Pete McCrary Posted November 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2016 Aft deck and fwd ballast tank-top epoxied In place: All transom components now bedded and ready for use. Tomorrow the rudder casing will be covered with epoxy (w/Peel Ply). I think I'll also epoxy (permanently) the footwell sole. And maybe install the assembled cockpit hatches and prep the deck beams for [later] installation of the remaining cockpit decks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted November 15, 2016 Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 I'm feeling left out of the party.....back at my boat pretty hard the last two weeks. Does every boat builder but me have a great collection of lead weights? I am just a bricker. Got my Sea Pearl almost back together after its MASCF accident. It's outside and it's cold so I'm taping and filleting my CS20.3 (name about finalized-tell you all soon) trying to finish that tedious job. Every time I think I'm done, there is more! I'm jealous. Anyway, keep us posted on the launch day. You seem close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrary Posted November 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 The footwell sole is down and curing. Still needs a fillet all around: . Next will be the cockpit hatch frames. I was planning to epoxy the rudder casing, but thought of a safety modification if done now, much easier than later. When selling "Tattoo" the marine surveyor (retained by buyer) asked me if the bitter end of the anchor rode was attached to the hull and not just to a deck cleat. It was -- and I suppose that was a "+" on her check list. I figured for "Chessie" a convenient tie-off would be near the base of the tabernacle. So, I drilled a 7/8" hole in each side of the tabernacle about 6" above the anchor deck. The 2nd photo shows the bitter end of my spare rode & anchor held firm with a stop-knot. Tomorrow I'll epoxy the rudder casing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Posted November 15, 2016 Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 Another great idea Pete, better than mine, which was a tang attached to the inside end of the bow eye. I'm intrigued by this mat stuff that you have on the bottom of the anchor well. What exactly was it before you adapted it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick Ludwig Posted November 15, 2016 Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 I also use a "tang" on the back side of my bow eye. I attach the anchor rode to a shackle that goes on the tang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexscott Posted November 15, 2016 Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 Pete, Remember what Graham said after crashing & almost burning in the EC this year: "There is now a new rule aboard Carlita. All stopper knots have to have a tail of 5 - 6 rope diameters." A little longer tail on the rode stopper would not hurt anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrary Posted November 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Drew,... They're sold by West Marine -- called "Dri-Dek Panels." 12" x 12" interlocking and flexable like plastic. Easily cut with sheers or on the bandsaw. Colors are: almond, white, blue, and gray. $6.29 a panel. They are supported by little feet on the bottom so that they dry out underneath. Also with the grid, any mud, sand, etc falls thru. They are easily removed so that collected debrie can be flushed away. Here's the link: http://www.westmarine.com/buy/dri-dek--dri-dek-panels--P015_456_001_512 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Steve, you mentioned the lead weights and no I don't have any but what I used was kitchen freezer bags filled partly with sand. Cheap and effective and they won't mark your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick Ludwig Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 I've gotten used wheel weights from my tire store and can use them in little boxes to weight things down. The plan is to have Miss Debbie make me some fabric bags for them when she gets round-tuit. I asked the store to save them for me. Since I buy my tires there, they just gave the weights to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrary Posted November 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 I, too, talked a shop forman (truck tire shop) into letting me have a 2.5 gal bucket of used weights. I told him the weights were for ballast in a boat that I was building and offered to pay what he wouldn't get from his scrap metal dealer. I couldn't lift the almost 100 lb bucket into the trunk of my wife's car -- so he did it for me. When he saw her Marine-Korea bumper sticker he wouldn't take any money. I told him I was former Army NG and the sticker was for my brother-in-law, a casualty with the "Frozen Chosen." He said "Come back for more if you need it." That was 8 yrs ago. I've been back twice. I melt them down in a cast iron pot over a "turkey" cooker, skim off the floating steel and poure the lead into a cast iron "cornbread" baking form. Each ingot weighs about 1 lb. I can fit about 9 ingots into a zip-lock sandwich bag (doubled). Now, back to work on "Chessie." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 I don't know WHAT wheel weights are made of in California, anymore, but it AIN'T lead. It melts weird, is really hard, compared to lead, and machines more like a hard metal. The dentist is a good source of lead, though, from those little torture devices they put in your mouth to irradiate it. Peace, Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAR Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 Zinc s the usual material with automotive wheel weights, though commercial trucks still have lead, but are also being replaced with zinc. It's still a pretty heavy material and melts at a low temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrary Posted November 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2016 With the hatch frame in place I tried stowing the OBM in the starboard locker. For me (the 29 lb empty motor) wasn't easy. Awkward position, small opening, etc. So, as an aid, I fabricated a lifting handle. It helped some, but not much. In time, I'll probably become an expert at putting away the OBM. Next I prepared to glue down the two remaining cockpit deck panels. They fit very nicely with no trimming around the hatch frames. I "indexed" them with 1" dry-wall screws so that when replaced (with thickened epoxy in place) they will be in their exact same positions. Here's a "dry-fit" preview: . That's all for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmosSwogger Posted November 18, 2016 Report Share Posted November 18, 2016 Awesome progress Pete, I like your personal touches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul356 Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 I hope the Suzuki stowage works for you. I and others have had problems with the lube oil creating hydraulic lock when the motor is in that position for a long time, even tho the "this side up" sticker suggests there shouldn't be a problem. Others have written on this. Precautions include using only the minimum amount of lube oil instead of the max-fill that likely comes with the engine from the dealer, and trying to keep the motor upright as much as poss. This is an unfortunate and unanticipated drawback to us folks who planned to tuck away the engine for use only as needed. I'm planning to try storing mine "nose down" when horizontal, i.e., with the control panel or front of the power head down and the back of the cowling up. I think that will fit under the forward cockpit seat in the 17, but I'm not sure how much room you have in your locker if you tip the motor head 90 degrees. We'll see. If the hydraulic lock develops, it is a major major pain, just when you're counting on the engine the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Pete, I am going to miss this thread when you're done with your boat. But, I am so happy for you that you are almost done. Peace, Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrary Posted November 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Paul,... I'm hoping my OBM stowed position will be ok. I haven't measured the angle yet, but I think my engine "cradle" holds the engine-end high enough so that the drive shaft is sloped downward (aft) enough so that the engine part is considerably higher than the prop. I don't know the engine's internal geometry -- but maybe this may help. I will soon measure that angle with the boat's WL level. I'll publish that angle and let the forum know if I encounter problems. You'd think that Suzuki engineering would know exactly the positional limits that would avoid this kind of problem?! Is it simply that the oil reservoir's surface plane extends into the cylinder above the piston (whatever its position), and that allows oil to eventually seep into the combustion chamber? Isn't that a simple problem that the CAD could solve, if properly asked? BTY, I think the CS 20.3 hatches are deep enough to allow the 2.5 Suzuki engine cowling to be in any position (drive shaft ~ parallel to hull bottom). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrary Posted November 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2016 All corners in the footwell and cockpit are now filleted, sanded, and ready for the cockpit coamings. When laying out the coamings and their caps, I realized that nearly all parts of the boat were in place. So, I attached the motor and rudder assembly and laid the mizzen partner and the remaing hatch materials where they would be installed on the boat. Then I measured the "tongue weigh" right at 170 lbs. That's just about what I want -- so I don't need to move the boat on the trailer or the position of its axle. So,... Just three major tasks remain: cockpit coamings & caps, cockpit hatch lids, and cabin hatches. Then, when she's rainwater-tight, I'll road test her and verify total boat/trailer and tongue weight on our city's truck scale (+/- 20 lbs). The trailer-alone already weighted in at 560 lbs with tongue at 100 lbs. So, the boat's c.g. is now just a few inches fwd of the trailer axle (enough to add just approximately 20 lbs to the tongue weight). I say "approximately" because my digital bathroom scale is much more accurate than the truck scale -- and comparative calculations can't be relied on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrary Posted November 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2016 Now, a little diversion (from serious boat construction) this Thanksgiving weekend. Concerned about security of your OBM in the parking lot while you're having lunch? Here's a cheap system that will at least stop the casual opportunistic thief: -- 3/32" wire cable with swaged loops. -- 6" x 3/8" machine bolt with acorn nut. -- two 3/4" id x 3/4" bronze bushings (1" od). -- small padlock. Drill 1" hole in one side of the motor mount (it's 1.5" thick) and insert a bushings into each end (of the hole) using thickened epoxy. Now, by a kinda reverse "Murphy's law, the Suzuki 2.5 has two neat little holes just below each clamping screw. They are just big enough to take a 3/8" machine bolt. And if the bolt is 6" long, then when the OBM is clamped to the motor mount -- the bolt cannot be removed even if the acorn nut is removed (by the thief). Bushings (and everything else) were obtained at our local "True Value" hardware store. One loop of the wire cable must be on the machine bolt when the OBM is mounted. The other loop is passed down the inside of the motor mount and inserted (from the inside) thru the hole (that was drilled) in the side of the motor mount and secured (on the outside) with the padlock. Later I'll upgrade to a lock that will stand up to salty water. A loop (using 3/32" wire) can be made just small enough to be pushed through a 3/4" hole. Of course, if the casual thief carried around a bolt-cutter (even a small one) or a chainsaw -- he could easily defeat my defenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrary Posted November 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 Moving right along here -- getting the cockpit hatch tops fabricated. Some of these small pieces weren't quite flat -- which made glueing them up very tricky. So, yesterday I glued on only the hinge cleats. Then today set up both on a flat table and forced (dry-fitted) each part to be just where it should be. Now it's tac welded in lots of places. I'm hoping that when the clamps and weights are removed (in the morning) there won't be any noticeable spring-back. One of the lids had a twist such that one corner was about 1/4" high when on a flat surface -- and some of the other pieces had smaller twists. Here's the setup: Tomorrow I'll lay on a nice fillet all around that should complete the job. Then the cockpit coamings. Getting closer and closer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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