Information about junk rig

[Michael Rogers]

Hallo Mark

Apologies for being a bit slow to follow up. Good news about your kit. It really is extraordinary how a lot of bits of wood in a large flat box can become a beautiful boat in time and with a lot of (mostly enjoyable) graft. I wish you and your project the very best.

Apart from the irritating way Other Things obtrude on the Important Things of Life, especially boat building, it's a moot point what is the best time of year to start a build. On balance, I reckon probably early to mid spring, when temperatures start to rise a bit and you won't have to pay through the nose for extra heating to get the epoxy to cure. One of the most interesting differences between my first build in 2003-04 and the one in 2011-12 is the firm recommendation to coat everything (ply) with epoxy for starters. It seems to take for ever when you're doing it with no early '3D' progress to show for it, but it is WELL WORTH IT in the long run, and I'm sure makes for a fundamentally better build.

I owe Matt a direct, and you an indirect, apology because I said to him that I would go through my build instructions and notes and point out anything which could be easily improved. And I haven't - sorry! Matt and I both know that the biggest thing was a total lack of mention of the transom and how to build it in (which instructions I obtained by phone, email and intuition - Matt was fortunately in a relatively accessible state at the time): and I am certain that he will have remedied that! All I can say (with complete sincerity) is that if you think I can help with anything, get in touch, I'd love to help if I can.

Michael

[Michael Rogers]

Sorry, me again. I signed off before I had finished, so to speak, being called away on Offspring Taxi Service Duties (relatively intensive at the tail end of the Festive Season), and I have a horror of being timed out while I'm holding forth - yes, Tony has pointed me to a way round that, but it takes me out of my (tiny) IT comfort zone.

First, to thank you, Mark, for the video camera offer up on which I might well take you (I reconstructed that sentence on the well known Winston Churchill principles regarding prepositions, and it reads like garbage).

Secondly, more generally and for those interested in junk rig, just to say, in case it isn't apparent, that most of my rabbitings on this thread have been edited a bit and transferred, with photos (thanks to Graham for doing that bit), as an article to the Library.

Thirdly, it occurred to me to wonder, as I did the previous bit, whether anyone else has done two Swallowboat builds? Or am I unique in this respect? 'Cadenza" (my Storm Petrel), by the way, will be transferred to the very expert care of my nephew Jeremy Leffler, a formidably experienced sailor who has had the misfortune not to own a boat for the last several years: nice to be able to put him out of that misery.

Finally, it wasn't actually contrived thus (you'd better believe me), but with this post I believe I achieve 'hero' status on this forum - ?? What an illustrious group I am joining!!

Michael

[Kerrybobs]

Hi Michael

Congratulations on achieving 'Hero' status I've only about 195 to go!

I've not quite got the kit yet but I dropped my present boat off with Matt to act as agent just before Christmas and my kit, in its box, was sitting in the way of other deliveries so it shouldn't be long.

Matt has told me that he has updated the instructions to include the transom fitting so I'll have a good read then the questions will follow.

In the mean time a couple of points do occur.
Firstly thinking of fitting, the mast at what stage do I depart from the basic build?
And secondly, how long do sails take to be made once ordered?

Happy New Year
Cheers
Mark

[Michael Rogers]

Mark, I assume your queries relate to going for junk rig (how exciting - a third JR Swallowboat!) -

1) I used the lug rig mast position as per the original design, so in a sense there's no deviation from the straight and narrow, and nothing at all radical to do at an early stage. Early impressions are that this mast position has been spot on in terms of things like rig balance. I modified the mast step a bit, nothing major. The other 'mod' related to this was that I made my own 'partners' (the slab of hardwood through which the mast fits at deck level), to allow room for quite a few running lines passing through bushes to below deck level. Best if you come and see before you reach that stage. I used an old mahogany draw front, lovely wood, I've got plenty to spare. NB I'm not saying that what I did is necessarily definitive or the best way!

2) If you're going to Chris Scanes for a sail, the answer to your query is that it depends on the time of year, and you'd need to ask him. I know he's VERY busy through the summer season - among other things he is the class sailmaker for the Devon Yawl fleet on the S Devon/Dorset coast. For the Trouper sail he did for me, I presented him with my ideas (which he approved after I incorporated a few changes he suggested) during the mid-winter of 2010-11. He said, 'I'm going to do this now (that was Feb) while it's quiet', and it was ready in 3 weeks! For various reasons it was then another 15 months before I could make use of it! I suggest you talk to him ("Sails and Canvas"), and come and see mine before you commit yourself.

One thing occurs to me - I'm going to have difficulty remembering some of the things I did - I usually thought about it (often at length) and then sort-of just did it!

Cheers     Michael

[Tony]

Hi, Michael.
You said....

"......it occurred to me to wonder ..... whether anyone else has done two Swallowboat builds? Or am I unique in this respect?"

I know that Steve Jones has built at least two; a Storm 17 and a BR 17 with water ballast, "Nona Me" which he has registered for Semaine du Golfe 2013. (I not sure if he can actually get away, though. Hope so as I owe him a pint.....or was it the other way around, Steve?)
I believe that his S17(originally called "Nona Me", too)  has been sold and re-named. Cant remember where I read about that so cannot check. When I last saw this boat, at Milford Haven, Steve had included a number of his own modifications to the rig and build, some of which can be found on this Forum.

Would you agree that there are three reasons for serial boat building:-
1.  As a living.
2.  Because you love sailing and want to get your "ideal" boat with minimum financial outlay.
3.  Because you love building the things as much as (if not more than) sailing them.

[Michael Rogers]

Believe it or not, Tony, I do not hanker after unique status (further than preferring a bit of elbow room to be what I call individualistic and my neared-and-dearest identify as eccentric), and am pleased to read that we double-builders are at least two in number. Any more? - plenty of room.

Your three reasons for serial boat building, with variations, cover most motivations, I think. (Incidentally, the sort of subject to discuss over those pints of decent ale which you and I are going to have sometime.) Number one is obvious. Number three is a situation which I know has crept up on, or occasionally overwhelmed, some people once the first build has been completed. Building has firmly remained a means to an end (sailing - sailing - sailing) for me personally. Number two is the interesting one. My first boat is lovely, but became less and less 'ideal' as it dawned even on me (from behind the wrinkles) that I was getting older and less able/inclined to throw myself (or my crew when I have one) repeatedly across the daggerboard case of an exhilaratingly tippy small boat in order to keep her upright. My Trouper is ideal in this respect because 1) she is so stable, 2) the daggerboard case is way forward and out of the way, leaving a wondrously uncluttered cockpit: I don't know enough about CEs and CLRs to know how Matt achieved this, but it's brilliant (and no, I am not fighting fierce weather helm all the time in consequence).

The other aspect of reason no 2, the icing on the cake which those who have never actually built can only be wistful about, is the very, very, very special satisfaction of sailing a self-built boat - beyond words it is, so (you will be relieved to know) I won't even try. But it's a feeling I shall take with me as I sail into the sunset.......(paper hankies gratis, and it is not un-manly to sniffle a little)

Michael