EBB's PHOTO GALLERY THREAD

[Tim D.]

I got a chance last week to see Little Gull in person.

and I must say words can not do her justice, the best I can do is..

Absolutely stunning!

Thanks Ebb

[mbd]

Oh come on! All you association members over there on the left coast, and not one digital camera amongst the lot of you???

[ebb]

Didgital what? We ain't got no stinkun........
Actually I have a Canon Powershot to use now, but I'm still trying to figure out how to wind it up?

Wonderful meeting Tim, and he's OK with Indian cuisine. Continental chap. He's the guy that scored 'Che' from Adam.
Not sure what he's up to, but he may be wanting to do some custom on her.
Talking bout some serious trailer cruising.

Tim came by to pickup up Little Gull's tiller fitting to compare with Che's which is in the water and sailing. When he brought it back he said he was glad he compared the two.

Seems the rudderhead on his shaft is wider. It looks similar, but obviously is a different pattern.
Makes me wonder if Che is unique and has had a DFO change over, or if Pearson changed the pattern sometimes on Ariels and Commanders? As Admiral Bill points out, there were/are a number of 1" shafts out there in different class boats.

For instance: Tritons, both East Coast and West Coast, being larger and heavier may have had beefier rudder fittings. One of them may have graduated to Che. Or half of one of them. Che's problem is, as we have seen in Tim's post, that the tiller half of the fitting - the tillerhead - is missing.

A strong feature of the rudder fitting common to the Ariel (I assume) is that the hinged pieces are essentially a tight machined fit, which cancels play in the parts.
The Edson nickel plated backup I have is much sloppier than the old Pearson clunker - even after four decades of continual use and abuse. From that standpoint alone, even though the still available Edson 1" rudder fitting is WAY prettier, I would not recommend it as an upgrade or substitute for the A/C.
Imco as usual.

[Tim Mertinooke]

I'm starting a collection so we can purchase a community digital camera for this forum's members. We will mail it to those we feel are not posting enough pictures. Included will be a detailed description explaining how to use it and what constitutes a "good shot". When we are satisfied with the amount of pictures taken and posted, you will be notified as to who to send the camera to next. Who's with me?

[Bill]

It was a great day for a photo shoot at the San Rafael Yacht Harbor – Sunny with temps in the low 70's. Ebb had the “building” housing the Little Gull open when we arrived. Here’s a challenge; find the boat in this view . . .

[Bill]

It’s been some time since we last visited Little Gull, and although there is progress, it’s more subtle than before. The "big" visual change is the terrific topsides paint job. The finish is so mirror like that the ground clutter is reflected in the transom. Multiple coats were sprayed on to build up the finish, to the point that you can feel a significant ridge between the topside white and the water line bronze.

[Bill]

Here’s the water line taped onto the hull using the “paint can and string” method. The bits of blue tape represent original lines and, well Ebb will need to explain.

[Bill]

Moving to the cockpit . . . Here’s Ebb's latest creation – a "Stand Up Tiller." With all that arc, it will be possible to steer while standing without raising the tiller handle.

[Bill]

Here’s another project. Enlarging the coamings to provide better back support (and less water in the cockpit). This project is still in the engineering phase and the coaming displayed is actually a piece of hardwood veneer being used for visual reference. The coaming height at the forward (cabin) end is abut four inches higher than the original.

[Bill]

Next up (literally) is the famous Bboorreeggaarrdd Dodger. Actually, it’s more like the windshield system on a ‘57 Oldsmobile convertible! And, about as tough, as this very heavy duty structure will be bolted to the cabin for added strength.

From the back side, you can see the location for the steering compass below the center lite (which will open for added ventilation). All the openings will be filled with Lexan lites.

[Note too, the sea hood covering the main hatch, making for added protection from blue water waves.]

[ebb]

Moving to the cockpit . . . Here’s Ebb's latest creation – a "Stand Up Tiller." With all that arc, it will be possible to steer while standing without raising the tiller handle.

OK, referring to post 307
Sent a full sized poster paper pattern (Ebb's Cobra Tiller) to H&L while conferring with the receptionist by telephone. I assumed the shop would match the curve to existing molds, but got a call back saying the unfinished tiller would cost including shipping $77.82.
Well, that's not bad for handmade, so I said, Sure. She called back and made some adjustment to the price. I asked her what pattern it was. She said it was related to some (numbers she assumed I had reference to..) but that it was a custom job. Had to snail mail the check.
Haven't got the tiller yet but it's only been 2 weeks. 7/30/08

[ebb]

Here’s the water line taped onto the hull using the “paint can and string” method. The bits of blue tape represent original lines and, well Ebb will need to explain.

...Referring to 306
This Tim Lackey method of transferring a dead straight line to a boat is perfect for tight confines as is evident here. The tent provided the uprights for clamping the horizontal reference planks. ( a kind of engineered pine - made-up of pieces and strips glued together and primed flat beige. S3S, KD and very stable. Good pattern wood )
Tim's system would like a wider foot print to be able to move the string further out to touch more stops on the mid part of the hull for ease of marking.
Putting a straight line on the hull requires that the boat is dead level port and starboard. Not necessary for the fore and aft. So, the approximately 12' long 1" thick and 6" wide boards were clamped dead level like the boat onto tent poles at the required boat waterline, front and back.
Took measurements off our original plans and then onto the boat with story sticks. Made up yellow nylon string with gallon weights at each end and draped them over the boards, a set on each side. Made up string and cans for both sides so that the waterline could be compared. And checked against the original paint job it was: Close Enough.

Tight confines require that mid girth of the hull is located and the string securely taped to the boat in that exact spot and height. 3 pieces of immobilizing blue tape. Weighting the nylon string with gallon cans of resin (not sure that the house paint Tim uses is fully copasetic for this in-your-face left coast operation) makes it bar taut and straight as a laser. You semi lift the can to move it back and forth on the beam or you might saw through the string.

One end of the boat at a time is done from the mid-point. Half of the string remains unmoved as a constant reference. If a can is moved too close to the hull the curve of the bilge bows the string down. Have to be careful to just kiss the hull and lock it in place each time with a piece of tape. Worked out every 8" or so. The process requires constant sighting along the straight part of the line going to the opposite board and visually 'dragging' the straight half part of the string back where the string is being tacked to the hull. Go back to these single tapes and micro-readjust until a waterline reveals itself. Time consuming, exacting, tedious - and satisfying. Description of process also tedious. Sorry.

Marked the hull with a very fine line sharpie along the string between the tapes.

In other words that whole section of waterline from the middle of the boat to either end is taped to the hull. Have lunch, Take a walk. Come back, take another look, move up and down with your eye using the straight part of the string AND the far horizontal as datum, trying mentally to bring it around the curve. It is pretty easy to introduce a downward bend in line - you have to keep picking up on the dead straight datums. Then mark along the top of the string with the sharpie.

After marking, remove the tape pieces - but NOT the X'ed center - and move the can back to parallel (about 42" out from the center - which of course you had to guess at). Check the string is absolutely straight. Then tackle the other half of the boat using the straight part of the string for sighting. Sight and tape the full length from the center to an end. That weight-can on the side you are moving and marking will be way over the other side of the center point of the plank as you tape the last 8" stations at the bow or stern. Hold the string, which doesn't like being there, with a squeeze clamp. Mark the top of the string between the tape strips with the can squeeze-clamped way over.

Later when the side was sharpied end to end, the blue tape stripe was added on the new waterline for a welcome visual reward,

That's one way.
There is real magic in getting a straight line on a boat. I'd guess 98% of the boats coming into the yard have crooked waterlines. I've seen crooked boot tops on boats at the boat show!

Tim, I know, did it a lot easier, but then he had all of Maine to do it in,
Little Gull has but a tight little funky plastic garage in a San Rafael parking lot. It works surprisingly well where a laser can't go. Thanks Senor Tim! - enjoy your writing and tips and consummate skill!
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Kidding aside, Tim Lackey's Triton 381 website is the best resource there is for a plastic classic revamp. And he has kept it available for everyone.
He's Casey at the bat for Carl Alberg / Pearson boats. He is the only one who chronicles the renovation game inning by inning, play by play.
For square-one amateurs he's the king of boat projects. He out-caseys Don Casey on specifics. His public project logs are classics that stand far above everybody else's blogs on any boat subject.
Finding information about projects and rebuilding a plastic boat is time consuming and mostly disappointing. I've come to hate forums.
Tim has a literary style that lifts a chore into an art form.
This amateur has constantly been thwarted by incomplete information, lack of pictures/close-ups, and questionable methods. That is why I go on too long on details - frustration.
How-to books are always disappointing to me. They are information 7-11's. On the internet Tim is the best friend/instructor any amateur boat restorer can have... looking over his shoulder.

[CapnK]

Well lookit that - WOW!!!

A white mirror, the hull! A light, but what should be *incredibly* strong 'sprit (in particular, I like how it'll be anchored to the deck near the edges...)! Curvy-cornered cabinetry, a la TonyG, and just like it should be for a boat going to sea!

That dodger, the lines, the shape and curves - very reminiscent of a Golden Age of Flight, classic airplane windshield - awesome!

Almost like you could have a sliding-canopy bimini/cockpit cover to lean out of while wearing a leather helmet with goggles, silk scarf streaming aft in the wind as you and Little Gull beat to weather!

(Which was my plan exactly, so now it's back to the drawing board...)

Berth? Looks like you have the room to sling a double hammock down there!!!

Great work there, sir, and lots of it! Can't wait to see your interior come together more, wondering what delights *that* will reveal...

This is what I resembled when I saw these new pics...

[ebb]

BUY SYSTEM THREE T-88 STRUCTURAL EPOXY ADHESIVE AT YOUR PERIL.

To make these coaming corner posts each side required 3 pieces of 1 1/2" x 6" x 15" to be glued up into a single block of approx 4 1/2" X 6".
There are not many wood glues available for exposed exterior wood pieces. The only wood glue we can truly depend on is Resorcinol.
It is an formaldehyde powder/purple resin mix that is impervious to everything when bonded including water immersion and delamination. It needs careful measuring, controlled timing, controlled temperature, and extreme clamping to be successful. it leaves a prominent dark purple glue line. Not something desirable on a mahogany glue-up for the coaming posts at the cabin. So I thought!

Another is powdered urea-formaldehyde 'plastic resin' glue, mostly tan colored and activated by mixing with water.
It is water resistant, will not take immersion. But it leaves a lighter colored or no line at all and is often used for wood masts, spars and laminated tillers. It also requires pressure while curing. It is a little more forgiving with humidity and temperature. Generally these glues have trouble setting under 60 degrees ambient.

I would describe these glues as producing a chemical bond with the wood - while the next choice produces a mechanical bond. That is if it's not T-88.

The third choice is epoxy adhesive. My bloody choice. I have used Smith's 2-part Allwood and Tropical epoxy for years without failure. It says it will glue oily woods such as teak - and it does. T-88 makes the same claim. Laminates are put together with moderate pressure so that the glue does not all get squeezed out to starve the joint. Good epoxy is even more forgiving of humidity and ambient temperature. It's the only choice when the project temp is below 65degrees.

Structural epoxies are not laminating epoxies which are usually runny and engineered for fabric wet-out. Adhesive epoxies are stiffer, thicker, and smell mildly of toast and ammonia. Guess they are low VOC, nearly 100% solids, and are not waterbourne.
It was time to try a fresh system so I ordered SYSTEM THREE T-88 STRUCTURAL EPOXY ADHESIVE.
www.systemthree.com
It mixes just like Smiths Tropical Wood Epoxy: it is a viscous material that spreads easily because it kind of likes to hold together. Quite different than laminating epoxy which flows apart like pancake syrup. On the freshly milled mahogany there seemed to be quick wet-out . The glue was applied liberally with a toothed spatula to both sides of each joint. No holidays. The pieces were smooched together and squared up with clamps at right angle to the glue line and weight was put on top. Can't remember what weight but might have been tool boxes. The result IS a consistent 1/3mm glue line.....

DISASTER!!!


The coaming blocks have failed.

THE GLUE LINE IS PULLING APART
Barely noticeable across the top end grain the two glue lines are opening. So far only the wider top of the post is coming apart.

Have not yet pried at the joints. The wood may be moving because of hot weather and drying winds - the pieces have not spent time in the sun. The WOOD at the joints is not splitting -
just the GLUE is letting go!
The end grain of the wood is totally tight, not the slightest crack.
The whole point of this adhesive is to hold the wood pieces TOGETHER

NO MATTER WHAT.


DON'T BUY SYSTEM THREE T-88.
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You have to take my word on this one.
I've worked epoxies for decades.
Was extra careful with this project. Mah baby.
No solvents were used to prep the wood surfaces.
The mahogany has been covered and stickered dry and air dried for 30 plus years.
Honduras is not known as a problem wood to glue.
Freshly planed, milled, toothed for epoxy to grip.
The pieces were sequentially stacked as cut.
The two-part T-88 carefully measured, carefully mixed.
The method used is to turn the two parts together on a square of acrylic sheet with a two inch spatula/knife. Excellent and thorough.
The glue was not mixed in a cup.

After mixing it was allowed to rest for 1/2 hour.
Then applied to room temperature mahogany.
and the pieces smooched together wet on wet.
What did I miss?

As far as I'm concerned this is a failure of

S Y S T E M T H R E E .
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Good Cod, and I just got started using their waterbourne LPU in the cabin.
And I thought also for the coach roof outside.... maybe it's garbage too?.....