Have started next-to-last construction in the v-berth. I say 'next to last' because how I am doing it, I will still have some wiggle room WRT customization/changes. But - I don't think I'll need it.
What I've finally figured out is a way to do the build-in, while I live-in. Here's how I describe it to people:
Imagine living, with all your 'stuff', in a walk-in closet. A closet that happens to be pointy on one end. Now, do construction in there, too. That's what it's like.
So the problem has been to find a way to exist within the space, while creating and changing it. The icing on the problem is to do so in a manner which allows the rest of my life to continue, ie; work to pay the bills, and fitting in the creation/changing when I can. I've had some great ideas that I won't be able to use (foam "plywood" being the best, IMO), regrettably. But what I've come up with is "good enough", and seems to be working well.
I'm doing it using 1x4" white pine planks. It's a wood that is:
- of local origin (I wanted at least part of the boat to be made of local material)
- cheap
- easy to work
- takes resin well
- a manageable size for working with in the confines of the boat
And the way that I am doing the construction is suited to my admittedly primitive carpentry skills (or lack thereof). I can work in small bits - if I only have 20 minutes, I can work just that long, and still make/see progress. I can do all the cutting and drilling while onboard (and even at night), and immediately put parts into their place. At present, I am only semi-permanently tacking everything together with drywall screws - rough but functional. If it works well after it's all together, then I will permanently assemble it with resin/glue/cloth etc. How it is now will be plenty strong enough for me to determine whether I will be doing that, or making some changes first.
I am not sure how I am going to finish it (appearance-wise), but am leaning towards 'pickling' the pine, keeping it light and airy inside.
This past week, I've done the first bit, the port side of the v-berth. With that practice under my belt, I should be able to get the starboard side done and be working in the "main cabin" by this weekend.
In keeping with my intention to make the boat (hopefully) sink-proof, I've raised the top of the v-berth 9" above where it was originally. Partitioning off a 13" wide section of this against the main bulkhead gave me about 20 gallons of storage. I don't know how many cubic feet that is, but the bin I used to keep my food in is 18 gallons, and all of that fit in easily with some room to spare. The 'temporarily permanent' construction I am doing is allowing me to make sure that my concepts actually work in reality.
It's gonna be nice to be binless soon, for the first time in ~5 years.
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