Sometimes you have to stop and rub a belly!!!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Building New Frames
Below is a sequencing of making new frames for this boat. I am using some old growth douglas fir and West System Epoxy. On these at the present time the two outer layers have 2" kevlar between them and the inner 3 layers have glass. My first intention with this first one (last photo) was to subsequently add the 20 degree bevel. As 20 degrees with it's thickness wouldn't bend, I first cut a couple of 10 degree wedges. These were also too thick. Next, 6.667 degrees. Better but once epoxied up and trying to bend into the jig, slipped all over the place even being taped together. Subsequent ribs are being made full size and bevels will be cut after the fact.
The sticks are hot glued to the plywood and than moved to the work table. As the temperature dropped, I realized I made a mistake with making this 8' x 12' table with two layers of 3/4" plywood top and 6 5x5 legs... I should have made it across the road in the single car garage which is much easier to heat? This 30' x 48' with 1/2 the walls insulated and roof just trussed isn't quite ready for heat. Though it does have radiant floor heating plumbed into the concrete slap, no heat source has been hooked up. Too many projects, too little time and finite resources!
The sticks are hot glued to the plywood and than moved to the work table. As the temperature dropped, I realized I made a mistake with making this 8' x 12' table with two layers of 3/4" plywood top and 6 5x5 legs... I should have made it across the road in the single car garage which is much easier to heat? This 30' x 48' with 1/2 the walls insulated and roof just trussed isn't quite ready for heat. Though it does have radiant floor heating plumbed into the concrete slap, no heat source has been hooked up. Too many projects, too little time and finite resources!
Milling some white oak
The foreman for milling up the white oak for the restoration, Paul Rollins,York,Maine.
Rick Berry from Shirley, Arkansas onsite milling the lumber to use for floors, beams and various other parts.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Work Log Since August
While at the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta, I was in search for a boat guy to come out and give me a hand and help organize and focus me and do some of the intimidating tasks. After a number of talks with boat people, Paul Rollins name came up from York, ME. I knew of him, I met him years ago onboard the newly launched schooner Tall Cotton that he built, it resonated. He came out in September and worked 3 days.
We ended up doing the following:
We removed the engine.
Rudder - needed to dig a nice hole underneath. This is the second time I have done this in my life!!
Deadwood is gone.
Cockpit frame is gone.
Most of the bungs are drilled out.
Ripped off the lower most planking to view the hole keel timber.
Milled up and stickered a 33' white oak tree I cut down on the back of the property. Though not sufficient in width for the keel timber, it will make many fine parts like floor timbers, deck beams and firewood (just checking to see if you are reading?).
And we nearly had the cabin removed but the Fein Multimaster dulled it's last blade.
Since Paul's visit I took a little break. I started back at it last weekend and this Thanksgiving long weekend.
I managed to make some new parts -- some laminated ribs for her. I had a goal to get some new parts in in 2011, her 50th year as a vessel. I think I will do it!!
I built a nice work table a few weekends ago: 8' x 12' with two layers of 3/4" plywood that will handle the stress of laminating the frames and the stem. I have 3 of them in various forms of layups.
#47 - is the aft most one. I have one side finished with the other side drying. I will than need to shape to fit. This one has 12 layers of 5/32" douglas fir strips with 7 layers of glass and two layers of Kevlar between. I ended up doing them in 3 steps with one failed attempted to put the 20 degree bevel into them to save from cutting and shaping after. Didn't work.
#46 and #45 are layed up on the table with the soldiers. #45-one side is complete and drying as I did it in one step, the prefered method at least with these shorter ones. As they get longer, and the weather gets warmer, they may have to go in a couple of steps. #46 has a couple steps for one side and a complete one for the port side.
A few lessons:
It is harder to add strips to the inside of a curve, especially with glass and multiple layers. The glass wants to snag the end of the existing curved layup.
Using a screw in a hole to line up and hold one edge of the strips does not work if you have kevlar as one of the layers between the strips. It gathers into a nice ball around the screw. A nail with blocks and a clamp works best. Remove nail before epoxy sets up.
An electric blanket over the ribs while they dry in the cold over night saves heating the whole garage.
One inch, $1 vinyl brushes from WalMart, work the best to apply epoxy to strips and wetout the glass tape. Cut off half the bristles to make it stiffer.
Work fast and clean and change gloves a few times.
There are a total of 47 ribs in this boat. The first 7 I believe will be fine. By leaving these, it will give the boat the looks of it's traditional or original 1951 character. The ones to get laminated will actually all be hidden by the ceilings.
As the white oak original steam bent frames failed from too tight a bilge and tight seamed construction, laminating the frames will be an improvement. Adding kevlar and glass will jump it up a notch, in my opinion. One advantage is that it will be tough to starve the joint of epoxy with the spacer of glass and kevlar present. Also, on the old frames, where they broke, was also at a fastener. The glass and kevlar will limit this tendency. If I go for riveting, it would limit it even more by having a smaller diameter hole?? So many choices, so much time. If I stay focused, I could have all the ribs finished by the end of next year? That is if I don't decide to tackle the floors and deck as a section - like from the forward part of the cockpit aft?
All for now. I will try to find new pictures.
Happy Thanksgiving.
We ended up doing the following:
We removed the engine.
Rudder - needed to dig a nice hole underneath. This is the second time I have done this in my life!!
Deadwood is gone.
Cockpit frame is gone.
Most of the bungs are drilled out.
Ripped off the lower most planking to view the hole keel timber.
Milled up and stickered a 33' white oak tree I cut down on the back of the property. Though not sufficient in width for the keel timber, it will make many fine parts like floor timbers, deck beams and firewood (just checking to see if you are reading?).
And we nearly had the cabin removed but the Fein Multimaster dulled it's last blade.
Since Paul's visit I took a little break. I started back at it last weekend and this Thanksgiving long weekend.
I managed to make some new parts -- some laminated ribs for her. I had a goal to get some new parts in in 2011, her 50th year as a vessel. I think I will do it!!
I built a nice work table a few weekends ago: 8' x 12' with two layers of 3/4" plywood that will handle the stress of laminating the frames and the stem. I have 3 of them in various forms of layups.
#47 - is the aft most one. I have one side finished with the other side drying. I will than need to shape to fit. This one has 12 layers of 5/32" douglas fir strips with 7 layers of glass and two layers of Kevlar between. I ended up doing them in 3 steps with one failed attempted to put the 20 degree bevel into them to save from cutting and shaping after. Didn't work.
#46 and #45 are layed up on the table with the soldiers. #45-one side is complete and drying as I did it in one step, the prefered method at least with these shorter ones. As they get longer, and the weather gets warmer, they may have to go in a couple of steps. #46 has a couple steps for one side and a complete one for the port side.
A few lessons:
It is harder to add strips to the inside of a curve, especially with glass and multiple layers. The glass wants to snag the end of the existing curved layup.
Using a screw in a hole to line up and hold one edge of the strips does not work if you have kevlar as one of the layers between the strips. It gathers into a nice ball around the screw. A nail with blocks and a clamp works best. Remove nail before epoxy sets up.
An electric blanket over the ribs while they dry in the cold over night saves heating the whole garage.
One inch, $1 vinyl brushes from WalMart, work the best to apply epoxy to strips and wetout the glass tape. Cut off half the bristles to make it stiffer.
Work fast and clean and change gloves a few times.
There are a total of 47 ribs in this boat. The first 7 I believe will be fine. By leaving these, it will give the boat the looks of it's traditional or original 1951 character. The ones to get laminated will actually all be hidden by the ceilings.
As the white oak original steam bent frames failed from too tight a bilge and tight seamed construction, laminating the frames will be an improvement. Adding kevlar and glass will jump it up a notch, in my opinion. One advantage is that it will be tough to starve the joint of epoxy with the spacer of glass and kevlar present. Also, on the old frames, where they broke, was also at a fastener. The glass and kevlar will limit this tendency. If I go for riveting, it would limit it even more by having a smaller diameter hole?? So many choices, so much time. If I stay focused, I could have all the ribs finished by the end of next year? That is if I don't decide to tackle the floors and deck as a section - like from the forward part of the cockpit aft?
All for now. I will try to find new pictures.
Happy Thanksgiving.
My Summer Vacation on Sea Hawk
We sailed on this nice 41' Concordia Yawl, Sea Hawk the first week of August. We did the feeder races from Castine to Camden and Camden to Brooklin. In the fog from Castine we managed to pull out a first in the Concordia fleet and received the Phalarope Perpetual Trophy!! Actually I tried to "receive it" at the awards ceremony on Saturday night but was caught before getting lost in the crowd. This trophy stays in the Castine Yacht Club and I get my name on it!! We also finished third in our class. The next two races were just amazing. But not for having a spinnaker, we did really well and had a great time. Paul Carson from Searcy, Arkansas was the only reason we did so well. My other friends learnt alot but had no real racing skills.
The other crew members:
Dr. Mike Martinez from Conway, AR
Don Roberts from Alton, N.H.. Former high school classmate, Keene State College roommate and all around great guy and friend!
And George Rautenberg, my newest friend, that survived "Fog Day" a few years back and was still brave enough to attempt another go!
The top photo of Sea Hawk is from: http://sims.myphotos.cc/~macmini/2010/wooden10/content/wooden10_1_large.html There are a few hundred more of them to see the perfect sailing conditions in the prettiest place on the coast...
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Where all the inside stuff went...
That is an 8' step ladder and I have added another shelf. All is filled and all is done ripping out. It is time to start putting some stuff back in...
Mast is hanging up here in two parts. Also removed planking, toe rails for patterns, covering boards and other odds and ends that tell a story before burning!!
Mast is hanging up here in two parts. Also removed planking, toe rails for patterns, covering boards and other odds and ends that tell a story before burning!!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Progress progressed on the boat but not on the blog...
I have the whole inside of the boat joinery... removed except the engine. All the decks are gone and the cockpit joinery. The sheer plank and her inferior mate are gone around the boat. I am presently working on removing the cockpit sole.
A few views of where she is at today. The hull still looks fair and seams tight after 18 or so years aground.
A few views of where she is at today. The hull still looks fair and seams tight after 18 or so years aground.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Bow decking . . . GONE!
99% of the screws came out in near perfect condition! If one re-used, how old will the boat be or will the life expectancy be limited?
Galley (port)
Port side of the galley is getting ripped out. Just the ceiling left to do. 
I now have a portable ice chest to bring to the beach.
I now have a portable ice chest to bring to the beach.
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