2020 at 1:23 AM, druxey said:

Very neat needlework, Geert!

Thank you very much for your comments, my friends.

In fact every thing that I apply in making the sails, I learned it from you by reading all your logs on this forum and also from my wife who accompanies me in the working with the sewing machine.

[G.L.]

The jib will be attached to the fore stay by jib hanks. To make the hanks, I make a simple jig with one 3mm nail and two 1mm nails.

Making the hanks is just turning a copper wire around the nails and cut it at both ends.

 

In no time I have more than enough jib hanks and I can start to sew them on the sail. They are sewn first at one side of the sail ...

 

... then, at the other side (that takes a bit more time).

Here the sail is completely done and ready to be rigged and hoisted.

At least my boat is under sail. Next week I can start with the main sail.

 

 

[G.L.]

Making the mail sail starts just like the jib with drawing the shape on the canvas (in this case poplin coton). I add 4mm at each side to make a border hem.

Before cutting, I brush some textile glue over the borders to prevent them of fraying out.

The sail is cut with a border of 4mm at each side.

I start to stitch parallel lines to show the different lanes of the sail. I use the small sewing machine on which my wife learned machine sewing some thirty years ago. Now she has another machine which is much to complicate for me to use.

 

 

After the lanes are stitched, I pin the edges of the sail.

Then they can be stitched as well.

The main sail is stitched.

I sew now the reefing cringles with a thimble in them. The main sail has two reefing levels.

The four cringles are done, now it is time to sew the leach around the whole sail.

 

Thank you for the likes

Thank you to follow

 

Till next week!

[KeithAug]

11 hours ago, G.L. said:

After the lanes are stitched, I pin the edges of the sail.

You missed you vocation Geert, you should have been a seamstress. Beautifully neat sail making.

[G.L.]

On 2/15/2020 at 7:54 PM, KeithAug said:

You missed you vocation Geert, you should have been a seamstress. Beautifully neat sail making.

Thank you Keith. But I am sure that I had a lot more fun in the Navy than I would been having in a sewing workshop.

[G.L.]

For the moment I am continuing the sewing of the sails. Reporting each week how many cm of the leach is sewed or how many  thimbles are sewed in the sail during the last week would be boring, because it has been showed already when making the jib. Therefore while continuing to finish the main sail, I will make some posts of the making of some pieces of the boat inventory which are already made during the last months and didn't found a place in this log yet.

 

14. The boat inventory

14.1 The oars.

This boat can not only be used as a sail boat but also as a double row rowing boat with 6 oarsmen and a coxwain. Normally it should have 6 oars. I present the vessel as a sailing boat. Laying 6 oars in the boat would be obstructive for the sailing crew so I will limit to two oars.
To make the oars, I start with gluing the rough shapes of them, using two sticks of maple wood which will become the shafts. The blades are made of gluing two strips of walnut at each side of the shaft and another two pieces of maple at the outside.

 

Shaping the shafts: first I scrape them to an octagonal shape, afterwards I sand them round, just like I would make a spar.

Before shaping the blades, I saw them straight at the end and glue a piece of walnut in place.

The shaping of the blades is mainly done by sanding them.

 

 

The handles are turned out on the lathe.

The two oars are shaped and can be varnished.

 

My oars need a collar to prevent them from wear and tear by the oarlocks. Unfortunately I made my oars before Steve (Bedford) made the oars for his 'Miss Caroline'. I made a collar with a tackle of rope. A leather collar like Steve's would be better. I will not change it any more, that would be too plagiatic.
Making the tackles:

 

 

 

To finish them, I stain them dark.

The oars:

Edited February 22, 2020 by G.L.

[G.L.]

14.2 The anchor

The inventory contains also a small brass anchor.

 

 

Thank you for the likes

Thank you to follow

Thank you for the constructive comments.

 

Till next week!

[Bedford]

Love the oars Geert, I wouldn't have minded if you copied the leathering, that's what the site is about. Learning from each other, getting ideas from each other etc. 

Having said that, I do like the darkened rope on your oars.

[mcpwilk]

Beautiful work on both the hull, the rigging and sails. Surely the anchor rope should be attached with an anchor bend and whipping (https://www.netknots.com/rope_knots/anchor-bend) or a splice?

 

Mike

[BobG]

I have just begun to look over your build log. Lovely boat and superb craftsmanship!

 

Bob

[G.L.]

On 2/22/2020 at 12:48 PM, Bedford said:

Love the oars Geert, I wouldn't have minded if you copied the leathering, that's what the site is about. Learning from each other, getting ideas from each other etc. 

Having said that, I do like the darkened rope on your oars.

 

On 2/24/2020 at 12:19 AM, BobG said:

I have just begun to look over your build log. Lovely boat and superb craftsmanship!

 

Bob

Steve and Bob,

Thanks for your kind remarks.

[G.L.]

On 2/22/2020 at 1:15 PM, mcpwilk said:

Beautiful work on both the hull, the rigging and sails. Surely the anchor rope should be attached with an anchor bend and whipping (https://www.netknots.com/rope_knots/anchor-bend) or a splice?

 

Mike

Mike, you are right. I used a spliced eye out of ignorance. Thank you very much to inform me about the anchor bend; yesterday I rectified my poor seamanship and gave my anchor an anchor bend.

 

[Mark Pearse]

Hello Geert

 

I have just seen this log - what a beauty, & the way you have built the model is just great. Especially well done on the sails.

 

Is that the sort of anchor commonly used there?

 

Mark

 

PS: The gaff bridle discussion was very interesting. I think the arrangement as drawn would put too much compression on the spar. Gaff spars can bend under load & some of that is fine, but if you have some bend plus compression it would break much more easily than if the compression wasn't there. I think the change suggested would solve it.

Edited February 27, 2020 by Mark Pearse

[Moab]

Wow, Wow, Wow! If I could meke oars like yours I'd become a professional Oar maker and market my services. Just beautiful. Adding the walnut is spectacular and the tackle rope is beautiful. I keep learning what REAL CRAFTSMANSHIP is all about...Moab

[G.L.]

23 hours ago, Mark Pearse said:

Hello Geert

 

I have just seen this log - what a beauty, & the way you have built the model is just great. Especially well done on the sails.

 

Is that the sort of anchor commonly used there?

 

Mark

 

PS: The gaff bridle discussion was very interesting. I think the arrangement as drawn would put too much compression on the spar. Gaff spars can bend under load & some of that is fine, but if you have some bend plus compression it would break much more easily than if the compression wasn't there. I think the change suggested would solve it.

Thanks for your kind words, Mark.

A boat's grapnel is often used in small boats to go at anchor for a short while. But in most cases it are grapnels with folding arms which can be stowed away easily on board. My choice for that sort of anchor is inspired by the fact that I am not such an experienced metal worker and I found a very easy build description for it in the book 'To Build a Whaleboat' by Erik A.R. Roonnberg.

[G.L.]

15 hours ago, Moab said:

Wow, Wow, Wow! If I could meke oars like yours I'd become a professional Oar maker and market my services. Just beautiful. Adding the walnut is spectacular and the tackle rope is beautiful. I keep learning what REAL CRAFTSMANSHIP is all about...Moab

Thanks Moab!

A little while ago I received the suggestion in this forum to become seamstress, now you want me to become oar maker. I think that I prefer to remain 'pensionado'⛱️. Gives me more time for non-profit modeling.