And now for something completely different

Global War

My past has caught up with me.

Long before I became an amateur boat builder, I was an amateur computer game developer. Back in the late 80s and early 90s, before the internet became available, Bulletin Board Systems were how Social Networking using computers was done. In their heyday there were over 100,000 of them.  I was the Sysop of ProVision BBS and authored two popular door games called Global War and Global Backgammon.  Global War was an online adaptation of the popular board game "Risk".

If youre too young to remember any of this, dont worry, Wikipedia has some very good articles describing what Bulletin Board Systems and BBS door games were all about, but dont wait too long to read them. Various crusading Wikipedia editors have deemed many of the articles on BBS door games "non-notable" and have decided to try and remove them.

Josh Renaud, a contributor on Wikipedia, wants to preserve their history, so he started his own wiki and his own blog. His goal is to collect information on BBS door games for future researchers, historians and enthusiasts. Josh has been tracking down door authors and conducting interviews.

If you would like to read Joshs interview with me, click here, or to read more about Global War, click here. 

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How to make a boat tent for under 20

Its that time of year again.  Spring Tweak time!  I know, I know, its more of a midsummer tweak.  Sorry, Im way behind schedule this year.

This years Spring Tweak is an inexpensive boom tent.

Most of the messabouts that I plan on attending this year require sleeping onboard the boat.  Unlike Sucia Islands abundant camping, many of the other destinations we like to visit have limited camping.  Saddlebag island, for instance, only has 5 campsites.  Hope Island, only 4.  Next week is the "Pocket Yacht Palooza", followed by a 4 day "Crooza" to several destinations which may or may not require sleeping onboard. Its also nice to have the option to tie up at a marina.  And theres always the possibility I could be late getting home and have to anchor who knows where for the night.  Having a boom tent onboard at all times really is a necessity. It doesnt have to be fancy in my opinion.  A quick and cheap one made from a tarp will do just fine.

So heres my version of the classic tarp-type boom tent.

After quick trip to the local Harbor Freight Tools store, I returned with this 11 x 15 foot cammo tarp for a mere $16.49, and a grommet kit for another $4.  $20 for a boom tent.  Cant beat that.

They also carry the classic blue and silver tarps too, of course, but lets be honest.  Theres really only one choice here.  Not only does cammo look good, in a far-less-tacky sort of way, but it also enables one to go Stealth Camping.  Stealth Camping, in case you are unfamiliar with the term, is the practice of arriving late at night, mooring up to someones private dock, boat, or any other no-camping area, and stealing away early in the morning before anyone realizes you were there.  I, of course, would never do such a thing ;-)

To support the tent I needed a ridgepole.  I lashed my boom and gaff together and use them as the ridgepole. My topping lift/jackstay line, and my peak halyard both prevent draping the boom tent over the ridgepole, so they get disconnected.  To support the ridgepole, I disconnect my mizzen halyard and connect it to the aft end of the ridgepole.

I measured the distance between the main mast and the point where the mizzen halyard connects to the ridgepole.  Then I cut two equal length slits in the tarp so that the distance between the slits was equal to that measurement.

That allowed me to drape the tarp over the ridgepole.

The next part is simple, as the famous sculptor Michelangelo allegedly once explained:

After marveling at Michelangelo’s statue of Goliath-vanquishing David, the Pope asked the sculptor, “How do you know what to cut away?”

Michelangelo replied “It’s simple. I just remove everything that doesn’t look like David.”

So I got out my scissors and trimmed away everything that didnt look like a boom tent.
I left some flaps at the front and rear of the boom tent so I could seal both ends off in a rainstorm.

The flaps can be rolled up and secured with a clip to keep them open, or tied down with a bit of rope to keep them closed.  I trimmed the sides even with my lower rubrail.

When I removed the tarp and laid it out flat, it looked like this.  Not an easy shape to define on a  drawing.  You can see why it really needs to be cut in-place.

 

The most difficult part about making a boom tent is coming up with a way to secure the sides.  Several methods have been employed.  Ropes can be strung under the boat from one side to the other.  Clips or snaps can be added to the gunnels to attach the boom tent to.  Ropes can be run fore-and-aft to provide an attachment point, and so on.  But the easiest, most effective, and elegant solution I have seen my friends use are sandbags.  Several small sandbags weighing about 1 lb each are fastened to the boom tent to weigh the sides down and keep them taught. They work very well and dont require a bunch of new holes to be drilled in the boat.

I didnt have enough time to make sandbags before our annual Sucia trip, so I improvised.  I used 500ml plastic water bottles instead of sandbags.  They actually worked quite well.

I drilled a small hole in the water bottle caps, tied them to the boom tent, and store the empty bottles under my front thwart.  When I need them, I simply reach over the side and fill them with seawater and screw them onto the bottle caps. The only thing I dont like about them is they tend to bounce against the hull at night, keeping me awake.  I think sandbags would be quieter so I plan on replacing them with sandbags soon.

My son Tim and I just got back from our annual Sucia Small Boat Rendezvous.  It rained off and on the entire weekend, but we were cozy and warm under this humble boom tent, using our sleeping platform. 

When we awoke in the morning, there were no signs of condensation or leaks anywhere inside the boom tent.  We were very pleased with the results.  Well worth the $20 to be sure.

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Preparation for the Sucia Rendezvous

Not much going on around here that has any romantic appeal. The Doryman boatyard is currently occupied by a ClipperCraft dory and a Bartender dory.

The ClipperCraft has a four cylinder Volvo engine that can power a two ton craft to speeds of 40 mph. The Bartender utilizes a 40 hp outboard to exceed speeds of 30 mph.

The modern offshore fisherman will rationalize the use of a vehicle that gets 5 miles per gallon by explaining that they need to get farther and farther offshore to fish.  

It costs over $200, American currency, to go out 50 miles and back in one day, so even if you catch your limit, the fish will cost far more than market value.
So what is the point to such extravagance?

I have no answer.

 Scraping and sanding. Will it ever end?







The redeeming  task of the day is preparation for a sail and oar trip in July. While I had hoped for completion of the Stone Horse project for this trip, that was not to be. Instead, the capable faering, Saga will once again traverse the waters of the northern Salish Sea. To that end, she has been completely repainted and outfitted as though she might commence a circumnavigation.

I have confidence in this little boat, the only reservation being that she is completely open. Sometimes the question is whether the skipper can take as much as the boat..



This year, Saga will sport a jib.

Recently, a reader found exception to the gear on Saga. The complaint was that the design by William Atkin did not call for deadeyes on the shrouds and that such an extravagance was nothing but fluff. Mr. Atkin was adamant that his designs should not be altered, but if there were one perfect design, there would be only one boat.

Weve cut down an old sail to fit the worthy faering as a storm jib. I have only a theoretical idea how this might affect performance.

We will see, wont we?









Heres a link for the Small Boat Rendezvous, which will be on the first full weekend in July this year.

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Obtaining Plans for Your S S Boat

All plans for boats designed by Sparkman & Stephens from design numbers 1 - 2,600 are in storage at Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut. They are archived in a purpose built, museum quality building that protects them from fluctuations in temperature and humidity and from fire.

Designs generated after design number 2,600 were generally done using CAD (computer aided design) and are kept on our file server.

Plans for designs 1 - 2,600 must be obtained from Mystic Seaport Museum. To obtain plans for your boat please click here to access the Mystic Seaport webpage regarding the S&S plan collection which explains the process, the costs involved and contact information. You are welcome to email us to obtain a list of available plans for your boat. Please click here to email us.

We still maintain the intellectual property on all of the plans in the collection but Mystic Seaport handles any actual plan reproduction. For information on yacht construction using existing designs and royalty payments please click here.

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Questions for the Old Man

I didnt expect myself to be talking to the old man, the designer himself, bouncing my dumb ideas off him and hearing the edge of concern in his voice.

I bought our Shantyboat plans from Glen-L Marine.  The company was started by and named after Glen L. Witt, a boat designer whos been designing boats for over 50 years.  When other boat designers needed to give people in-depth information about plywood boats or about fiberglass, they referred me to Glen Witts books on the subjects.  This is one of the reasons I went with the Glen-L plans.

From the 50s-era Glen-L Marine calendar.

Glen Witt is now retired in his 80s, and the company is run by his daughter Gayle.  When I emailed questions, Gayle herself personally and graciously answered them.  When I ordered stuff, it arrived quickly on my doorstep in good condition, exactly as described.  Okay, what more could I want, right?

This week, I had a question about materials needed to complete the Waterlodge plans.  I was on my way to the lumberyard, so I didnt have time to wait around for an email.  I called up Glen-L expecting to talk to some random employee.  Gayle answered the phone, and fielded my questions deftly, clearly familiar with this design, one of hundreds they offer.

I thought this might be an opportunity to get something off my mind.  Wed made changes to the design, and I really wanted to get the assurance of someone who knew better before we moved forward.  Wed messed up Glen Witts perfectly elegant design with the following changes:

• Reduced the size of the cabin by two feet to get a longer fore deck.
• Put a covered porch over the fore and aft decks
• Raised the cabin height by a foot to get more head room on the decks (and a sleeping loft in the cabin)
• Replaced the cabin roof with a gabled roof
• Added more and larger windows
• And proposed to build the cabin with board and batten for a traditional cabin-y look

Could Gayle answer these questions, or could she put some experienced boatbuilder on the phone to field my questions? Instead she said, "Well hold on, let me put Glen on the phone."

There was a little delay in which I had time to be a little star struck.   You mean the Glen L. whose plans Id been studying for a year?  Who wrote what appears to be the bible on plywood boats?  Was I really going to have to tell him how I was planning on ruining his perfectly good plans with my modifications?

An older man came on the phone, "Hello?"

I asked my questions to which most he replied, "Well, if you want to do that."  Though I expected something more like, "Good God, are you trying to be killed?"

But no, we talked about the height of the roof, in which his suggestion was to keep the weight low, and suggested that the "fair lines" of the boat were less important than the appearance I was looking for.  He had a concern about the weight of board and battens,. a concern which I shared.  I asked a few more questions about weight distribution and stuff, all of which he answered politely and knowledgeably. 

Overall, I think I received his cautious stamp of approval.

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How to build an adjustable tiller lock for a couple bucks

Its that time of year again.  Spring Tweak time!  This years Spring Tweak is a DIY tiller lock.

This tiller lock is fully adjustable, easy to make, unobtrusive, easily removed and set up, and only costs a few bucks to make.  Ill show you how to make one.

Tiller Locks:

When it comes to tiller locking devices, theres certainly no shortage of them.  Do a Google search for "tiller tamer", or "tiller lock" or something similar, and before you know it youll have spent your entire day looking at a bewildering assortment of different types, both commercially available and home made.  Dont ask me how I know that.

Tiller locks generally fall into four main categories.

First, youve got your on-off lever action type, like this TillerClutch for example.  These usually have a lever mounted towards the front of the tiller that allows you to alternate between locking the tiller in place, or allowing it to move freely.  Its always locked or unlocked, theres no in-between. 

Then theres the Solid Brace type.  These consist of an adjustable rod that goes from the tiller to a box usually mounted on the seat back.  Theyre designed to be rugged.  The rod doubles as a tiller extender and can be easily detached to unlock the tiller.  The rods length can be adjusted as needed.

Next, theres the Friction Knob type, like the ever popular Tiller Tamer.  Here, a knob is used to adjust the amount of friction anywhere from very loose to a full lock.






Also using adjustable friction technology are a variety  of  DIY Shock Cord, Rope and Bungee types.  These are usually home-made and can range from a single piece of rope stretched between two cleats, to devices constructed from bungee cords, fairleads, camcleats, blocks, hooks, and various other items.


Of course they all have their pros and cons.  So how do you decide which one to buy or build?

What makes a good tiller lock (in my opinion):

• Adjustability means flexability.  I favor the devices that allow the friction to be adjusted from completely free tiller movement all the way up to a full lock.  Dialing in just enough friction to hold the tiller in place still allows an occasional nudge to adjust the boats course.
• Dont get in the way.  Most devices have ropes that lead from the front of the tiller to the sides of the boat that block access to outboard motors, block seats, and so on.  This can be a major drawback on a boat with limited space to begin with.
• Quickly disabled and enabled.  I want to be able to quickly and easily disable or remove the device when Im done using it, or in case of an emergency.
• A DIY solution, inexpensive and easily constructed from readily available parts.
• Strong, reliable, and should not be unattractive.

How my tiller lock works:

My tiller lock is a Friction Knob type.  Tightening the knob pulls up on an eye-bolt, pinching a line against a strip of leather with increasing friction. The amount of friction is fully adjustable from very loose to a full lock.  The friction between the rope and leather is smooth, consistant, and the leather will not wear out any time soon. It is not necessary to locate the tiller lock near the front of the tiller on a boat the size of mine, or on any boat with a well balanced helm.  I located mine slightly forward of my aft coaming and ran the line almost straight across. There, the line is not blocking my way at all but still functions perfectly, so long as I keep the line free of slack. Two jam cleats on my coaming allow me to easily tension the line tightly.  I can instantly remove the device by pulling the line off the jam cleats. A leather washer under the knob protects the tiller from damage and its friction prevents the knob from turning on its own.

Materials needed:

To make my tiller lock youll need a stainless steel eye-bolt and a few other small items that you can probably find lying around the house or garage.  The eye-bolt I used is a Stanley V2161 that I got from Lowes for $1.28.  Youll also need a small scrap of leather, a couple stainless steel screws, a short piece of rope, and a couple small scraps of wood.  You may also need to purchase a couple small jam cleats.  The knob can be made from a scrap of wood by tapping a threaded hole in it or using a threaded insert, or you can buy a threaded plastic knob at a hardware store for $2.60 like I did.  Or simply use a stainless steel wingnut.

Building the tiller lock:

The lock is very simple and building it should be quite self-explanitory.  Here is a cutaway diagram of how it goes together:

Youll need to drill a 1/4" hole through your tiller for the eye-bolt.

Make the bottom piece from a scrap of wood measuring 2-1/2" long by 1" high by 3/4" thick.  I used white oak.  Cut a 1/4" slot completely through it, long enough for the eye-bolt to fit through, and counterbore a couple of screw holes in it. Round off the corners.

Cut a strip of leather as wide as the inside diameter of the eye-bolt and long enough to wrap around the wooden piece.  Leather from an old belt works fine.  Insert the eye-bolt, then add the leather strip, holding it in place with glue or a couple brass tacks. Make a leather washer for under the knob. Drill the hole in the leather washer oversized so the eye-bolt can freely move up and down through it.

Attach to your tiller, kick back and relax!

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A Need for Speed

I met Robert Ditterich back when he was building a Waller 540. Id never heard of the Waller design, which is no surprise, Robert lives on the flipside of the globe. There is a substantial amount of skinny water in and around Australia, so boats with shallow draft have an advantage long capitalized by designers.

My love affair with traditionally designed and built boats is largely due to their simple and exquisite beauty. Traditionalists like me tend to hyperbole about how these old hull and sail types are the equivalent to new production designs. You hear often about how a lug sailed dingy traded tacks with a Laser all afternoon.
That may be the case, I wasnt there to verify any of those accounts. A fact I can verify is, if you want a boat that performs well in all conditions and is fast to boot, you need a design like Roberts Waller 540.


Ok, so I like a good turn of speed. I was reminded of this a couple days ago when we went for a row in Port Townsend Bay. The weather built up to a bluster on the way home and rowing with some difficulty, we kept pace with a couple walking the path along the shore. Until recently, human and sail powered boats have been what an old sailing mentor of mine called "slugs on the water".

But now we have boats that will sail at the speed of the wind. Hard to wrap your mind around, isnt it? This morning, the question of velocity came up again while reading Earwigoagin and an account of how the Gougeon brothers built an i550 design by Chris Beckwith, for this years aborted Everglades Challenge. The i550 is an 18 foot sportboat, built for racing, a boat designed to go as fast as the wind. Why be satisfied with five knots when you could be going ten?

Last month, on a whim, I drove to Bainbridge Island to check out a guitar. The owners lived in one of the swank neighborhoods circumjacent along the islands waterfront. The woman was a musician and her husband was a cabinetmaker and a sailor. Theyd built their home themselves.
It took me four hours to buy that guitar.
On the way out, I was shown their sportboat. The way theyd been talking about her speed, I expected a motor boat, but was pleasantly surprised to see a very fast looking sail design, 28 feet long, with kevlar and carbon fiber everywhere. This boat had recently spent a couple seasons eating up the competition around Seattle.

Wow. Then there is the story of Webb Chiles ongoing circumnavigation in his Moore 24, Gannet. Webb has an appreciation for small, simple boats and demonstrates they are capable of much more than we give them credit for. He also has a need for speed. His Gannet is similar in size to my Belle Starr, but in fifteen knots of wind, he is sailing at a spectacular ten knots.
I would be back there, somewhere, making nearly five........


 Whoa, doryman! What happened to "less is more"?

Whew, got a little carried away there. On a less astral plane, lets consider the cs20. B&B Yacht Design has here a boat for everyman. Performance in a builder friendly design.
Ive had the privilege of sailing with Randy Jones on his Core Sound 17, pictured here. A boat that sails itself and practically builds itself, too.
The Core Sound 20 is bound to be that much better.

Who knows what may become of this?........


The only photo I can take credit for is the last one. The others belong to friends mentioned and to them I extend thanks.

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The Design Process for Custom Yachts

The following is an overview of the design process for custom yachts.

Preliminary Design & Engineering Phase
This is the first step in the design process whereby your requirements are studied to determine if a satisfactory solution exists. This evaluation takes the form of preliminary plans, typically a General Arrangement, Sail Plan, Outboard Profile and Deck Plan. At the same time basic naval architecture and engineering estimates are made to verify that the concept is technically feasible and not just a "pretty picture". This is also the time to study alternatives solutions, before the work progresses too far.

Tank Testing
Although not always necessary, tank testing plays a vital role in the design of a yacht. Sparkman & Stephens has been tank testing yacht hulls since 1936. Tank testing results can be used to validate resistance, powering prediction software (we use multiple software packages for comparison), fuel consumption and range calculations, provide visual observation regarding spray generation, wave making and vessel attitude.


Tank testing can also be used to test the yacht in various sea states, under power and even at rest. We will normally test appendages such as skegs, stabilizers, propeller struts, and bilge keels for optimization.

Contract Design & Engineering Phase
The goal of this stage is to obtain competitive bids from the yards. Once a technically feasible and acceptable preliminary design is obtained and approved, we then undertake the contract design work. For the contract design stage we would refine and embellish the work done in the preliminary design stage, develop Typical Construction Plans, and undertake the necessary naval architecture and engineering calculations in support of this work.

A key part of this stage is the specification which would include all the major equipment, their manufacturer and model number, along with various schematics of the acoustic treatment, and of the engineering systems. In the case of a competitive bid situation, the plans, and in particular the very detailed specification, insure that the yards are bidding on the same boat, minimizing the number of assumptions made by them. This means that all the yards are "playing on an even field".

In the event a client decides to go to a sole source, then we would provide a "bullet list" specification. This type of specification is much reduced in scope, but does identify every major piece of equipment by manufacturer and model number. In this way you can be assured that the yard is providing you a price for the boat that you want, again with a few assumptions.

Identifying Candidate Yards
There are several factors which influence the choice of yards for the bidders "short list":
-Choice of hull construction material. Most yards specialize in a particular material. In addition, as the yacht increases in size fewer and fewer yards can physically accommodate the project. Therefore size and scantling materials limit the choice of yards.
-Level of quality required. This is a difficult variable to quantify. An analogy with automobiles is probably the best way to explain this point. All automobile manufacturers provide reliable and comfortable transportation. However, there is a real and perceived difference in quality between the car makers. The same is true of boat yards.
-Geographic location of the yard. Some clients like to be very intensely involved in the construction process, and therefore prefer yards close to their home and office.
-Special financial conditions. The "market" often provides opportunities which are worth pursuing. This may take the form of favorable exchange rates, government subsidies, or a yard that, for various reasons, decides to provide a low price.

There is risk and reward associated with the above choices. At Sparkman & Stephens we have worked with dozens of yards throughout the world. As a result of this extensive experience, we feel very comfortable in assisting you through the yard selection process.

Evaluation of Yard Bids
Upon receipt of the bids, be they competitive or sole source, we would assist you in an analysis of the bids. Based on our experience, we have compiled a substantial amount of price and man hour data. This allows us to determine if the yards are being realistic in terms of material costs, labor hours, total cost of the project, and the duration of the construction period.

We believe there is such a thing as too good a price. What is meant by this is the yard may not deliver the yacht consistent with your expectations. There are several consequences of this as follows:
-The yacht may not be to the quality you expect.
-The yard could request additional funds to complete the yacht.
-The yard could go bankrupt.

We feel we have an obligation to advise you of the potential risks of working with a yard which, in our view, has misjudged or misunderstood the quality or scope of work you require. This evaluation has served our clients extremely well over the years.

Non-Legal Advice on the Construction Contract
While we do not offer ourselves as lawyers, again on the basis of our experience with many yards and many contracts, we can provide assistance to your attorneys in formulating a yard contract. Also, being familiar with the construction process, the process of how changes to the yacht are made, and decisions during the construction process, we know where the usual problems occur. Accordingly, we can advise you of ways to protect your interests.

Final Design & Engineering Phase
This is the last stage of the design process, and is the real "meat" of the project. We believe very strongly in complete and detailed design and engineering. It is absolutely critical that the naval architect provide the shipyard as much information as is possible to produce the yacht. Based on this information an experienced yard can develop the necessary shop drawings for the construction of your yacht.

Many yards building large yachts have design and engineering staffs of their own which are very useful in the course of building the vessel. It is important, however, for the naval architect to coordinate the technical process. This is because the naval architect is directly employed by the client to oversee his interests, while the shipyard is working on a contract basis and is trying to save man-hours and material costs wherever possible.

Often the Plan and Calculations List expands or contracts based on how you want to structure the project. For example, should you decide to use an interior designer, the plans associated with this work would be dropped from our list. There are also some technical drawings that the yard can provide. However, these plans should be subject to the review and approval of the naval architect.

The reason for this is straightforward. A yacht is a floating object containing many systems which must be integrated. For example, if you add a Satcom to the navigation station/electronics equipment, this decision will impact the electrical system, aesthetics, weights, trim, stability, and a structural support must be designed which is integrated with the rest of the yachts structure. For this reason the naval architect is in the best position to coordinate all of these aspects.

Coordination of Outside Consultants
We are very comfortable undertaking all engineering aspects for the design of a typical yacht, but are not too proud to seek assistance from other professionals, when the need arises. For example, we would specify the acoustic treatment for a typical level of noise attenuation. Should you want an ultra-quiet yacht, then we would recommend involving an acoustics expert to assist us in achieving your goals. Again, for the reasons mentioned above, we feel this should be coordinated through the naval architect.

Equipment Procurement Assistance
In the course of designing yachts built all over the world for an international clientele, we become acquainted with a wide variety of equipment. In this way we are familiar with some of the best equipment for the job, and invoke this equipment in the specification. Should you or the yard need assistance in contacting manufacturers or their agents, we can save you time by assisting you in making the contact, or with the purchase itself.

Yard Inspections
While we pride ourselves on providing a very complete design and engineering package, we are also realistic about deviations which can be made from the plans, and changes which inevitably occur in the course of construction. For these reasons we consider inspections important to the success of the project. It helps us to establish a working technical liaison with the yard, allows us to resolve any problems and respond to any questions which inevitably arise during the course of the construction. The inspections also allow us to monitor progress and quality of the work on your behalf.

Review Requests for Yard Progress Payments
Typical contract terms are to make payments based on construction progress. As we are involved in technical dialogue with the yard during the entire construction process, and undertake inspection trips, we are in a good position to advise you when progress satisfies the payment terms of the contract.

Evaluate Yard Extras and Credits
In a project of the size and complexity of a custom yacht, it is inevitable that changes will be made. During the construction process the design will change from two dimensional drawings to three dimensional reality. As a result, it is not unusual for an owner or his design team to want to make some adjustments at this time. It should take about a year to build an average size yacht and two or three years to build a large yacht. In this period of time there will inevitably be changes in technology resulting in new materials and equipment which better suit your needs. It is important, therefore, to allow for a level of flexibility during the construction process.

If your design team (exterior stylist/interior designer, and naval architect/engineer) have sufficient time prior to construction to complete their work, then this would minimize the number of other changes. It has been our experience, under proper conditions, for extras to be within 5%.

On the basis of our experience with many yards over many years, we are able to advise you whether or not the yard is being fair concerning their charges for materials and labor hours associated with an extra or a credit.


Sea Trials
The sea trials are the culmination of everyones efforts. While the construction process has been monitored very carefully, and some systems have been run prior to launching, the "acid test" is the sea trials. Our typical specification has several pages devoted to the extent of the sea trials, and its protocol.

Sparkman & Stephens would expect to be present during the sea trials to undertake measurements and assist in the evaluation of all operating aspects of the yacht. Inevitably the trials uncover a short list of deficiencies which we would help identify, along with suggestions for correcting these deficiencies.

Assistance During Hand-Over Process
This is the day you become the proud owner of your new yacht. Often there are a few items either unfinished, back ordered, or to be corrected, and, of course, there is a tremendous amount of paperwork and money changing hands. Having been involved in this process in the past, we can provide you with guidance based on our experience.

Follow-Up on Potential Warranty Work
A typical yard warranty, exclusive of equipment manufacturers warranties, is for one year. There are exceptions to this in certain circumstances. For example, in the case of a fiberglass boat, several of our clients want an extended guarantee against bottom osmosis.

Regardless of the terms of the warranty, Sparkman & Stephens is prepared to assist you and your captain in evaluating any problems, identifying responsibility, and having the building yard properly execute the remedial work. In the event it is not convenient to return to the building yard, we know of very capable yards worldwide, and would assist you in locating an alternate yard, which is acceptable to the building yard.

Ongoing Technical Support
It is the policy of Sparkman & Stephens to support our yachts and assist their owners regardless of the age of the vessel. For this reason we archive our records for safe keeping, including plans and all technical documents, at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut, in the event a question arises. We have ready access to this technical data.

We are constantly receiving inquiries about yachts designed twenty, forty, or even sixty years ago. Because of our extensive records and well organized archives, we are able to respond to these inquiries factually and expeditiously.

What does this mean to you as an owner? It is important in two respects. First, it is a measure of Sparkman & Stephens commitment to the yacht, and second, anyone who is considering purchasing a Sparkman & Stephens’ yacht regardless of the vintage knows that they will receive the full support and assistance from the Design Department.

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How to build a roller furler for under 40

Ellies home-made sub-$40 roller furler

Introduction:

There are many different types of roller furling systems. This furler is a "Wykeham Martin" or "wire luff" type.  This popular design has been in continuous use worldwide for over 100 years.  It requires a jib that has a stainless steel wire sewn into the luff, or has a "jib set flying" (a jib that does not attach to a stay).  If your jib hanks onto a fixed forestay or needs to wind around a forestay this furler wont work for you. The furler you need would be more like this one.

This furler, as illustrated below, is sized for my 15 Welsford Navigator, or any similar sized small sailboat. It is comparable to a Ronstan RF76 or a Harken 434 dinghy furler.  It can be scaled up in size and strength for larger boats by substituting a stronger eye-bolt, stronger u-bolt, upper swivel, and ball bearing thrust bearing.

Here is a test run of the furler

Origin

In issue #58 of Small Craft Advisor magazine, Kirk Gresham wrote an excellent article on how he designed and built two roller furlers for his 17 cutter Eider for a mere $40 each using bits of scrap and a few bits and pieces of hardware from a local hardware store. This saved Kirk a whopping $670 off the $750 price tag he was quoted for two furler units from a local Port Townsend chandlery. I knew from the moment I read Kirks article that I wanted to build one of his furlers too. I love building things. Id much rather build something than buy it, even if it ends up costing me more. But in this case building it saved me a bundle too. Thats a two-fer for me!

I had some questions after reading the article, but I knew Kirk attends the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival every year, so I met Captain Kirk at the festival. He answered all of my questions and allowed me to take some close up photos of his furlers.

Being a mechanical designer by trade, naturally I couldnt resist making some improvements to the design.  I used bronze thrust washers in place of the steel radial bearings Kirk used, and I made the spool with a core of solid hardwood instead of using a section of PVC pipe.  These two changes significantly increase the strength of the furler, make it operate more smoothly and increase corrosion resistance. I also used an ABS end cap instead of the bent aluminum strap used to contain the furling line. It looks better and does a much better job of containing the line.

So, here I present my improved version of Kirks $40 roller furler.

Click to enlarge

Making the Drum Assembly

The drum is made from an inexpensive 3" ABS drain pipe end cap available at any home center that sells indoor plumbing supplies, like Home Depot, Lowes, Grainger, etc.  The cap I used is a Mueller 2979H.  (Note: a 3" cap is actually 4" in diameter.  It caps a 3" inside diameter drain pipe).  Caps are available in a variety of sizes if you want a larger or smaller furler. You will also need a stainless steel eye-bolt. I used a 1/4" x 4" Stanley V2161, but welded eye bolts are a better choice as they are much stronger. To make the drum assembly, drill a 1/4" hole in the center of the end cap for the eye-bolt. Drill 7/8" diameter holes every 45 degrees around the outside for access to the furling line. Locate these holes so they are 1/4" below the open end of the cap.

I also drilled a series of small drain holes in the bottom of the drum.

Use locktite to secure the two nuts on the eyebolt.

Making the Spool Assembly

To make the spool assembly, first I cut two plywood disks from 1/4" plywood. The outer diameter of the disks should be just slightly less than the inner diameter of the ABS cap. We dont want the furling line to slip through the gap and jam the furler. Sandwiched between the disks is a piece of oak (or any other hard wood) that is 2" in diameter and 7/8" thick. Glue these three pieces together taking care to align them accurately. Drill a 1/4" hole through the center for the eye-bolt. Drill two more holes to match the stainless steel U-bolt legs. The U-bolt I used is a 1/4" x 1-1/8" x 3-1/2" Stanley V2193. Drill one extra hole in the upper disk for the stop knot of the furling line. Paint the spool with several coats of enamel paint. Cut and file the legs of the U-bolt flush with the nuts. Use locktite to secure all four nuts.

Assembling the unit

To assemble the unit, place the spool onto the eyebolt of the drum assembly. Then add a 1/4" stainless steel washer, your thrust bearing, and a locknut. Additionally secure this locknut by drilling a tiny hole near the end of the eyebolt and adding a cotter pin, or use Locktite (blue not red).  The thrust bearing is simply two or three 1/4" I.D. sintered bronze thrust washers. These strong, inexpensive corrosion resistant self-lubricating washers should be readily available at any good hardware store, or you can order them here. Once in a great while, apply a drop of motor oil to the thrust washers. It will soak into the porous metal and lubricate them for a long time.

A ball bearing can be used instead of the thrust washers if you prefer. They are more expensive but may operate more smoothly under high tension.  The exact size you need will depend on the diameter of your eyebolt and the space available inside your u-bolt. The style of bearing you would want is shown below, and a source for stainless steel thrust bearings in many sizes is here.  Ive tested both the thrust washers and the ball bearings on my boat and there was no noticeable difference.

Tie a stop knot in the end of your furling line, feed it through the hole in the upper disk and out through one of the holes in the drum. Spin the spool to wind up the line.

Upper Swivel

A swivel is required at the head of your jib to allow the wire luff to spin and roll up the jib.  With this type of furler you want a swivel that spins easily. I have tested three different swivels on my boat that have worked well for me.

This anchor swivel, is a good choice provided your luff tension is not too tight.  If your jib uses a jib halyard, this swivel will work for you. It is extremely strong, very inexpensive, and spins well under moderate tension.  However, since its not a ball bearing swivel, it can stick when tensioned too much.

Ball bearing swivels are a better choice.  The Ronstan RF75 swivel is considerably more expensive, but is an excellent choice for larger sailboats with higher luff tensions.  And this jumbo sized (size 10) fishing swivel is an excellent choice for smaller sailboats and sailing dinghys.  It is the largest ball bearing fishing swivel Ive been able to find and works very well on my Navigator. It is rated to support up to 810 lbs.  Do not rely on this fishing swivel to hold up a mast on anything larger than a sailing dinghy.

A word about strength

Make sure you select components that are strong enough for your application. An easy and conservative way to do this is to look at the diameter of the stainless steel cable used to make your jibs luff wire.  My jib uses 1/8" cable, which has a Safe Working Load (SWL) of 352 lbs.  3/16" cable has a SWL of 740 lbs, and so on.  The SWL of each one of your components (eye-bolt, u-bolt, swivel, thrust bearing, shackles, etc) should be at least as high as that of your cables.  Youll be able to find the SWLs on the products packaging, at the manufacturers website, or with a bit of Googling. That way youll know your furler is stronger than your luff wire.

$40 furlers around the world

Click here to see Barrys UK version of this furler.
These young folks are enjoying their furler on their homebuilt catamaran
John Hows Fulmar
SailCanoeFan in Montreal  

Conclusion

This furler has performed flawlessly on my Navigator Ellie for over 5 years now, and I couldnt be more pleased with it.  If you have any feedback or if you build one of these furlers for yourself, Id love to hear about it.  Please leave a comment below.

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