G'day Simeon

The stirrups are already purchased, the lady in the horse gear shop thought I was joking when I told her I needed them to remount my boat ! Orange mesh bag is a good idea.

I have already marked out the position of the extra small holes on the top of the bulkheads - great minds think alike ! Certainly easier to drill them now before the decks go on. Could the limber holes and the mounting holes be combined ?

Cheers - John

Great idea, John. You'd just use slightly more line when attaching anything.

I just sewed up the mesh bags to appropriate size, using bias tape to bind it, with a pass-thru channel at the bottom for the line, and velcro closure at the top sides.

I'm working on a sail cover for the furled yard/sail/boom right now. That will go along with construction of boom gallows etc that we have been doing without.

Next will be a camping tent arrangement that's still in the thinking stage.
I'm also a hammock hanger by choice and have been puzzling that solution. The forces generated by a flattish hang are considerable. No problem at the mast end but the other end is the problem.

Cheers, Simeon

Simeon, I went with the holes just above the curves, as shown in the photo.

The mesh bags are really useful, where did you source the fabric ?

Would the boom gallows and a couple of guys not make a suitable tie point for the other end of the flat hung hammock ? The other idea I have been toying with for the tent is a modified form of bimi top. This is much harder to bug proof, but would give great accommodation. Anybody used a Hennessy Hammock, I would be interested to know what sort of quality product it is ?

Cheers - John

Thanks for the photo of your tie off points. With your permission, maybe I could incorporate it in the final "kit "build manual" which is almost finished.

I used "Medium Poly Mesh" FMPO Style 1571, Blaze Orange, 60" wide @ $7.50/yard from Seattle Fabrics. I also used 1" TS Trim, Black Acrylic Bias tape (for Sunbrella) @ $2/yard, and some 5/8" velcro along with V69 Poly thread. It's just a great store for all outdoors type fabrics http://www.seattlefabrics.com/mesh.html#Dive Mesh Their "Mesh Sample Pack" has a good selection of small pieces that is very helpful. I note that they do international orders though you could find that type of fabric locally I would think.

I've used a Hennessy Hammock; it's an excellent product, especially the newer Expedition Asym-Zip, with a side-zip entry, complete with attached No-See-Um mesh and separate rain fly. For more $, Warbonnet Outdoors' Blackbird Hammock seems to have pulled some customers from Hennessy, offering some neat features from Brandon, a small independent in Colorado that gets a lot of buzz on the forums. http://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/index.php
Here's the forums link: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/foru ... y.php?f=62

I don't think you can get a decent hang in a distance less than 12' for suspension points but I've never tried it.

Cheers, Simeon

G'day Simeon
Please feel free to incorporate the photo in the final build manual. Let me know if there is anything else I can photograph that would be useful.

Thanks for the info on the mesh, that should help me track it down.

I will check out Brandon hammock. If you cannot get a decent suspension point hang in less than 12', this is surely the best reason for having a bowsprit and boomkin on the boat !!! How did they manage on the old square riggers ?

Cheers - John

Hi John, I'll be using the photo in the manual. It should be finished soon. I'm working on the sail cover now and will post info and photo when it's done.

You are making great progress on your build. In one of the photos I saw a completed deck assembly hanging in the shop overhead. It won't be long before all the bits are put together. Of course, we all know how long it takes to finish off a boat from that stage; way too long!

Are you going with a wood or alloy mast? What about the boom and yard? Here's a shot of the second Sitka spruce birdsmouth 16' spar that went to Dan's SCAMP #6. It had 5/8" thick staves and with 120lbs suspended from the mid point (between upper mast partner area and the halyard block position at the top) it gave a deflection of 1.75". I'd like to compare that to an alloy spar someday.

This spar weighed around 13-14lbs without varnish. The first spar we built was the prototype's and we used 1/2" staves. It's finished weight was 12lb and gave a deflection of 2.125" under the same test. Under sailing conditions in strong breezes and even with blustery 1 & 2 reef sailing, it seems to be stiff enough. Someday we'll be able to compare the two boats side by side in the same conditions

Cheers,
Simeon

G'day Simeon

I will look forward to seeing photos and notes on the sail cover when completed.

Well spotted, yes I have the deck and all the other bits complete in 2D form. Still have the foils and spars to make. I was very lucky a month or two back when somebody gifted me some wonderful clear Oregon pine that was used to build a set of spars for an H28. He even gave me the broken mizzen mast from the H28 which will work fine for the boom and yard. I will be using timber and not aluminium, as you can get much better flex for gust damping with the former as you know. There is a great document floating about on the net by Michael Storer on setting up and tuning lug rigs, well worth a reference in the builders manual I think. The 5/8" stave birdmouth form of construction is the way I will be trying to go for the mast.

On the subject of rigs, is there any further information about the proposed ketch rig for SCAMP that John Welsford referred to in his talk at Port Townsend ? It would be good to start a separate thread to discuss the pros and cons of adding a sprit Mizzen, similar to that on Treadlightly. The romantic in me loves the idea of a Mizzen. As John says it gives you another point to hang the tent !!! (or even a hammock)

Cheers - John

Thanks for reminding me of Storer's fine piece on setting up & tuning lug rigs. I do need to include a link to it.

The SCAMP mizzen issue definitely needs to be further persued. I believe Howard Rice may have had a bit of a discussion with John Welsford on it. I'm not ready to jump in on it but Johnny Walker in Colorado, SCAMP #24 says he's planning on a plan change that incorporates a Cat/Ketch rig. See http://smallcraftadvisor.com/message-board2/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=148&start=10#p1289 in this forum.

A "Junk" rig is also appealing to me but perhaps it's too complicated for the simple and efficient SCAMP as designed by Welsford.

Cheers - Simeon

I have always been fascinated by the Junk rig but think it would certainly be less efficient than the current balanced lug rig. I would be interested to know what compromise in performance one suffers by including a mizzen. I would love to hear John W's views as well as Howard's on this matter.

I include some photos of how I intend to mount the C/B pin.

Cheers - John

Just getting ready to plank up after next building the mast step.



Note modified drain area in stern. Sump now runs across the whole of the rear of the cockpit sole through limber holes in the two small triangular pieces. I plan to fit a hand pump on the transom. Three small holes are for lashing points. I have discussed this change to the plans with John Welsford but I take full responsibility for the implementation as constructed !!

I would love to also do the modification that Mike Monies made to the mast step, but think I will leave that until another time. As Howard has said elsewhere, don't mess with the design and stick to the plans. This is already a brilliant boat.
Cheers - John Hall