Fruits Of My Labor (A-113)

[Tony G]

It's good to hear from you again, Kent.

Because we bought this lovely lady in 'sail away' condition (see above)I have much to do yet besides the re-re-redo. New furler to install, sail track and cars for the main, running rigging, outboard, rudder shoe issues, then we'd have to go East to Lake Superior (too cold) or South the Mike's neighborhood near the twin cities of MN just to float! Hundreds of miles either option.

No. This is something to do now. Strike while the iron is hot. There will always be a project somewhere on the boat. That's just the reality of owning a boat you care about. Take tonight for instance...

Not being one to just 'dive in', after arriving at the boat I waited about five minutes before digging in. I started with something mild like unscrewing the hinges in the flip-top for the head. Then a finish screw here and there. Then it was controlled mayhem removing cleats and pieces and 'carefully' cutting tabing with a utility knife(yeah, right). it wasn't too long before I was peeling off laminate and launching pieces into the cockpit...okay, launching probably isn't entirely acurate. But what is acurate is the peeling off the laminate I had applied to the cabinetry in the v-berth area. I had sealed the wood pieces agianst water intrusion with a couple coats of epoxy then applied a formica laminate with, what else, contact cement. Well folks, that was 2-3 years ago and it came off tonight with little effort. Therefore, by the mere act of these laminate pieces figuratively 'falling off' in my hand, my urge, nay the necessity to correct these issues has been justified!! (Not long ago these words would have been followed by the townspeople crying, "Burn her! Burn her! She's a witch!")

So next is the grinder to really get things rolling, followed by some serious sanding and paint removal. A clean slate. I feel good about this. Like Gene wilder as the young Dr. Frankenstien said, "It! Could! Work!"

[Tony G]

I got serious about this tonight after work. Busted out the 4 1/2" grinder to cut the tabbing that was holding the furniture in. Even with a full face respirator on I could smell the acrid smoke and fumes of the heated epoxy-yuck! I can honestly say polyester grinds more flavourful. Before I proceed with anymore grinding we will replace the carbon cartidges.

It was good to open up the area to help visualize the changes we're goin to make there. I was hoping to use several of the transverse bulkheads tabbed in from the recent previous furniture but it doesn't look as promising tonight as it did last night. But, armed with confidence a complete denuding of the forecabin isn't quite as daunting as it was several years ago. It certainly doesn't wear on me like the nagging feeling of knowing that the space is just 'not right' in more ways than I can really explain.

The pieces left in place will serve as references or landmarks to help lay-out the patterns for the new configuration. At least until they are also removed. Yes, I said patterns. Full sized and accurate! Hopefully this will help eliminate, or at least reduce, wasted time and materials. And speaking of materials. I'm thinking about using some 1/4" and 3/8" plywood this time around to spare some unneccesary material weight. Let's face it, it doesn't all have to be 1/2" and 3/4". The weight of the pieces I hauled off tonight was a bit worrysome to me in the past. Certainly when you consider there was still more cabinetry to go in!

I'll gas up the camera tomorrow and try to remember to snap a few pics.

[c_amos]

....Before I proceed with anymore grinding we will replace the carbon cartidges. .....

Please do Tony... please do.

[Commander227]

Tony...Dude...I'm just in from a sail with an good friend who brought entirely too much Surly beer, so try to read this through the same beer goggles I'm wearing. (Good thing The Princess is moored with in walking distance!)
So...Tony... Dude...I'm not say'in, I'm just say'in...you need a plan, you need to prioritize and then let er buck! Come to terms, compromise, what do you need vs. what do you want.
I know... I feel the Caribbean's pull and I know its pulling you harder! You have to finish her so you can work on all the other B.S. you need to wrap up thats keeping you from going! You've got a great boat, cool innovations. You can keep innovating or live with the flaws. Is the goal to build a really cool boat, or to take a really cool trip? Both are valid goals, but one might keep you from the other.
You need to make your escape from these latitudes so I know it can be done and follow you!
I need you to make it! I have resources, what can I do to help?
Quote of the day; "buy the ticket, take the ride," Hunter Thomas.
Living vicariously through what I imagine are your dreams,
Mike

[Tony G]

Please do Tony... please do.

Absolutely, Craig. I was shocked at how potent the fumes were in an instant. I vacated the boat in search of the mighty box fan and popped it prostrate on the forward hatch blowing down-and on high! These are last years cartridges and there is such a paultry amount of carbon in them to begin with. I worked as a printer through my extended college years so I'm tired of chemical stink and hope to be done with it for good.

Mike! Surly beer and a sail in April? In Minnesota no less!?!? I live vicariously through you, my friend!

It's a brand new plan with the same goal. We are switching from a floating, weekend camper to a boat you could live aboard for extended periods if, heaven forbid, we had to! nyuk nyuk nyuk. Given your height you surely know what it's like to semi-sleep in some sort of twisted, half-crazed fetal position. Too many nights like that would ruin the best of sailing grounds. We got a sound grasp on what we need. The 'wants' as far as amenities will just have to fall by the wayside if they don't fit in with little effort. Again these are small boats and I just need to be honest with myself about what is important and what is silly, mindless, consumerism. You are right. The destination will make the trip that much more rewarding.

I truely appreciate your offer. Thank you.

[ebb]

There was this famous swim coach who for many years taught hundreds of kids how to win at the sport.

One day a happy group threw him into the pool. He drowned.
He had always been afraid of water and had never learned to swim.


But I know about the bad side of mentoring too.
I once did the Justin Sterling Weekend
I feel we be equals here

except that maybe I made many more mistakes than most.

[Tony G]

First up. New cartridges. These made all the difference. One other thing I noticed was switching to my 8" grinder that spins way slower than 10,000RPM 4 1/2" produced much, much less of the acrid, nasty @$$ smell I noticed the first night. Glad to report I could smell nothing but coffee breath with the repirator on.

[Tony G]

Posted here soley for the enjoyment of others. We've all seen this before, kind of. I think I may be addicted to grinding. I even grind my teeth at night....
Still more to come out but first I'm going to lay out some lines.

[Tony G]

I'm going to weigh the pieces that came out of the v-berth. Here are two crappy photos of the poluted work shop and said pieces.

Bought 2 sheets of 1/4" Baltic Birch to go back in. Of course there will be sections of 1/2" ply where needed but I'm pretty sure what I want to do can be accomplished with lighter material and a little more thought given to structure and design.

[CapnK]

Dibs on Tony's cast-offs...

They'll be better than my finished product.

[Tony G]

Dibs on Tony's cast-offs...

They'll be better than my finished product.

Now you're just being silly, Kurt. I don't think you want all 103.8 pounds of it! Yeah, over one hundred pounds and not a filled locker, water tank, no ceiling strips, nothing! I wasn't even done adding cabinets and storage up front yet!!! Hopefully things will work out a little better this go around. But heck yeah, Kurt, they're all yours. Pick up or deliver?

I've been giving some thought to really changing-up the cabin layout from where we're at now. I like the open forecabin layout of the smaller Gozzard's, Nor Sea, Flicka type interiors. Of course that would require two major changes (at least) from the current layout. First would be doing away with the strongback and main bulkhead. Easy enough to tear them out and install a compression post. And I really, really like the idea of opening up the cabin that way. But that would really hinge upon part 'B' which would be adding an enclosed head by the main hatch. So to that extent I mocked-up some cardboard bulkheads and made another attempt at defining a space for the head. Now I've done this once before but it's been a number of years since that try and for some reason I guess I thought something had changed with the hull shape and size since then... No surprise. It just will not fit. Well the bulkheads will fit but then I won't fit inside the space.

I used the opening of the sliding hatch to define fore and aft bulkhead placement and then used the space between the two portlites as the location for the athwartship bulkhead. It really took a chunk out of the interior! But if one opened up the fore cabin it wouldn't seem that cramped to me. However, with these dimensions the head compartment wouldn't be functional. This brings me to the conclusion that one would have to move the hatch over 5-6inches port or starboard to use the same landmarks for bulkhead placement. I wouldn't hesitate a minute to do that if I hadn't allready put the seahood, rails and dodger coamings on. Maybe we can talk Frank into doing this. I think Marvin Gaye said it best, Let's get it on...

[Tony G]

After proving to myself yet again that the enclosed head idea just wont work for me, and, not being able to think outside the box enough to formulate a new, revolutionary aft head set-up, I set off in a new direction.

Given that the widest point on our hull (on the Ariels) is about the mid to aft section of the main cabin it the makes most sense to me to locate an athwartship convertable berth there. Right about where my galley is now... So I tossed around the idea of moving the galley to mid ship across the main bulkhead much like Geoff did on UHURU. That would allow for 2 quarter berths that could be used underway or pull double-duty as storage, as I understand most do. I can easily bridge the walkway for a queen sized harbour berth, and, keep my hanging wet-locker under the companionway which I believe is my only original contribution to this project.

As for moving the galley forward I have to give up my standing headroom while preparing those exquisite, gourmet meals I'm known for....right. But I recall Geoff's rational as food prep. being a 'sit down job' anyway. I can do that. There is an illustration in one of Ferenc Mate's books of a galley slave stool that was just a bit higher than setee height that allowed one to work without having to stand. Ingenious!!! Most of the employees here would LOVE that! My other concern with regard to moving the galley forward is ventilation. Not only because I'm a lousy cook and the smoke and the smell, but also the heat. Heat from the cook stove and the refer. I do have the two dorades located directly above and those used in conjunction with the forward hatch, the bow ventilator and the main hatch will move some air through the interior. But I remembered I still have the 13" Bomar I tried to sell a while back. What if I dropped that into the seahood? If the sliding hatch is only partially closed I could have full venting capacity from the smaller Bomar. Sure the RBV is an issue, but that's easy enough to handle. It could work!

Another issue I've been throwing about my brain pan is moving the anchor chain stowage back a little farther. Let me be the first to admit I've had some hare brained ideas! But this one might just work. Because I have the port side storage lockers going in along side the, what was the V-berth but is now a '\-berth' I have a way to add a chain pipe that wouldn't be in the middle of the 'bed'. If the locker works it would pile the chain about where the aft end of the original water tank would be. Right now it's just an idea. I have to see if I can get the chain to 'spill' to the center of the space.

Only other great shake is moving the original chain locker bulkhead forward 6-8 inches for more leg room on those berths if they need to be used. I want to add some support in that area for a deck eye so we can add a removable solent stay. And, well, as long as we're in the area....

Just some ideas and conclusions. But this isn't a true study so I could be wrong on both parts and all of the above. Mull it over and shoot it apart. I think that's the only way to make it evolve and get there.

[mbd]

Hey Tony, I'm sure you remember the Enclosed Head thread? It was A-412 that had this modification. A-412's head looks awfully tight though, like you'd have to tuck yourself in there up under the side deck.

Maybe Kurt will pipe in on the status of his aft cabin head? I wonder if he's still got it located there?

My "someday plans" are to add a compression post and add an enclosed head in the hanging locker location. I'd extend the bulkhead out to the compression post make more room for the head with an off-center passageway to the v-berth. I would pretty much keep most other things the way they are with 2 quarter berths and the v-berth. I need sleeping for 4 however, so you may have some more options as far as your galley, etc.

If you did something like this, you could run your anchor chain down a pipe by this bulkhead and maybe store the chain in a locker built where the portable head is now?

Neat idea with the hatch on the sea hood, but wouldn't that allow water to enter the cabin from the back and up underneath the sea hood? You could probably come up with something like bulwarks or baffles to discourage that though. Although, with a dodger... That might be a nice mod in any event just for more ventilation in the cabin.

PS. I'm glad you didn't rip out your nice curvaceous cabinetry! Those are way too nice to redo!

PSS. Looks like you did away with your forward opening ports too?

[c_amos]

Tony,

I sure do like looking at your work. She is a blessed ship indeed to have come under your shops roof.

I had not noticed the port light delete before. I had considered the same thing on Faith. You get plenty of light in the opening hatch, I never open them, too many accounts of the latches breaking off ...

Is that permanent, or are you installing something else there?


I think your decision to re-consider the head there is wise. I can not imagine the torture trying to extricate one's self from that location if you were underway and just finishing your coffee while underway...


THe hatch on top of the hatch is interesting... Looks like it wold only get air when the hatch was closed... unless I am missing something.
I usually just leave the hatch open in all but the worst weather... gotta love the dodger. What conditions would you use that topside opening hatch in?

[Tony G]

Captains, I am selfish in that I will not incorporate an enclosed head that does not give me some room. Not that we're planning on having a soiree in there. It's just one of those 'things' I like to do unimpeded. I understand the concept of close quarters and hand and foot holds so you're not flopping about, but, that is one thing I've decided to be totally selfish and maybe a smidgen unpractical about when it comes to a boat this size. That is why it just seems 'right' for me to leave the head where it is drawn. Besides now I can seriously look at a composter

Water intrusion is a major consideration for me when it comes to the 'hatch in the hood'. At first I was thinking about leaky seals. But if that was the case then I'd also have a biger problem up front . And the thought of water working it's way back around the hood and hatch, over coming the rail drains which flow into the cockpit would probably mean we're in some pretty heavy stuff. Although it is of major importance to keep dry and comfortable onboard, I accept that it is a small boat, and furthermore, a boat so I must expect some water below in the worst of it.

As it turns out the main hatch would only have to be about 1/4 to 1/3 closed to get full ventilation out of the Bomar. Even with partial blockage by the slider, I'm confident that air would find it's way around. I think it would really only be wise to open that hatch when anchored. Maybe slightly opened if we were drifting along

And the curvey furniture....it's going as it exists currently. But that is going to give me the chance to improve on it! Oh yeah, you can't have a u-shped galley without curves. The forward ports were in relatively tough shape. Especially for a freshwater boat. I had thought about replacing them until I saw the prices. WOW!!!! I'm absolutely fine without them. I think the Ariels have a nice enough nose to not need them.