On the road this week, traveling to visit the folks for the holidays. Happy New Years everyone…..
The pictures….
The foredeck hatch needed a combing installed to bolt the hatch log to. Ryan and Phil welded one up one day last November and I went over it with the grinder to clean it up. Scott then cut down the hatch log to sit flush on the deck. As far as I can tell, it is ready to bolt on.
Still taking a break from woodworking and did not get a chance to work on the model for the propane tanks, although I have been pondering it from time to time and have some new ideas.
The pictures are from the November trip. To align the engine, Robert and I made a jig with bore sights for the drive shaft. Basically, the bore sights are sighted up with sights placed in the drive shaft via a wire strung through all the sights. When pulled tight, the wire should be in the middle of the sites, then the drive shaft is wedge/tacked into place for welding.
Still taking a break from wood working while I am on business away from the shop. Been reworking the models for the propane lockers. Just not happy with the ones I had designed a few months ago. Will post some new drawings when I get back to Austin. YachtSmiths has been preparing the fuel tank lids for being welded on.
Back to SketchUp to start designing the aftcabin layout. Have a double bed in under the aftdeck that may be a squeeze to get into. But, that leaves room for a small couch and a bookcase on the starboard side. There are a couple of dressers and a full nav station. One little thing I am going to try to get in is a small sink, just enough to fill up a glass of water and brush my teeth.
The other pictures are of Amy painting the water tanks from our trip in November. She managed to get a couple of coats of paint in each tank.
Ourgoal for this trip to Halifax was to install the engine, or at least get it started and to do some hull priming/painting. While I started with the engine, Amy tackled painting the bilge and watertanks.
The first order of business was to get the engine moved into the boat and test fit it on the engine beds. After that we moved the engine aside for the drive shaft alignment. Robert and I built an alignment jig and we used it and a metal wire to align the shaft. I sat on the template while Brian did the actual alignment by checking the wire’s position within shaft and template. Ryan then tacked the shaft into place and will finish welding it next week.
Amy prepped the engine room, aft cabin and watertanks for painting. After that, she put in a couple of coats of paint into watertanks and at the end of two days managed to get a coat of paint in to both the engine room and aft cabin.
Ryan, Phil, Scott and I tackled the foredeck hatch. Scott cut down the hatch log to match the curvature of the deck, while Ryan welded up the frame with help from Phil. The curvature was a little much, so I ended up making a little ‘riser’ for the fore and aft sections which added a little be of ‘flare’ to the hatch frame, plus giving the hatch more space to be bolted to the frame.
The fuel tank lids were too large, so Amy drew them out smaller and Phil cut them down. I also marked the location of the fuel fills which Phil cut out. We are going to drop a solid pipe from the deck straight down into the fuel tanks and place the vents right next to them. Phil also cut down the watertanks lids as well.
Scott cut down the dash box to fit the aft cabin deck. It looks great.
Scott, Phil and I also got started ‘boxing in’ the engine room with 1/2″ marine plywood. In less than a days work, we got 1/2 the engine room done. Of course, it will all have to come down again to paint the backsides of the panels and cut 1/8″ fiberglass board to the outside.
The mast holes in the deck had been foamed over, so Amy cleaned them out and prepped them for welding in the mast collars.
And lastly, the bilge plates. Phil, Amy, Ryan and I tackled this on and off all week. Phil had made the bilge plate covers after he set the lead with polyester. I helped fit some of them, but mostly Amy and I did fire watch while Ryan welded them down.
Well, it was a good week, we didn’t finish installing the engine or get a coat of primer on the outside (it was too cold), but we make progress all over the boat. And it was a blast. Thanks guys!!!
This week was spent preparing to head to Halifax to work on the installing the engine. We left on Friday, but while we were in the air, a major snow storm blew into Halifax and we got delayed in Toronto. By Saturday, the snow storm had abated, however, only after it had dumped 30cm of snow. And, of course, it was really cold.
Our hotel, the Super 8 in downtown Dartmouth is about 1/2 miles from YachtSmiths. The tool bag we brought was 50lbs and since the snow was so deep, we ended up dragging it the whole way to the shed. That was tiring…
Put the final coat of varnish on the control panel boat. It looks great. Funny thing was that while varnishing coat 6 a storm was blowing outside the shed a gust of wind blew through the door an coated my freshly varnished box with dust. Had to let it dry before I sanded it down, aggraviting but everything came out alright. Talk to Bryan at YachtSmith’s and the engine has arrived at the Volvo dealer. Yeah!. Also, they finished moving the lead and sealing off the ballast comparements in the aft part of the boat. Another Yay!
I’m very happy with the way this control panel has come together. I routed and shaped (with the orbital sander) the box this weekend before applying the final sanding. It looks beautiful. Also got 2 coats of varnish on and the bell arms look beautiful.
Finished fitting the bell bar and then had to disassemble the entire control panel box so I could seal the joints with Sikaflex. Amy spread on just the right amount and then I re-screwed the box back together. Of course, then came an initial sanding and routing. Then I screwed and glued the bell bar arms to the box and then put on the bell bar itself. So, the whole right is assembled. Next week, final sanding and varnishing. Exchange rate is still in my favor, but dropping to 118%. Damn, should have changed more money when it was %130.
Cut the bell support bar this week and started the joints. Was going to cut the joint with the router, but the table saw did a good job and now I just have to clean up the joints before gluing. The USA/Canadian exchange rate has finally swung back in my favor. Good timing too since the engine just got ordered!
In June of 2005, I decided to build a schooner. This blog is intended to record the process.
