Some visible progress this month, starting with:
Progress on the Never-Ending Motor Mount Project; finally reached finish coat #3 on both sides.
Yay!! ;D
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Now I could assemble the thing . . . . .
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Including the rubber shock mounts for the motor clamps and set yet another sub-assembly aside, until it is required to finish the boat.
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Also got the third coat of epoxy on all the cockpit/lazarette flooring.
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On the previously epoxy-ed underside, I had taped it off since every time I coat epoxy, some of it flows to the other side making little epoxy stalactites, which have to be ground down.
Now,when I peel the tape off (after painting), the stalactites will go with it.
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A welcome time-saver. 8)
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With three coats of epoxy on both sides and all the Amine blush washed off, I flipped the wood over, and began with the first coat of white paint and the final coat of graphite-infused epoxy over the ballast tank lid.
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As well as the rest of the lazarette components.
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Skipping ahead to the third coat . . . .
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And stripping the masking tape away.
(AND the "stalactites!") ;)
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Now the components are ready to start getting glued to the boat.
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Starting with the lazarette floor.
Something looked a little off . . . . . ???
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Ah! :) Sufficient weight to hold everything down, until the glue sets!
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View from the front, looking aft.
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While all that was curing, and before I could put the bench seat tops down, I needed to install my hangers/hooks.
I had these on Urchin and they were most useful for holding dock lines, fenders, Type IV throwables, etc.
MUCH easier to install them now, than it will be after the bench seat tops get glued down.
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Got them on both sides. Might be overkill, but I'm sure if necessary, I can find other uses for them.
The less stuff rolling around loose on the bottom of the locker (and getting lost!) >:( the better I like it.
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The next morning, I added the lazarette seat back with two screws in the corners, a bunch of clamps and a bead of glue along the bottom edge.
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Had a little thickened epoxy glue left over from attaching the lazarette seat back, so I used the surplus to glue the compass box to the bulkhead.
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Closer view, with two clamps and another screw that will be removed after the glue sets up.
Originally, I had made the box just a little too wide and it would not fit in between the bulkhead lockers, requiring some surgery to one side to make it narrower.
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So you better BELIEVE!! :o I checked for proper fit, before gluing that box down! :o
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Whew! :o
Had a bunch of chores to do while all that was curing and didn't get back to the boat, until the afternoon.
But! :D I was able to butter the starboard bench seat with thickened epoxy glue and lay it down.
Clamped it wherever I could and weighted it, elsewhere.
Was initially concerned about getting a good enough bond, but then after a bit I saw where I was finally getting some good squeeze-out (just took a while) and I quit worrying. :P
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My next task is to lay down the cuddy sole/ballast tank lid.
It DOES fit (barely!) >:( but it only fits in one way, and that way involves dragging across at least two cleats, while wrestling it in place.
Not good, :( when you want to lay a thick bead of thickened epoxy glue, down on the cleats, first.
What I finally figured out, was to wrestle the floor in place, then raise it up and temporarily clamp it in place.
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I can reach down through the battery compartment hatch holes, to lay down the thickened epoxy bead, up forward.
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And I can reach the cleats over the ballast tank cover, from inside the boat and then lower the floor onto the bead of glue.
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I was all set to start mixing up glue, when some adverse weather changed my mind for me. :'(
We're supposed to get rained on for the next several days, so I guess I'll have to work on other things, (perhaps some more trailer work) until the weather cooperates, again.
Charles Brennan
Very impressive!
I hope to find the time to get out on my Scamp this week for some sailing. Saturday's races were canceled because of the rain, and next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will be at Lake Keowee for the "Grits 'n Haggis Regatta".
I love that every epoxy project effectively becomes "Where are all my heavy things? You look like a high density thing to use as temporary weight, just sit here for a day while this cures...." The dive weights are perfect. Everything continues to look great!