I learned to sail at Quivira Scout Ranch in Kansas on a Sunfish at about age 14 or so. Fell in love with it and was also an avid reader of Popular Science. They published an article by Stevensons Projects on the "Mini Cup". I photocopied the article... saved it through High School and Six Years of College and first 2 years of marriage with my little folder of "neat stuff". Built it by measuring the drawing against the few dimensions published with the article, and built a 1" to 1 foot balsa model first. Then built the boat by measurements refined from the model and photos. Heck the plans were only 12 bucks or so but remember... I'd hung on to the article for over 12 years, and figured that ordering the plans at that late date was hopeless. Would find out years later that the plans for this and other boats can be had from Stevenson projects Backyard Yacht club... right off the web www.stevproj.com
Here are some baby pictures and the finished product on the water at first year of service with polytarp sail, and 12 years later with my 2 nephews at a Family reunion
And as of 5/4/2000 structural integrity tests are fine... a branch fell on the boat from about 50 feet up and all it did to the boat was scuff the paint a little. Thank goodness that red oak gets soft when it decays.
