Fruits Of My Labor (A-113)

[ebb]

I'm a composter too. I got the first one with the miniature seat, I'll always wonder if the name Airhead refers to the buyer. I would definitely get the Nature's Squat, or whatever it's called because it has a more intelligent seat.

BUT, there is a thru-deck for these composters that has always bothered me.
And I have no good solution to its placement.
My composter will be in the remains of the V-berth area on Littlegull.
But wherever you put the thing you have to have a vent AND THE BLOODY HOSE.
The 3" vent itself will work with a solar nicro fan on deck (8" diameter?). Where does it go on an Ariel deck? And how does the hose get to it in the accommodation?

I've thought of adding some sort of half round dorade inspired vents to the outside of the cabin up near the mast. The vent hose to the composter has to be kept in place all the time. Unless there is another solution, that hose is a PITA.


By SST I assume you are talking about stainless steel.
I think interweaving fiberglass 'rope' into holes would be extremely difficult.
You'd be creating odd spaces that would be hard to fill.
AND, since you would not be mechanically fastening the perforated sheet to the hull,
I don't see what is gained by doing this? Plain fiber would probably be stronger imco.

How about carbon fiber, no metal, as some of the racers are doing?
It's available, altho the methodology requires vacuum forming with the stuff.
One intriguing form of cabon fiber is that it is also available in tube form.
You decide the diameter, because it stretches like socks.

It is dangerous to encapsulate s.s.
Though total encapsulation is theoretically possible.
Aluminum plate (6061T6) comes in a variety of perforations.
40% more thickness to aluminum, supposedly equals the strength of s.s.
But you'd have the same encapsulation problem.

Then there is bronze (655). Doesn't matter what you do to it. AND epoxy sticks pretty well if that's what you have to do.
(Littlegull's external chainplates are waiting for me to slap them on. They are all polished and
bling the topsides very nicely. I'm strut bolting through the hull with meranti built-up backing inside. You can cut and shape silicone bronze with handtools.)


Good luck with that frp 'chainplate' idea. Have to see photos!!!

[later edit] Island Packets must have rampant corrosion problems! imco NOT a good idea!
Both with the weld AND with the partial encapsulation of the stainless plate.
Both Pascoe and BrionToss will have you keel-hauled

[ebb]

google
[DOC] View Word Document - The look on my crew's face was priceless

www.Islandpacketphotos.compictures%5CAd_898_word doc
(pretty sure that won't come up.


Scroll on what looks like an email page to get the article.

You will also see pics of Tom's 'string theory' in his repair.
I don't think it'll work, but there you go...
He fixed it so the same stress cracking will happen again!
it's not just me that's having problems with this idea.