Boat Plans Only: splash

Ellie got her first taste of saltwater this weekend! The weather was beautiful with 5-10 knot NNW winds and gentle seas here in Possession Sound. Just enough to move Ellie peacefully along. We couldnt be more pleased with the boat! She performed beautifully. I was impressed with how easily she tacked in the light air. Her sails set beautifully. We had a spectacular afternoon. I didnt take nearly enough pictures because, well, we were too busy enjoying ourselves! However, I hope you enjoy this short video of Ellies first adventure.

All set up and ready for launch! Setup took a little longer than usual due to several admirers who dropped by with questions, compliments, and asking to take photos.

Ellie is officially launched! She floats! No leaks. The centerboard raises and lowers perfectly.

The only real "glitch" we encountered was a little bit of water creeping through the seam in my centerboard case cap. Entirely my fault for deviating from the plans. The portion aft of the seam, where the mainsheet tackle is attached, is permanently affixed to the centerboard case. I made the capping forward of the seam removable. No problem, I will simply add a rubber seal to the seam.

This is my Sons first sail since he was about 5 years old. He did very well and I think he may be hooked! I am also very pleased with the way the main halyards and furler have been led aft. It sure is nice to be able to control things even with two passengers on either side of the centerboard!

My compliments to John Welsford for designing such an outstandingly beautiful, seaworthy, and enjoyable boat, and for the generous help and support he provides. Thank you Bill Tosh for the terrific sails and thank you Chuck and Sandra at Duckworks for your outstanding service and excellent selection. Thanks to everyone on the jwbuilders forum for generously sharing their knowledge. And a special thank you to my family and my wonderful wife Cindy. Your precious love and support made it all possible.

The beautiful little yacht that is Che Hon has hit the water this summer with a complete work-over. Its been two years since we had this fine diminutive vessel in the water and back then, she still had no rigging. She had been out of the water for twenty years and it was a milestone just to have her take-up and float.

At that time, her decks were in pretty poor condition - no rot, but they leaked so much we were concerned lest she sink over the winter. Well, now her decks are in much better condition, her broken mast has been repaired and she has been refinished from stem to stern.

Che Hon was donated to the Port of Toledo (Oregon) by Bob and Claire MacDonald of Spokane, Washington. Until recently, it has not been clear what a jewel she is. She has brand-new sails and all the standing rigging necessary, plus a lot of gear required for extensive use. (Thank you, Claire and Bob!)

Here we see her sitting proudly beside her sister ship, Ma Zu. (Che Hon has her mast painted light tan.) As you can see, the differences between the two are slight. The Teak Lady is a racing class, so all the boats are very similar. As a boatbuilder, I can see the boats are not identical - a slightly different stem shape, more camber in one deck over the other, so they are not twins, but you might need to either know them well, or see them side by side to tell the difference.

In a couple weeks, we will see them both under sail at the Toledo Wooden Boat Show. Then their characteristics will shine. Che Hon has a set of white sails and Ma Zu is rigged in tanbark. Having had a hand in the restoration of these wonderful little yachts, Im very excited to see them with their wings spread.

Kudos to the volunteers of the local Teak Lady Society for their commitment to bringing these two boats back to life and insuring they live for many more years! Thanks a lot, fellas, its been a pleasure working with all of you.