Today I completed the rudder. The transom plated turend out to have been a good idea, and it was very easy to finally fit the dugeons, and it was easy to mount the rudder retaining clip.
Despite installing the gudgeons by eye, and everything being individually made, it turns out that the pintles fit very well into the gudgeons, and the merest change in the angle at which the dinghy lies lets the rudder fall to one side or the other.
I think I'm going to change the paint scheme of the rudder, but before that can happen I will have to wait for the varnish to dry properly. It's Woodoc 50, and I hope it's compatible with bright white catalyzed lacquer paint.
Here's the transom plate temporarily held in position by a clamp. I think it will look really good once it's nicely polished and finished.
The next part I'm working on is not in the plans, but I thought it would be worth making the effort. First of all the thought of making holes in the hull below the water line puts me off. I don't quite see the point of using plywood to build a boat, and then making holes in it, so I was reluctant to drill holes in the watertight compartment just to mount the gudgeons.
So my brother suggested I make this thing, which I will call the
transom plate, for lack of better terminology. It is a stainless steel plate that runs from the top of the transom down to the skeg, and bolts through the transom and the outboard motor mount, and at the bottom bolts through the skeg. On this I plan to mount the gudgeons and the rudder retaining clip. It remove the need for holes through the hull, it will make maintenance simpler, it will protect the transom from knocks from the rudder, and it will look really pretty
The picture shows the transom plate with approximate positions of the gudgeons and rudder retaining clip.
Here's the dinghy's accessory box, now painted bright white. Very pretty. We think it would look really good with the dinghy's name engraved on the lid.
This is an experimental saddle I made from sheet metal. It'll probably be strong enough, but it seems quite flimsy and I don't think I'll follow this route: I've had a better idea.
I wanted to put the second layer of varnish on the rudder box today, but it is not yet hard dry, so I can't sand it. Also, it is evident that I had overdone it a bit on the coating thickness: it's gone wrinkly in some places. But I guess that means it's sealed well.
Today I gave the rudder box its first layer of varnish. I'm using Woodoc 50, and following the instructions carefully. It is amazing how much varnish the wood can soak up if it isn't sealed beforehand. Getting a glossy cover with no dry spots took quite a lot of varnish. No picture of the varnish drying.
What I do have a picture of is my boom extention. The sail I have, which is still unidentified, has a foot that is longer than the Argie 10's intended sail, a whole 220 mm longer. So I'm extending the boom by 220 mm, so that the sail outhaul can still haul the sail out all the way and get it tight. For the joint I'm using the same kind of rosewood plug that is used on the mast joint.
