7.11.2011

25 strips of double bias tape


Here's a somewhat confusing photo taken from inside the boat looking aft towards the kick up rudder box and boarding steps of the starboard hull.  All of the seams have now been reinforced with 4 inch strips of DBM1708 tape and epoxy.  Although the sail drives of the twin Yanmar 3YM diesels extend about a foot below the bottom surface of the lowest point of the hull, I chose to go with the "kick up" rudder option.  I figure if I bang my props on a rock, at least I'll still have rudders......because a ship without a rudder is like a ship without a rudder.


7.10.2011

Palm trees and a cool breeze


Ah.......the pleasures of building a boat.

Tucked upside down inside the aft portion of the starboard hull underneath the boarding steps, I am preparing the bottom of the stairs for laminating 24 oz. triaxial glass.  About the only way to bond glass to a horizontal or vertical surface is to cut a template from butcher paper, transfer the shape onto the glass with a sharpy, cut out the piece of glass fabric then use 3M 77 spray adhesive to tack the dry glass in place.  Once it's in place, mix a batch of epoxy and roll it on wet, let it soak in a bit then squeegee until you're convinced that all of the air has been removed between the foam surface and the saturated glass.