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Laminated Gunnel questions.


Steve W

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The painter through the stem is actually extremely clever. When used as a tender, which many Spindrifts are used for, it means there is no hardware on the bow to bash up the topsides of the boat it is tender to. I used holes in the quarter knees to attach my stern painter and traveller. No need to buy hardware when a simple hole works just fine.

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A line thru the stem works just fine. The most common alternative is an eye-bolt - which can gouge the heck out of the side of your big boat if the dink spends the night floating beside it.

Fair the seams with microballoons or a similar alternative. West Systems sells a couple different versions - one for below the waterline; the other for locations that stay mostly dry. Neither has much structural strength, but its not needed. You're primarly filling voids before you coat it again.

Sorry about the repitition. I missed Hirilonde's response above. I'd say the figure eight should work. All knots that load and unload periodically need to be checked fairly frequently.

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I put in a nice eye bolt as that is all I had ever seen used since I was a kid. Carla convinced me that the rope through the hole was a better idea. I plan to alter my Spindrift 12S by removing the eyebolt and also making wooden covers for the chainplates and their respective bolts. I like the idea of holes in the quarter knees. My original plan was some cleats but I just did not like the idea of stumping them with my fingers or toes. The rope and hole method solves all of my concerns. Thank you! :D

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A line through the stem is my preferred attachment. I drill a 5/8" hole and epoxy a fresh sanded piece of 1/2" CPVC pipe in there, trim flush when epoxy sets, relive the edges a bit = done. I place the hole 3-5 inches above the waterline, depending on the overall stem height. When towing the lower line point won't tend to pull the bow down but will keep her riding right.

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Steve W did in his questions couple posts back. Of course I came in there, instead of page 2. :wub:

And thanks. Getting into being at home.. Of course I've put 1000 miles on the jeep since Christmas, going between here and Houston, and back, and there, and back :D

Really strange to sleep in a bed that doesn't move, and when the wind gets up,, I DO wake up to check the anchor :rolleyes: Did just under 7000 miles on the trip, 2200 singlehanded. I'd rather have company!!

It's gonna take a while to fit back into land living I guess.

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All right.....a hole for the painter it is. I've never seen it before. I've learned a lot here. Also...microballoons on order.

Take Care,

Steve

On order? Darn. I was going to suggest Aircraft Spruce Supply - yes, a plane place but they have great prices on microballoons (3M Bubbles), fumed silica, flock, and other stuff we use in quantity. Also I print out their WEST price sheet and use it at West Marine to get the price match deal.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I started at the bow on the Spindrift but only because that was the sharpest bend and I did not want scarfed joints on the outer strips until toward the stern. I did the oppisite on the inner strips due to the way the strips pushed themselves together near the bow. I "feel" the wood to decide how to put things together.

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The source of the walnut shell I referenced was Hammons:

http://www.hammonsproducts.com/page.asp?p_key=11C0327901AC464D852200F057E1E6B5&ie_key=093275B1163E451EA575A79C8E796C51

I use their 30/100 grit. They sold me a small sample which was plenty. I think you can find something similar on ebay in a 40/100 grit size.

I've tried them all and this size seems to be about right as a clamping spacer. The larger stuff is too big, the 100 grit plus, too small.

The other product I've used with equal success is a non-skid paint additive from System 3:

http://www.systemthree.com/store/pc/Non-Skid-Quart-Can-47p190.htm

The advantage to these over something like sand or silica is they won't damage the edge of cutting tools you use on the piece after the lamination is finished. The sharp edges of both dig in and bite, and tend to lock the lamination into place so it doesn't wander off on you. With these in the mix.....and it doesn't take much......you can clamp your laminations about as hard as you want and still have an adequate.......almost ideal.......thickness of epoxy left behind.

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  • 4 months later...

This may be late to be of help to you, but i epoxied white oak spacers on I-beam type cross beams for a Wharram Tiki 21. i sailed it for about 10 years without any delamination problems. Cross beams on a catamaran do undergo a significant amount of stress from hulls that are designed to attach with flexability. i ran into a lock wall one time that split off a piece of Doug Fir from the beam, but the oak stayed solid as I recall. i used West System and bronze fasteners.

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