Out of the Shop

I had planned on using beer and thirsty friends to get the boat out of the shop and onto a trailer, but then a I reconsidered the logistics of getting six friends here at the same time with late fall weather cooperating and devised a new plan on the first warm day.   As when I previously turned the hull over, I suspended ratcheting tie-down straps from the ceiling beams and lifted the boat up off its building cradle. Then I moved a small cart under the center of the hull and lowered the boat onto the padded cart. I backed the 8' wide trailer up to the 6' wide shop door; pushed the hull out the door, rolling on its cart, until about 8' of hull length was out the door and on the trailer; then simply finished winching the hull onto the trailer.

Crowley Marine was ready to install the engine, steering gear, engine controls, and wiring, and they recommended a canvas shop for the travel cover and bimini. So, in a short period of time, the boat is now basically ready for the water. Of course, there are always more finishing projects. I need to (1) reinforce the deck underside where the bimini fittings are fastened; (2) place flotation foam in the bow and stern; (3) touch up the cetol finish in spots along the sheer where it was disturbed when the sheer strip was placed. After pricing simple custom upholstery for the plywood-framed cockpit seats, I found that I could purchase quality standard bucket seats for less than half the price. I should get the seats in the next two weeks.

But with winter's snow in our yard and the ski slopes beckoning, that will all wait until warmer weather.

Ready to leave the shop

Painting is not my favorite thing, but I have been doing quite a bit of it to complete this build. I still need to do some touch up but I have been trying to get this boat out of the shop and onto a trailer so I can get the engine and controls installed. Of course, the boat will still need cushions, bimini top, and a travel cover. The weather forecast mentions possible snow next week, so I am just a little late to launch this season.

Finishing the Stern, Onto the Windshield

Finally was able to get the transom and splash pan covered in glass and resin. I wasn't looking forward to this step. It was like developing the pattern for a garment; I had to make patterns for the complex adjoining surfaces using six different sections. Had to decide which edges to put tabs on so that I had overlapped joints, and had to decide the exact order of placement to minimize interference. All concave junctions for adjoining surfaces were first filled with a fresh fillet of resin putty to prevent dry spots where the cloth couldn't adapt to the abrupt bend. Most of the surfaces were vertical, so the cloth needed to be taped in place while I spread resin and tried to avoid drips and runs. Because the glass cloth distorts easily, I had to note reference points for careful placement. This covering helps not only to protect the wood, but also to add considerable strength to this area which will receive maximum stress from the engine. To my relief, this session went well. Next up will be covering the entire deck with glass and resin.

Thinking ahead, I started to finalize the windshield design. No experience, so I started looking at pictures of old launches to see how it was done traditionally and what might work on the narrow, cambered foredeck. I sat in the cockpit and tried to imagine how a bimini top will join to the top of the windshield. Because the entire boat surface is developable and mathematically created, I was able to select x,y,z coordinates for all points defining the windshield and then calculate lengths and angles for creation of a cheap plywood mock-up of the windshield. Looks pretty good, so now to select real wood and put together the actual windshield. This will be a nice side project while waiting for resin to dry on the deck.

Wood Decking

The plywood under-decking was bonded in place with temporary staples to hold it until the epoxy hardened. Then the plywood was trimmed around the sheer and cockpit. The process was repeated with cypress planks, about 3/16" thick. Now the planks have been sanded. Finally starting to look like more than just the hope of a boat. I need to glass the stern, recessed transom, and splash pan before glassing the deck itself.

Interior Details

Sometimes you can be working diligently on the boat, and progress seems slow. This is one of those times. I want to put the deck on (a big visual change), but first I needed to consider everything under the deck while access was good.  Thus, I have been working on the instrument panel, floorboards, seats, and interior finish. Also placed reinforcements in the frame where deck cleats, chocks, and bimini supports will be positioned later. One photo shows the deck plywood panels resting in place. Those will be bonded and stapled (temporary), then a layer of cypress will be added, then 6 oz. fiberglass. And then it will get painted. I know that the cypress wood grain is beautiful, but this is Colorado, and the sun's intensity would vaporize that varnish. I think I have selected paint colors. I have made an engine selection; expect to use hydraulic steering because of its compact installation; and need to select gauges for the instrument panel. I am debating a couple alternatives for the windshield design; I'll be making some mockups to help visualize the effect.

Finally the Hull is Upright

Progress has been slow due to the intervention of ski season and work, but today finally I was able to turn over the hull so that work on the deck and interior can begin. In the past few months I have been sanding, putting down epoxy and 6-ounce fiberglass cloth, and then painting. All that just takes time. On the vertical surfaces each coat must be thin to avoid runs but the epoxy must be built up enough to fully fill the weave and provide a sand-able surface coat. Because the cloth and resin are clear, it is difficult to spot small surface irregularities. I chose Pettit Easypoxy for the bottom of this to-be-trailered hull. It went down fairly well with a roll-and-tip technique; the critical element seemed to be getting each coat just the right thickness. I used a laser to strike the waterline, connecting three points on each side of the hull which I estimate to be about where the hull should float. I may later have to experiment in placement of the battery and fuel tank to achieve proper flotation. On the topsides I elected to use Sikkens Cetol. It seemed easy to apply. The directions say to apply it "liberally" for three coats. I got a bit sloppy (lighting wasn't good enough) on the second coat and experienced some sags, but it should be easy to fix.

The hull was easy to turn over. I had anticipated using beer and multiple neighbors to get the job done. Instead, I used C-clamps to suspend ratcheting tie-downs from the overhead. Tightening the tie-downs lifted the boat up in a suspended sling. Rotating the hull in the sling is fairly simple. I removed the strongback and substituted a simple plywood support cradle which I then lowered the hull onto. Although I didn't weigh it, I noted that the hull is light enough for two people to lift at this point: very good for an 18.5-foot hull.

I have been looking at outboard engines. All the dealers are accustomed to fiberglass hulls which weight much more than the wood-epoxy. Thus, they have been recommending at least 60 hp, but I think that 40 hp will probably reach my powering goals.