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is the centreboard on 6399 not on centre? Something does not look right there in regards to the trunk and that plank
Mine also has these:
Bell Woodworking.
And the “builders plate” from the company that assembled spark
it may well be that Spark is older than I thought. Here in the US, the individual states have their own laws as to what needs to be registered with the government and what does not in regards to boats. There is no blanket policy until you get a boat large enough to be registered with the United States Coast Guard for international sailing.
As such, my boat originally came from the State of New Jersey, where I currently reside. The laws here state that a boat the size of a GP14 needs to be registered and taxed by the state, except for vessels used solely for racing use, which was Spark’s original use. Her second owner took her to the State of Pennsylvania which does not require a small boat without an engine to be registered and taxed. This means that for the first 50+ years of her existence, my boat did not need to officially exist. With this in mind, it is possible that one of the original owners had forgotten exactly when 5942 was built, as you stated, I am only off by roughly a year. It is also possible that her number was issued before she was built also. Having been built from a kit produced by Bell Woodworking and assembled locally, I am more willing to bet that is her history.
that’s curious Oliver. Unless numbers were issued differently in the states, my supposedly 1964 GP has hull number 5942. I wonder if she is actually older?
that sounds like trial and error with the launching trolley. I imagine you would want just enough “forward” to keep the bow down when it is sitting, but still be comfortable enough to easily move around. You could even go the other way around, with it being Bow light so it always sits stern down to allow any water aboard to drain. I would be careful putting it in that position though, no sense in damaging the boat if you lost your grip and dropped it
I think the COG also depends on what boat. Series 1 boats have a lot of heavy wood built into them that is higher up than the latest woodies or glassfibre boats. I know my Series 1 has a sold mahogany centreboard trunk and stern where the later boats used thinner ply and put in more “ballast” down low to keep the weight legal
I was out at my boat today and used my camera to snap a couple of pictures of how the stays are mounted. I hope this helps.
I have a couple of images of Spark’s genoa/jib tracks. I can get more later this week when I get out to her to do some sanding.
my elderly series 1 has the friction brake Oliver talks about. On my boat is a piece of white rubber that is screwed to the top of the board (when down) and rubs against the side of the case. I am replacing it with a newer one that uses the hose pipe that Oliver speaks of. This will give me more control over the amount of friction needed to hold it down
Just stay away from pure silicone. Once it is on a surface it is nearly impossible to completely remove and will interfere with and future painting
Series 1 boats like mine have the mahogany boards that Oliver referred to. If you do not mind the plywood, I would use your rotted boards as templates to make a new set. Properly epoxied, they would last a long time. I also agree with Oliver that weight is what makes the GP such a good boat. The weight down low is designed “ballast”
It’s funny this came up. in playing with the extension I bought, I discovered I quite hated it. I decided to use it to build my own.
Using the swivel joint as the base, I went down to the hardware store and purchased a 3/4 inch/19mm dowel and a repair leg for furniture. After cutting, drilling, and shaping the leg, I cut down the dowel to the proper length and glued it to the “Ball” I made at the end and the swivel at the other. It is currently drying from being varnished.
I would drill out the old rivet, tap the “beading”/trim back into place lightly, and put a new rivet in. You may need some sealant or filler to secure the hold left behind by the old rivet.
For now, I would be tempted just to seal the nicks and scrapes with paint and wait till the sailing season is over to remove the board, sand it down completely, properly fix the issues, and repaint it before installing it back into the boat. Granted, it is now sailing season here in Mid-Atlantic region of the US, I am not sure where you are, but I would rather be out sailing than repairing
