EBB's PHOTO GALLERY THREAD

[tsprat]

Ebb

just want to say wow,
like to see more pics, and just amazed
Tim

[Bill]

Ebb has submitted a number of photos for review and approval for publication by the editors The editors take no responsibility, liability or any other 'ability' for that which follows . . .

[Bill]

The ketchup slide box starts as a simple stitch-n-glue closed box

[Bill]

Easy Chair with side locker

[Bill]

Easy Chair in foreground with locker and slide box. Background shows galley without sink counter - sliding panel cupboard.

[CapnK]

Ebb - She's looking spectacular.

Q: Where are you sleeping at? Waaay earlier in the thread, you had an area to starboard, partly tucked under the cockpit seat, that was to function as a quarter berth - and which isn't shown in the latest photos - is that your slumber spot?

And after the past couple weeks, I have to tell you - it takes more than a candle! An oil-filled, radiator style heater is sufficient, however, for when temps get as low as down into the 20's. ;D

[ebb]

Hey Kurt, good to see you again.

Around the aisle at dinette seat and V-berth level is now rimmed with a brown snake of continuous mahogany cleat that will hold the usual filler boards that make berths out of seats. Cleats are 1/2" lower than surfaces to take the filler boards. I'm thinking, without testing yet, that cushions can be kept in their place with velcro without added fiddles.

At the moment it looks like the dinette will convert to the main single berth. The table will hinge up easily to be out of the way and three boards in a canvas sleeve can be pulled across the foot well. They will FOLD and house in the narrow space under the center side locker visible in starboard interior fotos. Not made yet.
The width of the sleeping area at the dinette seats will be tight for a big frame like mine - alterations are always possible. I'll have a canvas preventer on the open side. - which could add a couple more inches width.

The V-berth 'aisle' has the composter toilet. It will have a cushioned lid over head necessities at the forward bulkhead, And the cushioned back of the easy chair will be removable and used to top the wider half of the space up to the break. The whole V-berth aisle IS the head and we'll have a privacy curtain. That's the easy part.
The widest part of the aisle back to the galley is difficult at the moment to figure how to support boards to make the double wide option. But I restrained the builtins to one main sleeping level based on the V-berth height. Frame pieces to suspend the boards, the boards themselves and where to store them, and the configuration of the pads/cushions that will have to puzzle-piece together for sleeping on.... will just have to work themselves out! Are there any sea-specific upholstery gods to appeal to?

The head will be accessible by lifting the top(s) off.
The optional wall to wall double berthing will end at the galley at an awkward angle. But it will leave good standing access in the galley - and for climbing out and in the companionway.

The quarter berth, not lined yet with insulation and fabric cover is too small and too tight for me. You'll see in earlier fotos that it had to be stepped DOWN from the dinette seat level even to make partial knee bending possible.
It will be great for storage tho.
Maybe not great - as I still intend to seal off the starboard seat locker, leave the lid openable in the cockpit for a shallow tray. That means sail bags in the stern of the q-berth will disappear for years.
Access to the back from the interior will be a royal head banger!

[CapnK]

Access to the head, while the bed is made up, is something I have considered much.

Compromise, compromise, compromise. One day, it'll get Perfect. Har.

I did a visual, to see what it would look like, posted below. Your choice of fabric color will likely be much better.

[ebb]

Kurt, THAT'S fantastic - how you do that?

So, from what Kurt has there, we can see how the double wide will work by extending a line down from the angled arm of the chair, thereby filling in that whole area, including the chair seat at the 'arms'. It would leave leg dangling room at the gallery to get up, dress, make tea, or climb out to the stern rail.

I guess if two were sleeping there, one would poke the other and get them to curl up while that mid cushion up front was removed for access to the composter.
It's a bit of a trip to imagine how this actually would work!

If it was a marina situation, I'd probably have a portapotti in the cockpit.

OR
The cockpit can be converted to a double under the stars or under a bimini and the whole downstairs left in its normal state for whatever ablutions are required in privacy.


That would be preferable.
So at some point, and with some hopeful expectation, energy will be spent on getting that right.
The bimini option - with side curtains - adds a huge THREE-SEASON ROOM to an Ariel or Commander. And should be seriously considered in any small cruising boat remodel.
This versatility will also work for a couple with kid(s).

[CapnK]

Ebb - I'm using GIMP for the imagery. As to the 'how', it isn't really hard, with a couple lil tricks, and a good image manipulation application:

1) Opened your/a photo image in GIMP. Added a transparent "Layer" on top of the image, and a second plain white Layer behind/below it. You can turn the visibility of any particular Layer on or off, whenever you want.

2) So the top Layer, imagine it as a sheet of clear acetate to draw on, with your photo as guidance. I drew on the outlines, and once I had them done,

3) I turned off visibility of that middle, photo Layer. That leaves just the clear top layer with some colored lines, showing against the white bottom Layer (...the only point in having the bottom, plain white Layer is to make it very easy to see the top Layer lines, when I have the photo 'invisible'). The colored lines have defined the 'cushion' shapes against the white background below.

4) Then, still on the top Layer, I selected the shapes inside the lines, and filled them in with color.

5) and, last - made your photo Layer visible again before saving. That's all it takes!

So, if I got it right with the extra area, your salon-as-a-bed will look like this, then:

[Tony G]

The bimini option - with side curtains - adds a huge THREE-SEASON ROOM to an Ariel or Commander. And should be seriously considered in any small cruising boat remodel.

You got that right, brother. With limited cabin space allready allocated to pulling double (if not triple) duty, any cockpit that allows you to fully recline has to be seriously considered as a berth. Undoubtedly it is an added expense to make a convertible cockpit that needs to be weighed against the benefits in some sort of cost/benefit ratio. Factor into that equation how frequently one may actually use it... But then, seriously, how cost effective is this 'boat stuff' when viewed with a strict monetary perspective? As far as I'm concerned, it is the easiest way to make a split-level home out of a Commander or Ariel.

A big berth below for those rainy days or when you just wanna hang out seems like a real winner also. I keep thinking 'where are we going to store all these pillows?', but where there is a will there is a way.

[Triton106]

Ebb,

Thanks again for the grand tour of Littlegull today. Rob and I are thoroughly impressed and inspired by the work you have done on Littlegull. The boat looks even better than the pictures in this thread. Thanks again also for the lead ballast! I will put them to good use on my Triton.

One thing I forgot is to bring a camera so that I can post the pictures to share with the other forum members but most of them are already documented here except the your more recent work, like the galley countertop. When the Alberg Group comes up next month I will remember to bring a camera.

Again great job! Keep up the good work.

Ray
Triton106
Blossom
Alameda, California

[ebb]

Thanks Ray,
It was a treat to discuss with you guys the changes and reasoning behind them.

See you at the San Francisco ALBERG Fleet Sunday meetings at Leila's Caffe in Berkeley.
(next meeting is May 9th 2010 at 9AM) Commanders and Arieleers, come on over, check it out.

[frank durant]

Happy new years Ebb.

Hope your healthy,happy and are finding some boatyard time as well. There have been no recent posts here and with the new year comes a formal request for an update complete with pictures of Lil Gull. It has been far too long and as the saying goes..."inqiring minds want to know".
Take care Have fun

[ebb]

Thanks Frank,
Sometimes I feel like a boxer whose corner men are trying to get him to listen - stop the bleeding around his eyes - to send him back out against a superior opponent. That oponent in this case is Time.
And it's the last couple rounds before the lights go out and The Champ is declared the winner!
And I'm glad to have you and all the guys coaching in my corner.
Maybe we can beat this one? Hah!

First monthly Sunday breakfast meeting of the new year (2011) with the
Alberg Fleet of San Francisco.

One of the things we do at Cafe Leila is go round the table and report what's happening with the boat.
Brought a show and tell which was a not yet assembled lexan "pull board" for the two stacked Shurflo pumps that will live in LitGull's narrow sump. It proved productive. Got a bunch of tips from other narrow sump challenged owners and visited Mike's Triton in Brickyard Cove Richmond to see his bilge puimp set-up.

Hopefully I'll get it together soon and post some pics here.

Have a great productive year!