posted 11-10-2003 07:35 PM               

For those who have finished (Paul, Nielsen, Klebba, Frost, Narinen and Mullette) how about a report on your experiences with your completed Havens. Does it perform up to expectations? Any surprises launching, sailing, maintaining, etc? How about some good sailing stories to keep us motivated!

The list of "in progress" builders I have compiled is: O'Leary, Sterling, Martinson, Reid, Winslow, Lyon, Scott, Strong, Parmentier, Fisher, Hatt, Tborah, Hyde and Ferguson. Have I missed anyone? A couple of you have never submitted photos; we'd like to see your work!

Let us know what you accomplished on your Haven this year, where you are right now, and what's next.

Start posting when ready!

posted 11-14-2003 04:46 PM               

While the How To book showed metal straps to use as clamps at the base of each mold, I made my own clamps from 2 pieces of scrap 3/4" plywood with a 1/2" dia. dowel connecting the two. They were cheap and fast to make, and they have worked great.

My wife has sidetracked me with a new kitchen table project, but I am hoping to finish bending the frames before the year ends. I keep telling her I will get to her projects as soon as the boat is done, but she has caught on to that one!

posted 11-18-2003 03:13 PM               

I am now awaiting delivery of a new (green) piece of white oak for the keel. It may be some time before the mill can get to it. In the meantime I will fine-tune fairing of the frames and centerboard logs.

I have now relinquished half of our two car garage for the winter, so we can keep one car out of the snow and slush. I should still be able to install the keel when the wood arrives.

I can aslo work on the spars, yoke, seats, and deadwood in the basement.

I am trying to secure a source for Eastern White Cedar for planking. I will probably have to visit the East Coast and trailer it back in the spring.

I continue to be astounded when I enter the garage! Happy Thanksgiving to all.

posted 11-18-2003 06:06 PM               

I've been asked which do you like better, the building or the sailing? Of course it is not a better than or worse than situation. Upon reflection I would sum it up this way: Building has filled me with a sense of satisfaction with scattered moments of collosal frustration. Sailing has provided me with a sense of peace and a connection to earthly wonders with the occasional thrill of a lifetime (when that lee rail goes under).

I have no basis of comparison for sailing behavior owing to the fact that I have never sailed another type of boat (except a short stint in a Nutshell pram). But this rookie feels confident, safe and challanged when sailing the Haven.

Based on my experience, much of which is shared with Paul since our boats have ajoining slips at Kerr Lake and we often sail (race) with (against) each other. Beating into a 10 mph wind is fun and dry. Beating into 15 mph wind is fun and wet. As the winds exceed 17 mph a reef is called for. With more people in the boat she stands up against the wind better. And, the direction the wind blows across the lake makes a big difference on the waves and the sailing experience. If the wind blows along the axis of the lake rollers begin to form and are great wet fun.

posted 11-19-2003 11:04 AM            

Some of my biggest rewards and disappointments have occurred while planking. Learning to spile, cut, fit, backing-out, clamping (and edge-setting techniques), duplicating, and methods for fastening them down were very rewarding, and it definitely got easier the more I did. I learned that you can cut a plank out with a hand saw quite nicely when your power goes out for a week during an ice storm, and also that a router with a pattern bit is invaluable in duplicating, and can also be like Shiva, the God of destruction as well as regeneration.

I learned some lessons the hard way, and after having completely shaped and fitted the plank, ready to screw it down, I cracked it during careless and hurried clamping operations...oh the pain of doing it all again! But overcoming issues and learning is part of the process, and seeing the hull come together is quite a thrill.

I honestly thought fairing would never end, and it probably shouldn't have ended when it did, but I threw in the towel on that and decided it was good enough. I learned that I needed to use the hand planes alot more than I expected before going to the long-board or other sanding techniques.

I borrowed a wheel-tool to roll in the cotton from Paul Bunch, and can tell you with absolute certainty that for a novice caulker, it is the only way to go. Thanks again to Paul!

I learned that I don't know the trick to applying Interlux below-water seam compound. I did figure out that it is easier to apply it with your hands in a rubber glove than with a putty knife (use the knife later to clean up), but the opposite applies for the above-water stuff. If I had to do it again, I think I'd use 4100 everywhere like I did on transom and garboard seams.

posted 11-21-2003 02:20 PM               

Well lets see:

1). 9/03 - Found picture of the Haven in a coffee table book about Joel White while browsing a book store in Maine. My wife and I were on vacation and I was just killing time waiting for my wife to finish shopping. I have been itching for a boat for some years now but, being very particular, I hadn’t found just the right boat yet. I fell in love with the boat right off and decided to research the boat when I got home.

When I got home I googled for “Haven 12 1/2s” and found the site for Eric Dow’s company. $30,000 dollars!!!! I can’t afford that. Crap! Hey, here’s a site for Haven builders. Hmmmm.

And thus was born another Haven builder.

2). 10/03 – Logged onto the Haven site and got help finding books and plans. Told wife that the plans were for a fancy hot tub. Wife is enthusiastic and supportive.
3). 10/03 – Started making molds. It’s fun stacking them in order because I can see the hull profile slowly taking place. Wife is getting suspicious, says that it doesn’t look like any hot tub she’s ever seen.
4). 10/03 – Even though the molds aren’t finished yet I decided to start laying out the transom (yes, I did say that I enjoy see the hull take shape but It’s still very repetitive and I need a break). Decided I liked the look of mahogany with a clear coat. Called around a bit and found a marine lumber supplier that is more than happy to supply me with all the mahogany I want at $5.80 a board foot! Holy cow! At that price I can only afford to make one. Better get it right the first time. Wife is mollified because hot tubs use mahogany, right?
5). 11/03 – I have named the boat “Nancy B” after my loving wife. OK, actually I named it that because the wife finally got a good look at the plans (you know, maybe I shouldn’t have hung them on the shop wall after all) and realized I was building a boat, not a hot tub. Surprisingly, she fell for this transparent attempt at placation and domestic harmony has been reestablished.

Mama didn’t raise no fools!

posted 12-17-2003 04:39 PM               

Happy Holidays to all- And a special thanks to our web master who keeps this site up.

posted 12-18-2003 10:55 PM               

Best,

posted 12-31-2003 12:53 PM               

Most of the other HavenBuilders made significant progress on their boats during the year. Generous contributions from builders and lurkers helped keep the site up and going, along with revenue from our main sponsor, Bristol Bronze.

Happy New Year to all!

posted 01-01-2004 11:11 AM               

I am about 1/2 done strip planking my boat. It has become quite easy after the initial learning curve. My advice to anyone strip planking is to buy a lot of clamps! You will not need them at all times but they are very useful for the strips near the sheer and the keel. Once the hull begins to take shape the strips become more cooperative. I have been using a peanut butter consistency epoxy. As far as the gaps between the strips, there have been no huge ones. the biggest may be 3/32". I have just been packing them tight with epoxy.

I have played around with fairing areas. The curve of the hull comes out pretty easy. There will be some epoxy fairing putty needed. Pretty minor though.

I took the time to strip the lead out of the mold. It rests in my front yard now.

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