All posts by kurt

More Thoughts on Brushing 2 Part Poly

There are many times when I don’t want to bother with the compressor and squirt gun to shoot 2 part polyurethane paint.
It could be too small a job; I don’t want to lug the compressor, or overspray will be a pain.
Awlgrip T0031 Reducer is amazing, but there are cautions.

First, it seems like magic.  I see my horrible brush marks, and in a moment, they are gone.  It’s smooth.   But, up to what seems like a half hour later, it could form a drip.  And, if you work outside, like I often do,  it will grab insects or chaff for that half hour.  Things to keep in mind.  Painting closet/cabinet doors.  Skythane 2 part poly.

45 Cruising Cat Update

I’m finally able to start updating the very successful 45 cruising cat plans. Some of the recent performance cruising cats that I have seen look like they intend that looking good is more important than being usable.
It will still have full headroom, excellent shorthanding ability and cruising usability.

It does have a hotter sail plan keeping with trending now. 

The plans are available at the old price until the study plan set of the update is available.

Shaw Powercat

This comes under the heading of stuff done way wrong. A fellow sent me these pictures and noted that the underside gets pounded in any waves. He wondered if I could help. When I saw the pictures, I remarked that it looked like something that John Shaw would do. He asked that I don’t hold it against him. 100,000 lbs. displacement.  71′ length, but looks like around 65′ of real boat. Draft 5 feet. Thinking some kind of wave splitter is the only possible solution.  If I could have only done an intervention before it came to this.

Squeege Gecko Ama

Chris Anderson is here squeeging the Rovelock laminate into the CM female mold. 1988 probably. I recall that this photo was also in the first or second issue of ProBoat magazine.  Laminates were done one side at a time, but the bag did the whole mold.  The rounded sheers were molded from sonotubes.

Racing 1981

I am doing more scans from the old photos. This is Smoholla the Shaman racing, probably in summer 1981. It would have had the board instead of the keel, but with the old amas still.
Its interesting that we are behind Seafire, a Brown 40, as we won every race that year. Except a second against Limelight at Hoggshead. The mug is the diabolically brilliant Bob Dean.  I’m not sure who the speedy cat on the left is.  Maybe it is Limelight.  This was a scan of an ancient Xerox.  You use what you got; goes for photos and sail wardrobes.