9.19.2009

joining the bridgedeck

Once in place, scribed, trimmed and fitted, I used 1/4 in. lag bolts and squares of 3/4 in plywood to insure a good smooth join line.  After that, I ran strips of duct tape between the blocks then from the top, I filled the gaps with a mixture of epoxy and cabosil. ( the tape keeps the goo in place) After this cures, I can unbolt my blocks and fill the areas under the plywood squares in the same way. 

ladders, boards, straps and chain hoists


Lifting the 24 ft. section of the bridge deck floor single handed with one arm epoxied behind my back.....took some thinking.  I was able to use two chain hoists slung from the rafters fore and aft with a strap running down the length of a ladder while supporting the floppy forward section with a wide board and another strap.

9.17.2009

4 parts in one


 Using my rubber pond liner vac bag table, I'm able to produce multiple parts at the same time while using just a top vac membrane.

vac bagging again....


Time to create a few more parts....here are the cockpit sides and the bow beam support bulkheads being prepped for vac bagging.

bow beam in place


Since I didn't like the idea of having to insert one end in and then cut a hole in the deck of the other hull, I elected to spread both hulls out enough to insert the bow beam in each hole that was cut in the high density insert.  I then brought the hulls back in line.

hoisting the bow beam


chain hoists come in handy when it's just one person.

inspecting the fore stay



Here I am inspecting the fore stay attachment thimbles that support a stainless steel bar all wrapped in place with unidirectional carbon.