Launched: Swifty 13

[WindHawk]

I've been playing around with the digital camera photo's for days, and have only been able to make this one work. 18 pictures, and they all look good, thanks to a fellow forumite (Milo). Oh, well. This one says it all...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/WindHawk/launch8b.jpg

[skuthorp]

:D :D Congratulations!

[MJC]

You were lookin' good out there.

So, when do you hoist the jib and the mizzen?

How'd you do in the gusts?

[ken mcclure]

:cool:

[WindHawk]

We went again on Tuesday, but the wind was way too big for anything other than the mainsail. Someday soon we'll put them all up. Yesterday, was my son's last day in sailing school, so he's wanting to hoist them all as well. Turns out, he's a fine sailor. What a relief, I can sit back & relax while he does all the work!

Thanks again, Milo. The pictures are great, even if I can't get them to post!

[WindHawk]

Oh, by the way Milo, she sails great. I think it must've hit 25 on Sunday in the middle of the lake. "When in doubt, let it out." Didn't work. I had to let her fly, and then turn upwind. She gets your attention when she wants to heel with no sail. Upwind, in that kinda' blow, she's as gentle as a lamb. Gotta' get me a bigger wind, for testing purposes.

[WindHawk]

A little bit of work, and another pic works. They limit you to 150K, but all of the pictures are over 1MB.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/WindHawk/launch6a.jpg

[FG]

Congrats, but you did not tell us when you would be on Lake Lansing. Will you be out sat.?

[TomHaven12]

Congratulations Windhawk! Didn't know there were so many fellow Michiganders here. How about making your next boat a Haven 12 1/2? www.havenbuilders.com (http://www.havenbuilders.com)

[WindHawk]

Saturday is the sailboat show in Michigan City. I've got the Hunter folks mad at me with another thread about water ballast, and they say I can go for a ride on the 240. I'm up for that, and I was probably a bit hasty in my judgement on water ballasted boats. There're not wood, but not many are any more. Weekend after next would be fun.

Now, this Haven 12.5, isn't that a modification of an H12.5? One of the prettiest boats ever made. Next year needs a project too!

[WindHawk]

Hey, I think I'm starting to "get" this photobucket stuff. Here's one more. By the way, I'm a Hemmingway fan, and I've heard just about enough "Old Man and the Sea" comments today ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/WindHawk/launch4.jpg

[Bob Ketterling]

Great looking boat! It looks like a blast to sail. Tell us who designed it and give the spec if you don't mind.

[WindHawk]

She's hull #001, designed & built by Fred Shell as the prototype for his Swifty 13 line of boats. (13' LOA minus the bowsprit, 5'3" beam, 90 sq feet of sail when all three are flying, but I've yet to get them all flying due to too much wind!). She's very solid; having a boat built by an expert for his own use is interesting. Not that I think Fred would ever do you wrong, but you can see that he made this one "right". Roughly, $165 for the plans, 2.5K for the pre-cut pieces, and 4.7K fot a finished boat. I would just love the chance to put the finish on a new one, although, I did take her hull & deck down to bare wood (owner after Fred was a bit lax in maintainence). My winter is booked... the cockpit needs to be redone as well.

[FG]

Won't be around labor day weekend. Maybe we need to get a Mid Michigan get together set up. Could not make the last one as I was shoeing my canoe in the Quiet Water Symposium. How about the 11th or 25th of Sept.?