Showing posts with label Optimist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Optimist. Show all posts
Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Building the Optimist dinghy frames
Winter is flying by, and we are diving into our three-boats-at-once project. We have spent some time getting to know the CABBS plans. It's helped to have found some pretty nice images of other folks working on their Optimists. Nothing like a picture to make things clearer.
Here is where we would like the project to be the next time we get to work on the Optimists:
Pictured below in red are the frame stations that we are working on in the accompanying video, and how they will support the other members. We have completed the bow frames (1) and attached the bows to the strongback. The bow must be angled back at 22 degrees as can be seen below. The rest of the frames (2 and 3) are perpendicular to the strongback.
If any readers happen to stop by and read this post and watch the accompanying video, feel free to leave a comment about the "real" way to build these prams. My brothers and I have sailed boats and fixed-up wooden boats, but we've never attempted to build any from plans. This has been a fun and challenging experience so far.
You may notice from the video that we have been using scrap lumber. We have a lot of odds and ends of wood lying around, so to save on cost we have used old lumber as much as possible. We need these boats to last about ten years - we will see...
Monday, 20 March 2017
The Optimist Meranti wood optional offer
Some while back we stopped offering the machined wood to our kits.
We have now found a timber company who are able to cut and machine meranti so have been able to supply the client of the Optimist kit we are about to pack.
The bundle of meranti wood is well selected and has machined up really nicely.
We have now found a timber company who are able to cut and machine meranti so have been able to supply the client of the Optimist kit we are about to pack.
The bundle of meranti wood is well selected and has machined up really nicely.
Packing for its shipping to Switzerland starts tomorrow!
Roy
Sunday, 5 March 2017
Building Stuarts Optimist kit
Stuart works overseas but when he is back home he works on his Optimist kit again, I must say the build looks really good.
Did Stuart also take up a shares option with Record, just look at all those G clamps!
Note, you can make a decent clamp with a scrap of ply a wedge.
Our Optimist kit comes with the measuring dimensions, plus a fourteen page builders guide, which includes pictures of the various build stages. One tip is not to remove the internal and temporary ply spacers which fit fore and aft, across the width of the boat and midway of the dagger board slot. They are missing in this picture, so there is a danger that the curve of the laminated meranti may make the boat a tad narrow midships, so please leave the spacers we supply in place until both hull rails are glued in place and the glue has set.
Roy
Did Stuart also take up a shares option with Record, just look at all those G clamps!
Note, you can make a decent clamp with a scrap of ply a wedge.
Our Optimist kit comes with the measuring dimensions, plus a fourteen page builders guide, which includes pictures of the various build stages. One tip is not to remove the internal and temporary ply spacers which fit fore and aft, across the width of the boat and midway of the dagger board slot. They are missing in this picture, so there is a danger that the curve of the laminated meranti may make the boat a tad narrow midships, so please leave the spacers we supply in place until both hull rails are glued in place and the glue has set.
Roy
Saturday, 4 March 2017
The Optimist dinghy boat kits
We have sold many of these over the years, our very first order was for five of them, this was increased to eight and for the one yacht club.
We expanded what we offer and now do the Harken deck kit, Marlow lines and also the North Sail.
We expanded what we offer and now do the Harken deck kit, Marlow lines and also the North Sail.
The Harken and Marlow line kit with a North Sail will be delivered to a customer in the next few days.
Roy
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