Ken_Potts Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 A new project arrived at my house last week. It's a Cole 26 that has a large hole in the starboard side and has spent some time under water. I wasn't looking for this kind of project but I happened across this one and couldn't pass it up (I've noted this design in the past as a possibly fun boat to have and the price was just right). There's quite a bit of work to do after the hull is fixed since some of the cabinetry on the starboard side has been knocked loose and the engine and electrical system spent more time than they should have submerged in salt water, but every big project is just a number of smaller steps. I've already gotten the boat moved to our driveway, emptied it of gear and detritus and removed the rig. The next steps are to: 1. Build a cradle (the stands in the photo don't belong to me). 2. Clean the oil, diesel, salt and gunpowder (from flares) out of the interior. 3. Get advice from a local shipwright about what furniture needs to be removed to patch the hull. 4. Fix the hull. There's a lot more after that, but that's the start. I'll post pictures occasionally as I progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted June 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Steps 1 through 3 are complete. I'm now cutting and grinding my way back to good material. The hole is now roughly as large as it will get and I have a little more grinding to do to remove old tape joints from the inside of the hull and trim the bulkheads up properly. On the advice of the shipwright I'm going to get all the cutting and prep done before I start putting any material back. Right now the boat kind of reminds me of that scene from "The Life Aquatic" where the camera pans across a cutaway of Steve Zissou's boat and we see what all the crew is up to. I'm missing the Portugese David Bowie, soundtrack, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted June 13, 2015 Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Seu Jorge is the singer's name. His other stuff is as good as his Bowie covers. I hope you're wearing your beanie and glock. The hole in your new boat reminds me of the Roths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted June 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Beanies are too warm for a Perth winter and I don't need a Glock as long as I have my Kimber. I'm not sure I've read about the Roths but a quick check of Wikipedia tells me I probably should. Now if only I could find that darn shark... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted June 13, 2015 Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted July 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2015 I've started making the mold. I cut some 50mm strips of 12mm plywood and fastened them to the outside of the hull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted July 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2015 There wasn't enough curvature in the hull to need real spiling on these "planks" but I did plane each one a bit in the forward half because there's less curvature forward. That was sufficient to keep the strips level and follow the tiny bit of compound curve in the hull. Once the strips were in place I added battens to keep them in line with each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted July 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2015 Here's where I left things today. I've got some stiffeners cut to make the mold more rigid before I take it off the hull but I haven't epoxied them on yet. I'll get them all cut first before I start mixing goo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted July 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2015 Just as an aside: My other project this weekend was to learn how to make an eye splice in double braid rope. After several frustrating false starts I managed this one in 10mm rope. Hopefully tomorrow I'll find a volunteer at work to help me try to pull it apart. I'll put a double bowline on the other end and we'll stretch it between a couple of trailer hitches to see if we can break it. I think (I hope) I'll end up just getting my truck dragged backwards by my co-worker's heavier truck but we'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted July 26, 2015 Report Share Posted July 26, 2015 Looking nice. Good luck at the truck pull! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted July 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 The truck pull didn't happen today. Maybe tomorrow. In the meantime here is a picture of the mold on the boat with stiffeners added. I was very careful to locate the stiffeners so that they wouldn't interfere with removal of the screws that secure each "plank" to the hull ('cause I'm smart like that) but somehow the lower end of stiffener #5 was located directly on top of one of them. I had to do a little surgery with my wife's favorite reciprocating saw to expose the screw. Given that I planned ahead so well I suspect sabotage - There's no way I could have made a mistake like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted July 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 Here's the mold removed from the hull and ready for a little fairing and a lot of wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted July 27, 2015 Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 The more pictures I see, the more I think you really should be reading Two Against Cape Horn while you do this. Laypersons will think you a wizard after this is done, you know. I think you're a saint for saving a boat most others would have thrown away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LennieG Posted July 27, 2015 Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 I will be watching this one with great interest. Exciting project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted July 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 Robert, you're not the only one who has recommended I read "Two against Cape Horn". Last week a co-worker showed me a photo from a page of that book showing the mold the Roths made. I'm definitely going to find a copy and read it. This boat needs a new name (Knight Errant just doesn't do it for me) and "Whisper" is one of the possibilities. Other ideas are "Heart of gold" (Zaphod Beeblebrox's ship) and "Nautilus" (captain Nemo's submarine). I'm open to other suggestions, too. A neighbor was walking by on the weekend and she told me the boat will look really pretty once I finish covering it in wood paneling And I'm really not a saint. The price was right - It cost more to move the boat to my driveway than it did to buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted July 28, 2015 Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 Heart of Gold? Where you gonna put the bistro? Nautilus? Did she really enjoy her time under the sea? Belafonte is the name of Steve Zissou's (the fictional one, not the lawyer one) boat. Phoenix may not be out of order, in this case, either. I do like Whisper, too. Everyone should read the books Hal Roth wrote about their cruises. Even if just to read about what times were like a few short decades ago. I will hold off on the beatification nomination, then, but I don't think frugality will discount you from sainthood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted July 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 The bistro will be on the foredeck but I'll hide it with an SEP Field. The name Nautilus would be intended to honor the time this boat has spent underwater as well as offer my wife an opportunity to paint a clown anemone fish on the hull (Captain Nemo). I'll add Belafonte to the list but I don't think I like the fire association with Phoenix. So the current list of potential names in no particular order is: - Heart Of Gold - Belafonte - Nautilus - Whisper Lennie - Have you got any name ideas to add? I'm certainly not averse to Grateful Dead references. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted July 28, 2015 Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 The more I look, the more I like Heart of Gold. You could put Don't Panic on the cover of your logbook. When you mention The Dead, Box of Rain comes to mind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAR Posted July 28, 2015 Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 How much flex and twisting was possible once you pulled the mold off the hull? I suspect there was quite a bit, which means the patch will not be the same shape as the hull, when cured and placed over the hole. You may be able to simply force the patch down, especially if the skin is relatively light. I make this type of repair from time to time and I leave the mold in place, over well feathered edges around the perimeter of the existing hole. The fabrics are laid from the inside of the hull, against the mold, often with a thin coated cardboard spacer against the mold, to provide exterior fabric tabbing and fairing space, once it's removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted July 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 There was a little flex but I have only taken the mold off the hull to apply a light coat of epoxy with sanding filler so I can smooth the surface a bit. Once I've done that and added mold release I'll reinstall the mold using the original screw holes and glass from the inside as you suggest. I thought about stiffening the mold more but decided it shouldn't be necessary. Hopefully I'm right... With the mold installed I could already see a little difference from the original shape of the hull but as long as it's a reasonably fair surface I'll be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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