White Rabbit launched, June 15, 2011! Hauled out October 22, 2011.

White Rabbit was launched June 15, 2011. Josh Criner, able-bodied crew member, helped a lot. There was last minute rushing: issues dropping the mast, attaching the backstay, ripping out a winch, starting the motor -- the usual horseshit caused by Captain James's non-attention to detail.



White Rabbit was hauled out for the season October 22, 2011. It was a good first season: second (by only one point) to Dolphin in the SBYRA Saturday racing series; second in the BCYC Wednesday main and jib Summer series. Fourth overall in the BCYC Wednesday main and jib series.

J/29 White Rabbit

. . . a Revolutionary Class Sailboat! (Fucking With Overlords since 10,000 B.C.!)

You can't get Anywhere without an Adventure whose outcome is Uncertain.

Project White Rabbit: Update May 16

Accomplished as of May 15: installed fiberglass in forepeak area, cockpit sole area, starboard chainplate area.

To Do:

1. Finish installing fiberglass in port chainplate area, aft starboard stanchion area. Inspect a small "dead" spot next to forepeak area. √

2. Complete filling chainplate holes in bulkhead. Rout out chainplate slots through deck. Attach waxed chainplates and epoxy. √

3. Fill open holes in cockpit area (winch handle holders) and transom (motor bracket). √

4. Install new motor bracket and winch handle holders. √

5. Drill and fill with epoxy all deck holes. Clean up deck

6. Install new windows with bedding. √

7. Install all hardware with bedding.

8. Attach spreaders to mast. Inspect mast. √

9. Check keel bolts, tighten if necessary. Fair keel joint. √

10. Install lifelines. √

11. Install forepeak deck plate. √

12. Install compasses √

13. Paint boat bottom. √

14. Get boat name decal. Put on. √

We are the Borg

I have been thinking about the uses of technology lately. Actually, I have been thinking about the effects of the uses of technology, and my considered conclusion is that it alienates humanity from life.

And I don't equate technology with simple tools. Tools are good; even crows use them.

Consider a simple drive in your car. What do you hear, feel, see? Virtually nothing. In your mind, walk the same route and imagine the difference in your experience. What did getting there faster accomplish other than getting there faster? How rich was your experience on the walk?

More on this later.

White Rabbit May Day Update

The fucking boat is a pain in the ass, but that's okay: you fight with, and for, the things you love.

May 1, 2011: All I've accomplished to date is epoxying the balsa core. It took from March 26 until now to get it done. Up next: fiberglass. They say that's easy. We'll see.

Step 1: Cut and peal/chip away fiberglass skin from under the deck. Previously I drilled holes to see where wet core was located, hoping I could dry it out rather than replace it, which turned out not to be doable (brown, rotten core). Cutting with an oscillating saw (Sears) worked pretty well, but the fiberglass was tough! It took awhile.

Step 2: Scrape and chisel away wet core; difficult in tight place such as around the bulkhead and by the cabinet. Sand surfaces clean.

Step 3: grind edges of cut fiberglass to create a bevel. Only the grinder tool will do it. Sanding is useless.

Step 4: Make paper patterns for replacement areas, then cut balsa to fit. Time consuming! Especially around the chain plate areas above the bulkhead, where I had to sand down the 3/4 inch balsa to fit. Use paper patterns for plywood templates to hold up epoxied balsa core.

Step 5: Get dowels and other wood to prop up templates. Cut plastic to put between template and glued core.

Step 6: Mix West System epoxy (205 hardener, 406 silica filler, 105 resin); make thick, peanut butter or mayonnaise consistency; apply with notched spreader on both surfaces; place and hold up with wood bracing.

J/29 Boat History

J/29, masthead/outboard rig, with trailer, hull #230.

Purchased: August 2009 from George Johns of Minnesota. Boat was located in Apostle Islands, Wisconsin, Lake Superior. Boat was once located in Davidson, North Carolina in the 1990s. It may have been launched in Chesapeake Bay region. I believe I am the fourth owner, but I am not sure . . . I could be the third.

Repairs: March through early June, 2011. I replaced wet and rotten deck balsa core in five locations: starboard, aft-most stanchion; port and starboard chainplates ; starboard forepeak deck around toe rail; cockpit sole. I strengthened cockpit sole (fiberglass delaminated underneath) with new fiberglass and bracing. I believe there are other places with wet but unrotted core. I will work on them next winter.

Purchases: Summer/Fall 2010 & Winter 2011: Yamaha F6 6 hp, four stroke, single cyclinder; motor bracket from Catalina Direct; one new stanchion (five others straightened); new lifelines; various blocks and hardware; two Plastimo compasses.

The boat is beat up but apparently strong for its age: like me. Scars show character/history. I haven't fallen in love with it yet, as I did with Death Whoosh, but I expect to. (April 23, 2011)

The boat did what I consider very well for its first (almost) full season. It was launched too late for Spring BCYC Wednesday series and the first SBYRC double-handed race). On Saturdays, White Rabbit took two firsts (Black Hole, Harry A), a second (Stealth), a third (Tawas), and a fourth (Foredeck Challenge).

The biggest incident of the year was Claire falling overboard, September 14, in the last race of the fall series. It was an emotional event for me.

The boat has a spirit. It is feisty and unpredictable (drew blood out of me on two separate occasions; helped to cause a man overboard, my first and I hope last, although I think that was more due to a problem with a Harken block and the jib sheet set-up).

I would have to say that I have gained a great deal of respect for White Rabbit after this season, and she is now "under my skin", as it were. She rewarded me plenty with her performances on Saturdays.

The boat came out of the water October 22 and went into the heated barn, which is going to cost me plenty.

I borrowed Brad's (Bay Harbor Marina) water meter to check for moisture on the deck and in the hull. I found several spots, some of which I knew about from last year, and started opening them up by drilling holes . . . starting late November. They seem to dry out fast with simple lamps, which means I am confident that the boat is going to be very dry and solid next year and beyond . . . and also that I got a pretty solid boat when I bought it, which makes me very happy. I don't think there will be any major repairs to do like last winter, although there is one more small area of rotten wood to do at the middle port side stanchion.

I bought a new #3 from Doyle. I would like to get a carbon fiber spinnaker pole. I would like to re-wire the boat. I would like a boomkicker. I want to make her pretty; patch up scars, shine up the gel coat on deck, paint down below, refinish wood, etc. I would like some new running rigging; repair cam-cleats.

I am developing a sassy racing machine called White Rabbit. (December 10, 2011)

1. Dry out the boat; fix more balsa core (forepeak, port stanchion; aft of starboard chainplate; glass in large areas of drilled holes.
2. Make new backstay system.
3. Re-build all camcleats.
4. Repair damaged gelcoat along gunwhale.
5. Check and repair core on transom/rudder area.
6. Get new mainsheet line.
7. Get new uphaul line.
8. Clean 3 winches.
9. Take care of lifeline abrasions.
10. Get carbon fiber spinnaker pole.
11. Re-wire boat.
12. Get manual bilge pump.
13. Get boomkicker.
14. Make forepeak sail trampoline out of old J/29 sail.

(December 18, 2011)