Trailerable daysailor underway...

Approximate US$9300 inclusive of trailer at current exchange rates. Export is high on our agenda and have indeed applied for registration as an exporter.

My aim is to get it a OD class for it over here as well - was designed with no rule in mind other than to go like a bat out of hell...

 

I like the no design rules other than to go fast.

 

Some bad news... After the plywood was pulled across the frames, glued and stapled, all was well. However, the next day the ply "collapsed" at the turn of the bilges and the longitudinal stringers lines clearly visible under ply and left some flat spots on the hull. Clearly seen on the photos where the ply was covered with fibreglass layer.

This called for plan B whereby the whole hull is covered with a fairing compound to repair the flat lines and to be smoothed and fair by Monday morning sharp. Apprentice to start the deck plug by Tuesday when some philomons take over the sanding down process.

Projected completion of molds middle December/early January latest and first production moulds to be pulled middle January and two boats to be readied for the "Around the island race" last day of January when she will be make her debut to the sailing community.
One hull for promotion purposes on its trailer and the other one to enter the race with yours truly and the other old fart Manie and Chivas as crew

 

Sorry about the bugger up there Wynand. Be interesting to know exactly why it happened.

Dammit I wish I had your space

Care for some company at the Vaal ?

 

I know - it is the crappy pine based plywood they sold to me in Welkom - No harm done as it is only the plug, but that fairing material cost a small fortune..

Of course you can have a ball will Manie, Chivas and yours truly when we do the Island race at the Vaal. Lightning is designed to carry four crew More souls the merrier

 

Lightning6

Well well well

the excitement this side for the Lightening6 is growing

we will probably see a fair bit of Bayshore Marina as well

i am telling all my drinking/sailing friends (sorry sailing/drinking friends) that we are a coming !!!
watch this space

Wynand that **** ply is always a hassle
what i have found is that the 6mm BS1088 always works like a dream - it bends very easily and i think it would have bent well enough for you. Probably same price?

Stranded Mariner - just to let you know and give you some extra piece of mind - Wynand stopped by me last week with a huge load of marine ply. The stuff is very good. I have done extensive working with the 6 - 9 - 12mm all good. My MiniCAT5 is built out of it as well as my little 2sheet Portoguese Dighy. I will DEFINATELY use this marine plywood next year when i start my 12m Cat

Anyway on the lighter side now - my dinghy will be ready for the launch of the Lightning6 - i know this is strange, but a man has got to do what a man has got to do

As Wynand said this is my apprentenship / experimentation / therapy
Fanie of course dont like small boats

See as many of you buggers at the launch of the Lightening6 as possible and dont give me frikken stoooopid excuses i will come over there and "klap" you and Butch that goes for you too

lets promote sailing boats pleeeeeeze (and building)
no frikken stinkpots

here are a couple of pics to cheer you up now you can tell everybody that you are quite sane compared the other old farts that you know of :idea: :idea: :idea:

well i am of to the hardware store now - they like me there, the folks at the checkout think i work there - just the stupid owner hasn't offered my shares yet - damn

 

Shirts

Wynand i know you have your hands full at the moment

but try and get a logo and then get "T" shirts made

the guys will buy the shirts and wear them at the launch

it will really look cool !!!

some samples for ideas

 

Pic 4 - I bet you won't be able to sit in that pee pot on a stool on the water

 

Wynand keep the pics coming
my mates are watching this post very keenly

and for all the other folks
here are pics of the spot where the Lightning6 will make its debut at the Vaaldam at LDYC

http://www.ldyc.co.za/

The "around the island" race is the biggest inland sailing event in the world - officially in the Guiness Book of Records - last year there was 425 entries!!!

and for all the old farts that havent gone blind yet LOTS and LOTS of eye candy on and of the water

BE THERE - you wont regret it (bring headache powders)

i will make sure that we get a good spot!!

 

Updates

Jeez Wynand time to give us a couple of pics again dont you think

hows the fairing going

whats up doc

 

Manie, the last week I was frustrated as a lion with a bad case of constipation - want to **** myself but cant'. The apprentice is suicidal all because of that crappy ply used for the plug. Today it will be fair at closing time, tomorrow all the joints showing again...possibly due to the shitty weather we are experiencing, rain, sun, more rain, more sun etc etc.

Anyhow, the hull is nearly acceptable and we were forced to spray a poli-acrythane (with hardener) filler on the polyester that was used to fair the hull thus far. If all is well tomorrow, it will be sanded smooth with a very fine /wet paper and left to dry out properly before applying a polyester coat again to be polished before taking the mould.

Two moulds will be pulled; one with a couple or so laminates to be used mainly as a jig for the deck flange plug/mould and of course to be used to model the deck onto before taking a mould thereof.
The second mould will be the proper mould with all the whistles and bells for production.

The 30th January still seems OK for the launch....hope I will two units ready for the event