carbon tape and keel molds.......

Here are the pictures of the channel I routed out of the keel for the carbon tape (gulp...the foil shape was so nice it KILLED me to screw with it) the tape going in, and my first attempt at vacuum bagging:

I also got the keel mold burried in cement in anticipation of some lead......

Funny story there. A friend heard I was looking for lead for a keel and mentioned that one, near the same size, had been sitting on a bank near the local sailing club for a few years. It was free for the taking. Being the frugal builder, I headed over there immediately. Despite pitch blackness (midweek evening after work) and rain and plenty of wind, we (Gordon...seen in earlier posts eating cookies.....and I) located the bulb directly under the sailing clubs dinghy hoist. We wrapped a rope around it and hoisted into the back of my minivan. It was a bit of a wrestling match, but my back and the minivan's suspension made it home safely. There was no way to get it out of the van by myself, so I wrangled a neighbor into helping me get it out. Convinced that it weighed more than the 150-185 lbs needed, I grabbed a bathroom scale to weigh it. Well, the scale overloaded so we grabbed another scale and built a 2x6 bridge between the two. Total weight: 435 lbs!! The next day my father in law came by and, in the light of day, said w/ some authority "It's all steel!" I said "NO WAY, it is a steel strut and a lead bulb!" with utmost confidence. I quickly grabbed a magnet and very proudly pointed out how the magnet stuck firmly to the strut. Imagine my surprise when I moved the magnet towards the bulb and "TONK" it stuck firm! I now have a 435 lb lawn ornament that I can not move and can not use......how fun!

Maybe I could give it to Molly for Valentine's Day!

I also cleaned up a second hand mast that I got from Gordon who got it from Doug McWilliams.

The bits and pieces are starting to show up. I also found a traveler on Craig's list for $25. And a boom and some sails are not far behind.