LesBurn1

Cutting your boat in half.

2012-01-01T21:44:00.002-05:00

After the cut with the centerboard trunks out.

Before and after.

A baby got a new bottom

2011-12-12T22:55:00.002-05:00

The insert glassed over

2011-12-10T23:20:00.000-05:00

The insert glassed over with 3-4 layers of 5.5 oz fiberglass and covered with peelply.

Foam glued to a sheet of glass(fiber) and cut to shape then inserted into the cut in the hull.

2011-12-10T23:16:00.000-05:00

Foam glued to a sheet of glass(fiber) and cut to shape then inserted into the cut in the hull.

Hull Slit down the middle.

2011-12-10T23:13:00.001-05:00

A really cool salt water tank. (2)

2011-11-25T19:55:00.000-05:00

A really cool salt water tank.

2011-11-25T19:32:00.000-05:00

NSC season haul out.

2011-11-25T19:24:00.002-05:00

Even in a clean lake we have a growth problem. Could this cause a steering issue??

Halyard Lock

2011-05-31T11:18:00.000-04:00

I was having troubles with the new(to me) stiff boltrope. Wile I could get the sail up with out the halyard I could not release the hook when I wanted to.

I removed about 3cm if boltrope and now it works fine. Do need to make a new hook out of lighter stock.

Sail shape 2

2011-05-31T11:10:00.000-04:00

The second set clew at 50% and down haul at 10%.

Sail shape

2011-05-31T11:08:00.000-04:00

Some shots of the new sail.

The first two are with the clew at 90% and the down haul at 50%.

New boom and mast rotation control.

2011-04-29T12:33:00.000-04:00

Boom and mast rotation control.
I can adjust the mast rotation and the down haul from both sides.
This is new to me, I have not sailed a boat with a boom years.

New Sail

2011-04-29T12:29:00.000-04:00

A new sail from North (Henry Bossett designer)

The pessimist...

2011-03-24T21:33:00.002-04:00

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.
— William Arthur Ward

Center Board attitude movement.

2011-03-11T20:19:00.000-05:00

My intent is to have the centerboards near vertical upwind and angled for down wind.

Center Board attitude adjuster W/ CB in place.

2011-03-11T20:15:00.000-05:00

Center Board attitude adjuster.

2011-03-11T20:12:00.000-05:00

Don't you just hate cutting holes in your boat...

2011-02-16T23:00:00.001-05:00

Don't you just hate cutting holes in your boat...
I'm installing new CB trunks to accommodate the new center boards and to move them back about 3".

Out go the old.

Vacuum bag laminating table to make flat parts Part 3

2011-02-11T13:33:00.000-05:00

Vacuum bag laminating table to make flat parts Part 2

2011-02-10T19:13:00.000-05:00

Part 2

Vacuum bag laminating table to make flat parts Part 1

2011-02-10T18:15:00.000-05:00

Using a laminating table to make flat parts with a vacuum bag.
I need to make center board trunks for the curved center boards, the easy way for now is to
use 4 mm ply with a fiberglass reinforcement. In this video the underside is got a coat of 5oz glass and a layer of peel ply, purf. poly, and breather mat. At the start I have layed down the glass and am putting a layer of peel ply on.

Curved Center Boards

2011-02-07T17:23:00.000-05:00

The boards are now waiting for fairing and painting.

Pouring foam 2

2011-02-01T20:34:00.000-05:00

Just a little mis-calculation, too much foam.

Pouring Foam

2011-02-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

Pouring foam into centerboard, I am using 8lb per cubic foot.

Clamping the glued centerboard skins

2011-01-30T17:16:00.000-05:00

Clamping the glued centerboard skins

Gluing the Centerboard skins.

2011-01-30T13:27:00.000-05:00

Sealing up the Vacuum bag in a center board skin.

2011-01-29T08:42:00.000-05:00

This is the sealing up of the vacuum bag after the layup is done. On the carbon fiber goes a layer of peel ply, then a layer of perforated release film. Next goes two layers of breather fabric and bagging film (LTF250).

The Vacuum bagging consumables are from Express Composites, Inc.

The layup of a Centerboard skin with carbon fiber.

2011-01-29T07:43:00.002-05:00

The layup of a Centerboard skin with carbon fiber.

BOM (in order of use )

1 layer of 5.7 oz plain carbon fiber weave. (6" x 52")
1 layer of 11 oz Uni-directonal carbon fiber (6" x 52")
1 layer of 11 oz Uni-directonal carbon fiber (2" x 52")
1 layer of 5.7 oz plain carbon fiber weave. (4" x 52")
1 layer of 11 oz Uni-directonal carbon fiber (2" x 52")
1 layer of 5.7 oz plain carbon fiber weave. (6" x 52")

Curved CB out of the jig.

2011-01-18T20:02:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the messy table.

Parts into assembly jig

2011-01-17T17:43:00.000-05:00

parts into assembly jig after gluing, then into the oven.

Preparing CB skins

2011-01-17T17:39:00.000-05:00

Preparing skins, pulling off peelply on front part.

Test assembly

2011-01-17T11:33:00.000-05:00

Two skins together in the assembly jig. I need to put the compression spar inside before I start to glue them together.

Into the oven it goes

2011-01-17T11:25:00.000-05:00

Once the vacuum bag is OK (no leaks) a foam box goes over the mold with a 50 year old heater set to low and a fan at the other end. The temp. is set to 130 F. and then I walk away for 12 hours. After 12 hours off goes the vacuum and heat and I don't open it for 24 hours.

Center Board skin in mold under vacuum.

2011-01-17T11:16:00.000-05:00

Center Board skin in mold under vacuum.

I am using West Systems 105/206 with e-glass for the first sample that I will make the assembly jig from.

Second CB mold off the tool.

2011-01-06T16:27:00.000-05:00

I popped the second CB mold of the tooling. ( I use the word popped loosely, the resin stuck to the primer in a few spots.) I will need to finish some of the spots after sanding the surface.

Working on second CB tool

2011-01-05T07:43:00.000-05:00

The inside radius CB tool just needs a little clean up and to be reinforced.
The plug is back on the strong back and waiting for the tooling surface and glass.

I'm thinking about curved centerboards.

2010-12-16T22:13:00.000-05:00

I had Phil's Foils make me a half plug for a centerboard that I made a mold from and I am happy with the boards that come from it. But I thought that curved centerboards might make a good over the winter project for me. So I've got the centerboard plug mounted on the strongback with a curve added (shim?) and the radius is 200cm. I guess I'll see how it works.

A day sailing on Lake Nockamixon

2010-12-16T20:57:00.001-05:00

A day on the lake --

So over the summer I destroyed two of these blocks

2010-12-15T20:43:00.002-05:00

So over the summer I destroyed two of these blocks ( part of my down hall)

One day I looked down at my tramp while making an adjustment and saw 20 or so little white balls... So I replaces it with one of these (Harkin 106).

So far no problems.

C-Cat Canaan's wing controlls

2010-09-14T13:30:00.006-04:00

Mid span flap control "arm".

Top of span control arm.

Mid span flap control lines.

You can just make out the twist control arm behind the Mylar skin.

The whitish lines seem to limit the twist via the control arm.

The small white lines on the lever are to control the gap between the third element and the second element.

C-Cat Orion heading out for the first day of fleeting racing.

2010-09-04T13:42:00.001-04:00

I know that Orion seems to be an evolutionary dead end, but to my eyes she's one sweet ride.

C-Cat Canaan heading out for the first day of fleeting racing.

2010-09-04T13:36:00.000-04:00

C-Cat Alpha heading out for the first day of fleeting racing.

2010-09-04T13:28:00.000-04:00

C-Cat Invictus heading out for the first day of fleeting racing.

2010-09-04T13:24:00.000-04:00

C-Cat CNN's Shirley Robertson setting up a shot.

2010-09-04T13:20:00.000-04:00

C-Cat Wings going up. Canaan

2010-09-04T13:13:00.000-04:00

Yes, we know it was a goose! But just how fast were you going?!?!

2010-09-03T18:23:00.001-04:00

C-Cat Wings going up.

2010-08-29T20:58:00.001-04:00

This is so cool!

C-Cat parts - Rudders

2010-08-29T20:53:00.000-04:00

Here are some of the rudders at this years ICCC. First is PL IV.

Next is Aethon's rudder and control mechanism.

And this is Canaan's rudder.

And Canaan's rudder control.

Aethons wing goes up with a little bobble.

2010-08-27T08:40:00.000-04:00

Aethons wing goes up with a little bobble. There was a wind shift as the wing goes up and it almost didn't go up.

C-Cat parts - Putting up a wing.

2010-08-26T23:16:00.002-04:00

The Aethon crew walk the wing out from the tent in 15+ knot winds. They need 7 people to move the wing safely it these gusty conditions.

C-Cat parts - Center Board trunks

2010-08-26T19:13:00.001-04:00

This is the CB trunk on Aethon, they can and do change the angle up wind and down wind.

This the trunk on PL-VI (FRA - 1)

And this is the trunk on Canaan.

C-Cat parts - CAN 9's wing bits

2010-08-25T11:17:00.000-04:00

Here are some of CAN 9's wing controls. You can just make out the twist control "tiller" in the third shot.

C-Cat parts - CAN 9's platform.

2010-08-25T10:59:00.000-04:00

Here are some detail shots of CAN 9's platform.

C-Cat parts. Wings in a tent.

2010-08-24T20:32:00.000-04:00

C-Cat parts - hulls head on.

2010-08-24T20:15:00.000-04:00

C-Cat parts - The wing for Canada 9

2010-08-24T19:57:00.000-04:00

Our breakfast friend

2010-07-05T19:06:00.000-04:00

Had a Guest at the house last Saturday.

2010-07-01T23:56:00.001-04:00

We had Guests at the house last Saturday. There is a 80 foot oak tree next door that has been home for a breeding pair of hawks this last few years.
Well this year both fledglings landed out front before they could fly. One was terrorizing the neighbors so I got it and put it on the roof where the parents could keep an eye on it. Just before dark I found the other behind the wood pile so I put it on top of the bird feeder so the cats in the area could not get it. Next morning it was on the porch steps then moved to one of the chairs while my wife and I had our coffee and tea.

Speaking of wire.

2010-07-01T23:33:00.000-04:00

I am thinking of replacing the standing rigging with 2.5 mm Dyneema SK-90 fiber, it looks as though it only costs 15% more the wire.

Lost the rig overboard a fer weeks back.

2010-07-01T23:22:00.001-04:00

I lost the rig overboard three weeks ago ( 0ne if the Nico press (3/32 wire) fittings failed) as luck would have it there was no one around for the mast to land on.
Pulled the sail off the mast and lashed everything to the boat, and the RC gave me a tow in.
A few days later we went to Eastern Shore MD to move my brothers boat and my wife went down to apsltd.com to pickup some tools and fittings for me. The next week after racing, I was waiting for my son to come up to the lake to sail and while I was waiting I put my phone on the tramp. while I removed the GPS and you can guess what happened next...
All my photos of the rig failure went overboard!

Rudder Mold and first part.

2010-06-10T13:21:00.004-04:00

The rudder plug and both molds.

The first rudder skin, three layers of 6oz cloth, one layer of 6oz kevlar, and one layer of 6oz uni S-glass all in the bag.

Taking the J46 from Georgetown to Chesapeake City

2010-06-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

Taking my brothers J46 from Georgetown to Chesapeake City on a Monday in the spring with no one on the bay. Weather was nice with a 18 kn out of the NW.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0jyHQz3cg0

Tiller heads are mostly done.

2010-06-09T11:48:00.000-04:00

Made two tiller heads using carbon and s-glass, I need to create a jig to drill all the holes that are needed.

Mast Rotation

2010-06-09T11:42:00.000-04:00

I made a mast rotation controller.
Went to the local Golf proshop and got a few carbon fiber driver shafts that had been broken at the head end. ( it seems that this is a frequent issue with golfers) Then cut them to length and glued on to tabs to bolt it to the mast than bridged the trailing end wit carbon fiber.

Tooling for the Tiller Head.

2010-03-13T16:57:00.002-05:00

The tooling for the rudder head and tiller.

New rudder for a mold.

2010-03-13T16:22:00.003-05:00

My old 18sq rudders (summer light air, lake sailing) where not effective last year when I used them and the set of NACRA rudders I have weight to much, so I thought I would modify one of the 18sq rudders and make a set of molds so I can make carbon rudders.
The one on the left is one of the 18sq rudders and the one on the right is the plug for the mold.
I cut the tip square and glued on some balsa wood. .Then shaped it with a plane and sanded to shape. Then a coat of epoxy and more sanding then primer.

The Centerboard Mold

2010-03-13T16:16:00.002-05:00

Removed the mold off the plug.

Starting Centerboard Mold

2010-02-27T22:06:00.004-05:00

So, two coats of epoxy, sand.
One coat of high build primer, sand (400), sand (600), sand(800). Buff out with compound, buff out with glazer-sealer. Four coats of wax, wait 24 hours four more coats of wax.
Wipe on a coat of PCA. One layer tooling gelcoat, then a layer of 3/4 oz mat, and one layers of 1.5 oz mat. Let it cure overnight three layers of 1.5 oz. mat then a layer of 10 oz tooling cloth.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate Polyester resin? I should have worn my respirator.

Center Board Plug came in

2010-02-24T14:25:00.002-05:00

Center board plug came in, I built a frame for it and put on to coats of epoxy.

Ordered a Centerboard Plug

2010-01-06T22:36:00.002-05:00

I ordered a centerboard plug from Phil @ fastcomposites.ca.
It is a 63A010 section that is 1300mm X 150mm.
I hope I can make it stiff enough so it does not twist.
Next is the new light rudders.
Any one have a profile suggestion?

Out in high winds.

2009-10-12T15:14:00.001-04:00

I was out on Sat. with the local club.
Conditions where 10-15 knots with sustained gusts of over 20. The problem I had was with steering. The rudders I am using where designed for my old 18sq for use in the summer on the lake here, where the winds are 0-4 knots. So they are very small. I am going to put some NACRA rudders on it until I build some new ones.

Out last weekend (10.3.2009)

2009-10-12T15:03:00.002-04:00

The wind was very light. I am fooling around with mast placement and I had it set to far back. A the boat wanted to do was round up and stall. I am waiting on a new dolphin striker shaft ( I can't find 9/16" X 18 SS threaded rod anywhere) so I'm not going to fuss about the mast position to much, because the ball it sits on might move up a little bit.

Out in Better conditions.

2009-09-27T07:46:00.004-04:00

Went out yesterday in better conditions then last weekend, wind was 5-8 knots with 30dig. shifts.
I was pleased with the speed in the conditions.
I need to work on the mast rotation system and a new rudders and rudderheads.

Orchids

2009-09-27T07:11:00.006-04:00

Just up the road from the lake where I sail there is a green house that grows orchids so we decided to stop on the way last weekend. Picked up a few new specimens to add to the collection.

If you are in the area of Bucks County Pa. stop in http://www.parksideorchids.com/index.htm

Video

2009-09-20T20:43:00.002-04:00

In the water at last.

2009-09-20T19:24:00.014-04:00

Went up to the local lake to try it out for a few hours. Air was very light 3-4 knots and there was nothing to compare with as far as boat speed was concerned. How do the French say it "such is life".

This is one of my favorite planes ( stearman biplane) after a christen-eagle, we have a few of them in the area. And they fly over the lake often.

By the way, it's Lake Nockamixon.
And the local sail club is http://www.nockamixonsailclub.org/index.html

Platform on the trailer.

2009-09-12T17:33:00.003-04:00

I pulled the trailer out of the woods and put new wheels and tires on it. Then put the cross beams and cradles on the trailer. Maybe next week I will get it in the water.

Brackets for traveler.

2009-09-07T16:20:00.005-04:00

Brackets for the traveler are made from a base of 4mm Okoume with 2 layers of carbon bonded with a vacuum bag and the curved parts are made Kevlar and 4 layers of carbon on a 4" tube (waxed) and then tightly wrapped with peel ply. Then cut and glued together and 3-4 more layers of carbon added at the joints and loaded surfaces.

Making progress

2009-09-01T21:37:00.013-04:00

Grand Ma Ma out to check thing out.
Bend on the sail.. need to trim the mast.
Mock up the traveler braces, and rudder placement.

Back

2009-08-21T16:37:00.004-04:00

I assembled the hulls and beams to measure the trampoline so I can have it changed to fit the A-cat size. Going from a boat that was 12' wide to one that is 7.5' is a challenge. I also bent the traveler track to fit the sail size. While I had the trampoline on, I marked up the hull to add the reinforcement for the tramp lacing points.

progress -- none

2009-08-14T16:55:00.004-04:00

I've got the hulls in two coats of primer and the rudders and rudder heads are done...BUT!
I am in Ghana for ten days and not making any progress on the boat.
I was hoping to have it in the water for a few weeks before Lake H.
but I'll be lucky to get into the water by the end of Sept.
??How do the French say it, such is life.

Platform weights 108.6 lb.

2009-07-20T21:38:00.002-04:00

Platform weights 108.6 lb. but it needs a little filler primer, paint, etc.

Bedding the Beams

2009-07-18T13:39:00.005-04:00

Bedding the beams in a mixture of thick epoxy and cabosil, then drilling the hole for the retaining studs. I am using 1/4-20 X 3.5 inch SS threaded rod for the studs, these are lighter then I used in my last 18sq meter but I think they have adequate pull out strength.

All work will stop when Les is out of town.

2009-07-07T20:09:00.002-04:00

Well it's back to South America again.
For corporate reasons it's an undisclosed location.
I expect to be working on the boat next week.

Cut the beams.

2009-07-05T20:23:00.004-04:00

Cut the beams and made the cradles to hold the hulls in place while the resin sets when I bed the beams.

Micro-Glass Bubbles

2009-06-18T20:41:00.012-04:00

Using Micro-Glass Bubbles and thick epoxy to fill over the joint tape.
The bottom shot shows to recessed box for the center-board trunk.

I'm in the Dominican Republic.

2009-06-05T12:16:00.003-04:00

I'm in the Dominican Republic for a while so no work is getting done on the boat. Guess who the man on the horse is, it's not who you would expect.

Second Hull glued together.

2009-05-29T23:51:00.005-04:00

I glued the second hull together tonight. Will start taping the seams tomorrow.

Two halfs glued together.

2009-05-19T22:42:00.003-04:00

Glued together two hull halfs with West System Six10. It's weight 38 lb. with out the transom some seam tape, fairing and paint.

Two hull halfs waiting.

2009-04-28T08:33:00.003-04:00

There are the second pair of hull halfs waiting for the interor to go in.
I guess I should make the centerboard trunks.

Sorry about the quality of the photos, I guess I should take the camera to the shop and stop using my phone!

Installing Bulkheads

2009-04-28T08:12:00.005-04:00

Installing Bulkheads, The bulkheads are made up of 5mm Okoume plywood with a 2 layers of 5oz glass on them. Then there are blocks of western red cedar for anchoring studs that will attach the cross beams. These will all be fillet and glassed into place.

The last hull half out of the mold.

2009-04-22T22:37:00.003-04:00

The last hull half out of the mold.
This weekend I will trim the edges, and fit the bulkheads.

Bulkheads built

2009-04-22T22:28:00.005-04:00

Glassing 4mm plywood then vacuum bagging for bulkheads.

Second part out of the mold.

2009-03-31T08:20:00.004-04:00

The second part is out of the mold. This time after I started the bagging and got a good seal I closed up the room and turned on the heater. After 9 hours at 120 degrees (F) I shut everything down and let it set for 24 hours. After the huls are together I will make a small foam (pink stuff) oven and post cure them at about 140 degrees.

First part out of the mold.

2009-03-23T21:32:00.004-04:00

This is the first hull half out of the mold. It's weight is 18lb with out any of the interior parts.

Need room in the workshop.

2009-03-22T17:46:00.002-04:00

So I need room in the workshop. I moved the plug for the mold down to the wood pile where I store some of my old masts and the tramp for my old 18Sq. On a lark I put the plug under the tramp and it look pretty OK. Things that make you go hum . . .

First hull part started.

2009-03-21T17:32:00.009-04:00

I received 75LBs of epoxy on Wednesday and finished cutting the peelply and breather mat last night so I did the first layup this morning. The outside layer is 2 layers of Style 6580 - 5.7 oz/sq yd - S-2 Glass and a strip of 5" wide and 17' long along the keel area. The inter layer is also 2 layers of 5.7 oz S glass with local reinforcement for bulkheads and other fittings.

Glass cut and ready for layup.

Outer skin in place and most of the core.

Divertimento

2009-02-21T17:22:00.005-05:00

So I'm on my way home from work (on the New Jersey Turnpike) and I came across this ASSHAT driving in the middle lane at 5mph below the speed limit watching his iPod.
If you know this guy, tell him to watch his porn at the office like everyone else!

LesBurn1

Cutting your boat in half.

A baby got a new bottom

The insert glassed over

Foam glued to a sheet of glass(fiber) and cut to shape then inserted into the cut in the hull.

Hull Slit down the middle.

A really cool salt water tank. (2)

A really cool salt water tank.

NSC season haul out.

Halyard Lock

Sail shape 2

Sail shape

New boom and mast rotation control.

New Sail

The pessimist...

Center Board attitude movement.

Center Board attitude adjuster W/ CB in place.

Center Board attitude adjuster.

Don't you just hate cutting holes in your boat...

Vacuum bag laminating table to make flat parts Part 3

Vacuum bag laminating table to make flat parts Part 2

Vacuum bag laminating table to make flat parts Part 1

Curved Center Boards

Pouring foam 2

Pouring Foam

Clamping the glued centerboard skins

Gluing the Centerboard skins.

Sealing up the Vacuum bag in a center board skin.

The layup of a Centerboard skin with carbon fiber.

Curved CB out of the jig.

Parts into assembly jig

Preparing CB skins

Test assembly

Into the oven it goes

Center Board skin in mold under vacuum.

Second CB mold off the tool.

Working on second CB tool

I'm thinking about curved centerboards.

A day sailing on Lake Nockamixon

So over the summer I destroyed two of these blocks

C-Cat Canaan's wing controlls

C-Cat Orion heading out for the first day of fleeting racing.

C-Cat Canaan heading out for the first day of fleeting racing.

C-Cat Alpha heading out for the first day of fleeting racing.

C-Cat Invictus heading out for the first day of fleeting racing.

C-Cat CNN's Shirley Robertson setting up a shot.

C-Cat Wings going up. Canaan

Yes, we know it was a goose! But just how fast were you going?!?!

C-Cat Wings going up.

C-Cat parts - Rudders

Aethons wing goes up with a little bobble.

C-Cat parts - Putting up a wing.

C-Cat parts - Center Board trunks

C-Cat parts - CAN 9's wing bits

C-Cat parts - CAN 9's platform.

C-Cat parts. Wings in a tent.

C-Cat parts - hulls head on.

C-Cat parts - The wing for Canada 9

Our breakfast friend

Had a Guest at the house last Saturday.

Speaking of wire.

Lost the rig overboard a fer weeks back.

Rudder Mold and first part.

Taking the J46 from Georgetown to Chesapeake City

Tiller heads are mostly done.

Mast Rotation

Tooling for the Tiller Head.

New rudder for a mold.

The Centerboard Mold

Starting Centerboard Mold

Center Board Plug came in

Ordered a Centerboard Plug

Out in high winds.

Out last weekend (10.3.2009)

More Video

Out in Better conditions.

Orchids

Video

In the water at last.

Platform on the trailer.