Foredeck crossbeam - major oops!

[Chas231]

Don't ask me how, but I installed the forecabin crossbeam on the wrong bulkhead! As I'm measuring and fitting the foredeck, I keep thinking that this thing is kind of in the way. It didn't take much research to learn I have it on the wrong bulkhead. The only solution I can see is to fabricate a new crossbeam and install it correctly. The incorrectly placed beam can be trimmed as necessary. Not a great big deal; I'm used to making mistakes, but I'm having trouble visualizing how the foredeck, windshield, and bulkheads all come together. 

The good news is that the foredeck fits nicely. This will give me something to do between coats of paint on the inside surface!

[Tom Lathrop]

Chuck,  I feel your pain.  That beam may not be a 100% critical need but I wanted to have some insurance other than the cabintop for lateral stability in that area. 

[Chas231]

More embarrassing than painful. The new beam is milled and dry fit on the mold. Will glue it up and clamp it this afternoon; clean it up and install it tomorrow. It's drizzling on and off with high humidity - not a good day for painting anyway. 

[DaveH]

Chuck,

 

In the general scheme of things, a misplaced forecabin beam is a nuisance mistake.  My covering the 7' x 11'  pilothouse roof with 6oz fiberglass using an epoxy mixture of hardener for both part A and part B, now that is a serious screwup.  Your punishment required laminating  a new beam.  Mine was a day scraping and acetone washing the goo off the plywood before I could start over again.

 

 I submit that I own the most serious Bluejacket builder screwup to date and this distinction will remain unchallenged for a long time.  

 

I must end this message now as Darwin just called to advise me of the date of his annual awards ceremony.  

[ejds]

I'm confused, looking back at your pictures it looks like in the pictures you posted the beam is in the right location.  Forward of the sleeping cabin bulkhead.  Unless it ended up somehow somewhere else.

 

Egbert

[Chas231]

You're correct, Egbert.  I had it right, and then decided it should be moved. I even had to modify it to fit in the wrong position. Oh well, the humidity is high again today (98%), so I couldn't have painted anyway. 

 

Dave, don't count me out of the running for that award. Still a lot of opportunity to prove my boneheadedness. 

 

I'm working on the drawer cabinet. Seems to me the bottom drawer would be kind of useless considering the curvature of the hull. Do you have a working drawer on the bottom? I'm thinking of a flip down door on the bottom so I can make use of that space. 

 

Chuck

[Tom Lathrop]

Chuck,

 

In the general scheme of things, a misplaced forecabin beam is a nuisance mistake.  My covering the 7' x 11'  pilothouse roof with 6oz fiberglass using an epoxy mixture of hardener for both part A and part B, now that is a serious screwup.  Your punishment required laminating  a new beam.  Mine was a day scraping and acetone washing the goo off the plywood before I could start over again.

 

 I submit that I own the most serious Bluejacket builder screwup to date and this distinction will remain unchallenged for a long time.  

 

I must end this message now as Darwin just called to advise me of the date of his annual awards ceremony.  

In terms of the work necessary to make a correction, you are certainly now in the lead for the Darwin Award.  I have made some that qualify for a spot on the stage as well.  I rarely have problems with complicated issues because of the time and thought that goes into the process.  Its the little A vs B stuff that causes my grief and wrong epoxy mixes fit in that category.  Chuck's correct beam placement followed by a move to an incorrect one fits in a separate category.  I once participated in the Sikaflex boatbuilding challenge and the team working next to Graham Byrnes and me made their boat with two port sides.  Made for an unusual looking craft with a spiral twist to it.  Of course, that was done in front of hundreds of spectators so there was o place to hide.

[Ken_Potts]

   Regardless of the enormity of the mistake it shows great character (or at least a sense of humor) to reveal it in public.  The good news is you still end up with a cool boat at the end.

[Tom Lathrop]

Long ago and far away I painted the bottom of a racing sailboat with Sears epoxy paint.  Everything looked great until I sat the boat on the lawn for a couple hours.  On looking at my handiwork the bottom had picked up a 3D impression of every blade of grass.  All had to be removed by scraping because it was too soft to sand.  Major oops.

 

I once attended a seminar by Tage Frid, one of the best and most respected woodworkers in the world.  He spent part of the time showing us of how to fix errors small and large.  None are immune to screwups except those who do nothing and maybe that is the greatest error of all.