Visit our Popular Forums

Blue Stocking · 28-03-2012, 03:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by knottybuoyz

I've seen the Harbor Freight pumps. Most are designed for fuel or water.

12 Volt Marine Utility Water Pump

12v Marine Utility Water Pump

Not #9576. Other model doesn't state yea or nea.

**knottybuoyz** · 01-04-2012, 14:02

Still a lil' too frosty (+2 deg C) to do any epoxy work. So I puttered around the shed figuring and planning next steps etc. Just Putterin' Around! is work too!

I started at the ends, which were easiest to properly locate on the hull and worked my way into the middle. The gap got bigger as things tightened up. I cut a few kerfs to relieve some of the stress and used screws & washers to hold it in place. No gap now! When it warms up these will get glued into place permanently.

Looking around I figured it was time to dryfit the bow thruster and get it lined up so the tube can be glued and taped into place.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that thruster props are typically serviced from the port side. It was only through pure luck that I got the holes cut in the right place so my thruster prop can be serviced on the port side! I had to scratch my head a few times 'cause I'm working upside down on this thing so port is starboard and starboard is port! *lol*

That's it for now. Hopefully it'll be a lot warmer next week and we can get some epoxy & fiberglass work done.

**knottybuoyz** · 09-04-2012, 08:31

So after a nice relaxing Easter weekend and a belly full of ham & turtle pie I struggled to haul my butt out to the shed this morning. It's still cold & damp and raining. Too cold to do any epoxy work. I had the heater on in the shed and could only get it up to about 10 degs C.

I did cut a few missing pieces for the side panels and trued up the thruster tube so it's ready to be glassed in. Other than that I just puttered around.

Here's hoping it warms up a bit soon! I can hear the travel lift at the marina likely launching boats!

**knottybuoyz** · 15-04-2012, 03:29

Yesterday was a good day. I spent some quality time with my belt sander and made some progress.

Side panels glued on stbd side.

Port side will get done some evening this week.

Thruster tube glued in. There was a few small missing pieces on the leading edge of the keel. Cut and glued those into place. Took a lot of sanding this area. It was mis-cut by the CnC and the kerfs allowing the panel to bend are on the outside. Just a lot more filling and sanding to get it smooth. The other side is has the kerfs on the inside.

Once that filler has set up it can be sanded again *sigh*. Then it's onto the keel.

**hummingway** · 15-04-2012, 08:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by knottybuoyz

Once that filler has set up it can be sanded again *sigh*. Then it's onto the keel.

I have a feeling you have a lot of sanding between you and launch day.

delmarrey · 15-04-2012, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by hummingway

I have a feeling you have a lot of sanding between you and launch day.

I have yet to own a boat that didn't require a lot of elbow grease to maintain, and even more so to improve.

sabray · 15-04-2012, 11:06

Spent the weekend cleaning up bits and pieces. New high water alarm oil change, etc... Just looked at my arm. It looks like a addicts arm with holes cuts scratches on the upper section. I'm a boating junkie help.

**knottybuoyz** · 23-04-2012, 04:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by hummingway

I have a feeling you have a lot of sanding between you and launch day.

I'm firmly convinced that you don't build a boat, you carve a boat. Put up the basic form, cover it with expensive goop and sand it down till you're left with the finished shape and big piles of sanding dust at your feet!

I don't mind the sanding that much, at least for now.

This is the port side. Pretty much ready for fiberglass.

still some work to do on the starboard side and keel before any fiberglassing takes place.

The kit was missing a few small parts. The back end of the keel was one of those. Kinda important so I cut a few pieces from leftovers and glued it in place.

My epoxy glue mixer upper was down with the flu so I had to carry on myself. This meant quite a few ups & downs on the ladder. Ohhh my aching knees.....

I was able to get most of the keel/hull join filleted. Nice big radius fillets for the heavy triaxial cloth that'll cover the keel and bottom. The heavy stuff doesn't take bends as cleanly as lighter fabrics. The downside is you have to mix up a lot more goop to make the bigger fillets.

That's about it for now. Just waiting for the epoxy to cure then maybe some taping on the keel before I move onto other things. Standby...

delmarrey · 23-04-2012, 06:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by knottybuoyz

I'm firmly convinced that you don't build a boat, you carve a boat. Put up the basic form, cover it with expensive goop and sand it down till you're left with the finished shape and big piles of sanding dust at your feet!

I don't mind the sanding that much, at least for now.

My epoxy glue mixer upper was down with the flu so I had to carry on myself. This meant quite a few ups & downs on the ladder. Ohhh my aching knees.....

I was able to get most of the keel/hull join filleted. Nice big radius fillets for the heavy triaxial cloth that'll cover the keel and bottom. The heavy stuff doesn't take bends as cleanly as lighter fabrics. The downside is you have to mix up a lot more goop to make the bigger fillets.

Once the sanding starts, it'll be the shoulders and lower back. The good ole Dewalt orbital 5" has been my best friend. I even bought two so I would have to change pads for forming work, and as a back up. But still going strong after a couple loop pad replacements. And it collects the dust real well.

As for larger fillets, I epoxy in sections of triangular wood strips where possible. This also allows the boat to flex w/o cracking of the fillets, and keeps the epoxy use down. It's those nice smooth rounded corners that impresses the folks.

**hummingway** · 23-04-2012, 08:04

I scrubbed the "PNW green" off my deck last weekend. That left me with some stiff muscles.

Blue Stocking · 24-04-2012, 06:02

In the '70s and '80s we built a number of hand-laid and rolled powerboats in the 50 - 75ft range using Airex core over male molds.
A semi-gloss finish was all that was required, so long-boarding was not necessary.
We first 1/4" notch-trowelled them with microballoons, and then slow-floated them with 18" home made discs with floor paper. Knocking off the peaks with the large size discs soon let us see where the hollows were, which we filled and repeated.
I am sure your surfaces are much fairer, but thought I'd let you know, IT COULD BE WORSE.
Project looks great

**knottybuoyz** · 24-04-2012, 07:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

In the '70s and '80s we built a number of hand-laid and rolled powerboats in the 50 - 75ft range using Airex core over male molds.
A semi-gloss finish was all that was required, so long-boarding was not necessary.
We first 1/4" notch-trowelled them with microballoons, and then slow-floated them with 18" home made discs with floor paper. Knocking off the peaks with the large size discs soon let us see where the hollows were, which we filled and repeated.
I am sure your surfaces are much fairer, but thought I'd let you know, IT COULD BE WORSE.
Project looks great

Thanks BS. I've seen and heard of similar processes to getting a hull fair. I'll send you an invite when I need to get started!