Birder 2 questions

[Jim Robinson]

OK, this is probably a dumb question, but what is the best way to attach the bulkheads to the hull? I have the hull tied up and sitting on a flat surface (the floor). Do I drill holes in the side of the hull and wire them in? I hesitate to make hulls in the hull but don't know how else to do this.

The fit of the bulkheads is not great, especially the front one. There's a good 1/2" gap at the chines. Should I try to cinch the sides up to get as close as possible?

I realize the boat has not formed its final shape, but as it sits there is a pronounced rocker in the bow, the bottom is 2" off the floor 10" back from the nose.

Thanks for any advice.

Jim

[Charlie Jones]

Couple of questions. Does the Birder 2 plan call for a spreader and temporary brace down to the bottom? If so, do you have it in place? That forces a curve into the bottom and ALSO straightens the entire boat bottom fore and aft..

Once that is in place, if the bulkhead is to measurement, you just have to kinda force it in under the sheer clamps after cutting some notches for those in the bulkheads. Then pull some strapping right around the bulkheads and work with them.

Mine didn't fit exactly right in the exact place but they were very close to the correct position. Keep diddling with it, loosening and tightening wires, til they fit or come close to fitting.

[Jim Robinson]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Yes it does use the spreader/spacer, and no I do not have that in yet. I was following the order in the construction guide, the third step is "tie the hull and insert bulkheads", thats why I was puzzling over it. The next steps are to install the inwales and put in the temporary prop. I will wait till then and hope for the best.

It doesn't say this anywhere, but I assume one function of the cockpit doubler is to help the bottom hold its curved shape after the tempoary prop is removed.

Jim

[Charlie Jones]

I would suppose it would help some, yes. But I think the MAIN purpose of the doubler is to be load bearing- that's where you'll step and sit. 4 mm ply is pretty thin for that. If you ran up on something kinda sharp with out the doubler it would be easy to punture 4 mm. 8 mm would take much more punishment before you holed the boat. Places other than where your weight is concentrated would be more apt to deflect the boat. That's what I think anyway. I'm no designer - That's why I buy plans

I had the spreader and support in place, removed it, inserted the doubler, cut 4 mm off the support and wedged back in place on our boats. I also had the sheer clamps (inwales) in place before I finalized the bulkheads.- used those to help hold the bulkheads down against the bottom.

[Tom Lathrop]

Graham is still not here so I will try to guess what he might say. Try clamping a temporary batten (about 3/4 by 1 inch) on the outside of the sheer. This will help draw the sides in. If you then pull the sides in to the bulkheads, the batten will help keep the sheer in a fair curve.

If you just pull in the sides without a batten, you may distort the sheer permanently. The inwhales may do the job, as Charlie said, but they are pretty small.

I use a hot melt glue gun to tack bulkheads in place until they are epoxied in. Don't use any more glue tacks than necessary and they can be covered with epoxy and glass tape with no problem.

[Charlie Jones]

HEY!!! Somebody else that uses hot melt glue as a tacking method. I've often wondered if anyone else used it.

[Tom Lathrop]

Now, we're both out of the closet.

[inboil]

Jim you make me feel like less of a dumb-ass. Thought nobody else ever succumbed to boat wrasslin instead of boat building. But its supposed to be a learning experience, right?

I just put the deck on my b-2 and SEEM to have done less of the wrasslin than I was anticipating.

When I was at your stage I wrapped the wrap directly over the unnotched bulkhead and proceeded to wrassle. I won but only because I'm real stubborn. Well it was really a draw I guess. Don't try this method if your skull is less than one inch thick.

I figure Graham left the country when I bought the plans so he wouldn't have to answer all my nitpicking questions; but then I'm also responsible for several hurricanes and a couple of mountain floods.

Much as I despise it in a philosphical way hot melt makes much more sense. Fight on!

[Capt. Earl]

Inboil do you have any pictures of your boat?

[inboil]

ok captain i'll try ---borrowed camera,computer and operator and pics are from too far away,but i'm tryin.

[Jim Robinson]

Hey that looks great, and what a great work area. After installing the inwhales and temporary prop my hull popped into a decent shape. I didn't wrestle with it too much. I get obsessed and think I see a twist everywhere but this one looked pretty good without too much fussing.

Are you doing a keel? I'm leaning towards it. I haven't quite figured out how to insure it goes on straight. I drew a centerline on the bottom for just that purpose but it ended up on the inside of the boat :shock:

Jim

[inboil]

second try(computer not happy) Idid put keel on mine. Started because I have embedded tracking issues from previous boat, but final decision was for bottom protection . If it was important for boats performance Grahame wouldn't make it optional.Not to mention Charlies test run assessment.

If you must, use plywood straightedge to connect "football" end points. If you can't seem them then extend keel ends enough to establish two points to start from.

[Charlie Jones]

Looking good. I'm installing carlins, under deck supports and coamings on ours now. Every thing else is done.

But I'm afraid I have to do some paying work for a few days And Laura is making louder and louder "we're going for an overnight sail" noises, so I guess we're going for an over night sail this week.