CLC Dinghy

[j.hunter9999]

Peter - What did you use for rum rails on your CLC dinghy? Where did you buy them? Also, did you draw up plans for your sailing rig? I don't particularly like the rig that CLC recommends.

By the way, thanks for posting your project on your site. It was very helpful. I applied the primer to the bottom tonight, and hope to have it painted and varnished within a week. I'm not thrilled with some of the aesthetics (my wife says that I'm overly critical). But for a first attempt, its not too bad.

Thanks again!
Jack
Bella - V2620

 

[pjacobs55]

Hello Jack,
Not sure what rum rails are, but I'll guess they're the things we call bumper strips, or gunwale guard. If that's correct, I used 1" polysteel rope. It's amazingly inexpensive, and doesn't look half bad.

The sail rig is a copy of the popular Sabot rig.
Sailrite - Fabric, Canvas, and Sewing Machines Since 1969 will give you an idea of the dimensions.

My sailmaker plotted one out for me with a sleeved luff, loose foot, and a hollow leech with no battens.

The mast is made from 1 1/2" aluminum tubing, about 0.065" thick, in 2 pieces, joined with an inside sleeve of 1 1/4" aluminum tubing wrapped in black electrical tape to make a snug fit. There's also a 36" piece of 1 1/14" tubing inside the base of the bottom part of the mast, to give it a little extra stiffness ... again, wrapped in black tape to make a snug fit.

The boom is 1 1/4" aluminum tubing about 0.075" thick.

I also use this rig, plus the CLC rudder, on my Black Fly Dacron-covered dinghy with good results.

The mast pieces and boom are all about the same length and fit into the forward port side cabin with the ends resting just inside the chain locker.

It's a great little dinghy, and sails well with the sabot rig.
One thing I'd change:
- The centerboard "handle" that sticks up from the seat. Something flush would be better.

Don't worry about the aesthetics: everyone who sees it will love it!

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'

 

[j.hunter9999]

Peter - LOL! Rum rail was supposed to read, "rub" rail. I guess I was thinking about one thing and typing another. Thanks for the information. How did you attach the polysteel? Screws and glue of some kind?

Thanks,
Jack

 

[pjacobs55]

Ah ... RUB rail .... now I get it, but from now on it's always going to be a rum rail to me ;-)

I used SS screws up through the rope and into the gunwale strip. They are short enough to bury the heads without going through the gunwale. I think I used smallish washers under the screw heads, too. You have to sort of part the strands a bit, and push the screw into the one strand touching the wood strip, screw it in, then fold the other two strands back over it. My picasa album on www.sintacha.com shows it pretty well.

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'