Hi!

I hope everyone is doing well. I just updated my blog. In November I fitted the outer gunwhale lamination,finished fairing and priming the outside of the hull, and began to shape the centreboard and the rudder.

The link below will take you to my blog. As always, comments are welcome.

Happy Holidays!

Julio

I am amazed at the effort gone into recording every detail of this construction.
The photos are superb and written detail a useful resource.
When you're done please publish your entire blog as it would make a great xmas pressy for me next year:-)

Afternoon Julio, another amazing chapter. Think Keith must be very proud that you are doing such a thorough job. Shaping the foils, one option which I used when making a number of them in the 1990s, was to trace the chord and thickness stations on each side and progessively gauge a router into the the blank. this gave me the stations when planing the shape, with course sanding to get the final shape. Found it was a bit quicker for me, but you may find that the route you have taken, to be quicker for you. Make sure you add extra glass/carbon where the foils, when sitting vertically, exit the hull and stock, or you may find they break in big breeze. Lower down the foil is not so important as there is room to flex. Look forward to the next update.

This is fantastic. This has inspired me to want to build one myself. Unfortunately until i have a big enough garage it is just not possible at the moment.

Jon - I look forwards to publishing the entire blog when I'm done. Hopefully I can continue to get different points of view on alternative methods or best practices, like Barnsie just did and other have done.It is much appreciated.

Barnsie - I agree, tracing the chord and thickness stations on each side and progressively gauge a router into the stock would've been faster and more precise too. I wish I had done that. However, I like your approach and I'll use it when I build my next set. I understand I'll need more than one set... I will also begin with 22 mm strips of stock instead of 25 mm. I omitted the fact that the dimensions specified are for the finished surface, including fibreglass, carbon, epoxy and finishes. Keith also recommended the fibreglass and carbon reinforcements you mentioned. I have the materials on hand ready to go.

James - I'm happy to hear that you're considering building a Merlin Rocket. Good luck on your expansion plans!

Well Julio, a splendid effort and I'm very envious. I hope the temperature is a bit cooler now, here the snows come but least there is a roof on the boatshed. When is the launching scheduled for?

Chris, thank you. Yes, temperatures are a cooler and I've been taking advantage of it to go out camping with the family on a couple of weekends. The latest "polar express" left us with -4°C over a couple of days so I delayed painting the outside of the hull until next weekend when the temperatures are expected to rise at around 19°C during the day. Like we say here in Texas, if you don't like the weather, just wait. It will change.

My launch schedule has changed as much as our weather has... I'd say sometime in the Spring. I'd like to have it ready for a March launch in time for the opening of the 2014 Texas Centerboard Circuit (http://www.texascenterboard.org/) but that might be too aggressive. Besides, I have to learn how to sail her, get a crew...