F-44SC Catamaran

Rolling around in Weatern Australia

2012-02-17T05:30:00.002-10:00

Well, aside from getting nothing at all accomplished on the boat, I've managed to have one of the most enjoyable days on record.

Rolling around doing nothing and having a fine time doing it.

Cheating the winter time

2012-02-13T06:35:00.001-10:00

I must confess that I have abandoned my shop and cheated the pacific northwest winter again by visiting wonderful friends in Fremantle, Australia......it's the middle of summer time here and I needed it.

and epoxy doesn't cure well when it's cold so I mustn't feel guilty for the lack of progress on this cat.

Bathers beach, Fremantle Australia

"J" Shed Studios

Working with the renown Greg James for a month:

http://www.gregjamessculpture.com/

Imagine wanting to drag whales into the streets of Fremantle enough to carve a tunnel through a bluff. Human beings once did this and thousands of whales were killed and dragged through this tunnel to be rendered into soap, whale oil to burn.

May no whale ever be dragged through this tunnel again!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling_in_Western_Australia

Anchor rollers

2012-01-24T23:12:00.002-10:00

or..........

there is always something therapeutic about turning a few parts on an old manual lathe.

Sometimes I get hypnotized by watching things that turn.....

Cat under a cold tin roof

2012-01-18T14:39:00.002-10:00

Last night, a weather system rolled in off the pacific north west coast packing 85 mile per hour winds. Good thing I wasn't out there doing a little off shore sailing. However, I awoke to find 16+ inches of snow on top of the shop roof and bony chills ran up my cold spine.

Rather than work on the boat this morning, I thought it best to spend 5 hours shoveling snow off the shop roof.

Here's why:

a 30ft. x 60ft shop sports a total roof surface area of 1,800 ft^2

and here's the rub:

I took a flat blade shovel and sliced out one square foot of this snowfall and placed it on the bathroom scale. Turns out that one square foot of this wet Oregon snow weighed in at over 15.2 lbs.

Multiply that times 1,800 ft^2 and that comes out to be 27,360 lbs of snow on top of a tin roof shop framed out with 2 x 4's.

With a prediction of snow changing over to a wet mix of sleet and rain, this snow could potentially soak up another 5 or 10 lbs per sq ft creating a total snow load of over

22 tons!

After shoveling the snow off the shop, I came inside for a cup of hot chocolate and noticed visible bows in the ceilings of our house, so I shoveled another 15 tons of snow off the roof of the house. Since I didn't have a snow shovel, today I moved 37 tons of snow with an upturned push broom.

"Who said building a boat isn't fun?"

Anchor roller

2012-01-16T20:46:00.000-10:00

Here are the anchor roller plates being fitted with flanges that will allow the anchor roller unit to be attached to the under side of the bow beam. In this photo, I have already formed one of the flanges to fit the mating curve and have yet to bend the the other one. To promote maximum bond strength, I machined a surface texture onto the mating flange. These flanges will then be welded to the anchor roller plates. Once complete, this unit will be bonded to the bow beam by wrapping the flanges with multiple layers of unidirectional glass and carbon fiber. After that, I will most likely wake up in the middle of the night and apply additional wraps of epoxy and carbon fiber in my sleep.

anchor roller plates

Anchor roller mock up

Rather than using construction string for my anchor rode and old paint rollers to secure my anchor, I figure an upgrade is in order.

The power of Water.....@ 90,000 psi

2012-01-12T11:08:00.000-10:00

Water Jet technology is truly amazing. The particular machine that cut these parts uses 90,000 psi water infused with small rubies (garnet). A tiny orifice allows the high pressure water and "grit" to simply wear away anything that come into contact with the stream. This includes, but is not limited to, glass, steel, plastics, wood, stone and...........finger bones.

Here are the side plates of the anchor roller. Next, I will weld flanges onto the concave, curved portions of each plate so that they can be bonded to the lower side of the bow beam. I may take these parts back over to the shop before I do this and have them cut lightening holes in them to save a little more weight. After this, I'll give the parts a good sand blasting and send them off to be anodized.

Here are a few components of my steering system. Hint: After they receive keyways, the blocks are to be bolted around the upper rudder shafts. In later posts, I will reveal the new steering design.

Again, these parts were water jet cut from solid 2 inch thick aluminum plate!

Update:

Rather than run the parts over to the water jet, I just used a hand held saber saw

to cut a couple of lightening holes in the anchor roller plates.

This weight savings gained by the removal of two aluminum discs will allow me to carry one additional beer while marginally affecting strength. When installed, these plates will also have diagonal bracing that will transfer side loads back into the bow beam.

Espresso blowing in the Wind

2012-01-06T15:57:00.000-10:00

So, put your hat on a hat rack and promise not to run screaming away from your computer, your iPad, your nook or your kindle. If you are not particularly electrically inclined, no worries. I myself am a mechanical engineer and I find it difficult to even believe that electrons actually exist.

While building this boat, out of pure curiosity, I inadvertently cobbled together a working "prototype" of an electrical system that was helpful in teaching me how to keep electrons flowing in the right directions. In this example, I've put together a system that allows me to make an espresso from the wind. It would be fairly easy to install this sort of a system on a boat, a motor home or a small cottage in the woods.

All of this stuff is available on the cheap from various local hardware stores and big boxes.

So....as complicated as this may look, it's really pretty simple. It goes like this:

Wind (spins permanent mag alternator)--->

rectifier turns this AC electricity into a variable voltage DC electricity --->

charge controller ( automatically gives the battery the voltage that it needs) ---->

battery bank --->

inverter ( turning DC electricity into 60hz 120V "houshold" electricity)----> espresso

* In this particular system, when the batteries reach full charge, the charge controller diverts any excess electrical energy to a water heater, thus preventing the battery bank from becoming over charged.

If you want to create your own little renewable energy power station, here's what you'll need:

The Stuff

Wind generator: Although you can spend incredible amounts of money on sleek plastic wind generators, I've discovered that a more robust, efficient and powerful generator can be built from pre molded carbon fiber blades, a hub and a permanent magnet alternator. Here's a great source:

http://www.windbluepower.com/

Water heater: I found this little heater in a dumpster next to a building renovation project and I replaced the 120v AC element with a 12v DC element that I found at an RV store.

Battery Charger: auto parts store, WalMart and pretty much anywhere that sells stuff for cars.

DC Fridge: this merely represents a typical DC load. I got this from WalMart. It is a really crappy automotive fridge that is supposed to sit on your car seat and keep a six pack cold.

Espresso Maker: Christmas present.

Charge Controller: "Wind Blue" ( do a Google Search)

Gas Generator: Harbor Freight Tools ( also really cheap ) used here as a back up in case the wind stops blowing and stopping the flow of your espresso. (somehow, making an espresso from fossil fuel doesn't see so appetizing)........in fact, I think it's just wrong!

Inverter: big box, auto stores, hardware stores, eBay Cheap ones produce a "modified" 60 hz. sine wave ( made up of a bunch of modulated square waves) while more expensive ones create "true" 60 hz sine wave

Rectifier: also got this from "Wind Blue" It's a really compact unit with a few aluminum fins that help dissipate a little heat that is producedduring the conversion of AC to DV voltage.

The fine print......

None of these components shown here were designed to withstand the marine environment and I've mainly been using them just to teach myself about renewable energy systems. I also use it to power my shop tools just for fun. The good thing about using off the shelf consumer components is that if the smoke leaks out of some of this stuff, you can always go buy a new one without feeling too bad. Unfortunately, to build a system that would be more suited for use on an ocean going vessel, you would have to multiply the price of all this stuff by 10 or 20 if you wanted to order components from marine supply stores. or....I guess you could mount all this stuff in a waterproof pelican case, throw it on board and go for it.

Time sanding or time in the sand under a palm tree?

2012-01-01T16:25:00.003-10:00

The curse of a custom build cat..... After telling myself that I was not going to spend inordinate time fairing , sanding and trying to make the interior like the surface of a Steinway piano, I accidentally spent three days fairing, sanding and making the interior surfaces of the forward starboard cabin like a Stienway piano.

Tomorrow, I'll put the final finish paint on the interior surfaces of this forward, starboard cabin.

Earths orbit around the sun

2011-12-23T23:27:00.001-10:00

I feel the need to apologize for the lack of progress made good towards getting this ship into the waters. My excuse has been the annual decrease in the ambient temperature which tends to reduce my ability to really get things done. Epoxy becomes difficult to work, paint fails to cure, glue doesn't stick and my opposable thumb and fore fingers become ineffective tools.

I see no way to prevent the orbit of our earth around the sun. Endless summers await us when this cat slips into the sea......ah, the thought of spring time in New Zealand and Australia.

Please offer my gift of an uplifting film entitled "Accidental Eden". If you find yourself in the northern hemisphere at this time, make yourself a cuppa and take the time to watch this video.

Unfortunately for us Americans, this place is off limits so for the rest of the worlds travelers, please take care of this place before the embargo is lifted and the cancerous growth of american development threatens to destroy this gem. It's places like this that inspire me to finish this cat.

for the full episode, copy and paste this link into your browser bar:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/cuba-the-accidental-eden/introduction/5728/

Happy Holidays to all!

Learning curves

2011-12-06T15:16:00.001-10:00

Here's a rugged and practical edge detail that I came up with for various storage compartment openings. The final detail will include netting that should keep gear in place in the event that we encounter waves on the ocean.

Here are five learning curves. I decided to thermo form 3/4 in. PVC pipe for use as edge detail around the openings in composite panels. As you can see, it took me a while to work out a method to produce smooth curves. After many failed attempts. I settled in on the following technique. I found that uniform curves can be made by filling a section of pipe with sand and capping the ends. I then used a heat gun to heat the bend area. In order to produce a uniform bend, it was necessary to apply differential heat to the bend area. To keep the inner bend radius from wrinkling, if the outer bend area is kept slightly hotter, this allows it to stretch while the cooler inner portion resists the compressive forces that would otherwise cause the pipe to wrinkle.

Once I produced shapes that matched my openings, I then set the guide of my table saw to allow me to cut a section out of the pipe to create edging.

Here's one of the interior storage openings fitted with the edging.

and again, here's a few examples of this edging being used around two storage compartments that are located inside the cockpit.

Hurricane Fortress

2011-12-01T10:11:00.001-10:00

Here I am confirming the geometry of the bow anchor rollers. I've taken the basic measurements provided by the plan set, plotted them out full scale on a scrap piece of OSB and used this to check the fit of my fortress XF-85 hurricane anchor. After making slight adjustments to the pivot points of the rollers, I created a computer model that I can use to generate a cutting file so that the parts of the anchor roller assembly can be water jet cut, welded, anodized and then bonded in place to the under side of the bow beam.

In most situations, this size anchor will probably be entirely too large but since I am planning on sailing this boat into the Gulf of Mexico, I don't want to have to drag this boat off the beach and into the water again. It's a real inconvenience to have to stop what you're doing and spend time and energy getting a boat back into the water after one of these pesky little hurricanes.

Atlantic Hurricane season ends today

2011-11-30T09:02:00.001-10:00

Although "Mariana" is currently in build on the Pacific west coast (Hood River, Oregon. USA,) Our first year plan is to make our way back into what I consider to be my "home waters" of the gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.

Here's this years hurricane season compressed into 4 1/2 minutes.

Forward port side cabin

2011-11-24T15:54:00.001-10:00

Here's the view as you walk into the forward, port side cabin. Rather than go with the traditional stark white interior, I chose a neutral sand color that will be a little easier on the eyes. In this photo, the light is coming from the kids room which is accessible by a ladder stairway.

The entrance way to the kids room is up three carbon fiber ladder rungs, onto a small landing and then a step up into the cabin. This forward cabin will have two "pipe berths" that can be rolled up and snapped to the walls; converting the space into an open area. This cabin has it's own hatch so it will have good natural light and plenty of cross ventilation.

An innovative interior finishing system

2011-11-22T13:23:00.001-10:00

With the cold air starting to flow south over the north Pacific Ocean. the Oregon weather is beginning to feel real. However, since the boat is composite foam core construction, closing the door to the forward port side kids cabin and placing a small heater inside, kept the cabin space a nice 77 deg while the exterior shop temp is around 30.

Since I wanted to focus my efforts towards projects that can be accomplished in the interior of the boat during the winter, I took the opportunity to experiment with a coating system that I could use for all interior surfaces.

Rather than spending another two years trying to sand all the interior panels slick as glass, I wanted to create a coating that would provide a slightly modeled, but smooth textured surface that would help blend slight variances due to specific glass reinforcements. In other words, I want this boat to be a sail boat, not a New York townhouse or a condominium tied to a mooring ball.

Success: For interior surfaces, I chose a two part high solids, chemical resistant, industrial epoxy floor coating intended for aircraft hangars. It's tenacious and tough as nails. I experimented with the addition of glass micro balloons as a thickener and I found that mixing one part high solids resin with one part converter and 2 parts micro balloons resulted in a nice, thick, lightweight epoxy paint. I then used a 3 inch; 3/8 nap roller for application and it produced the effect that I wanted. My goal is to maintain an ability to take a pressure washer after just about every portion of this boat.

Here is an example of a super lightweight foam core epoxy/composite interior bulkhead panel with the finished coating.

removing the cabin window support molds

2011-11-19T12:59:00.001-10:00

After the high density edging has cured, the wooden support molds can be removed with a few swift karate chops

Once these wooden mold pieces have been carefully removed, the strips of synthetic roofing can then be peeled away.

In this case, the window pillar now has high density edging which will allow the window sheeting to be bolted in place. ( notice the unidirectional glass that makes up the outer layers of this structure)

playing catch up

2011-11-19T12:24:00.001-10:00

Occasionally it's good to look back and knock out a few jobs that have been left behind or postponed. From a psychological standpoint, this is an important thing to do because as the project progresses, if a thousand undone tasks stack up, an overwhelming feeling of despair will creep over you in the night.

a study of compression

above, the edge strips around the bridge deck cabin are being held in place by strategically placed sprung pieces of wood.

makes for an unusual sight

Better is the enemy of "good enough"

2011-11-13T21:49:00.001-10:00

In a few occasions, the plan set offers the builder a choice between "good" "better" and "best

In this instance, the note provided by the designer describes a few options to dealing with the openings for hatches, windows and any other openings that needs to be made in the hull or deck.

Here in lies the curse! As quality of any structure approaches infinity, time and money expenditures increase exponentially. Therefore, in the relatively short lifespan of a human, it becomes impossible for anyone to sail the ocean on a perfect boat.

That said, since this boat is being built by ME for ME (and family and friends, and anyone else who wants to go sailing). Sometimes, the sea does not "play well with others". She cares nothing for boats and her primary job is to break them into smaller pieces.

In spite of this, since my family's lives will depend upon the safety of this boat, I'm going with option 3 "best" on this one.

Port side hatch cut out, edge routed the foam. filled with high density epoxy / micro filler,held in place with a strip of roofing membrane backed by sprung sections of thin wood.

once the strip is removed, the result is a nice smooth square edging.

Since "best" means glassed edges over high density filler. its necessary to break the edges and create an approximately 1/8 in radius to the inside and outside of each hatch opening.

I've pre cut my hatch edging. This 8 oz. 45 * 45 bias glass tape conform nicely to the edges of all the cabin top hatch, the cabin window and deck hatch openings

Here's the starboard owners cabin hatch opening after the glass has been applied then topped and smoothed down with peel ply.

Forward deck hatches

2011-10-30T14:32:00.000-10:00

The F-44SC includes an option for forward deck hatches and in anticipation of equatorial stuffiness, I elected to include them.

To account for the openings, a total of 17 layers of unidirectional glass is specified to strengthen the forward decks.

Had I anticipated the need for these reinforcements, I would have applied them before the sealing primer so to insure an absolute bond, I sanded the deck back down to the glass with 36 grit.

After applying 9 layers of unidirectional glass along the edges of the hatch opening, I topped it all off with a continuous piece of peel ply which will reduce the need for sanding. The other 8 layers of unidirectional glass will be applied to the inside edges, the opening will be cut, the foam will be hogged out and replaced with thickened epoxy then the edges will be wrapped with double bias glass tape.

Since it's a cat, the same holds true for the hulls mirror image.

Who's the fairest of them all...

2011-10-17T15:03:00.001-10:00

Fairing the port side hull

first "V" groove skim coat of epoxy / micro ; inner starboard side hull

Twister

2011-10-10T15:02:00.003-10:00

One of the tricks to smoothing out imperfections in the hull shape is to apply filler with a notched blade. This creates triangular ridges that make sanding large surface areas fairly easy because you're just knocking off the tops of the ridges rather than having to sand a solid surface. In this instance, I'm using a mixture of a little more than two parts micro balloons to one part epoxy; mixing the heck out of it with a drill and paint stirrer. I decided to tint this layer so that I could distinguish between each application of fairing material.

Application of the filler seemed to work out best with a trowel that I made from an 8 inch sheet rock blade. I found that 1/8 in. notches every half inch worked well. I just cut them in with a file.

Once this fairing compound was applied and cured, I used a 4ft. sanding board to fair the hull by hand. With the ridges running fore and aft, I worked the sanding board at 45 degree angles from left to right and right to left. I made the sanding board from a lightweight cedar board and a carbon fiber tube. I also discovered that I could introduce a precise curvature in the sanding board by securing a small strap across the tube with sheet rock screws. By adjusting the tension of the strap I was able to create a slightly curved board that followed the overall shape of the hull.

With an ipod and a little shoulder work, I was able to smooth the hull down until the high points just began to show. At first, it seemed to be a daunting task to hand sand two 44ft hulls, but breaking the job into a few sessions over a couple of days made all the difference. After a few days of this, If asked, I would have to decline an offer to play a game of Twister.

After sanding the tops off the ridges, I used a straight blade to fill in the grooves with untinted epoxy micro mix.

This resulted in a good start to a fair hull. From here, I'll use finer and finer grit paper to eventually arrive at a surface that is suitable for a final top coat.

Test fitting the battens

2011-09-29T12:00:00.003-10:00

Here I am sitting on the head of the main sail with my buddy Cory Roesler ( the primary instigator of the sport of Kite boarding ) and the man himself; Romeo Rubichaud of RBS Batten Systems. http://www.rbsbattens.com/ We rolled the main sail out in the grass, stuffed the battens and checked the lengths of each batten. By trial fitting each batten, RBS was able to make final adjustments to the lengths to insure a perfect fit. We also discovered the need to grind a slight taper on the forward ends of the two lower battens so that they fit snugly into the batten receptacles.

It's good to have the help and support of some of the most respected innovators in the modern days of sail.

Bow tube web detail

2011-09-28T19:14:00.000-10:00

The bow tube is further strengthened by the addition of two webs that provide a base for the forward walkway between the two trampoline nets. In this photo, you can see 24 oz triaxial glass draping down from the port side web. I then used a dusting of 3M 77 adhesive to hold the glass in place while I smoothed it under the bow tube and back up along the starboard bow tube web. With the glass in place, I saturated the glass with resin, covered it all with peel ply and worked things in place with a plastic "bondo" spreader.

I then laminated the inside of the webs using one continuos length of triaxial glass. To create bonding flanges, I screwed two temporary boards (wrapped in packing tape as a release) along the top edges of the webs and worked the glass up the sides of the webs and inwards.

After removing the boards, the resulting flanges that were created needed to be roughed up in preparation for bonding the top deck plank in place.

Here I am about to mix up some low density pour foam.

Since I didn't want to have to worry about water making it's way into the void created by the bow tube and the webs, I decided to fill the space with foam. It's often difficult to anticipated the volume of foam that is produced when mixing part A with part B.

After the foam hardened, I used a hand saw to cut off the excess, then I finished things off with a rough sanding block to produce a flat surface in which to bond the center bow net plank.

finish the boat already....

2011-09-22T14:22:00.000-10:00

Tang; patiently waiting for me to finish this boat.

Groovy : "cool", "excellent", "fashionable", or "amazing"

2011-09-20T15:24:00.003-10:00

So one of the tricks to arriving at a fair hull involves applying a thin layer of microbaloons and epoxy over the entire surface and then hand sanding all 44 ft. of this boat with a "long board". By applying this layer with a grooved spreader, the resulting surface can then be sanded so that just the tips of the grooves need to be knocked down. One day, once I decide its time to stop sanding, I'll go over the entire surface with a sheet rock blade filling in the remaining groove recesses.

here's a photo looking up towards the port side gunwale

The grooved spreader produces an approximate 3/16 inch deep pattern

another photo showing the portion of the hull just above the port side center board slot

Here's the notched spreader that I am using to create the surface to be sanded. The sanding board is made from a 4ft long piece of western cedar covered with 24 grit sand paper.

Groovy (or, less common, "Groovie") is a slang colloquialism popular during the 1960s and 1970s, springing out of African American culture. It is roughly synonymous with words such as "cool", "excellent", "fashionable", or "amazing", depending on context.

The word originated in the jazz culture of the 1920s, in which it referred to the groove of a piece of music^[1] and the response felt by its listeners. It is a reference to the physical groove of a record in which the pick-up needle runs. It first appeared in print in Really the Blues, the 1946 autobiography of the jazz saxophonist, Mezz Mezzrow.^[2] The term in its original usage had largely vanished from everyday use by 1980.^[3]

Starting in the mid-1960s, variations of the word "Groovy" were used in the titles of several popular songs:

The cover of the original 1965 release of the single "The Sound of Silence", backed with "We've Got a Groovey Thing Goin'."

Main Sail in the dry grass field

2011-09-15T17:58:00.003-10:00

646 square feet of main sail

Doyle Sail makers did a beautiful job on the sails: http://www.doylesails.com/ Here's the main in the grass field by the shop. Sail inventory will be: main, roller furling Jib, screacher and storm jib. Although it is difficult to get a true feeling of scale from this photo, this main sail is impressive. .....square top, fully battened with three well reinforced reef points and hardware for Harken sail track.

Fenced-in area

2011-09-08T15:41:00.001-10:00

Carbon stantion bases

Stantion bases being trial fitted along edge of deck. ( I haven't bonded them in place just yet) I chose to create bases for each stantion which are permanently bonded to the boat. To do this, I used a 3 inch hole saw to cut a hole through the deck glass being careful not to cut through the inner glass laminate. I then dug the deck foam out and filled the void with a mixture of cabosil and epoxy. Once cured, I sanded the high density fill area flush with the deck and covered it with two additional layers of 24 oz triaxial glass which created a strong reinforced area in which to bond the bases.

Here are the finished stantions with a temporary line attached along the top.

SNL "Fenced in area" Billy Bob Thorton: http://snltranscripts.jt.org/01/.phtml

Travis: I think there's something I need to make clear about my fenced-in area. You see.. everybody in Gilbert County's got a damn fenced-in area that's cluttered with crap and brown weeds invading them like a cancer! Well, see, I'm better than that. I'm gonna make my fenced-in area an area that's neat and special, with a special purpose. And then all the naysayers will have to say, "Dammit! He really did something with his fenced-in area, and now I feel inspired to clean up my own fenced-in area!" And others will see my fenced-in area, and inspiration will go on and on and on, from person to person, just like that! [ reflective pause ] I want my fenced-in area to be an inspiration. And.. if y'all can't understand that.. then I was born in the wrong world.

Kick up rudders....at long last.

2011-08-28T11:57:00.000-10:00

Stainless pivot tubes

Tubes glassed in place showing stainless steel removable pivot pin

trial fitting of the port side rudder box

installing the shear tubes

filleting the tubes prior to glassing them in place

close up of stainless shear pin tubes. I've used a couple of pieces of synthetic roofing material, some sheet foam and a little peel ply to help mold the epoxy/micro mixture in place. When cured, I'll remove the sheet material, rip off the peel ply and give it a final shaping before glassing the tubes in place.

When complete, cedar dowels will be inserted so that if the rudders should happen to strike something, the dowels will shear, allowing the rudder boxes to kick up instead of bending or breaking the rudder shaft.

The finished rudder installation

Ocean, Sky, Rudders

2011-08-18T13:41:00.003-10:00

Chicago Electric power tool: Made in China

2011-08-17T18:07:00.002-10:00

After building up the corners of the rudder boxes with a good thick mixture of micro balloons, cabosil ad epoxy, I was able to use a thick commercial roofing membrane as a mold to keep the mixture in place.

With the remainder of the same batch, I filled the edges of the upper rudder bearing access hatches.

To dig out the edges of the laminated pieces, I discovered a tool that has actually become very useful.

It's a power band file ( basically a small hand held belt sander that is highly adjustable and makes it possible to sand and remove material from very secluded areas. This tool is available from Harbor freight Tools for a guilt producing price of $29.00 seen here :

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-bandfile-belt-sander-92158.html

Political comment:

I find it very clever that a Chinese manufacturer would name the brand of a tool for a large city in the United States........It would leave you to believe that you are supporting the US economy by buying "local". It's also very amazing how small they can print the words "MADE IN CHINA" on a sticker.

The sun is my friend

2011-08-17T11:03:00.000-10:00

Solar powered post cure oven:

(one good use of a green house in the summer time)

120 degrees and climbing....just closed the door and it's 12:00 noon.

Simplicity.......well, sometimes not

2011-08-16T15:36:00.002-10:00

kick up rudder box / boarding step

prep work required to laminate 5 layers of bi-directional glass over the stainless pivot tubes

a close up of the very odd way that I had to wrap the pivot tubes. Sometimes the order in which you build things is very important. As you can see, I boxed myself into a corner and had to hog out a slot so that I can slide saturated glass in place sideways . The yellow goo is vacuum seal tape placed so that resin will not get into the pivot tube. The tube sections were bonded in place first with a rod that insured alignment.

With all due respect for the confidentiality of the design, I have included an illustration of the rudder box as shown in the plan set. I have removed all technical notes but include these illustrations so that one can get a better idea of the end result.

the beauty of simplicity

2011-08-14T20:54:00.001-10:00

Multihulls need not be expensive......

twin rudders

2011-08-10T08:57:00.000-10:00

At long last. Here I am with the finished rudders. Next, I'll skim them over with a little fairing compound, sand them smooth and prep them for a good coat of anti fouling paint.

Thinking too much....

2011-08-09T12:02:00.003-10:00

The lower portion of the kick up rudder boxes are just below the water line so in order to prevent the internal void from partially filling with water, I used two part foam as fill. While I was at it, I also decided to completely fill the aft void as well thinking that if the box were ever to break loose and crack, it would float and it may allow me to retrieve the rudder.

Perhaps I am thinking too much.

live and learn

2011-08-09T11:21:00.002-10:00

........and, sometimes things just don't go as planned:

in this example. for reasons unknown, the resin flow propagation reached an equilibrium before finishing out the full infusion.....in other words, I goofed. In this case, it's no big deal. Tomorrow, I'll just slice open the bag, insert another resin flow line just above the dry portion, pull another vacuum and infuse the remaining portion.

The only difference between yesterdays success and todays....."somewhat less success" was that the shop temperature was about 5 degrees cooler. This may have increased the resin viscosity just enough to prevent full infusion.

JUST had an idea......why not open up the bag, estimate the remaining amount of resin needed to finish the infusion, introduce it directly into the bag and re-seal it?

Since I had clamped the rudder post to my work bench with a flexed board, it was easy to spin the rudder 180 deg, open the bag and pour in a bit of mixed epoxy

Intervention saves the day!!!!!

It's nice when things go as planned

2011-08-08T12:00:00.007-10:00

Here's a quick movie of the start of the infusion process:

Although System Three Silvertip epoxy resin was not really formulated for infusion. I was able to use a few tricks that produced nice results:

bagging the rudder ; notice the resin intake tube wrapping around the top leading edge.

The vacuum manifold was placed about 4 inches below the lower trailing edge of the rudder. This separation allows full vacuum pressure to be obtained while creating a "resin brake". (Once the resin makes it through all the glass and over all of the flow media, when it hits the double layer of peel ply, it stops flowing towards the spiral wrap vac manifold at that location)

Resin intake line: The green stuff is a flow media that is sort of like plastic bug screen but it has a raised cris cross texture that allows resin to flow edgewise through it. This allows the resin to flow more freely over the glass fabric.

the feed bucket

sophisticated flow valve

resin flow ( darker green area)

Here's the secret trick......to prevent exotherm, fill the feed bucket with small batches of mixed epoxy and pour waiting resin into a giant zip lock bag so that the surface area is maximized and heat from the exothermic chemical reaction can be dissipated quickly.

marking the flow

five minute interval marks allow me to get a feel for how long it will take to infuse completely. Notice the shorter and shorter flow progression every five minutes.

Resin brake beginning to work

Full infusion. I clamped a couple of flat pieces of wood along the trailing edge to insure that the glass overlap cures nice and flat.

Rudder laminates

2011-08-08T11:32:00.003-10:00

After finalizing the shape of the rudder core, I chose the following laminate schedule:

a good thick layer of kevlar

followed by multiple layers of glass......

and then for good measure, I covered the entire rudder with another full layer of 12 oz. biaxial glass to allow me some extra sanding protection that I may need while doing the final faring.

Red Tags

2011-08-04T12:16:00.000-10:00

Every once in a while, it's a good idea to spend about 20 minutes looking around the shop pretending that you are an OSHA safety compliance officer. For effect, make up a stack of "red cards" and place them on equipment, power tools, saws without guards, trip hazards, improper eye protection gear, dirty dust masks, improperly stored flammables and banana peels.

If nothing else, just make sure you know where the nearest fire extinguisher is.

Also. extension cords can be dangerous.......this one has experience a total melt down. Unfortunately, it was still operational and it gave no indication of it's impending doom.

Increased chord length

2011-08-03T10:51:00.000-10:00

I realized the I had used the wrong profile template when shaping the rudders, so I needed to increase the chord length to improve the efficiency of the rudders ( I accidentally used the profile template that was intended for the dagger board rudders which was slightly rounded towards the lower ends). A mix of micro balloons and epoxy molded to the trailing edge did the trick. The good thing about keeping a nice messy shop is that you can always find stuff laying around to use to affect simple modifications......no need to stop work to go to the hardware store. Seen here, I made a quick mold out of some vac tubing sheet rock screwed to a Formica covered picnic table from the pop up camper.

The next step on the rudders will be to laminate the heck out of these things. I plan on running Kevlar along the leading edge with multiple layers of triaxial glass and unidirectional glass running lengthwise over that to create what will essentially turn out to be cedar core composite rudders.

kick up rudder boxes / boarding steps

2011-07-31T09:56:00.001-10:00

The kick up rudder boxes are a fair amount of work but in the end, I think it will be worth the peace of mind that I'll have knowing that the rudders will be a little less vulnerable to hitting an obstruction and at the same time allowing the full rudder to be immersed below the water line.

Since the lower portion of the rudder boxes are completely sealed off, it required me to pre bond flanges to the inner sides that will allow me to bond the side in place. Inside the box in the lower left corner of this picture, you can see the glass reinforced bearing holder that has been bonded in place. Above this, located in the upper bulkhead you can see the backing plate made of 1/4 in. aluminum plate. This plate will be tapped with threads so that the upper bearing can be held in place from above by four screws. Once complete, the rudder shaft will be inserted from below and held in place with a collar and thrust bearing.

more water to sail

2011-07-22T21:50:00.001-10:00

Astronomers Find Largest, Most Distant Reservoir of Water - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

port side boarding steps

2011-07-20T14:47:00.006-10:00

I've chosen to go with the optional kick up rudder boxes, mainly just for peace of mind. This option allows the rudder tube to be mounted inside a structure that can pivot upwards and back if the rudder hits an obstruction. Here, I am sanding the inside hull rudder box surfaces in preparation for laminating the bare core cell foam with 24 oz. triaxial glass and epoxy.

Like the "swing up" centerboard options, this rudder configuration creates whole lot of extra work. Hopefully I'll never have to worry about hitting anything with my rudders but if I do, maybe I'll be glad that I put forth the extra effort.

Two other points led me to choosing this rudder option:

1. It allows for clean, unobstructed boarding steps on each hull.

2. Since the rudder blade is completely submerged below the water line, there will be less likelihood of "ventilation" caused by air being sucked down the trailing edge of the rudder while at speed. (in regards to fluid dynamics, considerable drag can be attributed to trailing edge geometry just as much so as that created by a poorly shaped leading edge)

http://fortboise.org/windsurfing/spinout.faq.html

I's a bit hard to notice in this video but believe it or not, in windsurfing, a fin can actually "stall" and cause a spin out that would almost make you believe that you have lost a fin. You wouldn't believe that a fin could be driven sideways across the flow of water at 36 knots but it can.

http://youtu.be/Qp0cwee6rXI

25 strips of double bias tape

2011-07-11T11:42:00.005-10:00

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.

ship without a rudder...

Palm trees and a cool breeze

2011-07-10T13:02:00.000-10:00

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.

Starboard side bath area

2011-07-05T12:07:00.008-10:00

Below are a few photos of the starboard bath area. You may notice the absence of cabinet drawers. Reason being, is that I have decided to create simple openings that will provide places for waterproof containers. For durability, the edges of all openings will be protected with aluminum Tee molding:

Each opening is at least 2 inches above the bottom of each compartment so that any containers will remain inside the storage compartment during rough weather. Each container will be labeled with the contents. The mantra will be "if it's not in a container, its not on the boat". Not only will this force me to maintain order, in the case of capsize, the waterproof containers will also provide extra buoyancy.

Starboard forward bath area looking aft

view between shower and head looking toward

center of boat

View looking forward through the doorway into the

starboard bath area

Ocean Salinity satellite

2011-06-11T22:57:00.000-10:00

While I finish building out the forward starboard shower and head, here's a fantastic successful launch of a satellite whose purpose is to study ocean salinity in attempts to better predict weather patterns and climate change.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/nasa-launches-delta-2-rocket/2011/06/10/AGBzOpOH_video.html

A few pictures of what's starting to look like a boat.

2011-06-07T10:58:00.000-10:00

looking aft while standing on the port side forward bow

looking at the port side boarding steps.....

I've chosen the kick up underslung rudders so

the missing lower two steps are in the works. They contain the rudder shafts and two rudder bearings

if you are treading water, this is what you will see just before you get run over by the port side hull

looking through the foward windows into the cabin

standing on the aft starboard side deck looking forward.

Protect you primary tools

2011-06-07T10:43:00.000-10:00

After over four years of building, I haven't found a better deal on gloves than these: Harbor freight ITEM # 37055. $9.99 get's you fifty. http://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-50-x-large-latex-gloves-37055.html

A pair of these will last you a full day of working with any kind of resin, glass, kevlar, carbon. Just don't answer your phone when your hands are all covered with epoxy.

Don't even think about using these thin surgical gloves......you can put on three layers and you'll still end up having a big slippery mess of torn gloves on your hands.

A three hour cure

2011-06-04T18:07:00.001-10:00

Today I performed the second to last lamination of all of the interior bulkheads that will be used in the forward starboard section. Since the temperature was around 80 degrees today, this resulted in an approximate three hour cure.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfR7qxtgCgY

Owners Starboard European Day Spa

2011-06-04T09:35:00.000-10:00

The forward starboard quarter is being built out as a full European day spa with facilities including individual massage stations that offer opportunities for self manicure, pedicure as well as private meditation time that can be performed on a special circular seating device. Also, particular attention is being made to enhance personal hair and skin care offering an experience not unlike standing in the rain.

I have found that one of the most helpful tools to allow this has been the laser level. My brother gave me a nice unit that produces horizontal vertical and combined illuminations that can be used to scribe precise lines onto curved surfaces so that complex shaped bulkheads can be built. After shaping all of the panels and securing them temporarily in place, I remove them all and then laminate both sides of the structural foam to create lightweight building panels that will also add rigidity to the hull itself.

"perspective.....use it or loose it" Richard Bach

2011-05-31T09:53:00.000-10:00

My buddy John and I were flying around the Gorge and I snapped this shot of the 60 ft. shop, the 40 ft bus and the 54 ft. mast

You can never be too safe

2011-05-25T14:12:00.000-10:00

Since the decks are riding high over the hard concrete floor of my shop rather than crystal clear teal blue water, I've decided to wear my trusty fisher price bike hat just in case I trip and fall "in" As a young composite boat builder, I think my mom is happy that I have decided to wear my boat building helmet.

Now What.......

2011-05-23T14:32:00.000-10:00

New Zealand to Hood River.....the mast has arrived!

2011-05-21T00:35:00.020-10:00

Bus is to my right, mast to my left, here I am.....stuck in the middle again.

Here's the disheveled interior of our bus in route heading west into the Columbia River Gorge towards Hood River.

The boom is laying on the floor resting on two sheep skin seat covers. The blue jug was full of water in case the engine over heated, the chest and two tool boxes were brought along just to make me feel better and the ladder was used to help is clammer atop the bus.

Incidentally, this model bus is the identical model used in

the movie "speed"

I looked just as nervous as Sandra Bullock

"Speed" Trivia:

A special bus was used for the bus jump scene. This bus was modified so that it could reach a speed of 70 mph and it was equipped with powerful shock absorbers. The driver seat was moved back 15 feet so that if something went wrong the driver wasn't ejected from the bus. The seat itself was a suspension mechanism between the ceiling and the bus floor to avoid the driver from suffering spinal compression on impact.

"The severity of the climate having compelled them to batten down and caulk their abiding place."

2011-05-16T17:03:00.002-10:00

Here's a raucous attempt at bonding the fore deck hatch seal gutter in place. Can you pick out the clamp that is just fooling around? You got to watch those clamps, before you know it they're clamping themselves all over the place.

This photo shows a bit more detail about the situation. The white portion is the edge of the deck itself after the foam was hogged out and replaced with a high density mixture of epoxy and micro balloons. Below that, you can see a thin grey joining line. This is a 1/8 in strip of divnycell foam that was slather both sides with epoxy and cabosil thickener. This will lower the inner sealing edge so that a 1/4 inch thick rubber seal can be placed around the under side of the hatch. If it all works out as planned, this rubber seal can depress itself about half way and cause the hatch to sit flush with the surrounding deck when the "hatches be batten'd down". http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/56700.html

Hatch seal assembly

2011-05-15T11:40:00.000-10:00

Forward deck hatch gap

24 individual pieces of foam

fitting the water capturing gap seal. Once all the pieces are

glued together, I'll pull the assembly off and vacuum bag glass and epoxy over the hatch seal then bond it in place beneath the hatch. The one inch "gutter" will contain a tube which will allow any rain or sea water to drain outboard.

A disorienting view on deck

2011-05-11T13:08:00.001-10:00

After cutting a gaping hole in the forward bridge deck, I routed out the structural foam from the edges of both the opening and what will become the actual hatch. With an extra lightweight mixture of epoxy and micro balloons, I filled the edges using the zip-lock bag trick and again, used a strip of thick, flexible roofing membrane to keep the mixture in place. Wood strips do tend to make a visually interesting way of securing the edges of the deck opening.

Creating the Anchor well compartment

2011-05-09T14:17:00.000-10:00

Here's a photo taken from inside the forward starboard cabin. The larger opening will become the anchor well hatch

After cutting the anchor well hatch, I then installed the internal anchor well bulkhead. Rather than laying up all the seams at this point, I have found it easier to position the bulkhead where it needs to be, smooth out the fillet with strips of peel ply and just give the bulkhead a while to set itself in place. Tomorrow, all I'll need to do is pull off the strips and tape all the seams with glass and epoxy.

I chose to create a single hatch opening for the anchor well on the starboard fore deck because the port side cabin has been built up as the kids room. A benefit from this is that the hatch can be hinged to lie flat on the fore deck when open. In this case, this offset compartment can be used for sail storage as well and anchor windlass operation.

Starboard anchor well panel

2011-05-07T13:56:00.001-10:00

In order to create a bulkhead to seperate the anchor well from the starboard forward cabin area, I needed to take measurments that would allow me cut out the required shape. To do this, I established 5 points about a ft. apart and then ran a string from the lower corners. I then took measurments that would allow me to plot the curve on the panel.

As an example, station 5 had a 2 7/8 offset. I used a sharpy to make a dot then after laying out all the points, I used a flexible strip of wood to scribe the curve.

Here's the layout marks taken from all the measurements

And then, the final panel laminated both sides with 24 oz triaxial glass and epoxy which is now ready to be installed. For a little added piece of mind, I ran two additional strips of unidirectional glass to give the panel an additional level of rigidity

Surfboard rails

2011-04-27T09:51:00.001-10:00

When making panels for the interior build out, I lay the pre cut panels on a flat surface, cover them with glass fabric then pour on the resin, smooth out evenly with a bondo spreader, let the resin soak in a while then cover with peel ply. A final smoothing out with a little skim coat of resin on the top surface of the peel ply creates a nice solid panel with an acceptable resin to glass ratio. although it would certainly be possible to create slightly lighter panels by using the vac bag method, sometimes saving a few grams isn't worth the added labor.

Here's a trick used when glassing the rails of surfboards: When glassing a board, they drape glass over a finished foam blank, pour on the resin and before the resin is fully cured, it is possible to use a utility knife to trim the excess resin/glass from the rails. This saves tons of time and eliminates the horrible task of grinding or sanding fiberglass. This method works great for finishing the edges of panels. In this instance, I waited until the resin has the consistency of shoe leather.

Head room in the play room

2011-04-22T17:39:00.000-10:00

Here I am testing out the head room in the kids room. Seems just right and that's not a black eye, I just got magic marker all over my face.

Next thing I have to do is take all these panels apart and laminate them.

Rather than perform endless vacuum bagging, I chose to simply use the peel ply method. Then I'll do the other sides tomorrow.

foam mistakes made good

2011-04-20T08:10:00.002-10:00

One great thing about using structural foam is that if you make a mistake while roughing out a panel, you can always make things right. Here, you can see that I made two goof ups while shaping this panel. 1. I cut the panel too short. 2. the panel slipped out of my hand while I was cutting it on the table saw and it made a big curved gash in it. Although this was unfortunate, it is much better than making a big curved gash in your hand.

In this example, since this is an interior panel, I'm using divinicell foam ( hence the grey color) rather than core cell foam because it does not need to be as strong.

To fix screw ups like this, all I do is cut additional foam patch pieces,. spray one side of the edge to be joined with a light mist of water from a garden sprayer, apply polyurethane glue on the mating edge, screw the patch in place and give it about 15 minutes to cure. Then lay the panel down on a flat surface and run a sanding block with 36 grit paper over the seams to knock off the excess glue that foams up between the joint. give it another 30 minutes while you work on something else and your back where you began......all ready to make another mistake.

The kids room.

2011-04-19T15:57:00.001-10:00

Here's a photo taken from inside the kids room which is located in the forward, port side cabin. I have not finished the triangular floor section which will serve as a landing from which to enter and exit the cabin.The beds will run cross ways with a walk way in between the two births (Ok, it's not so much a walkway unless you're three) The plan is to create two "pipe" births using four carbon fiber poles and making it so that when not in use, they can be rolled up and fastened to the bulkheads. This will open up the entire space to serve as one big romper room suitable for monstrous pillow fights.

When building out the interior, it is often necessary to fit flat panels to curved hull structures. To do this, I have found it helpful to take measurements, write them down on scraps of foam and then head back down to the table saw to shape the panels as close as possible. Once I get the pieces close, I use a power planer and hand sander to bevel the edges so that they all fit nicely. Then of course, I'll have to number all the pieces, take them apart laminate them with glass and epoxy and bond and reassemble them permanently in place.

dimensional notes.

Battery placement

2011-04-12T17:09:00.000-10:00

According to the plans, all fixed heavy items should be located in an area centered just forward of the mast bulkhead. As outrageous that it may seem that any vehicle would contain both lead and carbon fiber, for over one hundred years, you still can't beat lead acid in terms of $/ Ahr. That said, for house power storage, I decided to use two 225Ahr 4D AGM batteries so that I can install one in each hull at the fore/aft center of buoyancy.

Two Deka Sea-Mate 4D AGM batteries

Here is a photo taken from inside the forward, port side hull looking back towards the stern of the boat. I used some scrap foam pieces to make a mock battery and after just about scratching the hair off my head, I was able to choose a location to build a battery box. The other battery will be located in the starboard hull; mirror image.

strange lights in the dark.

2011-04-11T12:43:00.001-10:00

Today, I noticed a strange phenomenon. In a darkened portion of the boat, as I pulled a strip of peel ply away, I noticed that a blue-purple light emanated from the separation point.

Since my brother has a masters degree in organic chemistry, I have asked him to post a comment as to why this happens. click on the comment section below this post.

My guess is that it is similar to what causes this: try it........

If you are living the American lifestyle, go outside and look under the passenger side floorboard of the car that you drive the most. Pick up all the loose change that you find. Tell your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend or partner that you have an important errand to run. ( if you are single, no need to tell anybody anything). Drive to the closest all night grocery store and buy yourself a roll of wintergreen lifesavers. While you are there, stop by the flower section and also buy a small bunch of flowers. This will increase the possibility that you will not be alone when you finish your boat. If you are also fortunate enough to have teeth, at night, go to the bathroom mirror. If you have been affected by the recession and find yourself without a bathroom mirror, you are not alone. If you are living on the streets, you are also not alone. Regardless, at night, go find a side mirror of a large automobile. Take this opportunity to look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you ARE a good person and that you CAN finish a boat. Look at the inside of your mouth and with your back teeth, bite down hard on the life saver. You will see a bright flash of light. Do not let this frighten you.

Todays epoxy session

2011-04-10T13:45:00.003-10:00

Before mixing any epoxy, I have trained myself to prepare the glass reinforcement pieces before hand. Also, when the need arises to apply double biased tape along the seams of vertical and horizontal surfaces, I have found it easier to first saturate the fabric on a piece of thick plastic sheeting, lifting it off then smoothing it in place by hand.

Here are the containers that I use to mix batches of fillet material. from right to left:

1. epoxy resin mixing pitcher ( I usually mix 1 qt part A to 1/2 qt B)

2. micro balloon / epoxy mixing container ( a 1 gallon jug with the top handle part cut off ) This particular gallon container is made of a very tough and flexible plastic that allows me to bang it on the table the next day to remove all the last work sessions cured epoxy so that I can keep using the same container.

3. Zip lock bag holder

4. spreaders are seen here in the lower part of the photo

pouring the mixed epoxy into the micro balloon mixing container.

To arrive at a mixture with the consistency of peanut butter, I fill the cut off gallon jug right up to the top with micro balloons along with a qt and a half of mixed epoxy.....

after mixing, I scoop the whole glob of fillet material into my zip lock bag.....

zip it up, cut off the corner of the bag and the fillet material can be applied in a controlled manner by just squeezing the bag.

Here's an example of an end result using fillet material, epoxy saturated double bias glass tape all topped off with peel ply. Again, notice the numbers written on both the surfaces and the pieces of reinforcement material to allow me to know where to put all the pieces. In this case, it's bonding the end of the bow tube in place.

Internal bedding in of the bow tube

2011-04-06T11:46:00.000-10:00

Out of respect for the confidentiality of the F-44SC designer, I rarely include direct information taken from the plan set. However, in this instance, I am including a small portion to merely show the high degree of detail that is provided in the licensed plan set. Here is an excellent example of how the plans offer unparalleled descriptions of all critical assembly details.

Here, I have laminated several sections of core cell foam to create the end caps.

I am test fitting the foam cap in preparation of bonding the entire area with micro balloon fillets and two layers of double bias glass tape.

2011-04-04T18:01:00.002-10:00

It's sometimes good to step back and remind yourself that it's a boat that you are building.....otherwise it just seems like a big pile of foam, glass and epoxy.

here I am standing low

lower

lowest....

Here, you can see the bow beam which is now bonded to the hulls; inside and out.

inside sub bulkhead

2011-04-04T17:53:00.000-10:00

The sub bulkhead also incorporates a web that utilizes 4 layers of unidirectional glass to help distribute the cross beam loads into the forward hulls. Here I have prepared the glass reinforcements in preparation of saturating them in epoxy and laminating them in place.

here is the finished structure as seen in the forward starboard hull.........since this is a cat, there is now a mirror image of this work inside the port side hull as well. As a reminder of where the pre fitted glass pieces should go, I use a sharpy pen to label them and this always shows though.

sub bulkhead

2011-03-21T14:13:00.001-10:00

One of the jobs that I had left for the winter time was to bond the forward sub bulkheads in place. These bulkheads help distribute the bow beam loads into the forward portions of the hulls.

The bulkhead was bedded in with generous fillets and taped in place with 6 inch and 4 inch wide double bias tape backed with stranded mat. Over this, I used 8 inch wide strips of peel ply to smooth all the corners. This bulkhead will also receive a small stiffener laminated with unidirectional glass which will be bonded to the end of the bow beam and continuing downwards onto the sub bulkhead.

engine controls

2011-03-17T13:40:00.000-10:00

Being a twin engine craft, I needed to be able to control both engines, at both steering stations. To do this, I opted to go with two single function controls each side. With these controls, the boat should be able to be maneuvered like a battle tank or bull dozier .........I'll no doubt have to deal with a bunch of cables but the alternative is to spend thousands on electronic controls. The trick will be figuring out a way to mount them so that they do not take up too much space down below in the aft cabins....... Maybe I'll need to build pedestals for them?........I'm just making stuff up as I go.

forward cabin floor boards

2011-03-16T09:44:00.001-10:00

Rather than have one big floor panel in the forward cabins, I chose to create two floor panels for a total of four; starboard / port. I used cardboard to make templates that I could check for fit. Once I got the shape, traced around the templates onto 1 1/4 inch foam then vac bagged them all in one shot.

forward cabin floors

2011-03-14T21:13:00.000-10:00

The two forward cabins offer a good amount of floor space and I have chosen to create floor board edge mounts which will allow me to create removable floor panels. Seen here is the forward, starboard hull cabin area. I've bonded the edge mounts in place with double bias glass tape and epoxy then used strips of peel ply to minimize the need for any sanding. Note: the cross wise floor stiffener is made up of multiple layers of 4 in wide core cell foam bonded in place with a full layer of 24oz triaxial glass. Each forward cabin will have two floor boards with the edges meeting along the hull stiffeners. This will allow me to create a shower pan floor board with a drain that will allow the bilge area beneath to become a catchment for the shower. A bilge pump can then be added to empty the used shower water.........as odd as it may be to some, a recirculating shower system can help to conserve fresh water by allowing ample wash water flow which can then be finished off with a final fresh water rinse.

compassion to those affected

2011-03-11T09:02:00.000-10:00

sunshine

2011-03-02T15:37:00.000-10:00

Boat progress is painfully slow but I found the sun in Kihei, Maui. Oregon in the winter time is no place for epoxy.........nor is it a place for myself and an unfinished boat.

Galley sneak preview

2011-02-21T15:38:00.001-10:00

Here's a sneak preview of the interior galley fit out. I've chosen a bottle glass counter top laminate with toasted bamboo veneer covering epoxy/glass composite panels. In the foreground, you can see the Fridge freezer with the evaporator plate in position. The fridge/freezer will have a divider with its own thermostatically controlled spillover fan that will draw cool air from the freezer side to maintain a pre set fridge temperature. As a finish detail, I've located a source of original 1950's aluminum edge trim for all the counter tops.

Land Yacht

2011-01-26T13:19:00.000-10:00

While in Santa Cruz, I spent some time helping my brother replace a holding tank in his 67 Land Yacht.

Lot's to learn from the design that went into the early airstreams

A visit to the spar builder

2011-01-24T20:02:00.000-10:00

Flew to California to meet with Ballenger Spars who will prepare the mast for this cat. Follow the link to see their work.

http://www.ballengerspars.com/index.html

Grandaddys' hand saw

2011-01-23T16:38:00.000-10:00

Here's the last set of the multiple panels required to build out the main interior seating.

If I planned to build ten more 44ft. performance cruising catamarans, It would be worth it to produce 3D computer renderings of the interior then have all the panels CNC cut. However, since this is the only Ocean going cruising cat I will ever build in this lifetime, it made more since to grab the foam and go at it in the design-build manner. These days it's easy to create virtual living spaces on a computer, but nothing can beat using your hands to arrive at a configuration that just feels right. Sometimes technology is a bit over rated and it's good to know when and when not to use it.......I guess I could have used an etch-a- sketch to draw the panels, used a digital camera to capture the image, convert the image to a .dxf file that could be converted to machine tool language that could control a $500,000.00 water jet cutter but I just used my Grandaddys' hand saw instead.

yellow sealer tape

2011-01-21T18:41:00.000-10:00

To make good headway on completing the galley booth, I had to break out the 8 x 12 ft vac bag table and perform another marathon session. This time, I decided to maximize the entire surface area by nesting the panels together so that they pretty much consumed the entire surface area of my table. For this mega vacuum bag, I used vac bag membrane on top and bottom because I was not sure that my table was completely air tight. This took two rolls of yellow sealer tape.......say that ten times: "Yellow sealer tape" "Yellow sealer tape""Yellow sealer tape""Yellow sealer tape""Yellow sealer tape""Yellow sealer tape"..........too much time in the shop makes Jack a dull boy.

booth panels

Again......another impromptu post cure oven

no place to sit...

2011-01-19T23:40:00.001-10:00

After careful attention to human factors and proportion, what took about two days to put together came apart in about 5 minutes. Reason being is that the interior booth seating shapes have to be sheathed with bi axial glass and epoxy to give them strength. Once the entire seating area is finished it will only weigh about 25 lbs. If it were built in conventional plywood, I imagine it would weigh in at over 75 lbs. ...simplify and add lightness is still the mantra. The booth is constructed of structural foam sheathed with epoxy and glass and will be upholstered in a doe leather marine-tex.

An experiment in the reduction of production time

2011-01-19T13:07:00.001-10:00

Faced with the prospect of having to laminate over 25 separate panels for the interior bridge deck galley area, I decided to run an experiment in vacuum bagging multiple layers and panels all under one vacuum bag. Did it work? I think it did but given the marathon layup session and a bit of a hassle peeling all the layers of peel ply perf and breather off, I'm not sure if I'll be so bold in the future.

Here's the result:

That's a total of 11 separate panels laminated front and back and stacked all under one vacuum bag.

It went like this:

lower part of the bag ( vinyl flooring on a temp floor panel)

plastic membrane to keep the lot from sticking to the vinyl flooring

peel ply

glass

foam

glass

peel ply

perf

peel ply

glass

foam

glass

peel ply

perf

peel ply

glass

foam

glass

peel ply

perf

breather

top vac bag.

beer

I think it was worth it because it would have taken me at least a week to use the peel ply bondo spreader method to bond both sides of the 11 panels that I made in one night.

Here's a few tricks that I learned.

pull the individual groups of panels up and lean them against something

I used a few wooden wedges to separate the groups of panels

( this wasn't that difficult)

score the individual panel edges with an angle grinder on both sides along the panel seams then pop them apart like sheet rock.

After pulling off all the peel ply, I did have a few flaws where excess resin gathered but nothing a little sanding won't fix.

would I try this again? Maybe not. I may just turn on some good music and lay some panels up one at a time for a while. If I were in a race to produce the most panels in a day I may give it another go but I can think of a few more enjoyable ways to spend an evening.

More icebox excitement

2011-01-18T01:00:00.000-10:00

True.....how exciting can an Icebox be?
For effect, imagine you were a hundred years back in time and you told someone that you could make ice from sunshine and wind. ( solar panels and wind generators).....now that would be more exciting.

Here's the box with the last round of glassing which makes her 100 percent part of the integrity of the boat. The location of the unit actually provides structure to the cabin bulkhead itself and if I ever get blue water smashing against the outer cabin bulkhead, I'm confident that this unit will act as a dresser drawer against a door knob.

All the box components are now bonded together and peel ply was used to minimize the sanding required to prep the sides for a caramelized bamboo veneer that I have chosen as a final finish. The top work surface will be covered with "Wilson Art" bottle glass Formica and once the insides are glossed over with white epoxy, I'll load it with the works: condenser, compressor, keel cooler, and a spill-over thermostat for the refrigerator portion.

I've chosen a 40 inch condenser plate and followed the instructions to bend 3 in. dia corners so that it can be mounted inside the ice box so that it will allow one half of the box to be a freezer and the other half the fridge.. Note the keel cooler on the left.

Fridge / freezer box: a plan from top to bottom

2011-01-11T22:06:00.080-10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cbX4DUACYU

From all manner of sources, an important aspect of any top loading fridge / freezer is a double sealed top. In my case I created the profile by using three different thicknesses of foam which I will glass and vacuum bag to create a wrap around top that I will bond to the flush top of the cabinet. The next few steps will be to build the butterfly opening top with double seals, bond a Formica laminate to the top surface of the cabinet box and top, apply a two ply bamboo veneer to the outside of the box for cosmetics then finish the box with an aluminum strip of edging to give it a nice professional look.

From top to bottom, here's my plan:

icebox top surface smoothed to accept chamfered opening ( steps 2, 3 and 4)
nest layer of 3/4 in dyvinicell foam, 1 1/4 inch beveled layer of foam
1/4 inch spacer which will be covered with 6 ply cabinit grade plywood
final surface laminate to top
veneer exterior cabinet
install edging
apply internal glazing ( a simple rolled on mixture of epoxy, titanium dioxide and cabosil to prevent "running" This I have found produces a thick, rock hard glossy surface that is easy to clean and avoids all the labor of having to spray expensive automotive coatings such as deadly polyurethane imron or synthetic enamels.
Install the guts ( a modular Fridgoboat system http://frigoboat.com/)
Install evaporator
Components: (The guts)
200F Evaporator - 40.25"w x 10.5"h, Flat Plate
install compressor

K50-AEO with AEO control
(This unit has an electronic "smart" speed control that automaticly adjusts the compressor RPM to provide the precise amount of refrigeration necessary for the job at hand so that the unit runs at a lower rate for a longer time thereby creating higher efficiencies than if it were to rune wide open for shorter times.)

install keel cooled condenser to prevent cabin heat buildup in the tropics
Keel Cooler thread-mounted condenser
Install freezer thermostat
Thermostat, Coastal Digital Fahrenheit and Celsius 12v
Install spill over unit

Spillover fan/thermostat kit, mechanical

This device pulls cold air from the freezer section and dumps the right amount of chilled air into the refridgerator portion while excess air flows back into the freezer portion. This thermostat can be set above freezing while the freezer unit can be set well below freezing as desired....

I plan on trailing a fishing line off the transom and packing this freezer with fish for my family. Not to mention "ice for the blender that will soon render that tropical concoction that helps one hang on"

pouring the foam

2011-01-10T14:49:00.000-10:00

Here's the fridge / freezer cabinet after positioning the ice box in place and pouring a 2 lb /ft ^3 expanding polyurethane foam. I measured out enough to fill the bottom and then started filling the side cavities with smaller batches until the foam expanded up beyond the top. I then ran a hand saw around the top to level the foam. This fridge / freezer will have a butterfly top that will allow individual access to each compartment.

Roughing in the Fridge / Freezer

2011-01-08T17:20:00.000-10:00

I chose to place the fridge right next to the cabin door so that cold drinks can be readily available to the skipper.

The interior panels have been sheathed one side with a 12 oz. biaxial glass and epoxy. To prevent infra red heat absorption, the inner side of the outer cabinet will be lined with a thin aluminum foil. The surrounding void between the ice box shell and the cabinet will then be filled with a two part expanding polyurethane foam.

mocking up the cabin booth seating

2011-01-06T17:20:00.002-10:00

Here I am making a layout of the seat profile that I will build inside the cabin. I spent countless hours studying human factor design books in order to insure that when I want to kick back and have some cookies and milk, I'll be nice and comfortable.

Modern art Hatch Openings

2010-12-31T22:49:00.001-10:00

I strengthened the edges of all of the hatch openings by routing out an inch and a half of deck foam then re-filling the void with a thixotropic mixture of aerosil, glass micro spheres and epoxy.

I then used strips of tough synthetic roof material as a mold to create nice smooth edges that will require little finish work. I used flexible wood strips, springing them together to hold the edges in place.

this method works really well. The sharpy marks will be the drill holes and location of the hatch frames.

Shame on Lewmar

2010-12-29T18:41:00.000-10:00

flimsy hinge clutch attachment on new Lewmar escape hatches:

I can only hope that this failure was due to a worker using the wrong size rivet, otherwise, Lewmar should know better than to use such a failed design in the attachment method of the hinge clutch to the frame.

It is easy to see that the flimsy aluminum rivets were not long enough to even go through the flange on the hatch frame.

This two part "spring/clutch" is attached between the two hinges and is supposed to keep the hatch from swinging wildly when opened. In my case, the second time I opened the hatch, the attachment broke off.

This is very poor design. At close to a thousand dollars a piece, it is not unreasonable to believe that details like this would be so under designed.

Yet another opportunity to improve upon the work of a manufacturer.......Tomorrow I will bring the escape hatch to the local farm and ranch hardware store and buy two beefy stainless steel fasteners to replace these two flimsy rivets......only down side will be galvanic corrosion due to dissimilar metals but I may not have a choice.

Got to have a place for the Frozen fish and some cold beer.

2010-12-21T00:30:00.003-10:00

I took a little time to create a CAD drawing of the type of fridge / freezer that I want to have on board and I'm planning on building it in the next week. I'm hoping that it will come out looking something like this. I'll be chopping foam, slinging tape measures around like swords and knocking this thing out free style.

I've been doing a fair amount of studying about marine fridge freezer systems and I've decided to build my own. A helpful book that I just read was "Refrigeration for Pleasure Boats" by Nigel Calder. It is a pretty basic book but gives some nice illustrations of simple boxes. I chose a full "Frigoboat" component system because I like the idea of the pre charged lines, electronic speed control option that reduces the compressor RPM to meet the demand and I liked the modular aspect. Also, since I'm headed south, I'm using a keel cooler condenser to dump the heat into the water rather than heating up the cabin.

Coooooold

2010-12-20T00:46:00.002-10:00

Here's my excuse for my delayed progress on the Cat.....It's fricking cold and I am a misplaced Southerner born and breed.

Here are a few projects that haunt me:

Boxing in the swing up rudders
building the top loading fridge freeze boxes with Frigoboat mechanicals w/ keel cooler
glassing strips supports for hull floor boards
finishing out all four state rooms
coordinating the build of the mast, boom and standing rigging ( Ballenger Spars)
Overseeing sail construction ( Doyle Sails)
detailing engines: exhausts, filters. through hulls, etc.
installing R.O. watermaker
Building out interior bridge-deck living space
Electrical system ( planning on keeping it simple )

...........but who's counting?

floor board strips

2010-12-11T20:10:00.000-10:00

This is a shot taken about knee level from the inside of the starboard hull looking into the forward cabin. A cross wise lower hull stiffener will also be glassed in place mid ways between the forward bulkhead and the mast bulkhead. Once this stiffener is in place, I will glass over the floor board strips that I have glued in place and which will support the floor boards.

Dancing super models

2010-12-09T21:22:00.005-10:00

Since it's winter time in the Pacific NW, the main cabin has become my new shop. I covered the floor with 6 mil plastic sheet to keep from getting drips of epoxy everwhere.

There are a total of 12 floor boards in this boat and each one will be glassed and vacuum bagged to save weight and just in case, to withstand the compressive forces of 20 dancing super models wearing high heels.....that's 40 high heels. Given the average weight of a super model of say 65 lbs, and the area of the average high heel being 1/2 in x 1/2 inch this introduces the very real possibility of sustaining pressures on the order of 265 lbs per inch ^2 on the composite laminate ........or further still if the dancers perform moves that require high stepping , the pressure of a dancer standing on one high heel may soar to 536 lbs per in ^2 . ...... Perhaps a placard next to the US coast guard "no discharge notification" should read. "When dancing, all Super-models should refrain from high-stepping along both the port and starboard floor boards".

If I do two panels at at time per day, that's only six days........"only six days he says!" Like I always say, if it's cold and raining outside you may as well be vacuum bagging dance floor boards.....I'm always saying that......I wish I could stop saying that

Double Vacuum lines

heating the interior of the boat to cure the two panels.

260 # / in^2 potential destructive pressure.

both of the twin diesels are in bed now

2010-12-08T18:20:00.000-10:00

I distributed the load of each engine by supporting a 4 x 4 in three places and used a chain hoist to allow me to wiggle the engine into place.

Starboard side engine resting in a gloss white engine bed.

Putting the engines to bed

2010-12-07T14:55:00.003-10:00

2 x 6 cross beam with rolling trolley

sliding the engine down into the hull

Walking the engine down a plank to it's bed.

Using a 4x4 positioned over the aft cabin hatch, I was able to inch the port side Engine into its place......

In order to allow me to quickly diagnose possible engine problems due to oil or fluid leaks, I decided to lay down a gloss white epoxy coating inside the engine compartments. To do this, I mixed 2 quart of A side epoxy with one quart B side epoxy then mixed 1 cup of Titanium dioxide powder along with 1 cup of cabosil to create a thixotropic hard coat epoxy "paint". I then rolled it on nice and thick. Now I should be able to wipe this surface down clean every time I check the engines.

Escape hatches

2010-12-02T15:20:00.002-10:00

Each hull requires an escape hatch and rather than install them so that they extend beyond the hull exterior, it is suggested that a recessed flange be used to allow the escape hatch glazing to be flush with the hull. These foam pieces will be glassed in place creating a rigid, flat location to bolt the medium profile Lewmar escape hatches.

Engine comes out of it's crate.

2010-12-02T15:05:00.002-10:00

Two brand new 3 cylinder, sail drive, diesel engines were removed from their crates. Seen here is one of the Yanmar 3YM-20 engines. This particular engine is destined for the starboard side hull. For installation, I decided to just man handle the units in place through the cabin doors rather than cut and build flush hatches in the aft decks above boarding stairs. If I ever need to re build them, I'll just take the darn things apart and remove them bit by bit.

Import Security Fileing...or else

2010-11-25T07:35:00.004-10:00

A week ago, I mistakenly mentioned that my cat's mast had left the port of Tauranga, NZ on the ANL Bindana when in fact, this was when the mast was packed into the container. The ship is still in port: see link-

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?zoom=9&oldmmsi=636091168&olddate=11/24/2010%201:52:07%20AM

The US now requires that an Import Security filling ( ISF) be filed before any item is shipped and imposes a $5000.00 fine if not done. I hope that the documents made it into the right hands........

Decks and cabin tops sealed w/ Awlgrip

2010-11-23T10:20:00.001-10:00

Deck primed and sealed w/ AwlGrip 545. One of the twin diesel engines can be seen below the bridgedeck awaiting installation. It will be nice to tuck them into their engine beds so I won't keep putting random tools and clutter on top of the crates.

The cabin tops and foredeck seen here in 545 sealer. The gallon paint cans are placed on deck for scale. The black window covers are actually the cut outs with flat black paint. I set them back in place to allow me to heat the interior this winter.

The Mast is aboard a Liberian ship

2010-11-19T17:41:00.001-10:00

According to the Import Security Filling, the mast for this F-44SC catamaran is on a container ship named the ANL Bindana on her way from New Zealand, and can be tracked here: http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=636091168

wish here well in her journey to the west coast of the United States...........