There's still Australian Red Cedar trim to fit on the bulkhead edges, the bunk edges and a cap on the anchor well bulkhead but most of the work is done. The eagle-eyed among you may remember a photo that showed I originally continued the main bulkhead right across the centre but I decided that was going to interfere with the heel of the mast too much, so I cut the central part away and built an alcove. I used Queensland Maple for the frames and panels. I had planned to join the rails and stiles with proper mortices and tenons, and I got as far as doing that one one of the three panels when I realised how long it was taking, and did the other two with my biscuit joiner in a quarter of the time. I enjoy woodwork, but jeez, I want to go sailing! The parts cut out of the main bulkhead were recycled into the anchor well half-bulkhead forward of the sampson post. I fitted a framework of Oregon and Huon Pine (the latter planking offcuts) and cut and fitted the ply bunk tops from 3/8" (9.5mm) Hoop Pine Marine Ply, then pulled the whole shebang apart and over a straight 9 days primed, painted and varnished all parts from the deck beams down to the bilges. All interior varnish is Awlwood MA with 3 coats of clear gloss and a final coat (after lots of sanding) of Satin Matte. Awlwood recommend just one coat of the Satin, but in trying to control runs and drips over such irregular surfaces I laid it on a bit thin and most parts needed a second coat. The bilges and bunk framework have 2-3 coats of International Yacht Primer, and 2 coats of white Bilgekote (sold as Danbolene in Europe). Everything is screwed together with just a smidgen of low-modulus Sika Pro around the screw threads so it will all be able to be removed in the future without destroying it. Only the outer edges of the ply bunk tops are screwed down, there are 6 loose panels for easy access to stowage. The grey-primed areas on the hull sides immediately forward of the main bulkhead will be inside lockers yet to be built.
I'll have a day off tomorrow and then get into the planning of the main saloon and galley.
0 Comments
|
AuthorIan Smith, Boatbuilder (ret'd) Archives
January 2024
Categories |