My new Storm 17 “Touchwood” has been launched.
We had a launching party at Stewartby Sailing Club on Oct 24th with approximately thirty family and friends attending.
It was a great way to celebrate the conclusion of what has been an all consuming and rewarding project.  The day went well with lots of appreciation of the work involved and of the lines of this lovely looking design.  It is quite a change from the usual plastic racing dinghy that makes up the majority of the fleet at this inland flooded clay pit.
The weather was not ideal for a first sail.  Very windy and getting very, very windy!
At one time there were four up to windward with only a petite friend to leeward. She chose a good time for a first sail too.  The landing was not very controlled so the paintbrush will have to come out again.  Not much.

I need to thank all the contributors that have posted their photos and accounts of building the Storm 17.  They were a great help.  I hope to meet some of you at the events that I can now bring the boat to.  The Seafair-Haven2010 festival is one I plan to attend. 
One dream is to catch a few mackerel and to pull up on a sandy beach and get the barbeque going.  Roll on next summer.  In the meantime I have to cut a great big hole in my lovely boat to fit an engine.  You need courage just to fit a drain plug!
Happy sailing
Bill

Well done, Bill. A great looking boat and I love the name \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Touchwood\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".  See you at Milford Haven.

Er...Im sure you have planned it all out and I have no useful advice to offer.... but dont cut that big old outboard hole until you have had another look at electric drive?

thanks for congrats.  Quotation marks-  The first time I tried to write I got timed out so it was composed in MS Word. Then cut and pasted. This method might be good for fancy fonts etc.  All you wordsmiths can try it. I am better at building than writing about it but it is great to be able to share the experience.
Bill \\\"Touchwood\\\"  ps everybody did. Danish oil!