Almost-A-SCAMP Progress Report #3-2 . . . .

[Charles Brennan]

The Grandson finally got some free time from college, to come over and help install the final 6 fasteners (4 on the rub rails and 2 on the closed-eye bow chock) in the fore-cabin, that I had no hopes of reaching by myself. 
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Pic is misleading; he's getting some hardware off a shelf  before shinnying into the impossibly small hole just behind him.
OK, according to his Mom and his Grandma, I'm SUPPOSED to be proud of him for making the Dean's list,    but what I'm REALLY proud of, is him getting those fasteners installed!! 

Was all set to start finishing up all the stuff that was waiting on that chore to get done, and then we got that monster cold snap.   
ARRGGGHHHHH!!!! 
To think it was just last month, I was cursing my luck due to being able to only work from 11am to 4 pm, because of the cold.
NOW, I can only work from about 1pm to 3pm, because of the cold. 
Felt like a Florida Iguana, just waiting to fall out of a tree. 

But I made the most of that hour or so, and decided there was no longer a good reason for the center board to hang out in the garage, any more.
Put the board aboard, (as it were)  and lowered it into the center board trunk with two nylon straps.
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Now to raise and lower and move fore and aft ad infinitum,    until I could get the centerboard pin to align with the hole.
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Which I finally did! 
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ALL the way through, from the ballast tank side to the other (locker) side! 
Added some more Teflon tape to the end of the threads on both fittings, so I could screw on the two bronze pipe caps.
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Notice that the pin sticks out past the bronze bushings on both sides.
1) Makes it easier to grab with a pair of pliers for removal, if necessary.
2) Allows the pipe caps to tighten up against the ends of the pin to hold it captive, so the pin can't move from side to side, like in most SCAMP installations.
I had the good fortune of listening to and reading about, everyone's usage complaints, so I could plan accordingly.

Like so:
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Unlike most SCAMP center board pin installations, this one can be inserted or removed from either side, with just a pair of pliers.
Big Fan of: Options and Flexibility. 

Tied the center board up haul line to the bronze pad-eye on the centerboard.
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DOHHH!!!! 
SOMEBODY got carried away with filleting again, and the turning block wouldn't sit flush! 
Had to cut away a little filleting epoxy.
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Also gonna have to cut away some more filleting, to get the fair lead to sit flat on the side of the bench.
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Like so:
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That hardware will get removed and the sides painted over, when I touch up all the dings and dents    incurred during equipment installation.

Turned my attention back to wiring, starting with the stern light.
Love these new heat shrink in-line splicers with a lead center.  You heat the the heat shrink and it also solders itself, at the same time.
Very Cool. 
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Two layers of heat shrink over the splicers; one for electrical insulation and one for any mechanical chafing.
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And the requisite Z-fold for any future wiring needs.
Used Ty-raps with mounting hole tabs, to secure the stern light cabling from underneath.
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You can barely see the wiring, when looking at the stern. 
After seeing the above pic, I realized I could un-screw and cut that Ty-rap off, then put on another Ty-rap 180º reversed and probably hide even the little bit that is showing below, at right.
So the next day I did, but neglected to get a new pic showing the improvement. 
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Ty-rap screwed into a backer block under a midships cleat.
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Ty-rap attached to a rub rail screw with a 10-24 nut.
Another pay-off, for planning ahead!   
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Cabling is secured every 11-12 inches both sides, from the stern to the cabin along the back side of the coamings, either to a hardware backing block, or to a rub rail screw.
(Depending on the varying thickness of the hull-deck fillets, some screws were too short for additional fasteners)
This is to prevent any wiring tangling up, when the oars are eventually stored there.

Anywhere the wires are more exposed (like in the veranda), there are more cabling attachment points.
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Got the bow light wiring installed, Z-folded, and tied down.
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Crimped on pins (no stranded wires, to fray under the terminals!) and added heat shrink, to wire onto the solar charge controller.
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Pic taken before pins were greased with silicon-based dielectric grease.

Before I could do more cabin wiring, I first had to drop back and dress down and secure the trolling motor cabling, in very tight spaces.
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I also needed some wiring harnesses that I was able to make up on the bench, in a closed garage, with the help of a small space heater. 
The top #12 gauge harness runs from the battery mains to the switch panel; the two lower cables are two #8 gauge battery cables.
(One for each battery.)
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LFP batteries have these cool Battery Management System (BMS) modules that auto-magically cut the power off, if there is a short circuit, reversed connection, a current over-load, too much heat, too much cold, and a few other safety factors. 
Added a 50 Amp fuse anyway (totally unneeded, unless the BMS modules ever flake out at which point, it is the last safeguard before a fire)  and then wired on some Anderson connectors.
In a perfect world, Anderson connectors also would be unnecessary, but in the world I inhabit (where Brennan is eternally damn'ed by the gods!)    it is simply another means to enable a last-ditch battery jettison, in the event of Total Disaster. 
Notice that the fuse holder is siliconized rubber; plastic automotive fuse holders IMHO, are death-traps just waiting for an excuse to ignite,    in the event of a short-circuit.
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On the plus side, I can wire on another Anderson connector to the lithium battery charger in the garage, making it very easy to re-charge the batteries when back at home. 
See those two small scraps of red wire?    I bought a 10-foot roll of #8 2-conductor cable. Those two scraps are all the wire that I didn't use. 

Ready for installation!!    Well . . . . . after the flooring and hatches are installed. 
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Wired up what is admittedly, a very simple electrical system: Bow light, Anchor light, Tiller pilot, 12 Volt DC sockets.
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Great.    Cable wiring labeling is already smeared. 

Mounted, with mains switch dust cover installed.
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And with the switch lever installed.
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I kind of like the idea that I can pull the switch lever and say, go to lunch somewhere, without worrying about somebody trying to go joy-riding, using the trolling motor.
"They could just use the sail!" You say. 
Nah.
*I* can barely figure out how to use a balanced-lug rig,    so I'm not too worried about other people knowing how to work the thing! 

Finally got all the cabling tied down and the last of the wiring done.
It has a Bluetooth capable solar charge controller, a Bluetooth capable current shunt for measuring both current draw (trolling motor) and current gain (solar panel).
Very useful for a far more accurate measurement of state of charge in the batteries, allowing for better energy management decisions.
And two Bluetooth capable 100A/Hr LFP batteries.
Four Hi-Tech Bluetooth devices on a 12 foot dinghy!!
Maybe this electrical system isn't quite as simple, as I first thought! 
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That cable coiled up out of the way and hung on a hook, is for powering the inverter, which will be stored in a dry bag until needed.
Since it is such an intermittent use device, I decided against permanent mounting in the cabin.

With all that interior cabin work done, I could finally mount both the bulkhead #3 hatches.
At some point, I am going to have to reverse the cams on one side or the other, to get the latches on both doors to open and close, in the same direction. 
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You can see both the Anderson connectors for the batteries, down in the two floor  hatches.
The next big task is going to be installing EVA (Expanded Vinyl Acetate) flooring and the last ten hatches.
The task after that, is refining and installing the Bimini top.
At which point, the boat will be essentially done and I can move on to the rigging. 
   Getting closer, all the time!!! 

Charles Brennan

[Riley Smith]

I have one of those holes too. When I built the boat I was small enough to get up there. Now? It prolly ain't happening. Those grand kiddies do come in handy don't they? That cold snap threw everything for a loop here too. Now I have to take this jungle of pots INSIDE the house and put them back OUTSIDE. One of those chores I detest for some reason, even though I have a dolly just for that. Take a minute CB and just stand back and look at what you've done and don't look at the list and the past jobs, or future jobs, just the whole. You'll be proud. I was so excited to see the curves take shape and smell the fir as the catboat came along. A boat takes on its owner's psyche as it is born. Can't you see it?

[Doug SC]

"Felt like a Florida Iguana, just waiting to fall out of a tree."

For some reason I find it hard to picture you up in a tree!

I am super impressed with the quality of the work you have done with the boat. Kudos to you!

[Travis Chapman]

We're down visiting family in Taveres, FL, and I heard the iguanas did not do so well around here in the snap. Glad the boat projects did better. Thanks for sharing some great examples of electrical work too!

[Chris Muthig]

Lookin more and more like a boat!  I did some work to my bimini tops also, a friend of mine gave me a bimini off of his sea pearl tri, it was 2" shorter than the aft bimini, so I installed it there, and I'm going to use the aft bimini up front.  Just ordered all of the fittings to re-do it to the right height.  Also, the straps on his were rotted, so I ordered all of the straps for both.

[Captain Kidd]

If that's simplicity, I'd hate to see complexity!

Telling on myself: electricity is not my thing.

Good work!