Little Egret: an Egret-style day sailer

[johnno]

At least the plugs look like something I might accomplish.

John, believe me, if I can do any of this, anyone can! That table saw was a godsend today though. It did in 10 minutes what would have taken me a whole day to achieve previously, or more to the point, what would have probably have stopped me in my tracks, and I would have got someone to make it for me. I know millions of wood workers and old builders know all this stuff, and it's a bit trivial to them, but to me every day is a revelation. Never had more fun in my life!

[WX]

Duncan's good value, he had us all in stitches by the end of my glue up.
I wish my mast only weighed the same as yours.

[johnno]

Success I think. Got up early to get my head organised (means three cups of coffee), cut the little stress-relieving notch in the plug, and checked for fit...



Then the neighbour arrived, and we laid out the staves and gave three sides of each, plus the plug, a good coat of straight epoxy. Of course the sun decided to shine really brightly just to speed up the epoxy...not a cloud in the sky today. Could have been worse, rain would have cancelled the event, as it's all too close to the edge of the roof above to keep things dry.

Took four mixes (two pumps per mix) to coat the staves. Then mix up the thickened epoxy and on she went...again took four mixes to get the
v' notches nicely lathered up with epoxy. First five staves went in easily, and you can see on the pics the number of pencil clues and markings I put on everything to keep the assembly order correct.

Then a bit extra goop down at the base and drop in the plug. I also marked on the base of the plug the direction of the 'V' cut in the plug so I can have it symmetrically in the mast when I make the hole in the mast for the sheave later on. Once it was glued up I wouldn't have a clue which way it faced otherwise.

Last three staves went on and then a quick clamp up with the cable ties and she looked sweet. I cleaned it up a bit. I have two very minor wanders of the jigsaw (maybe 1/2mm wide for maybe 100mm length) which easily filled with squeeze out. Whole exercise was done and dusted in forty minutes from when the neighbour arrived.

Seems to now look like everyone else's bird's mouth mast, and this write up looks much the same as theirs too. Hope it's of use to someone doing the same one day.

I think I'll have a break (and give the neighbour a break too) and finish up this mast first before I glue up the second one.

All I can say for now is 'whew'. Let's hope she's straight.

[PeterSibley]

Excellent John!! As usual, outstanding competence !

[Duncan Gibbs]

Well done! Textbook perfick!

Looking forward to seeing the ship next week.

[WX]

The mysteries of birdsmouth construction turn out to be not so mysterious after all eh Johnno?
I think I have already used the expression but I'll use it again...nice job.

[Larks]

Wonderful job John, I was thinking of you this morning and have been wondering for most of the day if you got it done. I thought with such a superlative day you might have decided to postpone it and go fishing!!! No one could have blamed you if you did.

[johnno]

Thanks all. In the spirit of WX, I've decided to forgo my habitual rum, and partake of a whisky in celebration. However, I have discovered a gift in the cellar of a bottle of Labrot and Graham's Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (with the 'e'), and I must say it's quite delightful. My North American friends might be able to tell me if it has a good reputation there or not.....

[P-man]

Thanks all. In the spirit of WX, I've decided to forgo my habitual rum, and partake of a whisky in celebration. However, I have discovered a gift in the cellar of a bottle of Labrot and Graham's Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (with the 'e'), and I must say it's quite delightful. My North American friends might be able to tell me if it has a good reputation there or not.....

Woodford Reserve is excellent. One of my favorite bourbons. You might want to check out Maker's Mark also.

[johnno]

That's good news, I just might have to have another to prove my first impressions were correct.

[timo4352]

Have one for me.
Nice job John.
Tim

[WX]

Thanks all. In the spirit of WX, I've decided to forgo my habitual rum, and partake of a whisky in celebration. However, I have discovered a gift in the cellar of a bottle of Labrot and Graham's Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (with the 'e'), and I must say it's quite delightful. My North American friends might be able to tell me if it has a good reputation there or not.....

Am I setting a standard here?

[RFNK]

Well done John!

Rick

[Oldad]

I am always a bit redundant but I'll say it anyway, well done John
Oldad wishing he needed a birdsmouth mast

[Oyster]

very nice johnno,
classy boat, fine workmanship. if i was glueing up that mast, i'd need a air chisel to get the ty-wraps off and the deck would be waterproof
royce

[johnno]

Thanks Royce, would you like to come over here and make some copper bits and pieces for me now that you've finished...almost!

Today's pics are really just to try to keep the documentation more or less complete. The cable ties came off, then about 25 passes with the hand plane to take off each corner, so whoever made the comment about the long distance walks up and down the deck was right. About a kilometre walk to take them off in other words. Epoxying it up seemed to add about 2lbs to the weight of the mast. I bet that'll come off again when I plane it down and then go back on again when I paint and varnish it.

Morning sun, time to start planing....


Afternoon sun, more or less finished planing....


weight okay....

[Oyster]

heck yea, can you wait till november?
royce

[johnno]

A little bit of work on the centreboard pin. I sanded off the paint and over the last few days I've gradually built up the epoxy layers in the hole and the immediate area around it. The pin is a loose fit and not under much stress, and it doesn't turn because it's also a loose fit in that epoxy grommet I made for the cb, but it will rattle a lot I'm sure with the vibrations of the centreboard, so I want plenty of epoxy there to last between maintenance sessions. I made up two little caps out of plywood, and will seal the cap to with two screws and a sandwich of Selleys weatherboard no-more-gaps as recommended by Ross. I'm thinking of painting the entire interior white as well at the moment, but no rush. I'm also wondering whether I shouldn't have painted the bottom red...maybe next year...

[PeterSibley]

Something I like more than the No More Gaps John is windscreen sealant, it's black (unfortunately ) but never hardens in the centre although the surface skins over. Autoparts store stock it.

[P.L.Lenihan]

John, just had a delightful bit of catching up over four pages worth of exquiste craftmanship. I wish I had a camera as good as yours! Just to let you know I am paying attention(I think), will you be putting any chafe guards over the tops of your aft toe rails where those two lovely cleats are?

Continued success along the final stretch!



Cheers!


Peter




P.S., the pizza was delicious!

[johnno]

Peter, many thanks! I'm umming and ahhhrrring over the cleats right now. First they were bronze (then couldn't afford them), then they were stainless, rubbed a bit matte, and now I'm wondering if I shouldn't make them out of wood. Given the way I intend to use the boat, I will hardly ever raft up or tie up anywhere, but things change. I don't know why I allowed for fairleads up forward and then left them off aft..just not paying attention is probably the right answer. Those aft toe rails are short though, so perhaps they would have looked a bit odd if halved in size to allow for a fairlead. So yes, I should consider a chafe guard, or some sleeve on the mooring line...what are your thoughts?

[PeterSibley]

The cleats would be good in wood, I think it would suit your build, painted finish unless you want oiled ?

Fairleads ? I think you need to just stand there and imagine mooring and think about the runs.

[P.L.Lenihan]

I should consider a chafe guard, or some sleeve on the mooring line...what are your thoughts?

Thoughts? Only tie up to wharves,boats bigger than yours and never anchor by the stern! However, as you see this boat being used perhaps in a light, more gentlemanly fashion, how about just two short lengths of S/S half round over the tops of your toe rails? I've all sorts of shorts lengths remaining from my build and could mail you down two lengths if this appeals to you. I would just need to know the width of your toe rail, at the top, where the half round would sit, and the length of those aft toe rails. Wooden cleats would be nice and use up lots of wonderful time building, which in turn can be soothed over with the right beverage close at hand, so it is not all that bad.

Why no chocks aft?




Cheers!


Peter

[johnno]

Peter, I think you have inadvertently supplied me with the answer!

In contemplating your very generous offer to mail down some half round section, I was pondering the fact that my toe rails have a flat top, perhaps 10mm wide, pencil rounds on both edges, and then the inboard face slopes down and out, whilst the outboard face is vertical. A half round would therefore not fit over such a section, but an 8-9mm flat screwed atop the toe rail would work smashingly! I'm no metal fabricator but I think even my impoverished skill set could take that on.

A lot of building time for wood cleats you say? Ah, then again you have inadvertently answered that question as well. I'm busting to get sailing within 6 months of starting the build, so I shall install the SS cleats I've already purchased, soothe myself with the right beverage whilst afloat, and make the wooden cleats over the coming 12 months when I should otherwise be suffering withdrawal symptoms whilst reading of everyone else's builds here. Indeed, more beverage could be involved.

And I could make the change from SS blocks to wooden blocks in the same way!

Merci buccups monsieur for your clever insights, forsights, and reminders of potential impending disasters which might otherwise bring me unstuck!

[Larks]

John, I have at least one (possibly two) wooden cleat(s) here that you are welcome to, even if just to see what one might look like and/or use it as a model for others. I hope to see Duncan for a coffee on his way up your way on Wednesday so I'll try to remember to send it up with him if it's of any interest.

[johnno]

Terrific. Thanks Greg, much appreciated!

[P.L.Lenihan]

I prepensely planned every word John, is such a fashion as to allow your own genius to instantly grasp the essence and run with it. Reading your reply, I find myself inadvertently pleased beyond merit and in need of medicine to stem the rising glee. I hope to have my first dose in about four hours time once back to my own needy boat.

You are an inspiration to many!


Cheers!


Peter

[PeterSibley]

John, I have at least one (possibly two) wooden cleat(s) here that you are welcome to, even if just to see what one might look like and/or use it as a model for others. I hope to see Duncan for a coffee on his way up your way on Wednesday so I'll try to remember to send it up with him if it's of any interest.

Greg, could you post a photo of the cleat ?

[Larks]

Greg, could you post a photo of the cleat ?

Will do.

[johnno]

No need for pics today...glued up the mizzen..pics look the same, just downsize 10% I'll let it sit for 48 hours and then do the deck march again with the hand plane. Then I have to get them both round....forum general consensus. Couldn't post here again until I can prove it's been done with pics...I know.

Two days of paid work coming up, then I can get back to it. Bought the timber for the booms today...nothing in the size I wanted but I can rip it down now with my new table saw.

[Larks]

Here's that cleat John, a bit older looking than I remembered it, unless you want to use it to add age and character to the boat, it'd probably be most useful for copying new ones from:

[johnno]

Looks great for a pattern Greg, if Dunc could bring it up. Do you know what timber is it made from?

[Larks]

I think this one is teak.

[PeterSibley]

What local timber would you use Greg ?

[Larks]

What local timber would you use Greg ?

That's a question I would have asked you Peter. How about white mahogany?

[PeterSibley]

Most of the eucalypts have a tendency to crack Greg, with a coat of paint or very durable varnish ...yes. But something oily like crows ash, northern silky oak, rosewood? cudgerie (flindersia australis) would be good too but crows ash might be the best of the easily availavle materials.

to conclude.... anything with a good coat of paint.

[johnno]

Well, I can't paint it because that will just come straight off with the lines. But I can rub some oil into it. I can get Vic Ash locally, or I could try for some teak.

[Duncan Gibbs]

I won't be coming up this week (at this stage) as it turns out since the guy I was going to buy this little thicknesser off of in Oxley went and sold it over the weekend. I have another one which is coming up from Wagga (fingers crossed) and I'll have to pick up from a depot in Brizzy. So if everything goes at a furious pace, maybe early next week.

White mahogany would be perfect: A very greasy timber and my stash is really, really, really hard with a closely interlinked grain. I could bring some up as well John.

[johnno]

Quick posts! White mahogany..that sounds perfect Duncan, and the timing suits me because I will be doing paid work tomorrow and the next day, plus going to see the dentist again. Next week is play week again! Bummer about your planer though! A bit of 20mm wide timber would be great...I need to make four of them, plus blocks. Have you milled it already? My backyard doesn't run to a sawmill....yet.

[PeterSibley]

Well, I can't paint it because that will just come straight off with the lines. But I can rub some oil into it. I can get Vic Ash locally, or I could try for some teak.

I'd certainly oil it in that case John, I used to make low speed bearings from tallow wood and soaked them in diesel for a few weeks prior to use. It makes them impervious to water, the don't crack but they would be the slipperiest cleats imaginable!

Plain and unpainted would last well enough! .... and wouldn't be that expensive to replace.

[PeterSibley]

If Dunc drops by my place on the way up I'll rough them out on the bandsaw and plane the timber up as well .

You now have to post a dimensioned and as desired drawing John.

[johnno]

Okay, give me a sec!

I have to make sure that the fixing hole spacing and diameter is identical to the SS cleats I have so they are interchangeable if required.

[johnno]

Something like this would be magic Peter! times 4

[PeterSibley]

Are you going to plug the bolt head openings or just leave the bolt heads exposed ? Do you want me to drill the holes?

I'll just choose a suitable timber from stash .

edited ask ..red, brown or white(ish) timber?

[BillyBudd]

Hi -- When I was working in PNG, I cut up some PNG rosewood for cleats. Later, back in the USA, made up block cheeks from the rosewood. After 4 seasons' use on a Bolger 20' Chebacco, the rose wood holds up well. I'm farily sure you'd get some in Queensland -- Cairns area? I cut out the cleat shapes (as per your sketch but not as much of an upt urn, and also some jam cleats too), drilled the holes (eventually bunged screw heads); then used a rasp and sandpaper to round things. A bit of bedding compound for the bottom.... Coated the cleats with matte Cetol (a bit of a grab for the lines going through); blocks got marine grade varnish. If in your lovely part of the planet there are nice woods I'd look at -- kwila? kerosene wood?...Nice dark colors, these woods.

BTW, Egret one of my all time favorites -- the original sailed from my hometown (West Palm Beach, FL) although that was well before my time. I'd had a hankering to build one but was warned about the rudder in a seaway. There's an Egret being built some 50 miles from here in New England.

Cheers! ... and looking forward to photos of that Little Egret heeling and racing! Nice work -- clearly great fun. Don't know how you've doe it on your deck without a mess. It is a mystery to me!

[johnno]

Peter, I'm assuming Duncan's white mahogany is light coloured which is what I want. Because the rest of the boat is white, I don't want them standing out like sore toes, even if the darker wood is beautiful in itself. I also don't want to put any dark oil on it obviously. I'll probably just put some wood preservative on it I think, and let it bleach.

I'll leave the bolt heads exposed, but they need to be carriage bolts for wooden cleats, hence the flat bottomed recessed larger hole at the top of the bolt hole.

If you could drill the holes, that would be great as I don't have a drill press. But I can do the finishing of them here.

[johnno]

Hi Bryan, many thanks for the advice, that all sounds good re the rasps etc. See above, yes there are beautiful woods here, but on this occasion I want to find a light coloured timber, but with strength.. Duncan's white mahogany might just be the go.

Interesting to hear there's an Egret being built near you..have you got over to see it? Would love to see some pics or hear a little more about it.

We'll see how my rudder goes in a seaway...I do have the option to drop it down a tad, and it has plates. I can wait for the sea trials either..getting close! Any pictures of your Chebaco around? Let me know.
cheers
John

[Duncan Gibbs]

John, what width are you wanting these cleats to end up at. I'll cut out the blanks so that Peter can rough them out on his bandsaw.

I also have some thicker material that would do splendidly for solid shell blocks as well. That would be something you should be able to shape up on your table saw. Get a blade with as few teeth as possible to do that work though.

Bungs are good on through fittings for cleats. Dab the hole with a generous coating of shellac to fix the bungs in place over the bolt head. Carriage bolts are fine on larger sections of timber but even White Mahogany may split under the pressure of the square section under the dome if used in smaller sections.

[PeterSibley]

Peter, I'm assuming Duncan's white mahogany is light coloured which is what I want. Because the rest of the boat is white, I don't want them standing out like sore toes, even if the darker wood is beautiful in itself. I also don't want to put any dark oil on it obviously. I'll probably just put some wood preservative on it I think, and let it bleach.

I'll leave the bolt heads exposed, but they need to be carriage bolts for wooden cleats, hence the flat bottomed recessed larger hole at the top of the bolt hole.

If you could drill the holes, that would be great as I don't have a drill press. But I can do the finishing of them here.

OK , white it is!

As to the bolt heads, you could use hex heads with a washer underneath but then I'd need to know the washer diameter for a neat fit..

[johnno]

Peter, hex head sounds good, because I can grip them whilst tightening the nut under the deck. They don't have to be too tight because, as Bryan said, they'll sit on a bed of sealant, let the seal dry, then tighten up a fraction more. Hence a washer would be good, but it would be just slightly larger than the hex head and no more. I'm not sure what bolts would go through a 6mm hole, and hence I'm not sure what washer would match.

I'm working tomorrow but I might have a chance to get to Whitworths to check.