Bestevaer 49ST

[packeteer]

they said the decks will be painted

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Joli

I understand the reason for not wanting to paint raw aluminum, maintenance, but how hot does raw aluminum get in the tropics? Is it a concern? All the alu boats I've been aboard had painted decks. Just curious.

The biggest drawback of an aluminium boat is finishing the outside surface. Paint does not stick well long term. Aluminium boats can have a beautiful paint finish, but it is a lot of work and expense to maintain this.

The good news is that marine aluminium does not need any finish to protect it from corrosion or UV. The solution we have adopted is for minimum paint. There does need to be some deck paint, mainly for the non skid properties. On our boat we have kept this paint away from any of the corners so the finish is easy to touch up or refinish.

White paint has been selected to minimise heating of the surface.

Also, all the living areas are insulated with 75+ mm foam so transfer of heat from the deck is not a big issue. In hot conditions the interior is quite a bit cooler than fibreglass boats. For the cockpit seating areas my wife is making some cushions and backrests from closed cell foam covered in Sunbrelła. These can left out in wet conditions if needed. We have a combination of small cushions for passage making and full length cushions for lounging. This minimises the need to rinse off salt.

[weavis]

When will they be ready to put the boat in the water and affix the mast?

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by weavis

When will they be ready to put the boat in the water and affix the mast?

Our project manager thinks it will still be before the end of the month.
We are on countdown .

SWL

[noelex 77]

More details.


This is the main switchboard panel:

[weavis]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

More details.


This is the main switchboard panel:

Now that is a tidy installation.

[noelex 77]

Blocks:

Manufacturers are starting to under specify items such as blocks. Robust deck gear is expensive and with many yachts only sailing a few weekends a year, an adequate life can be achieved with smaller equipment such as blocks and clutches.

On a cruising boat used full time, deck gear takes a beating. KM custom make some of this equipment. It is always robust, overbuilt stuff that looks like it will last a lifetime of hard use.

These flip flop blocks used on our mainsheet are a good example. Notice the attention to detail. The smaller idling block reduces friction and chafe when the mainsheet is let out a long way. Although it does not show up in photos, the thick aluminium cheeks give some confidence that the block is not going explode with an inadvertent accidental gibe.

The yankee and staysail track, as well as the turning blocks were also custom made, but the smaller blocks are commercial Tytec blocks.

[DeepFrz]

Exciting times.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Blocks:

Manufacturers are starting to under specify items such as blocks. Robust deck gear is expensive and with many yachts only sailing a few weekends a year, an adequate life can be achieved with smaller equipment such as blocks and clutches.

On a cruising boat used full time, deck gear takes a beating. KM custom make some of this equipment. It is always robust, overbuilt stuff that looks like it will last a lifetime of hard use.

These flip flop blocks used on our mainsheet are a good example. Notice the attention to detail. The smaller idling block reduces friction and chafe when the mainsheet is let out a long way. Although it does not show up in photos, the thick aluminium cheeks give some confidence that the block is not going explode with an inadvertent accidental gibe.

The yankee and staysail track, as well as the turning blocks were also custom made, but the smaller blocks are commercial Tytec blocks.

Every time i see something else from this build, I want one of these boats even more!!

[noelex 77]

These are the commercial Tytec blocks.

They have a Dyneema soft shackle attachment with a leather cover instead of the more traditional stainless steel attachment.

Reducing dissimilar metal contact is important for an aluminium boat. We have reduced the amount of stainless by welding items such as the jib and stailsail track to the deck instead of bolting them on with dozens of fastenings. This also eliminates the chance of leaks, and the track serves as an additional above deck stringer, strengthening the whole structure.

The Dyneema loop also has the advantage that it is quiet. When sleeping, a banging block can keep the off watch crew awake. One of the keys to getting adequate rest offshore is reducing noise. The thick insulation fitted under the deck muffles most sounds, but a banging block can wake the dead.

The Tytec blocks are very well made with proper metal cheeks instead of plastic. They also have very high SWL for their size.

The drawback is the Dyneema straps will need periodic replacement due to chafe and UV perhaps so it helps to marry a Mermaid who can also make Dyneema soft shackles .

We have tried hard to reduce the maintenance and periodic replacement of components on this boat. Attaching blocks with Dyneema is more along the racing philosophy of reducing weight. At first glance it appears against the ethos of bullet proof and reliable, but I think with an aluminium boat it is a sensible compromise.

In addition to the tracks for the genoa and staysail, the toerail on top of the bulwark is immensely strong. As well, there is a multitude of aluminium handrails and pad eyes scattered around the deck. This allows multiple attachment points for blocks with a Dyneema loop attachment, permitting the ideal sheeting angle.

The Tytec blocs are beautiful, and lightweight for the strength achieved, but not as robust the custom designed KM hardware. Sadly It is not cost effective to custom produce these smaller blocks

[cj88]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

The biggest drawback of an aluminium boat is finishing the outside surface. Paint does not stick well long term. Aluminium boats can have a beautiful paint finish, but it is a lot of work and expense to maintain this.

The good news is that marine aluminium does not need any finish to protect it from corrosion or UV. The solution we have adopted is for minimum paint. There does need to be some deck paint, mainly for the non skid properties. On our boat we have kept this paint away from any of the corners so the finish is easy to touch up or refinish.

White paint has been selected to minimise heating of the surface.

Also, all the living areas are insulated with 75+ mm foam so transfer of heat from the deck is not a big issue. In hot conditions the interior is quite a bit cooler than fibreglass boats. For the cockpit seating areas my wife is making some cushions and backrests from closed cell foam covered in Sunbrelła. These can left out in wet conditions if needed. We have a combination of small cushions for passage making and full length cushions for lounging. This minimises the need to rinse off salt.

Just wondering if you ever considered something like a SeaCork or Marine Deck cork decking material instead of non-skid paint for the aluminium deck? It would also add to the thermal and sound insulation, especially against hard things impacting the deck.

[SailRedemption]

Originally Posted by cj88

Just wondering if you ever considered something like a SeaCork or Marine Deck cork decking material instead of non-skid paint for the aluminium deck? It would also add to the thermal and sound insulation, especially against hard things impacting the deck.

Plus one here. We stepped on a cat at Miami with marine deck 2000 and it was grippy and cool as a cucumber. It will be our choice whenever we decide to rip up our teak decks.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by cj88

Just wondering if you ever considered something like a SeaCork or Marine Deck cork decking material instead of non-skid paint for the aluminium deck? It would also add to the thermal and sound insulation, especially against hard things impacting the deck.

Yes, I think it can be a good solution. The finishes are comfortable and grippy.

There are some drawbacks though. There is some risk of crevice corrosion under the covering. If well done, the chance of problems is small. Water has to penetrate under the covering for this to occur, but it is almost impossible to detect until a very advanced stage is reached. Many aluminium boats have decks overlaid with teak and here the risk is much greater, although problems are probably no more common than teak screwed into a cored fibreglass deck.

The artificial surfaces are relatively easy to apply, but it is a lot of work to remove the old material when it deteriorates. Typically the whole deck surface needs to be replaced so that it matches.

Paint can be touched up in small areas if damage occurs and it is possible to match the colour and surface finish even if the paint has faded slightly. The other advantage is that this is an easy DIY solution. When we replaced the anchor winch on our previous boat we repainted the foredeck area and it was relatively easy to achieve a good result in the non skid areas. Eliminating the paint and therefore the sanding in all the corners should make the job on the new boat much easier.

If a heavy object is dropped on deck, or an aggressive chemical is spilled I like the idea that I can restore the finish myself so that it is as good as new, but there is no perfect option.

For the interior there is less need for thermal and sound insulation on our boat as the deck has a minimium of 75mm of foam underneath.

[noelex 77]

Some of the other deck hardware. The first picture shows the beefy Antal V Grip Maxi clutches. The second photo shows the Antal halyard slider and Spinlock XX clutch.

One advantage of a custom boatbuilder is that you not locked into using equipment from one manufacturer and can pick and choose the best equipment for the job. So we have chosen deck hardware from Anderson, Antal, Spinlock, Seldane, Tye Tec and Harken. KM will fit whatever equipment you prefer so lets hope our choices have been sensible.

[noelex 77]

The tiller is beautifully constructed in anodised aluminium. The round handle portion extends with an ingenious twist lock mechanism if you want to helm sitting further forward with some protection from the rigid dodger that extends from the rear of the pilothouse.