EBB's PHOTO GALLERY THREAD

[Tony G]

OUT STANDING!!! Truley masterful designing and constrution, Ebb. You are really getting the most out of one of these 'smallish' hulls. Little Gull will be inspiration for a great many DIYers to come. Mark my words and just you wait and see!

The hand rails are a great design with a drip sill incorporated into a very stout and sleek form. Top notch woodwork waiting to go on yet I'd bet.

I, for one, am in LOVE with your diversion from the typical 'hamster home tube' interior when you included some angles and curves. And an easy chair! Man oh man you've got it right on the head. If no one else notices look at all of the space behind the backrest-nearly paralell to the hull. Or the undershot base that gives the feet somewhere else to go if they want. It's a fun journey to go back to page one and follow the progres you've crafted.

The emotions, Ebb, it's a privledge to experience your work and yet you make me feel pretty inadequate Well, keep it coming. I'll just have to toughen up.

[Tony G]

While perusing some of the usual sites I ran across this photo that depicts the growing popularity of comfortable seating. I am speaking to Ebb's 'easy chair'... I'm calling shotgun!!

[ebb]

Man, that does look AT HOME, doesn't it?
Look at the space in that cabin! And that sweet little burner!

If anybody's noticed, littlegull's easychair (photo#338) will have to have a hinged half seat added.
But it'll swing back down to clear the aisle.
I'd like a bit of a bump more cushion (like Tony's photo shows) along the front of the seat to make our easychair a bit more posh.
This 'chair' (HAD to be renamed!) is built below the original settee level to allow my head - just barely - to lean back under the deck.

The Ariel cabin is so small that lighting a candle will take the chill off!

[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.

[ebb]

apropos GIMP, Kurt, my daughter explained it to me.
She said I'd never be able to do it.
I think it'll be like tyrying to fly an airplane.


Hey Tony,
About that cockpit well conversion to sleeping
Wonder if aye will care what any cos'facta ratio was
when I'm flat on my back in the Tropics looking up at the stars.

I'll make some cockpit gratings strong enuf to span the well at seat level -
bring those electric BLUE KURT CUSHIONS up from below - and retrieve that last can of ginger ale from the cooler.....
and 'Here's To Ya!' the whole damn universe.

I SWEAR, that's all I want!
EVER
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check out www.youtube.com The Seventh Skol
great animation
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I know why they are laffing in picture 354...
He's just hit his head AGAIN on the cabin rail while leaning back!

[Tony G]

Wonder if aye will care what any cos'facta ratio was
when I'm flat on my back in the Tropics looking up at the stars.

Zactly!!! I sat on an old rickety dock every night while down in Belize just amazed by all of the stars dipping to the horizon while everyone else sat at a bar just like they did Stateside. It was never more clear that this boat is a portal to real life rather than some machine or posession as many unfortunate people view them. I like to think you can either live on a boat or live with it. I prefer the latter.

I was thinking the same thing with the flooring grate resting on small risers in the footwell during the day and on cleats at night. It can't just be pretty-it's gotta pull double duty too. Wanna put a canvas liner in the footwell to have a bath every now and then too. What do you think about that?

[ebb]

I got a good price on what seemed like a huge roll of 200 Polar Tech fleece that produced 6 blankets.
Picking one blanket up folding it small standing made a tidy rectangular brick. With another stacked on top I asked the seamstress at the dry cleaners to makeup zippered bag/cases out of some bright printed PT fleece. What resulted are three firm but comfortable soft cushions, each with two blankets, that will decorate the dinette side.
Many cruisers seem to do versions of this. You can make up cushion shapes for sleeping bags, clothes, towels/rags, would think nearly everything, maybe even the laundry bag could be disguised as a cushion.

PolarTec (formally Malden Mills) seems to be perfect for a boat. Water falls out of it, drys quick. It is relatively warm when wet. It has a wonderful soft feel. It doesn't get pulled out of shape, so it is good for covers and cases. It comes in great cheerful colors. I won't buy any foreign fleece - you don't know what's in it, there might be outgassing of some sort, far east manufacturers have a history of poisoning products. True Polar Fleece is made from spun polyethylene NOT polyester blanket or work jacket liner. Chemically they are nearly the same.
But in a loft fabric the PT is way superior.

Mattress and sit cushions are a special situation in Littlegull. All flat surfaces have access panels and lid keepers that are not flat. The V-berths have access plates. Think that the 3/4" open 'horsehair' stuff* I've seen might make a good first layer.
It's intent is to get air circulation under mattress. It has to be a rugged material to stay springy under butt and body print. Haven't read about it recently.* On top of that a closed cell foam in a sunbrella type fabric will be used. Talking about double duty, That's major positive lifesaving flotation.
Closed cell foam tends to be firm, and it's too expensive to be very thick, but indeed where there is a will there is a way. Pillow, cushion, sleeping bag, blanket can all be used to soften a spartan pallet. This isn't the suburbs!

Seattle Fabrics, Inc, Outdoor & Recreational Fabrics seems to be a fantastic source for cargo netting, hydrostatic water repellent polyester (WeatherMAX 65), coated and uncoated nylon (Master Nylon), vinyl coated polyester and neoprene (coated mesh), and urethane coated ripstop tent material. I bought sample packs of each. They have Sunbrella and other rugged outdoor fabrics. What their prices are I haven't compared. But obviously they can provide appropriate fabric and thread (use Goretex thread with sunbrella) for any conceivable project.

Making a TUB LINER for the cockpit well seems simple enough. You'd have a tube sewn into the aft end of the liner for the tiller to slip into - to stretch out all the way in your tub - and to have four sides. You'll have difficulty making your choice - but a silver 4oz, 140 Denier with 1.5oz urethane coated Super K-Kote Ripstop, 60" wide, $9.50YD - would stuff into a small open-mesh sack. Might want heavier material. Don't know about soaking or having that many gallons of water. Yet with privacy curtains the basin might sub in as a SPA! I feel that a pullout shower hose would be my choice in the cockpit if I made electric hot water. That is very remote. This isn't the suburbs.

A good quality 4gal 'sun shower' can be filled from the tea kettle, hung from the boom, and a GI sitz wash in the unlined cockpit is how I see it.
Two bags full would be unparalleled luxury!
Managed to score a 2gal s.s. garden pump-up pressure sprayer. Too big to store easy, but we'll try it.
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*HYPERVENT
horsehair stuff is Hypervent Marine.com. Called them up because their website was not updated. It shows a black plastic wire mat material but refers to it as white. "Yes, we are in business." Asked the owner if buttloading was a problem as in a seat cushion where it is depressed in the same place all the time: "No memory, no problem, very tuff stuff." 39"W, $12 linear foot. Defender has it for $9.33 a foot by the yard.
Hypervent is made from Nylon 6, is 3/4" thick and comes with a scrim material on one side. This allows taping pieces together (indeed, hinging them) and perhaps incorporating hook and loop fastening. Haven't used it yet.
This stuff is NOT 'DryBunk' which is an absorbant foam underlayment that you have to drape on your lifelines to dry out - along with your sleeping bags.

[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