Fruits Of My Labor (A-113)

[CapnK]

Tony -

Do you take photo requests? I'd like to see what shape you settled on for the opening through the bulkhead... I really liked the rounded-corners one that you had prototyped in cardboard back many pages ago.

Also, I'm thinking that I am going to sell my window frames, and go with Lexan bolted on from the outside. Probably too late for you to be interested in them, but I thought I'd mention it in case your molding hasn't progressed too far, or if you run into troubles with it (which I hope you don't! I considered doing something similar a while back...).

She's looking reeeaaalll nice.

[Tony G]

I'll take a picture of anything!!! We're currently leaning towards the same shape on the top of the passageway and a flat foothold on the bottom. After stumbling through there so many times working in the v-berth I think a moving target may be even harder for me. Man, old age s****s!

As of tonight we're ready to laminate the 'furniture' pieces that are going beck into the v-berth area. Then I'll have a suitable platform to work from for the 'toe-rail' job. yeeeh...

[Tony G]

Everybody seems to be dealing with the heat, so I'll spare you the whinning. but 90+ degrees and 70%+ humidity make hand sanding and shaping a little more messy. I've just finished off my first seven gallons of epoxy and I think I've sanded away at least four gallons worth

found some time the other morning to cut holes for the dorade vents. The cabin top here was a full 3/4" thick. Cool.

[Tony G]

Because of the lack of room and, more importantly, the fact that I only had a 52" stick of teak left, we made a modified dorade box. It will still drain through weap holes but the air will have to go around a baffle. Such is life. I'll deal with it...

What really stinks is my boring bit/countersink and plug cutter are two different sizes. I had enough scrap to cut ten plugs. Plan D

[ebb]

You know Tony, you may have something there! Never seen this design be for - and why won't it work? Unique!

Everyday dorade boxes have one or two baffles across the box to help separate water from the air coming in the cowl. I can't see why Tony's horizontal/slant innovation won't work just as well - if not better!

One of the 'improvements' I've noted in my collection of Other People ideas is the install of two access plates on top of the box. The idea being that in good weather you could move the cowl right over the hole to get direct air flow below.

Another was to put on a lexan top instead of teak to get light thru the opening. Which is to say that maybe your slanted baffle plate could be lexan, or even the top as well? (The second plate over the forward opening might also get more air below with the cowl there!)

Anyway, just my way of expressing enthusiasm for your invention! Way cool!!!

Don't ferget the limbers in the corners!!!

[Tony G]

It's already August 12th. That puts me about...uh...mmm....4 or 5 weeks behind schedule. Just spent two week NOT working on the boat tending to other business. I was intending these last two week to be used for letting the paint fully cure. Ha!

I was finally able to get back at this weekend. The v-berth fixins are tabbed in. Biaxial (4"), matting, roving, matting, cloth. That should be pretty similar to the schedule that what was in there to begin with. Anyone find anything different than that?

The port openings have been drilled, threaded, redrilled, and the stainless bolts installed. The bolt holes got some epoxy pushed in, and now have two coats of fairing compound. Several more to go for sure!

Made a White Oak beam that will get glassed into the lazarette (just for you, Whaleshark!) to become the backing plate for the backstay chainplate. If I can get a picture of what's in there now I'll post it. You wouldn't believe it!

It's time to start looking at the hull too. I guess it's a bad time to be opening another store on top of all this. I mean, priorities being as they are, come on, the boat come first.

[Tony G]

eh...I just couldn't help myself. Sometimes, I dunno what comes over me

[Tony G]

Actually, I had to get at this thing. It has been bothering me for five years now. After we first got 113 home I noticed we had some leaky deck fittings. That's ok, I thought, we can fix that. Besides, the water always found it's way to the bilge where it should end up. But one time I didn't get back on board for a day or two to 'sop' up the bilge. When I pulled board up the water was gone! A little while later I noticed water pooling by the rudder shoe.

After opening things up this morning I was able to confirm my suspicions. A little grindin', a little fillin', a little glassin'. Top that off with some paint to spiffy things up a bit. Viola! We got ourself a new wine locker

[Tony G]

The sole seemed solid as a rock. However, one can see that many a gallon has poured over these soles.

Everything that goes back in will be sealed in two coats of epoxy and painted with bilge kote. Yes, I do intend to have this boat for the rest of my life.

[Tony G]

After we got the stringers for the ceiling strips shaped and tabbed in we slapped on a few coats of paint.

[mbd]

Tony, you boat will be one fine vessel when you're all done! Hey, how are thos scuppers coming out?

[ebb]

Tony, One of the better looking bilges we've seen!

Are you going to insulate the hull? That and ceiling is another sixmo!! I found a deal on 1/2" Ensolite (turned out it was actually 5/8" - probably why the deal). I like your idea of sealing the hull. Have convinced self it's important, but only non-solvent stuff I found was that white tank coating from epoxyproducts.com. It's hard, not like a paint and takes 3 coats to get all white. I'm sick of epoxy by now, damn!

Did seal the bilge with it.

Get any further with the windows? Like to see....!

[Tony G]

Mike, the scuppers are in a holding pattern for right now. My epoxy/cockpit table is still on the boat. I also have to find another vacuum pump. My old gast has a torn diaphram and the screw heads are so corroded from salt water there is NO way to back them out anymore. After I finish the bilge I'll scoot up under the cockpit to do some work there and then, hopefully, will get the scuppers in place.

Ebb, The ports are faired on the outside. Two, maybe three more coats of fairing compound to complete the openings and inside. The bolts are all in place and the lexan is waiting to be cut and drilled. I'm tellin' you, man, the idea came from your anchor chain well. It's cool. I like the clean look. yesterday I made a profile sanding block for finish work. I'll snap a few pics for you guys.

[Tony G]

I had to see for myself...That keel void thing...well, everybodys got one!

It started out with a little inocent dremel work along some cracks in the bilge. Some were deeper than others, and, there was a spot that just sounded hollow and weak. What the heck, I thought. I knew I'l have to do some 'poxy work in there anyway. Out came the 1/2" bit. It took little pressure and about half a second to pop through the little glass that remained.

I probed around a bit. Swore. Probed a bit more. Swore alot more. The only good thing is five years on the hard meant she was pretty dry in there. I hooked the shop vac up to it with the hose on the output and let her run/heat/dry for a couple of hours just for good measure.

After much more digging I decided to fill it back up with foam-it and seal it on the top side. We'll have to inspect the heel area well later on. Definitely before we dunk.

[Tony G]

What's in there you ask?