Thread: Building the OZ PD Racer - now renamed the OzRacer

Originally Posted by davaodan

Mik, I am planning on building a Storer mast for my PDRacer in the Philippines. I like the ability to reef the lug and I like the sprit too. May I use your sprit height mast and put a dead eye at the appropriate spot and sail with your balanced lug? I'll have a bit of extra mast sticking up but I can always fly a jolly roger there.

Thank you for the clarification on the pinoy forum about the confusion about the lug rig area, not 104 but 86 sq. ft.

Dan in Davao

Howdy Dan,
That will work fine. If you find yourself using the lug all the time then getting rid of the extra mast height will make the boat easier to handle in strong winds.

If you have a set of the OZ PDR plans I can send the lug supplement which gives the information for this alternative. Email me if you want.

Best wishes
Michael

Dear Michael

As I was reading the plans at the point where you describe where to fit the cockpit bulkhead I could not figure out if I'm supposed to:
i. line up the front (framing ??) of the bulkhead with the marks on the side panel or
ii. line up the front (ply edge ??) of the bulkhead with the marks or
what?

And then: is the rear edge of front deck lined up with the rear edge of ply of cockpit bulkhead?

Have no problems with the transoms

I have all the panels ready to assemble so I want to make sure I don't make problems for later work.
Thanks,
Peter

Howdy Koala,

The foredeck is a little short on earlier plans - but all the boats have worked OK.

The ones we built at Duck Flat were fine for foredeck size but the one or two needed a bit of filler on the front edge of the deck. So best to squeeze the bulkhead as far forward as possible.

This distance has been fixed in the latest set of plans by moving the bulkhead forward by 20mm.

So I would push it so the back face of the ply is on the lines on the side panels with all versions of the boat.

I'll fix that text up too (done - version 14j)

Best wishes
Michael

Thank you Michael, that makes sense. I thought the deck might be very tight fit.

I'll do a dry run soon and will keep you posted how it went.

Peter

I'll be looking at making a mast myself shortly. I have a local chap who is dedicated to Kirri (Paulownia) who has stated that he can supply me any width length thickness I want. It's very light and quite strong, although a bit soft for my original idea of using it for decking (It would have to be sheathed in epoxy).

Anyone tried it on masts?

Howdy Darce,

It might not be quite strong enough. I would tend to go for something like hoop pine for the mast and boom.

Every thing else except the gunwales, coaming and crosspieces for frames #1 and #2 and the top stiffener of the transom can be Paulownia though.

Michael.

G'day Michael,

The little bloke has taken to sailing like a duck (a Puddle Duck perhaps) to water so the pressure is on to get started in the PDR in earnest. Since I will be sailing often with him as crew I'm thinking it might be a good idea to use the lug sail and lead the sheet to the centre of the boom so it falls to his hand more readily. Probably lead it down to a ratchet block (no switch of course) on the daggerboard case to make it easier for him to hold. Is that a possibility? I'm really partial to lugs anyway and I would be able to tie the reef in if he wanted to sail on his own.

cheers,
clay

Howdy Clay ... works well with the lug or any rig with a boom on the bottom of the sail.

MIK

Well , I've got all of the bits down here at Portland for the PDR , just need to finish it off.
I can hear the waves , not that I'd be taking the boat out there , but its a constant reminder to finish the boat.
I am on the Fitzroy river , I should be able to sail it at the mouth.
But I feel that the PDR would be much better used by my grandson , so thats my goal , finish it , set it up and have a bit of a play , then give it to him.
A foggy brain , and arthritic hands are all thats holding me back now , but hopefully I'll have my son help me finish it , this year.
Oh , and comments about the hollow mast reminded me of when I built the mast at the Duck Flat school .
I swear the glue wasn't even dry , and MIK had it leaning on some structure , and was walking up and down it !.
Yep , its a light , and strong piece of work.
I hope to have something positive to report , this year.
Regards Rob J.

Great to hear from you again Rob. Glad most of the building is out of the way.

From memory it is the partner and step
Foredeck
Rudder Tiller Centreboard
Boom.

Not a big list. The ones that will may be harder with arthritis are the two hours or so of planing for the rudder and centreboard .. and maybe the comparative fiddliness of the partner and step.

So if you poke your son towards those you might get to the point where you can just make comfortable progress yourself.

Best wishes
Michael

Michael , I have the rudder/centreboard/tiller done, just not fitted.
And I had cut out the partner and step , just hope I've still got it.
It should be not much more than getting it all together , but Ii need to start checking out "where I am at" , before my son gets here maybe get set up properly again.
Regards Rob J.

So sounds a lit easier than I thought .. cool ... you did do quite a bit after the school!

Michael

Yes Mike , I gave the boat a few coats , inside and out too.
I'd love to see it on the water !.
And if I give it to No1 grandson , no doubt I'll have to make another , for No2 grandson !.
Regards Rob J.

Mike , I've been talking to my son , where can he read up on finishing the boat ?.
Can i point him to a site , or a blog , that will enable him to read up on finishing the PDR , before he gets here ?.
Regards Rob Johnson