The Duck That Stuck 3
By Nick AltizerModifications
So what did I learn?� Basically, that I�m lazy.� So most of the mods were in search of the perfect lazy guy�s boat.� A few even help in sailing�.but not many.
Truth of it is that Shorty�s design is great!� And Polysail makes a great and inexpensive sail.� The two significant changes were to replace the pins in the rudder system with a long bolt and lock-nut, using nylon washers where there is metal contact.� A bushing would be better.� The other change was to add a tiller-minder (and shorten the tiller).� I find I can sail much straighter when I don�t have to hold the tiller all the time.� Think of it as cruise control.� Oh, and I added a net to the bow section under the deck.� The rest was strictly comfort motivated�
Technically, this isn�t a modification to the boat.� It�s rather like�an appendage.� I don�t think there is anything new here, but it sure beats tying the mast to the roof of the car, or the boat.� All�s you need is a stick of 2x4 and a 1� dowel.� I tie it to a cleat inside the boat for safety going down the road.�
Not pictured but a great idea had by Pat Guillory:� Go buy yourself a $5 gun sock and cover up the top 5 feet of the mast and sail.� Great idea!
Articulating Tiller:� A great idea that wasn�t!
I�m sure someone has made this work (otherwise I wouldn�t have found it on PDRacer.com), so I went wrong somewhere.� Epic � and entertaining � fail.� Gotta admit it looks good, though�
Oh and the chair?� Epic-er-er fail!� Not one of my better days�
Yeah, that�s a fishing rod holder next to the cleat.� There�s one on the port side as well.
Seats by Ocean Kayak.� Drink Holders by Scotty.�� Both are a complete success!� I spent 3 hours in TDTS the other day and only came out half as stiff as on other voyages.� The seats were easy to install and set up with a few pad eyes and some creative use of paracord.� At a 45 degree angle, they are perfect for prolonged lazy sailing.� The drink holders are removable and only enhance the experience.� If you look closely, you can see the tiller minder on the, well, the tiller.� All these innovations mean that my biggest job is to curl those, um, water bottles!� Note the tiller has been shortened since the build pics.� And she has a new nick-name��The Igloo�.
I have no good picture of the net, but here it is.� The net is held on using J-Hooks and modified pad eyes from a kayak shop.� Same place I got the bungee cord for the outside net line, the seats, the drink holders�say, kayak shops are our friends!� I used paracord for the webbing itself.� All told, about three hours worth of work (I�m a net virgin) and it works great.� YouTube has a lot of videos on how to make a net.� It�s a good way to spend an evening when there is nothing left to do on your boat!
Nothing here, just one of my favorite pictures of Pat�s 646,
"Allons Canard", and my 705, "The Duck That Stuck".� I like to think of them as twins.
Fair Winds,
Nick