Ebb,
Refering to post#125 on p. 9
I have a question (go figure) After filling the gap between the cabin top and the headliner around your main ports, how stiff did that region become. If you push out on the port opening with one hand and eight inches away you pull in with your other hand, how much twist, if any, do you get?
Also, what is the average thichness/dimention from outside cabin top to inside liner around the opening?
Thanks, Tony
HiYa Tony,
Mine may be different from yours for a number of reasons. I would just hang out in the boat with a number of those short clean shims that come wrapped in celophane you get from the hardware. And orange handled squeeze clamps. Do every hole together til you have concensus.
Experiment until you get the same overall thickness measured from outside to inside. I'ld bet the measurement varies from boat to boat.
It's possible that a liner could go in a little crooked in the rush of things at the plant. That might mean that one side of the liner is closer to the cabin side than another. My guess that is pretty remote. But since the inside of the cabin and the liner were never going to be seen by anybody there might be some shortcuts taken that would make the mating of the two a little difficult. My liner was definitely WONKUS in a number of places.
But space between liner and cabin at the windows on 338 nigh equal right and left.
Since you are not reinstalling the original frames and you doing a version of thru bolting, you'll be able to cut each bolt exact. Therefor if you HAVE to end up with varying thickness you are out of trouble. But it would be so much easier if all your bolts could be the same length. And that means the deadlight holes have to be the same thickness all around.
The liner is also bent out of shape:
at the compression beam
under the deck
around the companion way
and wherever there are fastenings for rails and gear.
"TWIST" must be a relative thing. I wouln't push anything into an unnatural shape. Wouldn't you think that the original mold for the liner was made very fair? And you'ld think the unseen inside of the cabin would be pretty clean and fair too.
The cabin IS fair, that narrow section between the holes should be absolute fair with the outside of the cabin. It has to be to mount the deadlight frames. The 'cheating' came by squeezing the relatively bendy liner. Maybe you can clamp a temporary strongback to the outside, and see if you can open a space in that skinny piece of center liner to the space you have decided on, without deflecting the outside cabin piece. Sight along the outside to see if is fair - bend a batten over it to see if something has been bent out of fair over time.
If that LINER center piece won't comply, it could be cut and 'repaired' with all the epoxy and cabosil you are going to stuff in there.
Would guess that to come up with the deadlights Pearson has designed there that the space was assumed to be constant all around each of the 4 frames. HAD to be, the inner frame machine screws all screwed into deadend holes. Therefor the space had to be the same all round. The liner had to be beautifully fair when made Then the guys had to crank it into submission. Over time it has maybe taken a set. But I believe the cabin itself has never twisted, except that there skinny piece between the front window and the back window. MAYBE!
Will come back from the boat with the thickness I came up with. Should say the boat came up with it. But I felt we just were doing the equalizing that bloody Pearson should have done in the first place. I'll let you know. Long winded ebb.
{Strength? I'll have to bang and see. The filled center section shows very little deflection when hit. It's amazing how stiff the sides became even with the gaping holes. The sides are mildly curved, sculpted. The convex curves of the cabin add a lot of strength. The relatively narrow original frames follow these mild curves well but not the glass. Applying 3/8 or 1/2" lexan to the outside and thru bolting thru epoxy filled sides will provide your cabin with unbelievable 360 roll over green water tsunami comber strength.}
Last edited by ebb; 01-20-2012 at 09:43 AM.
Hey Ebb, here's a Cal 25 sporting a hard dodger similar to what I understand you are planning . . .
How about a close-up?
the juxtaposition of circular deadlights with the angular is particularly gratifying. The designer, obviously with safety in mind, has kept the openings quite conservative in the event of boarding seas. Hard edges and flat planes will cut any comber to pieces thereby shrugging off and canceling the weight of the water.
The multi-purpose flat top will be useful for solar panels, sunbatheing or keeping a goat tethered. Clever use of WWII mindsweeper grey is in keeping with the whole nautical theme. And the crawl-thru entrance with its centrally located recessed latch is curious - but safe, no doubt - as is the paucity of dangerous vents. Everyone has his own limits. All in all an interesting effort!
Boat Porn
Hey Bill, Enough of this boat porn ! 1st Commander Pete and now you when will it stop . I doubt if even one of Pete's gals would make that boat look good .
If you're gonna do it, do it right.
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