DN sail

I am nearly finished with a DN. I am looking for a used sail.
I live in Red Wing, MN.
A question. How wide should the groove be to complete the sail track?
John

Comments

Plank bolts...

I just saw a pic of the 'new style bolts. its In 'Images under ' tiller : Carbon. Yea the 4 studs from the plank go through the boat into the cockpit! and the weird plastic nuts fit on those studs. ...:()

Spike88

fuselage plates & plank stud sets

Yes John the metal plates that screw or bolt to the undersides of the hull are fuselage plates. The old ones have 3 holes to adjust the plank forward or aft with. The newer ones can have 4 or even 8 adjustment holes. On the Plank on each side of where the hull rests on the plank is a threaded stud welded to a flat piece that can screw on to the plank. This stud sticks up from the plank on each side of the hull and goes through the fuselage plates by lifting and dropping the hull over them. The nylock nuts go on these studs. You can epoxy studs to the plank and bypass having to use conventional studs with plates. There are studs with wood screw threads on one side and metal threads on the other that work for this.(hardware store)...(place the hull with the fuselage plates fitted on the plank and mark the locations for the studs. Drill undersized holes and use epoxy to install them with a small vicegrip) I have them on my boat plank.( I have a rather large solid airfoil plank on my boat) As you are building your own boat there are a few other options. I have seen a single bolt used on some boats in the middle of the hull If you have access to it.(no plates or stud sets!) the plank is held square with pillow blocks in the front and back of the plank under the hull. On a new boat I saw at the Fire on Ice A guy had 4 plastic nuts sticking up from the underside of his one piece hull that held on his plank. ( I asked him where you get those nuts and he said he couldn't tell me. He didn't build the boat he just bought it! lol ...I hope this helps :)

Spike88

Bearing plate

Thank you all for your help.
I have ordered the sail and have a 3/16 inch router bit.

One more question.
My understanding is that the bearing plate goes on the outside of the hull. 4 holes are then drilled through the hull. The plank is attached with a nylon nut. What does this nut bear against? Do the other 3 holes remain open with nothing to fill them?
I am a little confused. I lost one sheet of the DN plans and suspect this would answer my questions. I do appreciate your replies.
More snow. Bummer.
John

Gentle John

I have one

Hey John

the slot needs to be wide enough, once cut, (different processes exist) to accomodate the thickest part of the sail near the headboard... generally something around 1/8th of an inch...

a sarns bobstay post at bolt rope 3/8", as a sanding block is a Pretty Good gauge take it down to at least 320 grit to save your sail.

Carpe DN

Mark

I've always used a 3/16"

I've always used a 3/16" router bit to cut slots in boom and mast tracks.

I also can get extruded aluminum bold-rope tube with the slot already formed (and smooth). $32 per 16 foot section, FOB the Boatwerks shop in Madison.

Cheers,

Geoff S.

Sail for DN

You could try North Sails in Zenda Wi. 262-275-9728. Jim Gluek ... a new Melges sail for a DN is about $725. They can answer the groove Question you have too. Good Luck John ...

Spike88