Wannabe has got trainingwheels!

[SeaHusky]

Late introduction from a long time lurker:
I have been interested in SBLD since I was a teenager and am no stranger to sailing as when I grew up I spent the summers on my family's 20-footer in the Baltic archipelago. But then life happened and I just haven't got round to sailing much.
My interrest was rekindled a few years ago but bad health an current living situation has prevented me from getting a boat.
Lately my health has improved enough for me to start having a life again and I am tired of just reading books and lurking on forums but not really "belonging to the group" so finally, a couple of months ago, I went and bought an old europe-class dingy.
After much cleaning, waxing and replacing a lot of the running rigging I was able to take it out for the first time today.

Two degrees above freezing, rain mixed with snow and a gusty 6-9 m/s wind made for a perfect test.
I managed to capsize twice and sail her full of water once so I didn't even have to fake a right, bail and reentry drill.
After two hours the light was fading (December in Sweden) so I beached and loaded onto the car and finally walked up to the adjacent "Christmas market" for some traditional Swedish  hot "gluwine".
(Why do people frown when you go to a market dressed in a yellow drysuit? After all it was raining).

Anyway, these are my first steps toward becoming a member of this extraordinary group that can only be described as "Sailfar'ers".  ;)

[ntica]

Yes Seahusky finnaly in the water!!! brave man...in this cold & rainy weather. A fast going little dinghy i suppose? real nice to see and all the best to you.
any action photos?

[Captain Smollett]

Excellent story and that sure is a sporty looking little boat.  You sure get 'grog points' for going out in that weather!

Welcome back to the world of sailing; glad to hear of the positive changes that are letting you get back to your dream.

Good stuff...

[SeaHusky]

Thank you Captain and ntica!

No, no action photos. My camera isn't even rainproof.
It is a more sporty boat than I had anticipated. All the more fun for me!
This is what it does if you can handle it..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL7alkNNbK0

[ntica]

sweet lord... It's not a boat, it's a rocket launcher :o Guess it's so much fun when handling properly.  like in the vid. keep it up Sea Husky...soon be seeing you flying across Oresund ;)

[SeaHusky]

Well, it is a small boat and Denmark is pretty far...  ::)
How much was an EPIRB again?

[SeaHusky]

The sail test showed that the centerboard needed replacing.
On the left is the original that the previous owner broke in half when he got pushed against the shore in a hard wind (I believe it is as old as the boat which would make it 34 years old so it has probably been fractured over time). Center is the sorry, much to thin, excuse that he replaced it with and which I thought would snap when I was righting the boat after a capsize and right is the new board I am making in compliance with the racing rule specifications.

[ntica]

I see the orig. one is of another wood?! maybe stiffer? The "Plyfa" is a bit flexi, is this better than the first stiffer original one?

[SeaHusky]

The original was 18mm marine plywood (WBP). The middle one is only 12mm "form plywood" and I am using 18mm form plywood. I have not yet decided if I will just varnish it or if I will add a layer of fiberglass and epoxy.

[CharlieJ]

As a retired pro boat builder I'd say glass it.

But I'd point out that plywood is a very poor choice for a dagger board. In an 18 mm board only 9 mm is logitudinal- the other 9 mm lays across the load and does nothing

Far better to rip solid strips from a clear fir board, flip each one and edge glue. Then ALL the grain runs up and down.

The fact that the original lasted so long really means little- no idea as to how hard it got sailed.
But glassin will sure help.

[SeaHusky]

Thank you very much for your input CharlieJ!
That is filed as "knowledge for the future".
I will definitely glass the "real" board and make it as you suggest, perhaps even with a foam core.
However I was a bit rough on it myself when beaching (it gets shallow much faster than you think) and my closest lake is shallow with lots of rocks so I consider this a first attempt at making a "disposable" board which I will use while learning. Also I have subzero temperatures in my workshop so I will wait with any proper glassing and gluing until spring, but I want to sail now!

[SeaHusky]

A little update:
Daggerboard almost finished as are all the necessary little repairs. Ice is gone, sun is shining and the urge to sail is getting unbearable. Yesterday I joined the local sailing club. I was a little apprehensive as it is all kids sailing optimists and a couple of teenagers sailing E-class and all the grownups are parents of these kids so how would they like a 40+ guy with an almost as old dingy joining?
-You want to join, great! Organized training is every wednesday.
You can keep your dingy on the lawn with the other boats and your sails and rigging in the out house. Use the club house and the dressing rooms with showers and toilets as much as you like, any time. Use the clubs boats (optimists, E-class and two 606:is) as much as you like, any time you like.
One week every year you will be responsible for mowing and tidying.
And how much does all this cost?
About 40 dollars annually. :o
I couldn't believe this existed.

[ntica]

Fantastic Seahusky. glad for your sake...It has been a fantastic weather latley, warm but not that much wind, but still great. Still wnt to see some action filming from you! For now... all the best and have a great sailing summer!