Progress on Leeboard Pivots

[bassman1956]

I had to re-design from scratch the leeboard mounts for the sharpie. It has 2 leeboards in lieu of one centerboard. They mount on the sides of the deck at the shear line. A huge part of this was supporting and reinforcing the mounts from underneath the deck.

So I mounted a 3/4 BCD exterior plywood panel full-width of the deck edge, including having to trim the tops of frames to stuff them in there. probably about 16 hours over the last 4 days to:
* make templates for each side
* trim tops of frames to sort of "dovetail" these in (not correct, more like dado'd, or notched, or whatever)
* make both panels
* test-fit, and then split panels down length rather than rip apart more boat to let them fit into position
* prep surfaces to nearly all bare wood
* epoxy into place using a tube of 6-10 West epoxy on each side, and 4 SS screws complete with countersinks and epoxied holes

Today I completed the epoxy and installation, both sides.

I'm now ready to install the new mounts and pivots on to the deck, just as soon as I order and receive the bronze hardware. (I'm mostly using SS, but for stuff that can't easily be replaced; and is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking, bronze.)

Update on the new pivot design in the next post.

Edit:
Referring to this previous thread:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ial-45047.html

[bassman1956]

The first pic is the parts to the pivots. Designed from scratch, all either unleaded naval brass or silicon bronze, machined by me. (Mucho buckaroos in materials alone!)

Second, the new completed white oak mount, to mount onto the side deck.

Third, the assembled pivot parts, before welding at the junction of the kingpin.

Forth, assembly in the pivot mount.

Fifth, an overhead comparison between the old and new pivots.

Biggest thing: One kingpin was missing, so I had to make something to begin with.

Second issue: I did not like the small footprint and makeshift appearance of the mounts as supplied.

So, my design spreads the stress over a much larger area, about 8 times as large, has a significant improvement in mounting reinforcement, 33% increase in strap size, yada yada yada...

Materials:
King pins, thick washers:
CDA 464 naval brass, 1/2 hard cold-drawn round stock

Straps:
CDA 464 naval brass .080" thick quarter-hard plate

Bushings:
CDA 932 bearing bronze

Nuts:
304 SS

[bassman1956]

BTW, I got my materials from:
Atlas Bronze
Maranatha Now, Inc.
445 Bunting Avenue
Trenton, NJ 08611

They were significantly cheaper than Online Metals, and had no problems with small orders. But, I was able to buy more for less by asking. IE, originally I quoted a 12" x 12" piece of the sheet, but when I ordered I got a 12" x 18" for 10% less, due to increased size also increased the weight and dropped the per-pound cost. So, it's worth asking if you are near a price-break point on quantity.


And, you can see more of the boat in general here:
http://s647.photobucket.com/albums/u...ats/?start=all

[SkiprJohn]

I'm impressed with your work. She looks like a great vessel. I was trying to determine how the leeboards attach to the metal. Will it be a strap?
kind regards,

[bassman1956]

Thanks!

Yes, they will attach with 2" wide straps made from the .080" plate. You can see the ends of these straps in the very top of pic #1. They're 2" x 12", and will be bent into U's that loop across the pivots at the undercuts on each side. So, 2 straps per board. I have yet to drill and bend them. They will attach with six #10 x 1-12 screws on both the front and back of the board.

[James S]

Excellent pictures http://s647.photobucket.com/albums/u...ats/?start=all for those who haven't had a look.
Really nice looking work and hats off to ya bassman.

[Blue Stocking]

First class. Looking forward to completed project photos

[bassman1956]

A little more progress:

First, I used a piece of Type M copper tubing to align the placement of the mounts side-to-side, and squared it up with the keelson. Outer holes receive 5/16" x 6" lag bolts w/ washers, through the deck and into the sheer clamp. Inner bolts are 5/16 x 4 w/ washers on top, and fenders, flats, locks, and nuts on the bottom, through the deck and extra.

The deck is only 3/8" thick there, and I didn't think that was beefy enough, so between the 2 frames where they mount, I reinforced the deck from below. Used 3/4 exterior ply, notched into the frames on top in the front, generously epoxied with West 610 on all sides, and SS screws through the deck to draw them up snug. The prep of the existing was several hours of it's own work. But I feel better about it now.

Next pic, the kingposts welded, TIG'd with 720 alloy.

Pics 3 and 4 show the inboard view of the backer brackets for mounts of the "wings" that the leeboards rest on. Pic 5 shows the starboard "wing". I pulled the mounting hardware, since it looked suspect, galvanized but rusty, and because 5 of 8 of these backers looked rotted or delaminated. The 5 bad ones have been removed, and I'm prepping down to good hull, clean wood, to epoxy replacements. Plan to do the final 3 also. Am thinking white oak rather than exterior ply.

Also, what you don't see is that the wings are now off. With the hardware off, turns out there was something like an opague white caulk/adhesive holding them on. Wasn't very strong on it's own, the both popped right off. So, rather than constantly struggling to work around these things while finishing the outside of the hull, I'll leave them off until the hull is done, and then use 5200 or 4200 before bolting them on at the end. Should make my life far easier!

Okay, this got bloggish. Sorry.

[bassman1956]

BTW, OP has a link to more and better photos of the leeboard supports outboard of the hull.

In general, Phil Bolger used 3/8" line for board pivots on a boat this big (the Black Skimmer). These are patterned off Herreshoff's Meadowlark, which is like 10 feet longer and 6 times the displacement...

Time-wise, project length, in all it's taking longer than expected short term to hit the water, but long term, I think I'm ahead of the game. Last year I planned to get it floating, then continue to fix it up over the next 2 or 3 years. When I failed to sail, and had to drag it into the garage for the winter, I made up my mind to complete it, period, before sailing. Longer initial period, less overall project length and far less rework due to use and/or weather. No, I'm not making this year's goal, it may seem.

Oh well. I still have to work for a living, and work comes first. As a mechanical engineer, heavily involved with major projects and complex systems, I'm not totally surprised by the shift in time line. Especially since I don't have the same type of work crews I can throw at it at home!

And especially since, as many of you have had to face, this is a hobby, not a punishment. Overall, I am very pleased with the quality of work; the time line, not so much.

[James S]

I was sure I could complete my refit and be back sailing by the next season.....took over five years.
Part of the problem was "well now I have to redo that as well" since the new work made older things look so much worse.

My thought was, as long as I'm enjoying myself, whats the rush!

[bassman1956]

Originally Posted by James S

I was sure I could complete my refit and be back sailing by the next season.....took over five years.
Part of the problem was "well now I have to redo that as well" since the new work made older things look so much worse.

My thought was, as long as I'm enjoying myself, whats the rush!

I'm an engineer by day, and have a lot on my plate...
If I were still more simply employed, where I spent my work hours dreaming and drooling of how I would attack such-and-such project, what I view as satisfactory progress now could be entirely different.
I come home, and the boat is my solace... Not quite a Leroy Jethro Gibbs type of solace. Gawd, let's hope it never gets that distinct and extreme... But I've already sailed her 100 hours on the Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico Sounds, and she hasn't even left my garage.

[bassman1956]

Oh, and no, she will not sail this year.
Sux.
BUT!
I feel I'm ahead of the curve for overall project completion, and am really looking forward to next year!

As for the boat tags, all ready.

As for the trailer tags, the previous owner apparently stiffed me, and it will take the longest mile to get said trailer tagged. F'n jackass! I gave him a fair market value based on clear tags! Hate when this happens! J/A gets to walk Scott free, but I wind up going through legal hoops! As a contractor that he is, I hope he has a year where he has to work $1 for every 50c he makes! I paid top dollar for the find, with the understanding he'd help make sure I got the trailer registration wrapped up A-OKay!

Add mine to the list of those who say
"if the clear title to both trailer and boat are not in hand, walk away..."
F'n jackass!

Sure, I can fix it, but at what expense, and how many phone calls, to whom???
I did not treat him this way, and I still wouldn't.
The idea he'd treat me in a manor that I MUST get law enforcement involved to correct the issue is just, well, a bummer.

Part of what got me into this was his personal revelations of his father's undertakings. As a craftsman, I saw what a boat project he was undertaking. As a craftsman, (draftsman, machinist, mechanic), I was in love. Well, lust at least.

Meanwhile, I'm working hard to complete the boat that I envision the original builder as seeing as he started this retrofit.

And dam, I do hope I can get a trailer licensed and ready for what it is, and not an unplanned $3k extra for something new!

[James S]

That's a bummer mate....but the glass is still half full.....like my day used to tell me when I hurt myself "it'll feel better when it quits hurt-un"
Yeah....it never was much help to me either.

[bassman1956]

Guess I was on a serious grump about the trailer last night.

[bassman1956]

Originally Posted by bassman1956

Guess I was on a serious grump about the trailer last night.

In fact, I think I'd either edit it or just delete it if I could. It was a good day otherwise. But every now and then I focus on the trailer for a moment, and the notion it's been over a year and I seem screwed, and well, it gets the best of me. Hate when that happens.