Summer 16??

[CharlieJ]

I have no idea  how new this is . Not very I doubt.  Was given to me by Jim's widow(He's the guy who had the power boat and passed away suddenly) I do know it has done a circumnav.

But the seat post is a full one inch in diameter. The only thing that bothers me is it requires an allen wrench to loosen locks so it'll fold

[ralay]

 Even regular seatposts are at least 1in OD. The best test is to extend the seatpost out to the safety markings and get on.  If it's long enough that you can straighten your knee at the bottom of your pedal stroke - it's long enough.  If you can't straighten your knees, it can cause knee (and butt) pain if you ride it very far. 

[Norman]

Charlie, a good friend had a Dahon from early production, hauled it around in his VW bus.  Never had any complaints, and he was a serious cycler.  He rode a camouflaged  Tour De France copy bike, with autograph, for his commute to work.  Clear lacquer twice, then sloppy spray can paint in three colors, nearly the same.  Same paint theory as Owly.  After more than 30 years, he still had the bike and rode on a Century Club run at 75!  100 miles a day, he did two consecutive days! Some day he plans to remove the outer paint and sell it for the value of the autograph!

I think he had the required Dahon wrench on a tether or in the seat pack to set the height etcetera, as he carried a spare tube and the tools to replace or repair when on the road.

Owly, in 1949, a good friend had one of those Raleigh Racers, 3 speed.  We went on many cycling trips and his butt was beat, my legs beat, at the end of the day.  Every hill I was jealous!

My folder is a Chinzia, Italian, and much modified.  The three speed hub has many more spoke holes than the wide rim from a banana bike, so 1/3 are empty.  Quite a chore getting that strung the first time.  Rear brakes are also modified.

[Tim]

Talk about a sore butt Norman. I just finished a 100+ mile ride in the Colorado San Juans. 3 days in the saddle at between 9 and 10K feet. I am pretty sure this is something I will NEVER do again.  :o  :'(  ;D

[CapnK]

Congrats CK on getting underway.

Thanks, Woody! It wasn't much, but it was sumthin'.. :) Single step/journey of a thousand miles and all that.  8)

ralay et al - Ah, bearing packing - one of those things from "the good ol' days" that I have done and can do but elect to go sealed whenever possible. Because sometimes you can service sealed bearings, to a degree. That is, clean them and shoot in new grease. Otherwise? Wear 'em out and put in a new set. :)

CJ - if you look around (if it is that important, and I reckon it isn't), you can probably find quick-release levers to replace those allen bolts. BUT - 'quickrelease' does also mean easier to steal...

There was a story here a couple weeks ago about a Deputy Sheriff who'd arranged to get a replacement bicycle for a local disadvantaged kid who'd had his stolen when he neglected to lock it when running late for work. The TV news video showed the new bike, chained to a pipe on a wall, with the lock fastened above the seat tube quick release bolt. :D
I sent his boss a message describing why that lock needed to be run through the *frame*, before the new bike disappeared, too.

I shopped folders a few years ago and picked up an Origami Cricket after speaking at some length with the owner/designer about his product. Seemed to be one of the best out there, and once I got it, I was duly impressed with the very nice construction. The frame welds are near art. It is pretty light with an AL frame (sub-30#'s all up), 7 speed (stock), dual suspension, 20" wheels with disc brakes, rear rack.
The 2-3" suspension, even though not 5" of motocross-style, log absorbing travel, makes all the difference with the smaller wheels. Enough that you don't mind mileage at all; it soaks up all the tiring/numbing 'chatter' you'd get if it was a hardtail.
I started, then stopped, and have now resumed the project of changing it from a 7 to a 21 speed with the addition of a three ring crankset, front d?railleur and shifter.
All in all it has held up to the elements fairly well with little in the way of intensive care; only a couple of rusty bolts and some more on the steel part of the suspension fork. That was why I wanted an AL frame. I paid $325 IIRC and it came with a bag, and that wasn't much more than what the used other-brand ones I'd seen at the time cost. I think they sell for a bit more now, but are still among the most affordable, considering. (Checked - $389 now, linked below.)

So Tim - did you find yourself breaking into "Sound of Music" standards on that ride??? ;D

Origami Cricket

[Tim]

CapnK, I had no breath to waste on song, unless I thought the tune could carry me a few more feet  ;)

[K3v1n]

Sailing as much as I can!
Come the weekend of August 20th we have the Barnegat Bay Bash. This is when several Com-Pac onwers get together for a weekend of fun, food and frivolity! :D

TETRA RACES!

[Locutus]

I figure this is as good a place as any to introduce myself.  I've been building a Stevenson Super Skipjack since Superbowl Sunday of 2015.  (I don't watch football.)  The project stalled last fall when the temperatures dropped and stayed below 50*F.  At that point all that was left to do was install hardware and rigging, and build a kick-up rudder/tiller, and some painting or varnish of the cubbyholes.  But it was too cold for CPES to cure (for water-sealing the holes that needed to be to be drilled for hardware installation.  I had intended to resume work when it warmed up in the Spring, but got called out of state for several months by my employer, so spent the Summer in Chicago.

Well, last week I finally was able to resume work and am currently doing the rudder build-up.  It's four layers of 1/4 ply with embedded iron plate for ballast to keep it from floating up while underway.  I tried to find lead but Washington State has declared it a hazardous material, so now it's almost impossible to find.  Even tire shops use steel balancing weights now, and won't sell the older lead weight that come off older cars when they do tire changes.  (Meddling gubmint nannies, or was that ninnies?)  But it's fine because the steel plate is working out well.

Anyway, I hope to splash the boat for the first time this Fall, while sailing conditions are still good.  Here's a link to my project.  All updates will be posted there.  I'll be resuming updates shortly, as soon as the rudder build-up is complete.

http://www.byyb.org/forum/index.php?topic=3451.0

The upside of having lived in Chicago for a few months is that I had the opportunity to see a few Cape Dory yachts, which are rare on the west coast, and even got to go for a day sail on a Cape Dory 25D.  Fantastic boats.  The 25D was particularly well maintained.  I really like the 25D but it suffers from one fatal flaw as far as long passages are concerned:  Very minimal stowage space.  I can't imagine being able to stow enough equipment, supplies, water and food for a long ocean passage, let alone being provisioned for an extensive stay at destination.  But hey, it's trailerable.

[Godot]

Welcome Locutus!

I built a Stevenson Weekender many years ago (and actually started the BYYB.org forum...so, so many years ago). It was a fun build and a fun boat. I miss it sometimes.

[CharlieJ]

Yep- I built one also. Also, was told by the younger brother that I had built one of the very first Stevenson boats to be built. I built a model called a "Mediterranean Caique" in the  late 60's, from an old Boating magazine.   Double ender, lateen sail

[Locutus]

Welcome Locutus!

I built a Stevenson Weekender many years ago (and actually started the BYYB.org forum...so, so many years ago). It was a fun build and a fun boat. I miss it sometimes.

Thanks for the welcome Godot.  Interesting that there are others on this forum who have built Stevenson boats.  Good starter projects but I've found mine to be way more expensive than expected.  If I had known this before I started I think I would have just bought a used production boat.  The BYYB forum hasn't been terribly active since I joined, and activity seems to be decreasing.  Do you still frequent that forum?

Charlie, I haven't heard of the Mediterranean Caique.  It's not on Stevenson's website.  Your photo looks like a standard Weekender though.

I think the biggest advantage of these lightweight micro yachts is that they can be easily towed by a 4-cylinder car, launched at a ramp, and then prepped for sailing in a few minutes at the dock.  They can also be beached.  Mine has no cabin so if I take it up to the San Juan Islands I'll be doing what the kayakers do: Camping by the beach.

[CharlieJ]

That photo is a standard weekennder. Back when I built the Caigue I only had film cameras. And my ex got all the pics

[Locutus]

Was it anything like this?



Or maybe this?

[CharlieJ]

More like the second one. Had eyes painted on bow. I used a jib from a 21 footer as a lateen sail