[quote=BobBill]Tom, First here is a site to give some perspective re Frankenboats...
http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=144427&page=2#entry4472203
And there is the "proa" link and more on cat[crafting or proas to give ideas.
To recraft that boat, is not so bad, but picky.
As you know, not cored, so more or less solid. If you have some soft areas, maybe sand through to hull glass and add layer or two of 4oz S-Glass that extends a bit...maybe resurface each hull...I know big sorta job, but if you have all the gear, love the boat, what else?
Gel-coat. My kite (you can look that up on SA and see some pix) had a few gel cracks, I just gouged them out, after making sure they were not through hull, and filled with PC-11...and painted...fine after two seasons with our cold. (Stored inside but no heat.)
If you replace rudders, see if you can fit your blades to Hobie 18 hardware (there are before and after '88 sets and most sets run about $200 $scoots. If you can get to transom, I would glass in a metal plate and tap into it accordingly...picky. Or, redo originals.
As to spars, not sure. But, if me, I would be thinking of going stay-less and getting hold of decent used or base damaged surfer masts (remove base cracks with saw and sleeve...carbon sleeve is around 14-$coots a foot...the reason I think that way is lightness, quick launch etc. If a beach boat, different deal...maybe loose footed main, using original mast and step etc. Thing is, orig mast etc is heavy and clunky (built to last) but that is personal. Since boat is no longer a "class" like my Kite, so what? (Small fully battened main, with large jib?)
Like I said, given different circumstances, I would be doing one, Newport made a good boat and with some minor changes, that boat would rip, but speed is not all that counts...as you know.
I originally planned to redo two free Tornado hulls for a version of the Malibu Outrigger and ended up with cast-off Hobie 18 port and 16 starboard hulls, (trailer considerations). The work is picky and requires planning, but not hard. (Kite was simple, comparatively speaking, save the second mast...but I lucked out with finding suitable Force 5 spars and customized with busted surfer spars (100% carbon) I found on line in CA.
Patience and the will to do it are the motivators...go for it, add a sprit and larger job...traps, cooler, whatever...<!-- editby --><em>Edited by BobBill on Feb 12, 2014 - 06:00 AM.</em><!-- end editby --> [/quote]
