I realize that only the most curious will want to cross ref back to the photos, but here goes:
1st photo -
OB in operating position. The width of the well is the exact turning radius of the shaft, plus a little extra aft clearamce for removing the motor from the lazarette.
2nd -
Shows the clamp of the Yamaha 8/4 with the power tilt arm as it is situated behind the dam which provides the form for the plug. The plug can be used only when the motor is up. And when the motor is removed. No plug is in this view.
3rd -
The motor is up, the plug is in place. This cockpit view shows that the plug has an integral lid that conforms to the curve of the dam, fits flat to the ledge that defines the shape of the opening and fits snug in the apparent square of this mid part of the well.
4th -
Shows the clamping board and the OB clamp behind the curve of the opening. There will be a drain or two in this dammed up area, but needs a oneway scupper not found yet.
The initial curve between the clamp and the shaft was determined with paper pattern, then translated into frp about 1/8' thick over a little form.
The actual hole shape with its sloping sides was a little more dicey. Was made using special bending ply that required happy luck with the fitting and some release tape inside and the usual build up with mat and juice. Even tho it gets thin in the middle, it is very strong.
5 & 6 -
The shield shape of the plug is the outside surface of the boat. It was made using the hole formed above as the mold, with a piece of aquaply covered with mat added later in the process as the lid. The shape again was molded with xmat and filled with pieces of pvc foam.
( Discovered that the lovely crease that extends up to the transom from the top of the rudder (absent in the OB Ariel) could found by epoxying on two carefully shaped pieces of homemade 1/8" frp sheet that met in the middle where the crease was supposed to be. It closed the whole bottom including the remains of the original well. Not having seen this crease except on a Triton where it is a smidgeon over emphasized, I pushed the temporary 'plates' with 1 X 2s to the ground until it looked curvey and let it set. I filled in the plug from the top and got it mostly flat with the edges of the hole. To release the mold I grinded away the 'plates' underneath untill I saw the edge of the release tape, Since I cheated and used only double=sided carpet tape with the peeler left on, two layers, it was so tight I had to use a carjack to push it up into the well. All the temporary sheet ended up ground off. except maybe a little that remained as the bottom of the plug. The bottom was filled and longboarded with the plug in place.)
Photo 7 -
This is the starboard web frame that forms the side of the well and ties the aft bit of the deck into the lazarette. Because of the high cut in the transom for the tilting saildrive the split backstay plates will be mounted at the ends of the toerail on the transom.
You are also looking at the corner of the starboard gas tank which for the most part uses what used to be the old gas can deck and foam. I'm waiting to be castigated for this installation. But the exposed parts of the tanks are 5/16s to 3/8" thick.
This ends the series. I hope to convince Bill to herein post a fisheye view of the plug in place using a snap shot of mine. Hope this is useful.
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