Happiness is a Warm Spool Gun

[Panope]

This will be a thread about The modification and refit of my fathers old metal boat.

The project was started in 2000 and is nearing completion. I have done a large amount of metal work and have good photographs for much of the work done in the last 3 years. Unfortunately, the first years of the project were not photographed well. I will post previous projects along with stuff I am currently working on.

The first picture is Panope circa 2004. At this point I have already: Fabricated new pilot house structure, Installed a new engine on a new bed in a new location, Fabricated a new propeller aperture and shaft log, Fabricated new aluminum fuel tanks.

The second shot is of Panope in her original form. Cabo San Lucas, 1989.

Feel free and post anything you wish including ideas, critiques and errors cuz "I ain't not expert"

Steve

[Panope]

Steering System.

Pic #1 Previous system used a heavy worm gear located in an above deck box.

Pic #2 New system Uses Chain and cable. I re-used the old oak wheel that my father built in the early 1970's - relocated to just inside the new pilot house.

Pic #3 I used industrial type bearings, sheaves, chain and sprockets. Welded 1/8" SS flange to keyed shaft.

Pic #4 Weldment to accept Sheaves.

Pic #5 Weldment installed under deck.

Pic #6,7 Quadrant. Rectangular holes cut in rudder shaft tube to accept Quadrant bolts (6, 1/4 inch, Grade 8). Rudder shaft tube continues upward to deck level. Shaft is solid round stock of 2 1/4 inch diameter. The tube that is welded under quadrant accepts emergency tiller.

Steve

[Panope]

Oh, Here is my spool gun. It is a Miller 30A. It is very robust. I have dropped it from great heights may times. Indestructible.

Welding power supply is a Miller XMT 304. Plenty of power for boat building.

Also pictured is a typical 2 lb. welding spool. I have consumed at least 100 of these spools on this project.

The file is my favorite hand tool for working aluminum. It is at least 20 years old, stays sharp (somehow), never clogs, it can remove lots of material very quickly and leaves a beautiful finish.

Steve

[Panope]

Pilot house structure.

No plans beyond a rough pencil sketch were created. PH side walls located by projecting main house sides aft. PH top height was determined by first locating new engine as low as possible then calculating head room while standing above engine. PH top curvature matches curvature of the main house top.

PH top is plated in 1/8 aluminum that did warp while welding the perimeter (too thin for me to weld nicely).

Pic #1 Recent shot of completed PH - ready for finish paint.

Pic #2 Pillars are 1/8" channel with 1/8" flat bar "ears" welded around perimeter of window openings. Glass is bedded from outside with 5200.

Pic #3 The old companion way was in the vicinity of the engine instrument panel. No cockpit existed previously - only a flush after deck. A large section of this deck was removed to create legroom in pilot house. I did have some concern for the overall strength of the boat after removing this material. Sea trials (under sail with gunwale in water) resulted in zero flexing/movement.

Pic #4 looking aft from saloon. Engine box framed in 1/8 angle.

Steve

[hpeer]

Great project, what kind of hull design? Length?

[Panope]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Great project, what kind of hull design? Length?

Thanks hpeer. I have really enjoyed this vast and challenging project. Panope is a Tom Colvin design called Saugeen Witch. 34' on deck.

Steve

[Panope]

Engine beds

In an effort to keep the Pilot House as low as possible while maintaining standing headroom, I built new engine beds that place the (new 40 h.p.) engine about 1 foot forward and about 6 inches lower than previous.

At first glance, it appears that the Engine bed is sitting on top of the cabin sole. Actually, the cabin sole is hanging from the engine bed.

Engine beds are made of 1/4 plate and span 3 hull frames (3/8"). Beds are also welded to hull skin (3/16").

Steve

[NSboatman]

beautiful work. nicely done

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Panope

Oh, Here is my spool gun.

Yep. Gun threads always come in twos.

[Panope]

Fuel tanks.

O.K....I am sure that my fuel tank/system design will raise a few eyebrows.

I built the fuel tanks (100 gal. total) without the typical "top of tank" supply fittings. My supply fittings are located at the absolute bottom (V-shaped bottom) of the tank. Any water or debris at the bottom of the tank will immediately flow out of the tank and to the low point in the system - a drain sump (checked regularly). The racor filter "Tee's" off of the fuel line above this sump. Tanks are mounted high enough that fuel will flow to engine under gravity alone.

I know that part of the rationale for "top of tank" supply fittings is to prevent fuel from escaping into the bilge in the event of a fuel line failure. It is a risk that I minimize by keeping the tank mounted fuel valves (easy access) in the off position when not using the engine. I also change the very short fuel hoses regularly.

Also, in the unlikely event that diesel does make its way into the bilge, it will not be a disaster as the bilge is very large, deep (3+ feet) and made of aluminum - easy to clean. I do not use an automatic bilge pump.

Picture: Lower right is supply valve. Upper left fitting is the fuel return piont that also is used as the vent (more raised eyebrows?). Vent does not have an internal tube and therefore some splashing/foaming may be occurring in the tank - it has not yet been a problem.

Steve

[Panope]

Originally Posted by Bash

Yep. Gun threads always come in twos.

Just a coincidence. I was welding the other day when John's song of a similar name (to this thread's name) was playing on the radio. Serendipity.

Steve

[SaltyMonkey]

This is awesome.!

Love this thread. Keep it comin'!

[Sailtexas]

Very nice work!

[Panope]

Through hull fittings.

Originally, Panope had only one underwater through hull (not counting prop shaft and transducer) made of cast aluminum (Very rare). A complete dis-assembly of this through hull revealed pitting approximately 1/2 of the wall thickness after 18 years of use.

As a result, I decided to weld tubes and standpipes for all under water hull penetrations.

Pic #1 Raw water intake. Visible is a 1/4" aluminum disk welded to hull.

Pic #2 Raw water standpipe. Was welded to the above disk in my workshop. Then, the whole assembly was welded in place. Not visible is a second tube inside the outer tube (both schedule 80 pipe). The small void between the two tubes was filled with epoxy. The Tube was sandblasted internally and epoxy was poured to coat the inside completely. Marlon valve is above water line. When strainer lid is removed, a strait rod easily clears blockages.

Pic #3 Transducer. A short (2 inches) vertical tube was welded to hull. A "fairing" was welded around tube to deflect damaging flotsam or rocks. The void between hull and this fairing was filled with epoxy. As above, The inside diameter of this tube was sandblasted and epoxy primed. Void between transducer and tube was filled with 5200 - all 2 inches. Removal of transducer will be impossible without destruction.

Pic #4 Galley sink through hull. Above waterline. Marlon valve on other side. The Galley sink will not drain on both tacks.

Pic #5 Zinc attach points (4). Threaded aluminum block welded to hull. Not a hull penetration.

Pic #6 Propeller shaft log.

That's it. No other hull penetrations near water level.

Steve

[CPseudonym]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

This is awesome.!

Love this thread. Keep it comin'!

I second that motion.