Core Sound 20 Hull #102

[wkisting]

Ah, yes... I remember this anchor storage idea. Very nice. And probably an idea I'll steal someday, though I'm just going to use one of those square milk crates to stow the rode for now.

This morning, I realized that the "reefing lines" Graham sent me are probably the downhauls, since somewhere I saw him refer to them as "downhaul/reefing lines" on this forum. I have another bundle labeled "Misc" so I thought maybe I was to cut the downhaul lengths from that, but now I think that line is actually just enough for the two snotters. Anyway, I've almost got it figured out.

Are there "ideal" places to locate the cleats for the Main halyard, snotter, and downhaul? I'm thinking I'll run all three back to a spot just a few inches in front of the oarlock on the port side, but I noticed some people split them with two lines on one side and one line on the other.

[wkisting]

Got all the hardware backing blocks attached and sealed, so now I'm good to start prepping varnish and also to touch up the interior paint. Should be sailing in a couple of weeks.

I noticed the WR-LPU paint on one of my masts has begun to flake off badly on the portion that slides down into the front mast sleeve. Not sure why. I roughed the aluminum with 80-grit, wiped with acetone, applied primer, let the primer cure for 24 hours, roughed the primer with 120-grit, and applied three coats of topcoat. Then I let all dry for two or three days of HOT weather before subjecting it to any "scuffing"-likely activity, such as putting it in the front mast tube (which is fairly smooth inside). Any thoughts? There are long vertical splits in the paint, with the paint layers pulling away from them (primer and all) like someone sliced it with a razor knife, or perhaps a cat got angry at it.

[Charlie Jones]

There are long vertical splits in the paint, with the paint layers pulling away from them (primer and all) like someone sliced it with a razor knife, or perhaps a cat got angry at it.

That sounds very much like something underneath wasn't cured totally when the top coats went on. May not be that,but when cracks appear in topcoats that's usually the cause. Top coat goes on, underlayer finishes curing and shrinks a bit- cracks the top coat.

[wkisting]

I applied the Systems 3 Silvertip Primer directly to the roughed up aluminum and permitted it to cure for the appropriate 24-hour time frame (actually for  longer, in 90 degree heat, no less, which should've baked it on nicely). Then I roughed it up and coated with Systems 3 WR-LPU, three coats as recommended.

Unless I misunderstood, I think this is exactly what Ray does also, no?

[wkisting]

The primer sanded to a powdery texture, so I'm fairly certain it was cured--no noticeable "balling" problems. I think you're right about the adhesion problem. Hopefully my difficulties stay confined to the end of this one mast. If it starts peeling elsewhere, I'll have a mess to fix. BTW, I used 80-grit to rough up the aluminum, and it was very thoroughly roughed. It is definitely a fault with the primer, not any poor prepping practice.

[wkisting]

Another question: How do the single blocks attach to the end of each sprit for the main and mizzen sheets? Am I supposed to have stainless hooks for those too, or do they attach to the sprit some other way?

[wkisting]

Aha! Thank you. I like the idea of a bowline/stopper knot attachment, as it seems the cordage would be a gentler, lower-stress connection than a fixed eyestrap.... though it probably doesn't make much difference since several folks have suggested there are relatively minor loads on the ends of the sprits in this setup.

[Charlie Jones]

Graham uses the line through the sprit, tied to the block- here's a very enlarged pic of his mizzen sheet and sprit

[wkisting]

Got the last thin seal coat on the deck. Will let it cure for at least three days (probably wheel it out to bake in the sun a couple of hours), then rough it up with 120-grit and start applying varnish. It's not quite professional-grade, but looking very sleek with its near-mirror finish. Here are some pics...

[Richard Whitney CS#70]

Hi Wes

The varnish work is looking great. I am interested in what you built you coaming of - they look very tidy and nice curves in the corners and the forward end of the cockpit.  Did you use ply, solid wood or laminated wood - and what type?

You have some great sailing coming up!!!

[wkisting]

Hi Richard,

The inside face of the cockpit coaming is 1/4" Okoume. I added another layer of 1/4" thick solid mahogany around the outside (above deck only) to increase the thickness for a more substantial look, and also to give a consistent color scheme to the exterior (which is trimmed in mahogany in several other places -- tiller, hatch covers, thwart, gunwales, bowsprit). Ideally, I would've made the entire coaming from solid mahogany, but we didn't have enough mahogany on hand for that (expensive!) and I found the mahogany to be rather difficult to bend without breaking it, unless you build a steam box and heat it very thoroughly (which is what we ended up doing to get the radiused corners). For bending the plywood, we managed to get away with the hot towel technique, but next time around, I'd probably steam-bend the whole lot to avoid the number of breaks/fails we had. Patience and a gentle bending technique are key.

[wkisting]

I know I've asked this before, but I can't remember getting a response and can't find it on this thread...

What do folks use as a latch/hasp to hold down the DECK hatches? Any pics? I'm considering screwing a small SS metal lip to each hatch cover and creating a mahogany knob/turnbutton on deck that will rotate over the lip to hold the hatch down. But I'm wondering if there is something easier, simpler, and/or commercially available that works well as a hold-down.

[wkisting]

Any responses to my question in the previous post - about deck hatch latches/hasps?

Wheeled the boat out into the sun today for some baking to make sure the epoxy is fully cured prior to varnish. Took these two pics:

[paul_stewart]

Regarding Hatch Latches:

Wes,

Here are a couple of picture of the latches on CS20 #103.....

[Richard Whitney CS#70]

Wes

To hold my hatches shut I attach a plastic hook or ring to the inside of the top of the hatch.  Inside I had a plastic hook attach to the inside of the compartment with a length of shock cord.  To close you just pull this tight - hook it into the hook/ring on the inside top of the hatch cover and let go - the tension hold it shut with no fittings visible from the inside.  To open you pull the hatch open abit - put your hand inside and unhook the shock cord.  Works well.

[Richard Whitney CS#70]

Wes

Here is another post from Joe Nelson from awhile ago explaining the same thing.

Try using shock cord under tension hooked to the underside of the hatch.  If you install an eye strap to the underside of the hatch and a hook on the shock cord...attach the other end anywere you can get downward tnesion...you can lift the hatch and unhook the cord to fully open the hatch.  Then no exterior latching hardware is necessary.

[wkisting]

Paul, I've got the seat locker hatches figured out (using a metal hasp that can be locked with a padlock), but I'm wondering about the hatches on the fore and aft decks.

Richard, thanks for the suggestion. I know a lot of kayakers who have used that method to hold down kayak hatches but I've always been skeptical about the convenience of using something that you have to reach inside to "unhook". Of course, I don't plan to use the deck hatches very often on our CS20 except on trips where we need the storage, so perhaps this is an ideal situation for that kind of setup, not requiring frequent access. I do worry a bit that the downward force won't be very strong to produce a seal, since there must be enough slack in the bungee to allow you to get it open far enough to insert your hand. Have you had any trouble with leaks in rough conditions?

[Ken_Potts]

I used the method Richard describes to secure the foreward hatch.  I attached the secure end of the shock cord on the forward bulkhead near the bottom of the boat.  That way it is a long cord that doesn't have to stretch much in relation to its length when the hatch is pulled open.  As far as I can tell I've never gotten a single drop of water in the forepeak even though I've had plenty of water on the foredeck.

I only access the forepeak when I'm looking for a pfd or an anchor.  I've never felt that reaching inside to unhook the shock cord was an inconvenience.

[wkisting]

Thanks Ken... making the cord long so that it has plenty of reserve "stretch" is a good idea.

What grit do folks rough up epoxy with for good varnish adhesion? I'm thinking 120-grit, but I worry that scratches may show through... perhaps I should use something finer? (Too fine, though, and the varnish won't stick.)

[wkisting]

I thought I had it all figured out, but one more rigging question: How does the downhaul for the mizzen mast mount? Graham said to deadend one part of the line through a hole in the thwart (tied off with stopper knot). From there, it runs up through the hook/block that pulls down on the sail, then back down to the cleat. My question is: Where does the cleat mount? Am I supposed to have a stand-up block to turn the line 90-degrees so that the cleat can be mounted horizontally on the thwart? Or does the cleat mount on the mast? Any pictures?