Abraxas Racing -- R/C Racing

"Smooth" -- Avalon 44 #239

The first step of the construction was to shape the flat keel cutout into a foil shape.  The forward edge is rounded over and the sternward edge feathered back to a sharp edge about an inch wide.  I used the lines of the layers of plywood as a shape guide.

A lot a cloths pins make attaching the stringers easy.  Note the keel trunk assembly lying in the hull.

The cloths pins also assist in getting a good placement of the gussets.

The keel truck epoxied in place.

I used two spirit levels to set the hull level and the keel perpendicular.  One thing I noted after it was too late was a slight dissymmetry between the two side near the stern.  I only noticed this after the stern was completely finished when a string from bow to stern was perfectly centered at all points from the bow except at the stern.  I believe that a little bit of tweaking while assembling the stern would have removed the slight difference between the two sides.  The stern is between one sixteenth and one eighth narrower from center on the starboard side with a slightly steeper rise on the hull.

The hull is nearly complete.  I decided to fair the keel to hull joint with epoxy rather than leave the keel in its original removable configuration.  The surface of the keel and the keel bulb joint ser also faired with epoxy.

A lot of epoxy makes sure that the keel will stay put!

A good view of the finished stern.

A lot of tape and a good bead of epoxy are needed to attach the deck.

The top after the tape is removed.  Then a lot of excess deck material had to be sanded flush with the hull.

I used a string below the deck to establish the centerline through the sheet exit holes.  Additionally, the deck hardware was attached at the centerline.

This image shows where the stern is just slightly asymmetrical.

The keel just before the final fairing sanding.

The first finish.  I scratched this paint job and took it all off!  Aluma Yellow and Pearl Coat.

The electronics package.  The winches and power switch are glued down, but the receiver and battery pack are attached with velcro.  Hull number 239 matches the sail number.

The Ranger 11 N

Details of mast base.

Details of lowers shroud adjustment and spreaders.

Details of forestay and jib halyard adjustments.

Details of main sail and sheet adjustments.

Finished at last???

"Smooth" -- Avalon 44 #239

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