High C

Yep! :oops: Let's hear it for plastic props, no damage!

You have the same problem with epoxy. The hotter it is the shorter the working "potlife". In 90 plus weather, even with a slow hardener, epoxy can be just a few minutes (10 to 15) before the stuff kicks off.

It's been a few years since I flew anything, but most of my time was in the Piper Seneca, and a lot in single engine Cessnas, of course. I was also fond of the Piper Cherokees. Were I to own my own plane, it would likely be a Cherokee, maybe the Archer. One hour in a full motion Cheyenne simulator, too! That was incredible.

Yep, I'm a CFIIMEI, and I turn to boating to save money! Honestly, if boaters had any idea what it costs to maintain or repair an airplane they wouldn't believe it. :wink:

Like this?

I used a store bought fixed bracket, about $45. I use a short shaft Nissan 3.5 and it does clear to tilt up, but just barely. It would've been ideal if I had put it about an inch higher on the transom. The bottom of it drags in the water a bit, and the prop is plenty deep. The controls are easy to operate, too. So a short shaft is OK, you just have to get the height just so. http://www.jtservices.net/P7110016.JPG.htm

www.raka.com You can't go wrong there. They have all sorts of epoxies, cloth, fillers, and tools, and have a fine guidebook that'll serve you well. I sure do like their "nonblushing" epoxy.

:oops:

Yeah Florin, that sounds like a horrific rate to me. I only pay about $60 more than that for my 30 foot glass boat, and we live in a high risk hurricane area. Check your homeowner's policy carefully to see if there's any liability coverage already there for small boats. There is with my State Farm policy. As for that $30,000 figure, that's nowhere near what you'd actually get in a total loss, maybe a few thou. It may be too late for this year, but do a little homework for the future. I think you're paying an awful lot for very little coverage you may not need at all.

...But he doesn't drag his fenders. :wink: She looks great, John. Congratulations! Who's she named after? Thanks, Bruce. Bessie Mell was my maternal Grandmother, who lived 92 years. May all of our boats last even half as long!

Yep, just now. :wink:

Hey! Those fenders got pulled in as soon as I got the outboard motor pointed in the right direction. The original owner sold the boat because he lacked the fortitude to spread epoxy! My gain! 8)

Well, I have finally completed and launched the beautiful Weekender I bought from Bruce Kershaw. It was a perfect fall day, and there were no problems! Pics and the story can be seen on my Weekender site. http://www.jtservices.net/boat.htm

True Frank, and you would lose the advantage of the overlapped seams that you get with three plies. That joint would be less strong with two plies. Thanks for your help on the mast boot, still pondering my navel on the one.

IF you have a planer, how about using 2x12s, laminating 2 together. Plane each of the 4 surfaces about 3/16". This will gve yoy the same 2 1/4" total thickness, and give you good, flat mating surfaces for glueing. The issue of getting the faces of the boards to meet one another nice and flat is important. I suspect most delaminating problems are caused by cupped boards that have voids where they mate up.

My Weekender's mast passes through the deck into the mast box, and has a bit of play there. I'm thinking of making some slightly tapered wedges to tap into the front and sides to lock it into place. Or is it adequate to let the shroud and forestay tension do the job? Also, any clever ideas to seal it to keep water out of the mast box? If I do wedge it, I suppose caulk would do the trick, but if it's left loose, that wouldn't work. The plans call for closed cell insulation foam, but I'd like to use something more long-lasting and nicer looking. Thanks!

Jan, there are very nice teak grab handles already made for sale at many boat supply places. I got mine from boatersworld.com for something like $18 each, cheap! West has 'em, too. I used 16' long 5/4 pressure treated decking for my rubrails. It comes in 5/4 x 6, so it has to be ripped. Get a couple helpers to guide it through the saw, and to help install it. The more hands, the better. The keel can be made up of shorter pieces, just stagger the seams so no two butts coincide, and glue up the whole mess. Voila, messing about. :wink:

Excellent advice, fellers. Thanks. This is for the two hatch covers on my Weekender. I know cherry is an unconventional choice on a boat, but I happened to have several nice boards lying around for a while, so, what they hey!? They should look pretty nice under a few coats of spar varnish, and i look forward to the eventual darkening. Or as I prefer to call it, enrichment. You should see the pine floor in my living room where the rug sat for all those years! Yikes!

Can anyone recommend a wood filler to use on cherry, to fill knots and small flaws, before varnishing? Thanks!

Thanks Oyster, I've decided to go with one of these: and a threaded SS rod. Now if I can just hold the dang drill straight!

I used a handheld power plane to taper and round my mast. It starts out square at the base. Then above the tabernacle it transitions to 8 sides, then gradually to full round (with 36 grit sandpaper by hand) as it gets near the top. It took about a half hour. That would've been a ton of work with a hand plane. Looks cool. 8)