So, the Sailing Pram is done. It was a most interesting build and one that I could relate to since I started out as a dinghy sailor many years ago.
I did make some minor changes to the model to suit what I considered to be best sailing/boating practices:
First, I only used two oars for two reasons. This is only a twelve foot boat and a second set of oars is totally unnecessary in a boat that size. In addition, the person using the second set of oarlocks would be sitting on the midship thwart and have his back banging on the daggerboard trunk which is a totally uncomfortable experience. I am not saying people would not do it, just that I would not.
Second, I ran the outhaul through the slot on the end of the boom. This provides a more effective and uniform control of the trim of the foot of the sail from tack to tack. Typically, the slot would have a metal strip in the innermost portion of the slot to prevent against wear, but that is optional. Alternatively, a pulley would be placed into the slot. I envisioned a metal strip which is replicated with a bit of iron paint.
Third, typically the downhaul would have knots tied periodically so that the sailor would easily be able to adjust the shape of the luff of the sail by hooking the knot around one of the arms of the halyard cleat at the desired tension. A couple of these are tied into the downhaul, but are invisible.
Finally, I attached a line and pin to the daggerboard using a u-cleat made from 1/16 brass tube. The pin was made from .032 brass rod and painted iron to represent either a stainless steel bolt or an common nail (much cheaper and therefore the better choice for young sailors).
Overall, a fun build. My skills are improving and I learned a lot. The Lobster Smack is next on the list.
I did make some minor changes to the model to suit what I considered to be best sailing/boating practices:
First, I only used two oars for two reasons. This is only a twelve foot boat and a second set of oars is totally unnecessary in a boat that size. In addition, the person using the second set of oarlocks would be sitting on the midship thwart and have his back banging on the daggerboard trunk which is a totally uncomfortable experience. I am not saying people would not do it, just that I would not.
Second, I ran the outhaul through the slot on the end of the boom. This provides a more effective and uniform control of the trim of the foot of the sail from tack to tack. Typically, the slot would have a metal strip in the innermost portion of the slot to prevent against wear, but that is optional. Alternatively, a pulley would be placed into the slot. I envisioned a metal strip which is replicated with a bit of iron paint.
Third, typically the downhaul would have knots tied periodically so that the sailor would easily be able to adjust the shape of the luff of the sail by hooking the knot around one of the arms of the halyard cleat at the desired tension. A couple of these are tied into the downhaul, but are invisible.
Finally, I attached a line and pin to the daggerboard using a u-cleat made from 1/16 brass tube. The pin was made from .032 brass rod and painted iron to represent either a stainless steel bolt or an common nail (much cheaper and therefore the better choice for young sailors).
Overall, a fun build. My skills are improving and I learned a lot. The Lobster Smack is next on the list.
