Project Icarus - Flying Junior Restoration

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by zwaky, Jun 8, 2018.

  1. zwaky
    Joined: Jun 2018
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Montreal, Quebec

    zwaky New Member

    Hello folks, I have for the first time in my life acquired a sailing vessel.
    It is not much, 13' long by 5' wide. It was practically given to me. With this, l will finally fulfill my dream of learning to sail.

    There are repairs to do but I am looking forward to those too. The way I see it, I am ready to do what it takes to pimp this boat to my liking. If it all fails, the learning experience will be worth it.

    I have gone sailing several times in the past but I definitely consider myself going into this blindly.

    I will document my progress until I hit the water.

    I officially declare Project Icarus started!

    Day 01


    So here is my baby

    [​IMG]


    BIG QUESTION
    Where is the boom?!? I am so confused. There is a slot where you can attach one on the mast.
    I read that you can sail without a one but it will be hard to go downwind without a system to keep the sail open. What do you guys suggest: keep it that way; buy a boom; make one out of wood?
    [​IMG]


    I made a list of work to do:

    Setup and Build Workspace
    A good scrup
    Patch Fiberglass
    New Keel
    Restore Rudder and Tiller
    Rowing setup
    New Lines
    Build Boom?
    Repaint bottom?
    New Pulleys?
    Additional Cleats?
    Simple Storage area?


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]
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    [​IMG]

    There is no keel. I will have to make one.
    There is also some damage underneath where the slot is.

    [​IMG]
    I will have to make a new aluminum rail.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Judging from the broken keel and the pin inside the slot. I think this is a centerboard keel. The ones that swing down.
    I will have to make one. I will need plans or other examples to give me an idea of the shape and dimensions.

    [​IMG]
    The rudder and tiller look fine. I will recoat them.

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    These are examples of the more serious fiberglass repairs to be done.

    [​IMG]
    Mast looks great

    [​IMG]
    I have a question. The mast has a track where the mainsail can go in and slide to the top. However the track opens up about 20" from the top and the sail comes loose there. It comes out of the track. Is that normal? Was it bent open? What should I do? There is a rope that it stitched along the edge of the sail.

    [​IMG]
    What is that hook halfway up the mast?

    [​IMG]
    What is that hole in the mast above the rigging attachments?


    So this is my project. Wish me luck.
    Any help would be appreciated!
    Thank you
     
  2. Skyak
    Joined: Jul 2012
    Posts: 1,462
    Likes: 145, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 152
    Location: United States

    Skyak Senior Member

    Welcome to sailing. Like most introductions to sailing, yours starts with lots of boat work. I went through a similar project on an old mahogany JET. The JET uses FJ sail plan on a different hull. Just as a precaution, do a load more measurements to see that the hull is indeed an FJ. You might have a franken-boat and the hull looks more like an ECHO, the mast has no spreaders....

    This first step is establishing resources -The FJ has two active class societies, the international FJ and the club FJ. This site (BD) is great for getting general design and build info, but if you want THE class legal answer for your boat you should bring your project to the class site. Based on your sails, you have an international FJ, but I don't see any trapeze and lots of other fittings a competitive racer would have.
    CFJ Class Association http://www.cfjclass.org/
    IFJO http://www.ifjo.org/

    You should decide early if you intend to stick to only class legal repairs. It might not be best for your beginner needs and never be a competitive boat to race.

    To try and answer your questions;
    -yes you need a boom -specs are on the class sites
    -I don't know why the mast track is pried open. It could be just to free the top of the sail to more twist. Try it before you try to 'fix' it.
    -I am not sure what the hole is above the hounds. My guesses are 1) spinnaker block, or 2) Trapeze fitting.
    -that broken chunk of wood is the top part of the drop keel -my jet works the same way but has a steel keel.
     
  3. Blueknarr
    Joined: Aug 2017
    Posts: 1,447
    Likes: 411, Points: 83
    Location: Colorado

    Blueknarr Senior Member

    Welcome

    I have mixed memories of FJs.

    Many years ago a good friend and racing coheart urged me to team with him in procuring an IFJ for the National and World Championships comming to our home sailing waters. He got the boat and i made sails. Our schedules didn't mesh in yhe weeks leading up to the regatas. I wanted to pull out, but he instead that our long history of sailing together and local knowledge would assure a podiun. The first time I saw an FJ was as we performed our srarting line ritua in a boat only slightly more seaworthy than yours.

    We had a mixed bad of scores. First or second on the first race of the day. Did not finish any of the second races. Usually had boat repaired enough for last place in the third. Over all placed in top third on both regatas.

    Nostalgia over

    The class websites will have the specks you need if planning on racing as a one design.

    Hopefully you can find a local dinghy association for hands on practical advice and sailing instruction.

    You could sail down wind boomless. ( I know of one sailer being disqualified for trying it at an international regata) bit don't think of trying it without spreaders and upper shrouds.
     
  4. zwaky
    Joined: Jun 2018
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Montreal, Quebec

    zwaky New Member

    This is the second installment of my flying junior's restoration!

    I started things off by making a rack. Sounds simple but just that took me a day.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]


    Next off was the fiberglass work. I was going to buy polyester resin and fiberglass mat but I met a man that had been working on boats his whole life. He advised me that for the size of the repair, it was much simpler to get ready made paste and use that. So I bought Bondo Glass: Fiberglass Reinforced Filler.

    To be honest, I am so glad I met that man. Buying that filler made a week long job into a days work.
    [​IMG][​IMG]


    It feels very smooth after careful sanding.
    [​IMG][​IMG]


    After that, it was time to work on the centreboard. I got the specs online and made a template from old electoral posters.
    [​IMG][​IMG]


    So I took two pieces of "good" wood I had laying around. I sanded the edges and carefully made holes to fit dowels.
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    I wiped out all the clamps I could get my hands on and glued them together using carpenters' glue.
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    After glueing the two pieces, I went to work shaping it. I used a circular saw.
    [​IMG]


    I got the profile from NACA 0012. Then copied it onto 5 cutouts of plastic (electoral posters).
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    I would shave off little by little using an angle grinder with 80g sandpaper.
    [​IMG]

    I am very satisfied with the end result.
    [​IMG]

    I think I will add reinforcement because I am worried it will not be strong enough.

    So that is what I have been up to.


    Next, I will also have to protect the wood. I bought epoxy and varnish.

    I do not have a centreboard trunk and am wondering if that will be a problem? All I have is rubber flaps that help to stop water from entering.

    Also, I am wondering how people keep the centreboard down or in a certain position. It will want to float up because it is made of wood..

    Making a boom will be the last big repair to do!
     

  5. Quentinos
    Joined: Jul 2019
    Posts: 1
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Netherlands

    Quentinos New Member

    I have recently acquired a very similar boat without a centerboard. In one of tou posts you mentioned that you found the dimension online. Could you provide me with a copy?
     
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