I thought my build descriptions might be clearer if I provided images and descriptions first of the end state, followed by details leading up to the end state. If a person knows where a story is going, then it should be easier to recognize and understand the pieces in the detailed discussions.
The inverted starboard hull now sports a faired (smoothed) fiberglass sheathed hull with one coat of below the waterline grey epoxy primer and one coat of white topside primer. I'll need more epoxy primer coats before applying three coats of antifoul black paint. I ran out of the epoxy primer and moved the waterline masking so that I could begin applying the topside paint. I applied one topside primer coat to discover more was needed. I`ve been slacking on keeping the materials coming. The shipping company shuts down for a month around the first of year and Belize now has a stevedore strike. My hopes for applying topside paint before it is too hot for the paint to level out may be dashed.
The bare plywood hull first received fiberglass along the keel and skeg. Later fiberglass is laid to cover each hull side while overlapping the keel.
The hull is faired and the waterline is masked off to receive the below waterline primer. The rudder is temporarily attached so the waterline can be established on it as well. To the right is a leveled batter board, a similar batter board is at the bow, at a prescribed vertical distances from the decks. A fishing line tensioned between the batter boards can be positioned close to the leveled hull so that waterline defining points can be plotted along the hull's length. A more complete description of this and the fairing process is given in a previous episode.
The keel under the chocolate colored areas received three layers of heavyweight 1708 fiberglass and a higher density fairing compound for improved abrasion resistance.
I enlisted the help of a neighbor friend to complete the laborious fairing job. This includes applying and sanding three coats of epoxy fairing compound over the entire hull surface by hand. I recruited the right guy as he is a sanding machine where I tend to sand less vigorously.
On the inboard hull side I've made provisions for a depth/fish finder transducer. This black clothing iron shaped transducer is intended for transom mounting, but this hull doesn't really have a transom and the more traditional transducers use through hull fittings. I don't like the idea of though hull fittings and it would not work with this hull and transducer shape. The transducer could be mounted on a submerging pole, but that arrangement seems prone to damage. This arrangement allows for transducer replacement while keeping the wiring protected. In this case I would say, "There is no perfection, only compromise".
The transducer connects to a black box that transmits over WiFi and is compatible with my mobile, GPS position, tablet based chart plotter. Other crew can download the phone app to maybe find a dinner fish.
The transducer mount is built up from laminated 3/4" mahogany. An adhesive will secure and seal the transducer to the mount. Replacing transducer likely requires destroying it, which is of no consequence, if being replaced.
A heat gun conformed the pipe to the hull curve. Sticks pressed against the wall forced the wooden laminations into the curving hull shape.
With my painting ambitions vanquished I determined I have enough materials to build two of the four crossbeams that tie the two hulls together. This is nearly completed beam will locate just aft of the cockpit. It is very similar to the longer mast beam forward of the cockpit. This beam face will receive a 1/4" plywood fairing to complete the beam`s triangular cross section. Many additional fillets will need to be made before the fairing can enclose this structure. And that will have to wait until I'm epoxy rich again.
This beam side faces the cockpit. The cockpit hangs on the beam`s lower ledge.
The beam cross section is like an I beam with a 3/4" plywood web and flanges made of 3/4" mahogany. Note that the cockpit side has two thicknesses of mahogany. Fillets are yet to be made that will strengthen the web and the thickened flange's bond.
Here we see the beginnings of the beam`s underside. The mahogany flanges are epoxied to the 1/4" plywood base leg. The base is ventilated with wide rounded slots cut through the plywood to help prevent rot(?). The base is wide in the center and tapers towards the ends. This requires a large variety of hole sizes to be drilled between the flanges. I am fortunate to have a fly cutter to cut large holes at fully adjustable sizes. This single cutting point tool is seen chucked in the drill. It can be a wild ride making a large hole with a single point tool using a hand drill, but no work was destroyed this round. The slots are finished by means of a router patterning bit following the flanges to connect adjacent holes.
I wonder at leaving the slots open as africanized bees have been reported in my neighborhood. The openings may make a good home for many undesirable creatures, but the incorporation of screens will wait for another time.
