lbrewer Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Before we drill the hole, we need some information on the typical configuration for propeller shafts in small boats. You may have seen this before, but it might help. http://bateau2.com/howto/inboard.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted December 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Larry, Thanks for the information. Between that and information received from Tom Schleiff, we have determined what we are going to do. I have started to build a fiberglass/epoxy pipe for the stern tube with fiberglass tape and epoxy using a piece of 1" pvc pipe for a mandrel and have built it up about 1/4" so far. I am shooting for a 3/8" wall thickness with an inside diameter of 1-3/8" to fit a cutless bearing. The outer diameter will be set up to fit a Lasdrop Dry-Seal shaft seal. The shaft diameter will be 1". 8) We found a Westerbeke 21 HP engine on E-Bay and were pleased to pay a LOT less than what the Yanmar would have cost. Our plan includes cleaning the engine up, painting it, and replacing most (or all) of the hoses and other rubber products before installation. I'll send some pictures of the pipe construction later today. If everything goes as planned, we will be fiberglassing the hull this coming Saturday (or Sunday). "I love it when a plan comes together!" (Hannibal Smith, The "A" team) Best wishes to all for a happy and prosperous New Year! :pirate: Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oyster Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Steve there are shaft tubes made from glass thats sold which also has a much thicker wall for hoses and hose clamps to compress on. I highly recommend this avenue. looking good man> This is getting exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted January 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 Mike, You ain't gonna belive this, but the tube I made yesterday looks really good and has sufficient wall thickness for clamps. I'll have a picture of it after we work tomorrow. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted January 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Here are pics of the stern tube on the mandrel and after I took it off. Really looks pretty good. Will have to put aside for a while and let it cure while we glass the hull. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted January 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Wally and I had a good day today. :grin: I got out to the barn this morning and sanded the final time on the hull to take out the last filling compound and for final adjustments on hull shape. I also "dry fit" the glass cloth on the starboard side. I came back after lunch and we put the glass on the starboard side. With two guys working, we were able to get it done in a reasonable time. It was cold for Lower Alabama with outside temps around 50 degrees, but we were able to keep the barn warm enough to get the epoxy to cure. Here are a couple of pics of the work. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul T Posted January 8, 2010 Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 Steve: This is looking great. I'm amazed at the speed of your build. Sincerely: Paul T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted January 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 Haven't had much to report on for the past week or two because we were slowed down due to the rather cool weather here in Alabama. The temps moderated this last week and we were able to get the port half of the hull glassed with 6oz cloth & epoxy. Yesterday, we applied the 14 oz biaxial cloth on the keel and out to the chine. That soaked up lots of epoxy, but it looks pretty good today, after we took the "leveling cloth" off. Now we are at the point where we are going to sand to get ready for paint. We have a long board, but that appears to be a lot of work. We are looking into an air-powered long board to help us with all of the hand work. Sanding is not my favorite thing, but it will help us get a more acceptable finish. :grin: Here are some shots of the boat as she sits now. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sscoville Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 Did you put 6oz all over and then add the bias up to the chine, or bias up to the chine and 6oz on topsides only? Also, what is your "leveling cloth?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted January 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 6 oz over the whole hull with the keel area overlapped and then the bias ply on top of the 6 oz. That should give us sufficient keel protection for beaching the boat. The name of the "leveling cloth" stuff is "Peel-Ply." It is a polyester cloth that is applied and smoothed out after you soak out the fiberglass cloth. After the epoxy cures, you simply peel the "Peel-Ply" off the cured epoxy and it leaves a smooth surface with a VERY fine weave pattern. Finishing the surface left by the "Peel-Ply" is much simpler than the surface left by not using the material. We love it! :grin: :grin: Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted February 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 Hello All, I see from other threads that everyone is feeling the effects of the cold weather and precipitation this winter. It's been quite cold here in Alabama, too. The weather people are calling for high 20's to low 30's for tonight and tomorrow night, then more rain. After that we do it all over again. I finally got out to work on the boat this week. We are working on the final sanding before primer and we have the starboard side sanded back to midships from the bow. We're getting there, but it is slow. Here are a couple of pictures of the boat as she sits right now. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted February 10, 2010 Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 You know it's a bad winter when the weather slows progress in lower Alabama. Still, progress is progress. Stay warm - Ditch the power tools and pick up the longboard  Looking good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted February 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 Ken, What you see there is a air powered long board, a hand long board and a random orbital. I rarely use the random orbital, and I use the two long boards almost exclusively. I found a few new muscles using the hand long board! :shock: Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Peterson Posted February 11, 2010 Report Share Posted February 11, 2010 Hi Steve, I've been following your build with interest. One question about using Peel-Ply, Can you re-use the peel-ply fabric? I have seen it listed for sale on-line and the price was almost the same as 6oz fiberglass cloth. :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAR Posted February 11, 2010 Report Share Posted February 11, 2010 Rip stop nylon, from the local crafts and fabric store works just as well and is much cheaper then peel ply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted February 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 Roger, The Peel-Ply is reusable. We used a couple of pieces several times. The stuff is pretty cool. I worked about 4 hours on the boat today and the whole starboard side is sanded from the keel to the chine and most of the side is completed, too. Not much to show in pictures, but it sure feels smooth to the touch. Port side is next - when Wally and I can get back to it. It was great working in the (relatively) warm, dry barn with rain and sleet going on outside. IT AIN'T SUPPOSED TO SLEET IN LOWER ALABAMA!!!!! :shock: :shock: Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted February 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 We finally got back to the boat this weekend. Wally worked most of yesterday and he and I worked on it today. We have the whole boat sanded smooth now and have applied the last of the touch-up filler. After an overnight cure and sanding a bit tomorrow, we should be ready for the primer. It has been COLD here this winter! :shocked!: :shocked!: We have had temps in the 20's and 30's almost every night for the past couple of weeks, and the next week doesn't look a whole lot different. Hopefully, it will be warm enough to apply the primer later this week. Suffice it to say, between the weather and our schedules, we haven't gotten as much done on the boat as we would have liked. We are looking for more progress over the next few weeks. One can only hope, eh? Pictures to follow when we get primer on the boat. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sscoville Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 I'm with ya Steve, I can't remember a winter this cold here in S.C. We have another chance of snow this week. Some epoxy I put on a week ago still has not fully cured. I'm beginning to wonder if I mixed it wrong. It really slows progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted March 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Weather was warm enough this weekend and we had time to finish the sanding and clean up the shop. I was able to get one coat of primer onto the hull today. There are a couple of spots to work on yet and another coat is needed before the color. Here are a couple of photos of the hull with the first coat of primer. Maybe it will be warm enough to get the second coat on this week. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul T Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Steve: Thanks for the pic's. Always eager to see your updates.What primer did you use and did you put it on with a roller? Thanks: Paul T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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