Almost-a-SCAMP Progress Report #2 . . . . .

[Charles Brennan]

This might not be MAJOR Progress, but from what I read, doing something every day is the way to have a successful (or at least, a completed!) project.
I needed to get my kayak trailer out from underneath the almost-a-SCAMP, to make it easier to work on.

Volume 7, Chapter 42, of: Never turn a Redneck loose, with come-alongs and hydraulic jacks! 
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(And to think the carport vendor was puzzled, when I demanded they install the heavy-duty snow-loads carport frame, instead of the lighter-duty frame, when I lived in Florida!) 

A little cranking on the come-alongs . . . .
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Some very careful lowering . . . .
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And voila!  Success!   And all by myself!
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I wisely chose to do this while my wife was elsewhere, since she constantly decries what she calls: "Scary Engineering" when I do this while she's home.
I haven't procured epoxy and fiberglass cloth just yet, but there are PLENTY of filleted seams to sand down, and now that I can reach everything, I expect to be busy for a while.

Charles Brennan

[Wayne Howard]

I wisely chose to do this while my wife was elsewhere, since she constantly decries what she calls: "Scary Engineering" when I do this while she's home.

Yeah, I've done this, too. Especially on things I think are "Scary Engineering". "No, we don't need to turn off the electricity. I've got an insulated screwdriver here and I KNOW where the live parts are."

Can't say "Go away! You're making me fidget and I might short sometime out."

[Timm R Oday25]

Seems we have a slightly differant phrase up here in the north .. Sketchy .. I'd also prefer not to have someone looking over my shoulder while performing slightly sketchy S@#t ... Bobbie always heads for the grocery store on saturday mornings ...

[rfrance0718]

It's what we do! How else would I get the Lasers up to the garage ceiling, although that is done with simple block and tackle. I also like to rig stuff so that I can do it all without help. I hate waiting around for help.

I think that the A.a.S. looks like a great project. Have you talked to your bank about the cloth and epoxy? I'm sure that you will keep us posted.

I made some good progress on the Oday yesterday. I've been all around the boat with the sealant removal step. I'm thinking that I can get some solvent into the gap and get it cleaner, but getting all of the crud out and really getting the surfaces clean might be too much to ask. So that leaves deciding on a sealant. It looks like 4200 is the most appropriate 3M product. I'm not exactly sure how I'll get it up there. At some places it will be pretty easy as I can push the hull in and make the gap pretty wide, then do a nice job of compressing the goop when I let it go. I'm also thinking that I can square off the edge of a plastic putty knife and use it to push the material in. I don't know how viscus 4200 is? We'll figure it out.

[Riley Smith]

Sure makes you appreciate cranes, hydraulics, and diesel doesn't it? I've always liked fooling with big heavy stuff, but that is more precious than most, as the things I usually move are heavy enough they can't be broken. Well, most of 'em anyway. I like the moveable cart, too. And I forsee sanding!

[Norm L.]

Charles, that system reminded me of the boat hoist that we used for the Comets during the summer on Lake Erie. Each boat had a galvanized pipe frame a bit over the length and width of the boat. And two canvas straps with a wire at each end up through a series of turning blocks until the two wires came to a double drum winch at one corner. The winch had an 18 or 24" diameter steel wheel to give the purchase to hoist the boat. there was a ratchet to hold what progress you made with a turn of the wheel.
I'm sorry I don't remember what you did to lower the boat when you removed the ratchet pawl. I don't remember free fall!! 

For me it was go big or go home


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As Riley and a few others know, no one wants overhead welding. Aluminum is done in a shed and after the hull is properly welded it is rolled out and rolled over so the easy things, like putting in engines and piping can be done.

[Charles Brennan]

rfrance, I previously mentioned those wooden shims used to install door frames, available from big box stores.  Besides holding the hull out from the deck joint, they are useful for removing the worst part of what the multi-tool leaves behind.  IIRC, I used 80 grit folded over a shim and ran it down the length of the hull; fat side of the shim in the hull's middle and skinny side of the shim, fore and aft.  You'll be able to both see and feel, when the sandpaper grit has worn off, so you can move to a newer piece of the sandpaper to stretch over the shim.  You want the top of the sandpaper folded over the shim to be the same depth as the hull deck joint so you don't scratch the hull with the side of the sand-papered shim that is facing away from you.

In my experience, 3M4200 behaves somewhere between caulk and toothpaste, depending on ambient temperatures.  At either extreme, it still has a tendency to "ooze" when applied vertically.  What I did, was to apply it with a caulk gun (I got the big caulk tube, not the tiny little squeeze tubes) a few feet at a time down the seam, then tape it up (hull to rub rail) with 2" masking tape.  Then I left it for several days to cure.  Trying to strip off the tape the next day, so I could begin to tighten all my 10-32 fasteners was a major mistake and required re-application and re-taping.  Now snake-bit, I left the tape on for a week, at which time in our south Florida weather, it was in fact, cured.  Even still, there was a "sag" where it had drooped (much like holding up your arm and looking under your elbow at the skin sag) against the bottom of the tape and required trimming off the curved excess with a single edge razor blade, so it was flush with the bottom of the hull-to-deck joint.

Hope this helps,
Charles Brennan

[Charles Brennan]

Norm, SURE! Go ahead and pick a boat flipping pic that makes me feel like a piker!   

I completely understand about welding aluminum overhead, although my own experience was slightly different.  As a 7th grader with an interest in short-wave radio, I commandeered and re-purposed the long aluminum pole normally used to vacuum the swimming pool, as a short wave antenna mount to hold a "long wire" S-W antenna.  Put it on the roof for even more height and just about had the logistics of standing it up worked out, when a sudden gust of wind carried it against the high tension electrical lines in the backyard.  Most of the electrical violence was overhead, so I only got the tiniest fraction of the energy, which was still sufficient to catapult me across the roof and into a hibiscus hedge.  But not before a little molten aluminum dripped on a shoulder.  Carry the scars to this day.  My Mom came home from work to find two blocks of the neighborhood in any direction, totally dark.

"What happened?" She asked.
"Dunno." I replied.
Her eyes narrowed, like they always did when she knew I was lying, but she refrained from asking any more questions.  My Dad gave me quite the side-eye the following Saturday, when he noticed several feet missing from the pole and the end quite jagged and randomly carbonized in places, much like Luke Skywalker's X-wing fighter; but also refrained from requiring further clarification. 

That's when I began to suspect my parents thought I wasn't like the other kids.

True story,
Charles Brennan

[rfrance0718]

More great info, thanks! I'll be doing application in a not well heated pole barn. We'll get it inside and wait for a warm front and run some space heaters nearby. I have some number of #10 screws that aren't biting. I'm thinking of going to #8s. Other option is to drill new holes adjacent to the bad ones. There's plenty of room.

[Charles Brennan]

rfrance, The way screw sizes work, a #8 screw is smaller than a #10 screw. 

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To go up a size would require a #12 screw, plus since they are not generally as common as #6, #8, and #10 screws, are a little more pricey.  If it's only a few holes not biting, then a small number of #12 screws would work, otherwise, retaining the existing #10 and off-setting the hole slightly, would be your best bet.

Hope this helps,
Charles Brennan

[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

I ended up drilling through, sealing, and using bolts instead of screws.  I chose some that were a little too long, so I could hang things inside on the bolts, using cap nuts.

Had to have someone inside to tighten them, though.

[rfrance0718]

Seems like using a larger screw would indeed be more successful! I just picked up a package of shims. It looks like we'll have a couple of nice days for me to finish the prep work.

[Captain Kidd]

Watched this during lunch today. Thought it might give you some inspiration. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhpa6kqhCfY&t=1s

[Norm L.]

I sent that SCAMP video on to several of my Aussie friends and one replied with a fascinating history of the island and of his visits there. Read about it at Wikipedia and how many famous explorers spent time there for its protected harbors.

[Captain Kidd]

I sent that SCAMP video on to several of my Aussie friends and one replied with a fascinating history of the island and of his visits there. Read about it at Wikipedia and how many famous explorers spent time there for its protected harbors.

Cool! I did click on the Wiki page - interesting. And how about that Scamp? Quite the boat in a small package. It's popularity is a testament to its design. I kinda regret not building one instead of the CIY. It was on my short list of possible builds.