Emrick Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 In preparation for building a nesting Spindrift 10, I've been having some bad dreams trying to envision joining the two halves in the water next to our mothership. I see myself, or my wife!, kneeling in the aft half, water pouring in through 1/4 inch holes, while I fumble with five small bolts and wingnuts, ten washers and ten rubber grommets, line up the holes and actually bring the two halves together. What am I missing here? Surely these problems have been worked out and a simple system exists, but I haven't found answers here on the forum. So if someone out there would please wake me up, I'll get on with it and hopefully become a contributor to this site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hagan Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 There have been some creative modifications to the joining method: http://www.messing-about.com/forums/index.php?topic=5253.0 Garry's Design, first post: http://www.messing-about.com/forums/index.php?topic=2064.msg16666#msg16666 Garry's Design, bottom connector: http://www.messing-about.com/forums/index.php?topic=2153.msg17423#msg17423 You might ask him if he's had good success with this; it seems to answer the question of how to keep the two parts together while you assemble the nuts and bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 These have worked great on two different nesting dinghys with no problems. Each half floats with no leaks and it is easy to put together in the water. I once launched the halves and put them together in a gale in the ICW to row out an anchor. You simply sit in the stern, pull the bow section to you, and push it down to engage the bottom connectors. How you connect the tops together is up to you. Simple bolts would work and there are some other ideas. I used the kind of hatch-latch that pulls together and clamps with a cam action with zero problems so far. Here's a poor pic on a test set up: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emrick Posted January 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Thank you Frank for the links to answers. I will try to improve my search skills in the future. And Thank You Garry for sharing your design. It looks simple, bulletproof, and requires no holes in the hull. I'll use it, probably with two bolts at the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hagan Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Another option can be joining the halves on deck. Transom is set down with aft hull facing up. Halyard is used tio raise bow section via painter and rest on top of lower half and attached. Halyard raises connected boat off of deck and crew fends off asi t is lowered to water. Control ropes on aft end controls stern as rest of boat is lowered into water. Hey Sparky, are you out of class yet? That's a smart idea; I keep forgetting about all that mechanical advantage we have at our disposal, already rigged and ready to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Garry, I was sitting here the other day thinking about another project when I got the bright idea of retro-fitting your system to my Spindrift. It appears that it will not be too hard to do and it is just the project duration to allow me to use the Spindrift this coming spring as a tender. I'll let you know how I do and if I have any questions. I see you are working on a birder to paddle around that area. Maybe Gina and I should bring the Diva 2 down to paddle with you later this year. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hey, that would be fun. Don't hesitate to email or call if you have any questions about the connectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 I built in Garry's nesting hardware from the get go. I am extremely pleased with it. I'm sure the simple bolt method Graham designed into his boats works fine, and is certainly simpler to build. But I can't imagine it is as easy or dry to use, at least compared to Garry's hardware. As to any form of assembly on deck or even on a broad expanse of land with a pair of saw horses handy: I can't imagine anything easier than in the water. Yes, I have tried on land, and I choose the water even when launching from a dock. Aligning the pieces to hold the halves together snugly, yet still slip together and apart is tricky, but I find it well worth the extra 8-10 hours of built time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 Garry, I got started on the new attachment system. I epoxied the backing blocks to the hull and have ordered the stainless steel. Hopefully, the stainless will be here Wednesday. This is turning into a fun project. ;D I'll try to get a few pictures in the next few days. 8) Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 Hi Steve, I sent you an email with my cell number in case you have questions or problems with the connectors. If anyone else needs my number, let me know. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I got the stainless bar stock yesterday evening, delivered by UPS while we were out to dinner. It was raining this morning (actually, all day) so I started on the stainless and got all the way to epoxying the router cuts for the stainless. Here are a couple of shots of the ready to go together system. All I have to do is wait for the epoxy to cure and bolt it together. I plan to bed the clips in 5200 when I do the final assembly. Here are a couple of shots of the progress. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Steve, Before you apply 5200, dry fit it and check to make sure there is adequate "slop" for the L-shaped hook to engage the flat bar. You want the fit snug but not too tight. I recommend you take it to the water and try it there. Put both halves in the water (with a line on each so they don't drift away). Get into the stern section. Pull the bow section into position, it will float high and the center transom will tilt away from you. Grab the top of the center transom on both sides and pull it into position against the stern's center transom. Then push it down. The flat bars should slide right into the L-shaped hooks. Don't let go, the bow will pop right up again. I twist around so that my thigh is on the bow part of the seat or centerboard trunk. Now my weight is holding the bow down and I can let go to make the connections at the top. How are you connecting the top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I found that by far the most difficult part of the "Garry Hardware" installation was the alignment of the matching fore and aft pieces. It is such a simple system to use if properly aligned, but the difference between sloppy loose and too tight to assemble isn't a lot. I second the test assembly before final bedding in. Looks good in the pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Funny how great minds think alike. I bolted up the stainless pieces and dry fit the hulls on the sawhorses this morning. They went together "just right" - not too loose and not too tight. The hulls are together today while I work on the upper fasteners. I plan to use the fastener system Garry had on his boat. It takes a bit to set it up, but the reward comes when you put the boat together or take it apart. I went out and purchased some fasteners this afternoon and laid out the cut in the bulkhead of the aft section on each side of the boat. The next step will be to separate the hulls, cut the pieces out, and epoxy them to the forward hull. Once that is done, I'll dry fit the whole mess and possibly try to put it together in the water. I have put the boat together in the water using the original design and it wasn't too bad. This system should make it a LOT easier. ;D I'm running the Sea Scouts 43' sailboat up to the boat show here in Mobile tomorrow and will be "manning" the booth for most of the day. I don't think there will be any time for working on the dinghy this weekend as we will be taking the boat back to its home berth on Sunday afternoon. Thanks for the encouragement. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 Here are some shots of the upper part of the nesting scheme after I cut out the pieces on the after part and glued them to the forward part. I also included one shot of the lower clips engaged. I dry fit the boat together this evening and she looks pretty good. A little cleaning up and adding the latch and she will be ready to test. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 Hi Steve, Looking good. I should have noted that you don't need to cut the bevel on the pad for the clamp. I did that too but it makes a weak spot that chips when you don't get the halves fully nested. This happened a couple of times when trying to put them together on land. Its not a big deal. That's why the drawing shows it as a straight cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Well, That's life. I cut the bevel on a 45 degree. I'll just have to live with it. : I have dry fit the whole shebang and it works quite well. I have attached a couple of shots of the dry fit. I have taken all of the hardware off tonight and have started to put the primer/paint on the repairs in preparation for final assembly. This was a neat little project! Thanks, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Looks like a nice job, Steve. How does your seat fit over the hardware? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 I had to cut the slot wider to accommodate the latches, but the seat is supported well by the supports on the inside of the hull, so there is no loss in seat stability. You can't sit on that part anyway. Actually, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. ;D Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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