RIGHT SIDE UP

All of the snowbirds have gone back to their homes up north, and the Key West Community Sailing Club is like a ghost town. Since there were no strong abled bodies there, I had to recruit help from outside to turn the boat back right-side up. My boyfriend Chuck, and three of his friends came over to  do the deed.

The outside of the hull has been fiberglassed, and since I had plenty of fiberglass left, I fiberglassed the bottom of the cockpit and the storage compartments also.

Today I got most of the fillets done. I have read of many different ways to make pretty fillets that require very little sanding to make them smooth. I have tried several of them, but have not had the success that they claimed. Today, I couldn't find a jig that I had made (that really didn't work very well), and since I was doing the fillets in the storage compartment, I grabbed a piece of cardboard from the box of gloves that was on the bench. If they aren't pretty it doesn't matter because no one will ever see them after the deck is on. I was amazed at how they looked. They are almost perfect.

PAINT

 The bottom has primer.

And then it was blue. She will get about three coats of paint and the bottom will be finished.

The weather is beautiful, so I went to the beach with my daughter and two of the grandkids (Aiden was in school). They had fun in the sand. Chuck took a break from the office and joined me for a little time snorkeling. We saw pretty fish and one stingray. A good time was had by all. Rinse and repeat.

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"If you don't turn your life into a story, you just become a part of someone else's story."    ~ Terry Pratchett

FIBERGLASS

If one layer is good, then two is better! I put down two layers of 18 oz woven roving on the bottom.

The stiffener is made from two scarfed 1x4s. 

The chine logs and hull sides have one layer of 6 oz glass. I now have the stiffener glued down, but didn't get a picture of it. Use your imagination until the next post. :-)

One more layer of epoxy, and her bottom will be ready for paint. Can't wait to turn her over. But, it will take more guys to turn her upright, than it did to get her upside down. That fiberglass and epoxy is not light.

I did mention that I wanted a figurehead, and the popular vote was for a naked lady. Today, I was thumbing through a catalog at work. At first, I thought I could make one of these work... but then I looked at the price. Holy Crap! Over $100, I'm doubtful that any of these will make it as my figurehead. We'll see if a naked lady makes it on the bow.

Here is a mermaid, that's one option.

A dragon came in second place in the figurehead survey.

Or, how about this guy...

Or maybe a stoic face....I've been called that!

Enough of all this, I'm going to go have a nice steak dinner with my boyfriend. He's a CPA, tax season is over, and I want to celebrate! I hate tax season, for many reasons, but the first on my list is that I don't get to see Chuck much because he's always working!!! 

Next week, we are taking a vacation! And we both need it!

BOTTOM IS ON!

The plans call for an exterior chine log. They are on and everything has been faired. The bottom goes on in two sections, with a butt plate holding them together. Done! It went on very easy, I didn't need help.

The bottom is 1/2 inch plywood. I want this boat to last and to be durable. So, I am putting two layers of glass on the bottom. Paradox called for three layers, but I think two will be fine for this boat. The plans also call for a stiffener to be fastened to the bottom. I will attach that over the glass.

It is almost April, which means the "snowbirds" start to head back home. They usually show up in November and December, and stay until April. Nearly everyone I have met at the Sailing Club, is a snowbird. I was told the place is like a ghost town in the summer.

ROLLOVER DAY

The wales were attached, and it was time to roll her over to work on the bottom. There happen to be several guys working on the roof of the clubhouse. Walter gathered three of them and headed over to my little corner. Within seconds they had her turned upside down. At this point, she is not very heavy.

Tomorrow, the bottom work begins.

WALES

When your build location is a little cramped and the ground not perfectly even, you have to get creative. I do not have 16' of level ground area to glue the scarphs on the wales. I needed a jig that would hold the scarph cuts together while the epoxy cured. This is what I came up with.

I took a plywood scrap and screwed a scrap 2x4 to it, making sure that they were square. I then clamped my glued wales to this jig, holding them straight while they cure. I should have perfectly straight... 3/4" x 1 1/2" x 16' lumber.





















The plans are not specific when it comes to the shaping of the rudder, so we will see how this works.

With the time change, I will have another hour of daylight after work. This will help with the progress of this build.

3D

FINALLY, she is 3D.  Did the dry fit.  All the bevels on the bulkheads were perfect... except one. A quick run down the side of the last bulkhead with the jigsaw, and then it was perfect too. I have glued up the two aft bulkheads. It was dark and I was tired, so I gathered my things and came home.

 
I am very pleased with how easy she went together. And I do like her shape.