Invisible work

I've been working hard on the Microskiff project ... really. There isn't much to see as what I've been doing qualifies as "invisible work" or stuff done in preparation for future steps. I've epoxy coated just about all the panels - there is one side of the four side panels to go, and I'll try to get to it tonight after dinner. Same goes for splicing the daggerboard trunk into the centerline frame. The trunk is cured and very stiff. It needs a little sanding before I cut the centerline frame and put the trunk in.

I'm taking my time on the project, not trying to rush, as some of the attention the project has gained make me think that I better do a good job. I'm trying to get all the epoxy work done before Thomas gets back from his grandparents (my parents!) -I'd rather not have him deal with epoxy. Thomas will be here to fair, sand & paint, to help rig the boat and to help test & tune the rig.

I grew up the son of a craftsman (thanks Dad!) - hence my lack of fear taking on the project. Because I'm familiar with reasonable quality woodwork and boat building, I'm going to attempt to make a standout example of Eric's design work - in the hopes that it be photogenic if the project does gain a larger audience. I'm staying true to the project's low cost goals - everything (except Norm's donated African Mahogany for the foils and the West System epoxy) has been purchased in a neighborhood lumberyard. No exotic woods, no marine-grade Okume plywood.

So far, none of the necessary tasks have been remotely difficult and out of reach for the average kid with a Mom or/and Dad's help. I've planned (and will be doing) a little fancy (but completely unnecessary) work to make an arched support for the mast partners, as well as some "wooden" boat fine finishing touches. I don't want Thomas' boat to be confused with a piece of rotomolded plastic!

I've recut the hull bottom and cockpit floor panels using a jigsaw and it was so easy I'd not bother with the $120 CNC cutting if I had full size paper patterns.

The only necessary tasks I see as possibly challenging for people new to woodworking is making the foils (daggerboard and rudder). You can make basic foils from plywood, rounded on the front and tapered on the back edge, but they do not perform very well. Eric, Robert and I come from a very high performance dinghy sailing niche called "Skiff" sailing - the highest performance small boats on the water today (excepting the crazies sailing hydrofoils). Upwind performance is very tightly coupled with precise foil design and execution. Hydrodynamically-optimized foils make a world of difference in a boat's performance. High performance foils are as carefully shaped as airplane wings to optimize lift and reduce drag.

The Microskiff is intended to be able to perform very well - combining good foils with very light weight and well-designed sails means this boat should be able to "plane" like a fast motorboat on top of the water - exceeding the traditional sailboat speed limits of displacement hulls. Keep in mind though that this is a KIDS boat and is intended for their safe & fun use only.

Postscript July 28: The bamboo arrived a few days late, and Purolator damaged a bunch of it. A fair amount of cracks & a couple shattered poles. I caught the driver before he drove off and got him to acknowledge the damage on his delivery tablet - now I've got to go through the claims process with Purolator. Damn.