Construction Thread for Custom 45' Cruising Powercat

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

We have had a hard week here. After a beautiful day Monday, the ****, or should I say, the ice, hit the fan.

Tuesday the ice storm began, and ended about 2 am today with alittle snow.
The roads are nasty, and it hasn't been over freezing here today.

Maybe we will get out Friday, maybe.

But I did start installing the watermaker Monday. It is all going ot be a nice set up.

Pictures when I get back over there.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

Alan and Forest put the panels we made last week on the jig today and got them shaped up and glued the scores in the foam to hold it's shape till it is glassed.
Looks really good.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

Forest has nearly finished the countertops. Doing the back splashes now.
He has also done an overhead radio box for the VHF and the sideband beside the lower helm.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

I have started wiring the lower helm.
Bilge pump lights, bilge alarms, Fireboy alarms, Flowscans, and waiting for the panels for the helm breakers. And the tank gauge system for 7 tanks.
Mounted the autopilot pump as well.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

Woke up this morning to a little snow. It was gone by 2 pm but it was cold this morning.
Worked on the lower helm. It has 6 bilge pump lights, 2 bilge alarms, 2 fireboy alarms, 7 tank gauges, and 2 flowscans, plus the electronics.

Forest is kicking the counter tops.

Back on the bridge next weeks and the plumbing.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

Well there is about 8" of snow at the shop tonight, lost today and will lose tomorrow as well.

Damn this weather.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

I worked in the helm area the 2 days we worked this week.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

Graham and Alan have been drawing parts for the dash and bridge helm area and cutting them out on the CNC machine.
9 mm Meranti marine plywood.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

Forest and Nat worked on several things this short week. Mounting anchor rollers, putting the drains in the anchor lockers, word on the bridge, sanded on the interior.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

No comments? No questions?

[Mark1977]

Originally Posted by Capt Hugh Wilde

No comments? No questions?

Looks great. Keep the pics coming.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Capt Hugh Wilde

No comments? No questions?

Great pictures. It's just amazing how much work goes into building a boat like this.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Great pictures. It's just amazing how much work goes into building a boat like this.

This boat is so complex. But she is going to outstanding.

We are looking at a simpler build , smaller engines, lower speed.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

The hard top is nearly 16 feet square, and so we lay up the panel in 2 pieces as our laminating table is alittle over 8' wide and is 20' long.
We glass one side of the foam and bag it. We will then glue and glass the panel together and then put it on the form we are building the bridge on the have the proper crown in the top.
We will cut a groove in the top and place wires in the foam for the lighting, then fill the grooves with epoxy and fiberglass the top of the hard top and freeze the shape.

The panels are 1" H-60 Divinycell, glassed with 100" 34 oz. 0-45/45 tri-ax and epoxy.
We have the 100" glass woven for the project.

We laid up half of the top yesterday and the other half today.
Forest has also been working on the dash area for the bridge.

The table is waxed and coated with PVA. We lay out the glass, fold it in half and wet out the table, then wet out the glass and roll it out.
The roll resin on the foam and put it in place.
Then the bagging film, breather cloth, then the bag.
Pump it down to 19 inches of vacuum and fix the leaks.

Makes a damn nice panel.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

There is no end to the wiring. I started installing the electronics and all of the network and NEMA 2000 cables.

Forest cut in the helm electrical panels for me. Now just to get them all hooked up.