i550class.org

Does anybody have a rough idea of how many builds are currently active? Hoping to find a few folks that I can converse with on a regular basis without bothering Tim so much....

Where are you? Nearby isn't essentially but with luck there may be an experienced builder near-by.

I am available for comment but as an upside-down build guy my experience is out of the norm in some respects.

My boat is entering the final assembly. Currently fitting doublers under the sheaves pad eyes, rigging bits. Ask away!

I am in Central Texas. I only know of one other current build in Texas, near Houston.

monsters inc wrote:My boat is entering the final assembly. Currently fitting doublers under the sheaves pad eyes, rigging bits. Ask away!

Yeah, we love answering questions. Most of the time, we even agree on things

Here are some shots of hull #307 that Marino is finishing up in Toronto. He asked that I resize and post these for him. Marino says:

"They display the first coat of Epifanes two part paint.
Putting the third coat on tomorrow and waterline on Monday. Looking to flip the boat upright on the last weekend of July."

Marino, nice job! It is tough to get the fairing good enough for dark paints and black is the most revealing.

Warren, I can live with that fact. Saw the color scheme on a G-Force extreme 26 sailboat. Like it and decide to do it and do the fairing as best as I can.

great job Marino , wish mine was that nice .

Thanks,Thomas

The mast base worked well, and makes standing the mast a much easier task. I installed the halyards, after cutting new escape slots, and a new entry for the mainsail luff above the gnav. The boat needs some new shrouds, and sails but is closing in on being ready for launch. I threw on some old sails for the pictures. Cheers , Mike

Marino wrote:Warren, I can live with that fact. Saw the color scheme on a G-Force extreme 26 sailboat. Like it and decide to do it and do the fairing as best as I can.

I love the black Marino, I plan on doing a paint scheme like the Hooligan sailing team TP-52

Hooligan wrote:

Marino wrote:Warren, I can live with that fact. Saw the color scheme on a G-Force extreme 26 sailboat. Like it and decide to do it and do the fairing as best as I can.

I love the black Marino, I plan on doing a paint scheme like the Hooligan sailing team TP-52

That is FANTASTIC!!!

Just finished painting the hull. Used EPIFANES two-part paint. Now to gather friends together to flip the boat over on Saturday(hopefully) and start work on finishing the deck.

Had friends over to help me flip the boat. Next finishing the topside and then go sailing.

Nothing like setting a challenge: the new standard in topsides finish!

I am finally starting hull# 503 in Windsor Ontario. We just finished drawing our CAD files and are getting Ready to CNC our patterns(the benefits of working at one of the biggest mold companies in N.America). I have bought a mast and boom and a truck full of west products, and have latched onto Marino as my mentor and adviser. I just may have the first fully laser scanned and faired i550 hull if no one has gone there before?? I manage the quality dept. for my company and have access and permission to bring the boat into the shop to fully digitize it as well as bringing the equipment home for fairing time. Google Creaform Metrascan to see what I am talking aboiut!!

Just purchased all the necessary RONSTAN hardware for the boat, with assistance from FOGH MARINE IB Toronto.
Putting the time in when possible in getting the boat ready. Want to get it done!!!

Good to hear, Marino! Is your garage heated? That was always the rate-limiting factor, for me, and heck, I live below the Mason-Dixon line!

That's one thing going against me in the garage. Someone suggested using a radiant heater that has fan to circulate the heat around.