Almost-A-SCAMP Progress Report #2-11 . . . .

[Charles Brennan]

I was dragging my feet on applying epoxy to the coaming cap rails, because I wanted the inside edge rounded over, with a  ½-inch round-over bit and I couldn't do that, until I had the coaming rail supports glued in place, so I could see how things fit.
Sure enough, a little trimming/sanding was required here and there, and I'm glad I waited. 
I read where most SCAMP builders feel that a ½-inch round-over was more comfortable, when leaning on the rail.
The outside edges already had a ⅜-inch round-over on each side and since the rail was ¾-inch thick, it made a half-round out of the outside edge.
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A little hard to see in this pic, but the closest edge facing you, has the ½-inch round over.

This pics shows a little better, the ⅜-inch-round-over on the outside end and the ½-inch round-over on the inside curve.
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Trimmed the coaming cap rail supports:
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On each end:
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And all the rail support holes got filled and glued.
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Then got the first outside coat of epoxy on Son-of-Grate.
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The boards were numbered, so they would get glued together with alternating grain on the plies.  Taking no chances, the 2nd time around. 

Shown here with the original failed grate, and after putting in grate holes and rounding them over.
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I've heard Riley and others, talk about how if they ever built their boat again, they would do it better.
I got a taste of that, in that the grate went together much faster and much more smoothly, the 2nd time around. 

At the bottom edge of the pic you can see the (carefully!)    measured edge rabbet on Son-of-Grate; necessary because I had laminated three ¼-inch boards together and needed a ⅜-inch rabbet.
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Seeing how much the grate will get banged around, because of all the different things it has to do (footwell grate, cockpit sole flooring, rowing thwart, sleeping platform component) I decided a coat of graphite epoxy was in order, to finish out the third coat.
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More epoxy on the coaming cap rails.
And the final coats:
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Ya know, how every time you THINK you have got it all covered, you remember ONE MORE PIECE that you forgot to fabricate?!?! 
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Like the stern light mount, that keeps the light level on the transom.

And was a Bear    to get level, since it has to be beveled both fore-and-aft, as well as to port-and-starboard, since it is off-center on the transom.
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And required an arrow pointing to the bow, to make sure it is oriented to the correct bevel/angle.
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All holes filled with epoxy.

Returning my attention to the coaming rail oar lock supports, I drilled an exit "weep hole" to fill with epoxy.
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I had previously over-drilled the centers and filled them with epoxy.

I wanted to drill as far as the filled epoxy.
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Easy to see how far you've drilled, when you don't add fumed silica to the epoxy. 
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And then drilled the vertical component in increments, until I could blow through the drilled hole and hear air coming out the "weep hole".
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Then THAT was followed by a chamfer on the "weep holes" and more epoxy on the exposed wood.
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So many operations, for such a small little piece!! 
At least, I can take comfort in knowing that any water getting into the open-ended oar locks, will only flow through hardened epoxy, and not through exposed wood. 

And since I could put it off no longer,    I filleted the transom cap edges, the coamings, coaming transitions, the inside cabin sides, the front of the grab rail and anything else I could see, where one piece of wood touched another piece of wood, at an angle.
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Obviously, before clean-up with an alcohol wetted finger.

Front grab rail.
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Coaming-to-deck joint:
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(Cleaned up.)

Transom cap fillet.  The packing  tape wrapped dowel, acts like a "dam" to keep the fillet from slumping, until cured.
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The entire void under the transom cap is filled with shimmed wood and fillet material, so there is no possibility of water intrusion and rot.

Inside corners of the cabin side fillets:
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Whew!!    Glad all THAT was done!! 

Ya know, how every time you THINK you have got it all covered, you remember ONE MORE PIECE that you forgot to fillet?!? 
DOHHHH!!!!   
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Forgot to fillet, under the cabin roof cleats! 

Ah, well. Easy enough to fix.
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I'm starting to get really excited now, because just a few days more and I can start gluing those last seven pieces, onto the hull.
At that point, I will consider principal construction of the hull, as complete. 
(Nothing else to build, fabricate, epoxy, glue on, or fillet.) 
In my own project estimation, this will be a Major Milestone: The 75% completion mark. (23 months, in the coming.)
The other 25% of the project will entail sanding, priming, painting, flooring, hardware bedding and hardware installation, wiring, electronics installation, preparing and painting the spars, and all required sail rigging.
The excitement comes, because all that stuff is wayyyyy more fun to do,    than sanding and gluing and waiting for epoxy to cure.

An old Contractor's joke goes: 80% of the job takes 80% of the time; the last 20% of the job, ALSO takes 80% of the time.
That will also be the case with the SCAMP.

100% completion, will mean that I can trailer it to the water, rig it, launch it, day sail all around, then retrieve it, de-rig it and trailer it back home, again.
That would be the exact same capability, if one had purchased a fiberglass SCAMP, from Gig Harbor Boat Works; you could do all that, and no more.
For the micro-cruising that I intend to do, I will also need a Bimini top, solar panel array, tiller pilot, re-boarding straps, (inverter for the CPAP machine, anyone?) a tent, sleeping gear, cooking and basic sanitation gear and all the other extraneous stuff one needs for extended week-end cruising. 
Including, figuring out where to put it all.
 
And when that day (finally!) comes, I intend to SAIL THE PAINT OFF THIS THING!! 
Charles Brennan

[Travis Chapman]

Everything continues to look amazing! Well done faithful steward. Whenever I read a good microcruising list, I'm reminded of the scene from Spaceballs as they trek across the desert: It's my industrial strength hairdryer, AND I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT - Princess Vespa

[Captain Kidd]

Great post!

Let's see... 25% to go... 24 months down... does that make 8 months left? You'll be sailing by our 250th birthday! What a great way to celebrate!

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[Ed]

Charles, saw in your post above about remaining items for outfitting.  Urchin came with an inverter, as you know, and I'll never use it.  I've also got a rudder/tiller/tiller extension, as you also know, that I won't be using either.  Would you like them?  We are making the run to Tampa/Maitland for Turkey Day and will be on I-75 South on Wednesday going by you.  If you want this stuff we could meet at the Mickey D's in High Springs just off 75 around 9:30 am.

Ed

[Charles Brennan]

Ed, That is a very kind offer, thank you. 
I already have a new inverter, chosen specifically because it is much more efficient energy-wise, than the one on Urchin.  I have very small energy margins, since I am going to electric propulsion and have to get the maximum efficiency from every watt.  I don't know about your future plans for cruising, but an inverter was VERY handy for running a small TV set for the Grandkids and later on, the wife liked to use it, to power her laptop.
I'd keep an open mind about using/keeping it, if I were you.

I have already built the rudder for the SCAMP and further, don't see how I could modify it for use, since the dimensions are so very different.

HOWEVER!!   

That Forespar tiller extension has turned into something of a Unicorn, in that those particular length/dimensions do not seem to be available any longer.  All the available ones are far too large for my needs and I have been wondering how/what I was going to do about that, so it would be a PERFECT fit for my needs on my new tiller.

I would be very glad to meet you on Wednesday the 26th at 9:30 AM at the Mickey Ds in High Springs; I've been there before and know exactly where you're talking about.

Thank you very much; I appreciate it!
Charles Brennan

[Chris Muthig]

FYI, my dealership is less than 10 minutes from i75 in Ocala, if that helps.

[Charles Brennan]

Chris,

FYI, my dealership is less than 10 minutes from i75 in Ocala, if that helps.

True enough, but the Mickey D's in High Springs is < 2 minutes off the I-75 interchange and only 40 minutes from my house, whereas you are 90 minutes from my house.

Thanks for the offer, though.
Charles Brennan

[Ed]

Sounds good Charles.  Rather than try to arrange a meet up for just the tiller extension, I'll mail it to your house in Newberry.  I should be able to get to the post office this afternoon.  By the way, we went out to the boat today and mounted the new rudder, it looks even bigger than the one on Panda Paws, but it fit like it came from the factory that way.  Grandson was getting hangry, so I didn't have time to get a picture.  We're busy this weekend but next weekend, if the weather cooperates, we'll see how Urchin does with it.  On to Star-board Crib Boards!

[Charles Brennan]

Ed, Thank you, very much!!

Greatly appreciated,
Charles Brennan