And now back to the trailer

Remember the trailer? This one, the one that almost killed us?

We left the shantyboat hull pretty complete. Now that the boat is ready to be flipped, we turn our attention back to the trailer.

It is really a rusty, janky old thing. Ive owned it for fifteen years or so, or sorta owned it since I bought it with Sean for our Burning Man theme camp, the Costco Soulmate Trading Outlet. Its been stolen and recovered, broken and repaired on the road. We used to haul that thing back and forth loaded to the gills over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, taking our lives into our own hands. Then we realized that if we stored it in the desert, we could save wear and tear on our mortality. So there it stayed for about ten years.

When the camp realized it could buy a shipping container and have it dropped off at their campsite every year without the hassle of dealing with That Trailer, the poor thing got abandoned for a few years out in the Nevada wilds. You remember that I drove out to the desert with Alex to rescue our friend the trailer, a trip with nearly fatal results.

So here it is, a 20 foot flatbed, maybe suited to my shantyboat, maybe not, needing suspension work, a coat of paint, deck repair, and maybe some repair welds.

The first thing I did was fire up my cutting torch and cut off the weird distinctive triangle things, and ground down the cuts. I always assumed they were there as a token gesture to structural reinforcement.

I replaced all the deck bolts that had rusted through, grinding off and replacing any that had loosened. The deck needed about 50 new bolts. This alone made the deck much more stable.

I gave all the metal on the entire trailer, top and bottom, a new coat of Rust-Oleum. I had to get suited up to prevent myself from being painted too thoroughly, climbing under the trailer and applying paint overhead.

It looked pretty good when I was done. Though crawling around under the trailer, I saw several places where the metal was cracked, principally around the lateral beam that joined the two pairs of leaf springs on either side.

For a while, Id been sweating how to make the skids that would hold up the boat. I considered using recycled railroad ties since I could get them for free at the local trainyard, but their height and condition were too inconsistent. Eventually I got a ridiculous deal from a friend at the local lumberyard who found me some 6x6 treated lumber seconds that had a barely perceptible twist or were split a bit at one end.

I positioned the skids so one set would lie just inside of the skegs, and the other set so they lay at the outside edge of the trailer, as far out as could be secured. I figured this would support the boat along the stringers as well as give it side-to-side stability, something I thought would be extra important as we were trucking down the highway.

I drilled bolt holes through the skids and into the support brackets under the trailer.

I put big long 8 inch carriage bolts through the skids. For extra measure, I painted the bottom and tops of the carriage bolts. Lawrence joined me for a bit and serenaded me with excellent banjo tunes.

To prevent the skids from damaging the surface of the hull, I chamfered the sharp edges of the skids with my skill saw.

I cut the ends of each skid at an angle to guide the skegs while the boat was being trailered. Though honestly, I dont think the skegs at the back of the boat will be anywhere near the skids, since that end of the trailer will be deep under water and the back of the boat high above it during a boat launch or trailering. But it seemed like a good idea.

Then I covered the skids with indoor/outdoor low-pile carpet, stapling and using roofing nails at the edges.

The result was surprisingly legit looking.

Then Jen and I sat on the trailer and had a beer.  Something about this trailer makes you want to sit on it and have a drink.  Whats that about?

Next, the superhero of heavy duty welding flies the trailer high into the sky and melts it with his heat ray vision!

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On to St Barts

The last time I went ashore in St. Barts was 25 years ago. Ive sailed past it many times since because it is so  crowded to anchor. This time however was the same but different. The sail up wind from St. Martin was all done in 18- 25 knt winds taking 4 tacks to make the beautiful anchorage of Anse Du Colombier. Of course Wild Bird beat us there but only by about 15 minutes. Hogfish does well to weather pointing just as well as this 74" deep Van De Stat design but not fast enough to weather. We carried full sail easily but Wild Bird had a reefed main and Genoa.  I love chasing other boats as it really gets you to try and sail better to weather. We came in under sail and anchored right off the beach.

Rachel giving her best St. Barts pout. Hogfish and Wild Bird behind her.

Hiking to the highest mountain around the next day shows how pretty it is and how many yachts are about in todays world. Being in the Carribean in the summer is different as not to many boats but you have to be ready to take off if I hurricane is coming.

The bay is getting smaller as we go up the trail.

At the top looking to the eastward. We are heading for the beach ahead and then will back track along the shore. All the roads here are poured in concrete with elaborate stone work every where. All the houses are built beautifully and are well built to withstand the storms sea and salt. I like the way they have been very careful in cutting into the hillsides on this island. Very little visible scaring.

Gayle posing along a standard road and rock wall. The grades here are like living in Knob hill in San Fransico. Very steep.

No snow and ice here so who cares!

These tortoises roam freely about the islands down here. Pip and Gem have no idea what this thing is.

Walking back along the shoreline.

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Rachel spent a month a few years ago as a nanny to my old bosses new child on St Barts staying in his new villa. She had a blast and was spoiled rotten by him as he has done very well in life. Needless to say she likes St Barts very much.

These islands have lots of dry cactus areas on the windward sides as the rain tends to be dumped on the leeward side.

Rachel on Shell  beach. I found lots of broken sea glass that Iam sure was from the original Jack Sparrows drinking binges from years gone by on this beach.

Standard photo of the harbor. The intresting thing is so far most basic food items in the grocery stores are not much more than in the states. Resturants are different but still not by much. I think the U.S. Is getting to be very expensive. All the islands so far are better as when you buy a beer they are a buck or two. Try finding that in the states in a chichi place that has topless girls on the beach and its not a national crisis .

Eating lunch with David and Samina at their beach front house. Years ago I built a house for David in Grenada. I will be posting that story soon here. We all used to race on Davids yachts in the regattas down here. 

St. Barts is a very fun place . I could live here. They have a very good tax code. Unfortunately in the hurricane season you have to have a place to put your boat which is not here. The harbor is very crowded with tons of local boats on moorings plus all the charter yachts. You need a very good car here to drive up the inclines. Plus you will have to get used to looking at and being around lots of good looking people. Yes there were lots of topless girls about . Ill be back.

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Looks like a boat

I had stopped by the boat yard on our way to a job yesterday and found the crew blocking her up. Gregg, the yard foreman asked me if I had time today to lift the super structure? So, lets see, work on the boat project, or go to a job site??? Anyway, we were back at the boat yard in about 90 minutes after unloading the service truck, andloading up the welder, some chains, and a spreader bar.

The yard  had some issue with the crane, and we decided to put another pass on the lifting rings that were welded to the cabin top. Once we had the crane in the right position and had the chains rigged to lift level, the lift went quick. We re lifted it a inch or so to push the structure closer to the lines, then unhooked her and cut the crane crew loose. What was left of the afternoon was spent moving tools on board, and eyeballing what was going to be required to pull the structure around to fit on the lines. Things are close to fitting, but need some tweaking.

In  terms of my building this boat, this is probably the most rewarding day of the project. It finally looks like a boat, and while Im guilty of being biased, I think shes a fine looking vessel.

Paying work is going to have to wait another day as Im headed down to the boat yard to finish fitting the structure. I doubt well get all the welding done today, but well be close. If all goes well, I should have the windows installed and have her protected against the weather by the weeks end.

Cheers

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Howdy Bailey Boatbuilder with a Difference

Howdy Bailey is a long-time friend, from long before we moved to USA. Howdy had bought plans from me for the Pratique 35 and we visited him in Norfolk, Virginia, on our first trip to USA in 1983. I was a young designer, not yet through with my studies at Westlawn School of Yacht Design (now named Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology) and was totally unknown. Yet, based solely on the design that he had bought from me and a few hours chatting over dinner, Howdy Bailey had the confidence in me to commission the design of a 64ft charter yacht that was to be built for a consortium in Norfolk. That design is the Dix 64 and the boat was launched and went into the St Thomas charter trade as "Rising Sun".

Dix 64 "Rising Sun" shows off her exquisite finish.Howdy Bailey in the red shirt.

"Rising Sun" was beautifully built in steel, finished in flag blue Awlgrip that displayed her blemish-free surfaces to perfection. Rigged as a staysail schooner for ease of handling by a small crew, she surprised all who sailed on her with her speed under sail and characteristics.

Over the years and on opposite sides of the Atlantic, Howdy Bailey and I maintained a lasting friendship and worked together on many projects. They included the Echo 38 cruising tug "Echo" and the Little Creek 47 "Flutterby", now owned by Howdys son Dylan Bailey.

"Echo" at home on a backwater of Chesapeake Bay.

Little Creek 47 "Flutterby" waiting to start a Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race

Howdy was instrumental also in me receiving the commission to design "Sabbatical II" as a custom design for a local businessman and friend. Howdy and his very capable crew turned her into a work of art, with beautiful detailing of a complicated boat.

The ketch-rigged "Sabbatical II" sailing in sloop configuration.

I have always thought of "Howdy" as a nickname, maybe short for Howard or some other name. Not so long ago I asked him what his real name is and he replied "Howdy". He was named Howdy at birth. Howdys interesting name carries through to him being one of the most interesting people that I have had the pleasure of knowing in the boating industry. He no longer builds boats and instead works in the marine service industry. He and his small crew take on service work of all types, from rebuilding joinery to rerigging and new plumbing or mechanicals. Whatever you need done to bring your boat back to pristine condition, Howdy and his guys can do it. Custom metalwork is their specialty, able to produce aluminium and stainless items to a very high standard. They are currently completing the keel/engine support structure in steel for the Didi 950 being built in Ohio.

Howdy also has great community spirit. He introduced me to some surfing friends a year or two after we arrived in Virginia Beach and I joined their very informal Iguana Surf Club. Every year this club hosts a fun day on the beach as a fundraiser for the Norfolk-based Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters, with surf contest, fun events and a big party afterwards. The past few years Howdy Bailey has really come through with large amounts of cash that has been donated by his customers and local businesses toward the fundraiser. Howdy has a big heart.

Ever since we met, he has done business from various buildings near to Cobbs Marina at Little Creek, an inlet off the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. It was always an interesting place to visit, with all kinds of fascinating bits and pieces hung on the walls or suspended from the roof. Howdy is a collector, not of "stuff" but of "interesting stuff". His workshop just wasnt big enough to display all of his eclectic collection.

City codes have now forced a relocation and Howdy Bailey Yacht Services has moved into a larger shop at 7527 Avenue J, Norfolk. This has much more open space and it has been put to good use to show off Howdys collection of toys, bicycles, boats, signs, classic cars, old tools and a host of other things. The heavy items are on the floor and lighter items are hanging from the roof or along the walls. Even if you have no interest in boats or quality metalwork, Howdy Bailey Yacht Services is an interesting place to visit.

Main entrance to Howdy Bailey Yacht Services

Howdy in red shirt and Larry Foster, long-time colleague.

View of the shop from the front entrance.

Lots to look at, in every direction.

Howdy and I go back a long way and I look forward to continuing that way for many years to come. If you have some boat work that needs doing by competent people, visit Howdys shop or call him on 757-480-0058.

To see more of our designs, please visit http://dixdesign.com/.

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Ive started to finish

The last few weeks have found me rushing around to get the boat weather tight, and starting to organize my thoughts on  how best to manage the build to the finish. Like most things on this project, a lot of work needs to be done in a certain order before progress becomes visible.

With winter sneaking up on us, I had to get the barn put back together. The  mornings are getting colder and with the heavy dew making its way in to the barn, some of my tools are showing signs of rust. It took me a weekend to frame the opening back in, find the correct insulation, and trim the door opening to be ready for the crew who were re installing the door. I have to be able to fabricate much of the wood work for the interior in the barn, so having it weather tight and able to be heated is a big deal to keep the boat build moving. As I write this post, the barn is now back together, and while its still a mess, it sure feels good to have all the space back.

The dry exhaust stack for the engine room is one of those deals that not much else can be started  until this part is finished. Getting this finished turned out to be a bit of a pain as some poor measuring on my part  had me doing a few  things over. I framed access panels  on both the port and starboard side of the stack. The port side panel is larger as to allow me to install the exhaust pipe through the panel. I also had to configure the panel opening to work around the microwave cabinet so I dont have to remove the cabinet to replace the exhaust pipe.

The  exhaust stack was the last big welding job I  have to do inside the boat, and it feels good to be able to take the big generator out of the back of my truck and leave it in the shop.

Now that the foam is all finished, I wanted to get the ceiling in the master cabin, and get that room pretty much wrapped up. The ceiling is 3 1/4" pine bead board painted an off white. To make things easy on myself, I primed and painted one coat of top coat paint on the boards to prevent bare wood from showing once things start moving around. The ceiling  job was pretty straight forward, and the only tricky part was building the removable access panel on either side of the center beam. The access panel is for throttle and engine controls, hydraulic lines for the anchor winch, hydraulic lines for the steering system, and some conduit. The center beam is about 3/8" lower than the ceiling, and instead of wrapping it in bead board, I decided to wrap it in Cherry. I needed a board over 10 long, and instead of joining two together to get the length, I found a long one on the bottom of my now air dried stack of lumber. The longest boards I have also  happen to be the widest boards. As you can see from this picture, this particular board is over 19" wide and dried pretty darn straight. After I finish milling the faux beam, Ill install it in a day or so, and the master cabin will have a finished ceiling in it.After the master cabin ceiling is finished, another day of work should have the guest cabin dressing room ceiling completed which will also mean all the ceilings below will be finished.

Another small detail I needed to get squared away was building a proper set of steps to get in to the boat. Ive been using a ladder, and given the amount of trips and quantity of material I have to get on the boat, the ladder was the old accident waiting to happen. I  also have a lot of people who like to stop by, and any thing I can do to prevent them or me from getting hurt helps everyone in the long run. I also want to do right by the boat yard, and keep my operation in such a way as to minimize any exposure.

The tooling I need to finish the job is also getting to the point where Im comfortable. I wish I would have built all the engine room cabinets before we move her, as it would be nice to be able to start organizing the floating shop. Once in a while I do find myself borrowing a tool off of my truck, but for the most part the boat is now tooled up.

Boat building and schedules dont seem to get along in Conallville, but I"m going to take another stab at it. My plan is to have the bulk of the wood work finished by sometime in January. Once the wood work is finished and coated with urethane, I can focus on getting the needed systems up and running for our May/June launch. Without going into a bunch of detail, the systems Im talking about are AC/DC electric, hydraulic, and engine controls.

Cheers

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Trika 540 Demountable Trimaran

We are introducing a brand new design, the Trika 540. It is a pretty trimaran kayak that will be a good family boat for reasonably sheltered conditions and gives good speed. It can be built at home by almost any handyman from stitch & glue plywood and can be carried to faraway destinations on the roof of a family car.

The basis is a large two-person kayak than can be paddled by itself. To convert it to a trimaran the beams and amas are added, without tools. Aside from being demountable, the beams can also be folded aft so that the amas lie alongside the main hull to reduce overall beam for easy boarding from a dock or for accessing narrow spaces.

Length overall and on waterline are both 5.4m (179"). Beam sailing is 3.28m (109") and 1.3m (43") folded.

Trika 540 waiting for you to take her sailing.

Trika 540 on a standard car, with amas inside main hull.

The Trika 540 is a nice concept. Much as I would like to say that I came up with it, I didnt. It is the only design we sell that I did not draw myself. It was designed by my German agent, Klaus Metz and I have added it to our design range to expand reach for his design. We serve as his agent in selling the plans and he will supply the plans and will back up all builders himself. This is best because he knows the design and construction intimately.

Please go to http://dixdesign.com/ to see our full range of designs.

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