Hi folk,
Ian here from Picton in New Zealand. Big day for me on Tuesday the 9th of November, I launched my Cape Cutter 19, Tiptoe, after three years of building and three days before turning 60. The last few days were something of a mad flurry to complete rigging jobs. She came off her trailer eagerly, floated beautifully on her marks, and received champagne and blessings like the little lady she is. The first thing I did was to leap aboard and test the swinging keel down then up and had a little whoop when that all went smoothly. I started the outboard and motored out and then set genoa and main in a perfect breeze and had the unparalleled delight of that first sail - nothing to beat it - and I was thrilled at the way this gorgeous wee boat performed in a 12 knot breeze.
The only little problem I had was that I had not realized that two screw holes from fixing floor bearers to the keel casing had in fact penetrated the casing and had not (foolishly on the part of the builder!!) been properly filled, resulting in a small but constant trickle of water into the bilge. So any builders out there take care to see that all holes are properly filled before the big day!
Anyhow, the occasion was a thrill and all is well and Tiptoe came back onto her trailer a treat employing the suggestions I read by Simon Head and I have now sorted the little bits and pieces needed to go sailing my new boat again sometime soon.
I have created a small album on the building process. I did not seem to be able to get the sequence of the photos right, but I guess it doesn’t really matter.
Cheers,
Ian
