SV Pert

15/09/2020

From time to time, I try to come up with a way to build the cockpit locker covers that is simple. The way most production boats do them is fine for building a lot of boats because the tooling effort is distributed across the number of boats built, but for a one-off that is a lot of effort. I don't know how many different ideas I've drawn, but after each one, I let the idea sit for a while and then come back to it so I can look at it with more objective eyes. And so far, they have all failed the simplicity test. I thought of another idea that I think will be an improvement; we'll see. 🙄 😃

14/09/2020

The use of Cheeky Tangs, dyneema, and low-friction rings is really looking like a nice clean, lightweight way to do the Solent stay, similar to this: https://www.colligomarine.com/innerforestays-gallery

07/09/2020

Just a little more sanding done in the forepeak. Another session of regular sanding, then some heavy grinding on the thick patches and the hull will be pretty much sanded. Haven't touched the underside of the deck yet. My arm muscles are already protesting and we haven't even started!

04/09/2020

A bit more sanding this evening. Gotta do it in small bites; a couple of nights ago, when I finished for the evening, one thumb was a little numb, so I started wearing gloves and switching hands and positions frequently, and that has helped.

03/09/2020

Got some more sanding done, this time stbd forepeak. This is the sanding disc, 24 grit saphire. The discs are lasting a long time, just starting the second one. One disc did basically the port half of the forepeak before it started losing significant grit around the perimeter.

Tilting the pad a little speeds material removal but does greatly reduce the effectiveness of the vacuum, but the missed dust just falls straight down for later collection. Probably the surface is left slightly wavy, but I am trying to minimize that by sanding only the paint, stopping once glass is exposed. Of course, the glass surface is a bit lumpy anyway, so I may actually be ending up with a slightly more fair surface anyway. As this is inside, in the forepeak, small imperfections shouldn't be an issue.

There are two distinct layers of paint. The original coat is well-adhered, but the later, second coat is peeling and flaking badly.

03/09/2020

Got a little more sanding done today. This is going to be a long process, I can see that. Approximately 16 sq ft sanded so far. Just gotta keep chipping away at it.

30/08/2020

Yay, another 5 sq. ft. approximately, sanded on the interior port forepeak. I had a patch of that thickened resin to grind down that was about 1/4" thick, and the sander, nice as it is, really takes too long to pare that down. I may have to used the high speed grinder for those bits, even through it makes a terrible dusty mess.

That thickened resin is what the hull pan liner was bedded in to attach it to the hull, so there will be a fair amount of it to remove before I'm through. The plan is to replace the pan liner with built up fiberglass floors at the fin keel and foam core fiberglass bulkheads elsewhere.

29/08/2020

It's been pretty quiet here, boat-wise, but I did pick up a couple things I will need down the road: a Whale Babyfoot galley pump, and a Kuuma Sto-N-Go 125 BBQ grill with quick disconnect rail mount.

17/06/2020

I've been thinking about whisker pole options and set up. Forespar recommends a pole the length of the foot of the headsail, which looks like 17' maximum. They offer two poles near that, 7'-15' twist lock, or 10'-18' line control.

I really don't want to store it on the deck. The pic shows where the 10.5' spinnaker pole was stored, and it really encroaches on the side decks a lot, making it harder to get past. The side decks just aren't any too wide. The other options are to simply do without or to store it upright on the front of the mast, which seems like it would cut into sailing efficiency to weather.

The more I think about, the more I'm thinking I should hold off until I have sailed the boat more. Poles are expensive and if I can do without or if a smaller one would work, so much the better.

21/05/2020

I think I'll shorten the dodger top even more. I started out at 60" and it looks like the minimum it could be and still provide area for the solar panels and cover the area I want, is about 38".

The trick will be to mount the roof on Genoa tracks so it can slide fore and aft. Forward to give the most access in and out of the companionway and allow standing on the bridge deck. Aft to provide the most shelter when seated on the bridge deck, with the aft edge just clearing the mainsheet, which runs from the boom down to the aft edge of the bridge deck.

It needs to be super easy to adjust, preferably a one-handed squeeze while pushing/pulling. I think it is doable.

The edge could have a stainless tube grab rail all around the perimeter, mounted just barely above the top (so you can slap at the top and not miss grabbing the tube if the boat is lurching), with stand-offs going from the underside of the tube to the underside of the top.

I think maybe the Bimini could be maybe the same height and also mounted on tracks to be able to move it aft out of the way so I can stand in the front half of the foot well or on the front half of the cockpit seats.

18/05/2020

Okay, second try. I cut about a foot off the front end and slid it forward so there is less overhang over the bridge deck. Also lowered it an inch or so. It is easier to get in and out (the temporary supports are kind of in the way, but they wouldn't be there in the final dodger.

Not as much room for solar panels and not as much protection when seated, but better access and visibility. I'll have to check the size against solar panels.

17/05/2020

Fooling around a little more with the dodger has me questioning whether I want to go this route at all.

I concluded, for basic usability, it would need to be real close to the height shown here, and even then, probably every time I were to climb in and out of the cabin I would regret its presence. And it does sort of mess with my ability to see the foredeck. And the boom might need to be raised a few inches, which I am loathe to do....I want all the light air performance I can get.

Of course, it would be great when beating to weather with some spray flying, or on a chilly watch. And it would make a nice place for a couple of solar panels.

Most of my sailing has been in dinghies or almost dinghies, and I want to retain as much of a dinghy feel to this boat as I can, and I feel that adding the dodger will detract from that. Not to mention the added windage.

Gonna have to consider alternatives.

04/05/2020

Rough mock-up of a hard dodger top. Also picked up a Capt. Don boom brake and some 1/8" and 1/4" Extren fiberglass panels for use under stanchion bases, cleats, winches, anchor windlass, etc

I got these items from Don Green at MeriMarine. Don's a great guy and hugely talented and clever. I recommend checking out his products at www.dreamgreen.org

03/04/2020

03/04/2020

Yay, my plate glass came in! It should be delivered yet this afternoon, within an hour or so.

30/03/2020

Rough positioning. The top is still just a rectangle with a bow to it, no edges curved or corners radiused. I'm anticipating spending a lot of time sitting on the bridge deck, either with my legs inside the companionway or with my legs stretched out to leeward. That's how I usually sit on my Montgomery (it doesn't have a bridge deck, but I stack some cushions in front of the companionway).

30/03/2020

I started off with one rib but the plywood, even though only 1/4" thick, was wonky shaped, so I made two more. Hopefully that will be enough to give it a reasonably uniform curve along its length.

29/03/2020

Starting to mock up the dodger by cutting some ribs that will give the 1/4" plywood top curvature. The curve was determined by laying the board against the back of the deckhouse and tracing. I guessed the part at companionway opening.

I tried drawing it first, but 2-D CAD is just lacking for something so dependent upon aesthetics.

23/03/2020

Wet paint...

22/03/2020

Well, with the plate glass delayed, I thought I would take advantage of the delay to tweak the flatness a bit. One corner in particular was warped downward a tad.

Also picked up some inexpensive linoleum to protect the floor from resin drips.

20/03/2020

I went to order the glass top, 3/8"x4'x8' tempered glass, but the supplier is shutting down indefinitely due to the current affairs, so who knows when the order will be filled.

15/03/2020

First coat, still wet. It is supposed to be flat; I figured glossy would reflect the overhead lights and make it more difficult to see air bubbles in the laminate.

07/03/2020

The last sheet of plywood is glued down. Glue drying.....zzzZZZZzzzz

Now to resume designing the electrical system.

07/03/2020

Got two of the three sheets of plywood on now. It took about a half gallon of glue to coat the 4x8 sheet of plywood. I think I will pick up some more glue before laying down the third sheet, just in case.

05/03/2020

Flattening the top. I use the laser to locate the high spots, roughly, then the straightedge to check flatness more precisely. I don't know if I will go to the extent of waxing the straightedge, yet. One corner needed taking down 3/8". This wood was pretty bowed and twisted, definitely not particularly nice. I think everything is now mostly within a 1/16" and worst spots within an 1/8".

03/03/2020

I started out cutting the notches in the uprights with a saber saw. You can see how the tip of the blade started veering off to one side despite the other end staying on the line. I switched to my circular saw.

I also decided against using a plane to level the top in favor of a belt sander.

25/02/2020

The layup table is starting to look like something.

All connections are screwed and glued. Casters to be through-bolted. Need to install cross members for the top support, end plywood, and casters (4x600 #), then get the top support leveled (laser level, hand plane) and smoothed in preparation for the top, which will be three 3/4" x 4' x 8' sheets of plywood (flatness again checked with a chalked longboard), and a sheet of plate glass. Being of box construction, it should be nice and rigid. I'll probably cut a hole or two in a couple of places to have access to the interior after it is assembled.

The finished height will be 34 1/4".

Am thinking the plywood top might want to be painted black before laying the plate glass on top, to make air bubbles in layups easier to see. Any thoughts on this color choice?

21/02/2020

After about 30 years collecting dust in a corner of a closet, I finally found a new use for the 6' straightedge that I had purchased in college: cutting guide for my circular saw. Previously, whenever I cut any plywood, it had never occurred to me to use a guide or that using a guide would give a better cut than a table saw.

Old dog learns a new trick.

This is for the layup table. The screenshot below in an earlier post is a little out of date now; I changed a few intersections with the wood.

20/02/2020

Finally getting back to a little work on the boat. I'm glad much of the interior was covered with vinyl. Even with 40 grit, sanding is pretty slow going.