Hardware and Rigging

This last Monday, after the last coat of varnish had dried, I assembled the kick-up rudder and attached it to the transom. Drilling the horizontal hole for the bolt that connects the tiller to the top of the rudder cheeks was more challenging than I first realized. This was due to how wide the tiller was at the point the hole was to be drilled. I didn't want to drill it out in one shot because I was worried that it wouldn't be centered where the drill came out. So I drilled from both sides. I didn't get it perfectly aligned (next boat, next boat, next boat...), so I had to elongate one of the holes. Fortunately it is hidden by the bolt and rudder cheeks.

The newly assembled and attached rudder

Next I attached the oarlocks to the outwales. Earlier this spring I had bought a second set (the first set comes with the kit) when I realized I didn't which rowing position I would use. Having the second position allows me to row it with the mast in, or by myself, from the after position and row it with others on board from the forward position.

The boat was done at this point, but I still had some rigging to do. I drilled holes in the yard for the halyard line and in the boom for the downhaul and the sheet. The manual said to put the downhaul hole in the "gooseneck", but the photos showed it drilled in the boom itself. I decided the latter would be the strongest position. The manual made no mention of how or where to attach the sheet to the boom. I drilled a hole for it about a third of the way from the end. Next, I attached two plastic cleats to the mast, about 10" up from the bottom. I also measured out and cut 15' and 30' lengths (sheet and halyard, respectively) from the 3/8" line I bought last summer.

The completed hull

The following night I laced the sail to the boom and yard using 5mm line I had bought in February. Following the directions, I used the holes I had drilled in the spars prior to varnishing them. The directions were unclear as to how to attach the tack and clew to the boom and the head and peak to the yard. I decided to just tie them to the pre-drilled holes in the spars using a bunt-line hitch, my new favorite knot (from Chapman's Knots). After attaching the downhaul to the boom, I was done!

All that remains now, is to christen it. Alas, the weather and personal circumstances have not allowed me to do it yet. Tomorrow is the cook out, so I'll have to show off a unchristened boat.