I decided to fit a water filter.  This casing can have a variety of filters including a 5 micron carbon filter.  I will start with 5 micron standard filters.

This required the water supply from the tank to be re-routed but this was pretty straight forward.

The large hole is for access to the air bleed valve

Serving will be by a removable middle step.  As this is fitted on the inside wall of the steps it was time to finish making the steps I started months ago.

The oak step tops should be ready later this week

The stone tops for the bedroom draws are coming on Wednesday all being well so I have fitted the bedroom TV as the HDMI cable runs behind where the top is going.

 View from the bed

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     I have a recurring dream where I finally make it out to the boat shop after weeks of neglect only to find the place blanketed in Texas dust and the keel looking like Swiss cheese due to termite damage. A few of the frames are but piles of sawdust. Rather than feeling horrified, I feel relieved. I walk back to the house and order plans for a smaller boat and start packing my things.

     Lately, Ive felt defeated by the size of this project. Previously, I tried not to set a time frame for this project because I felt like I had no realistic idea of how long this thing would take me-- and I didnt want to stress about it. But now, for my own sanity, I need a timeline to launch. Ramon and I sat down last night and hatched our plan:

2013
January: Stringers, chine, and cheeks installed
February: Frames, stringers, chine faired; chamfer on bow and stern
March: Deck beams installed, footwell framed, hatch framed
April: cabin trunk "cutout"? framed
June: Planking complete, deck laid, hull glassed
July: Install bulwarks, start working on interior
August: Hatches complete, cabin trunk completed and glassed, paint

Beginning of September, 2013: The launch!  
Also-- our last days here!

We plan to live near Port Isabel and finish Lunas interior at the marina while I finish up my masters program. 

Depending on how long funds last, and how long it takes to outfit her, we hope to set sail by the end of 2013. Thats only a little over a year away, making it a pretty ambitious (foolhardy?) goal, but it feels good to have something to work toward.

Also-- today I finished squaring up the frames! The next step will be  installing the chine.

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I am sick and tired of my current 230v genset causing all sorts of problems with unstable voltage, poor quality sine wave and noise, (engine not electrical) although I suppose there is plenty of that too. My Victron doesnt like it and I have killed so many switch mode power supplies for mobile phones, iPads, even the power supplies in a Sky box, a DAB radio and a NiMH drill charger which actually caught fire didnt like it.

So why have I or indeed any boaters got a generator?  I think in most cases 99% + its to charge our batteries.  Of course we all have one bolted to the side of our main engine which by and large does an excellent job of charging the start battery for which it was designed for and a pretty fair to poor job of charging supplementary or house batteries via various methods of diverting surplus charge elsewhere.

When I did my alternator conversion the one thing I didnt expect to be as successful as it has proved was the ability to run my oven 2.2kw through the inverter and still be putting in as required depending on the SOC of the batteries up to 60amps of charge.  This set me thinking, why the hell am I making 230v to run my inverter charger to then charge the batteries at a maximum of 120amps when my new alternator on the main engine I have seen putting in over 180amps without conversion losses.  I have read somewhere that the Victron inverter on charge makes 800w of heat as well. Heat I really dont want. This I can well believe as I had to add additional fans to the inverter space under the stern steps in order to keep it cool enough to keep the charge rate up as it shuts down the charge rate according to the running temperature. 

So you might wonder where this is leading.  Well as I see it its simple. Use my current 500cc genset engine to spin a 12v alternator instead of running a 4000cc (4L) to do the same.  Big engines like this suffer from bore glazing running on tickover or low loads.  Google bore glazing its an interesting topic with many views generally eventually agreeing its not a good thing.

My initial research lead me to a 220amp automotive alternator
but this would need spinning at 5000+rpm so gearing would be required.  I had considered running a 3kw 230v alternator at 1500rpm (4 pole) but again this still had the electrical conversion losses but in preparation for this I managed to con my current genset into running at 1500rpm by removing a slow run cutout relay.  At 1500rpm its as quiet as a sewing machine.   But then I will need to have made for me a drive pulley set and this will have additional frictional losses and belt slip reducing the limited power the genset engine has.

So having bought the 220amp automotive unit 

220amp Automotive alternator

I did some more Googling  and found a slow speed 12v alternator from the USA. 

The Ecoair company  make probably exactly what I and every boat owner needs, and a 24v version also.

325amp Slow spin alternator

After exhaustive discussions with one of the directors I have purchased one of the 12v (14v) units with the option of becoming the UK / EU importer distributor.

So having stripped my current genset:-

Vetus genset with cocoon

The 230v armature still to be removed

Armature and coupling removed

Flywheel end of the engine

This seems to be a 6 hole fixing with 200mm PCD so I will need to look up the SAE of this fixing.

This is an ongoing project so I might start a separate blog on this conversion.  In the meantime if you want to follow it make sure to bookmark it of check back regularly 

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A very kind break in the weather all be it a few days late enabled me to get some painting done.  The first area tackled was the fore deck.  

The original painting had gone beyond saving so it was a back to metal rubdown. The edges had previously been prepped when the blue spray was done.

Then a coat of primer.

This will do until I put the top grit coat on.

Today it was the turn of some extra blacking (tar based paint).  The side of the boat had become a little scabby with the work done with various painting jobs and the natural weathering that this coating suffers from.

Before

After

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Sam the canvas man arrived today for the second fitting of the pram cover.  The design of the cover will permit the screen to remain in place with the cover completely down but can also be lowered or fully removed if required.

 There will be more side windows on the finished cover

and a dodger around the base

 The front screen

I also collected the oak doors from the carpenters today.  The small set will replace the steel ones in the forward bulkhead.  The tall ones are the bedroom and bathroom doors.

While Sam was working on the cover I cut out all the holes for the additional electronics to be fitted. Photo of this in a few days when they are fitted.

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Ive been putting it off for a while now but I decided I would attach the skeg today.  The reason for putting it off is because it involved laying on my back in a tight hole under the boat doing inverted welding.  Not the most appealing of jobs you will agree.

Setting the job up simply involved using a plumb bob from the center of the top bearing hole.

This will only work if the boat is level which if you remember I did at the beginning.   This is the top tip of this blog I think if you are going to build a boat like this.  Its made so many jobs easy to either set up or do.

The weld is of 3 passes on both outer flanges and 1 pass on the inner flanges and 3 pass weld on the outer rear and one on the inner.

So thats another orrible job done and surprisingly few burns but very dirty hair and face.

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The arrangements were made to gather a bunch of dudes to get the boat out of the basement into the garage and on the trailer. When the prescribed time arrived our main dude, 66" Danny, former star member of the U of M rowing team, was still in transit from Ann Arbor. We decided to wait for his arrival. When "Big Danny" made the scene, we gathered in the birthing center in my basement and reviewed the plan to lift off the cradle, turn the baby on its side, then butt end it out of the room and over to the stairwell. Then it would bow first up the stairwell, go left around the cabinets at the top of the stairs then along side the kitchen island, back up to go around the island and then into the garage.

The paths had been cleared and the boat covered with bubble wrap and blue tape just in case there was a bump here or there. I had previously made a handle for the transom that mounted into the chrome handle locations. We needed something beefy for holding and lifting the boat while on its side and it worked perfectly.

We had Danny on the transom to the base of the stairs where the boat was rested for a moment and I put Danny on the bow. With only a bow eye and bow handle, grip places were precious on that end. We made the joggle at the top of the stairs with a few directions and rearrangements of bodies to get the boat angled right and out she squirted from the top of the stairs. Danny got pinned into the kitchen so we immediately shifted the transom end into the room and backed it up to get around the island. As we went through the door from the kitchen to the garage, bodies peeled away off the boat as only the boat would fit through. Then Big Danny yelled "I need some help - quick" as he was the lone person on the bow of the boat holding it in the air. Since I was free (I was mostly directing), I scurried out the back porch door and around into garage to give Danny a hand as he breathed a sigh of relief and the boat came into the garage and more bodies could get back onto the move. We rolled it back over and walked it over to the trailer and set her down. I personally delivered a beer to Danny and we all commented that it was definitely worth waiting a few minutes for his arrival. Beers and drinks were distributed, bubble wrap and tape removed and pictures taken. The new baby is a beauty.

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The more I read about fine boat building the more I realized it really wasnt for me. I just dont have the skills. Like the mother of an ugly kid, Im still going to think my boats beautiful--even if it doesnt have a lot of fancy joinery or bright work. I would be deliriously happy with a strong, stout boat that appears clean and neat, so Im aiming for that.

I do hope my boat has some character. I once lived in an old carriage house in Iowa nestled in a rather eccentric community of artists and writers (Kurt Vonnegut once lived one house to the West and Gene Wilder one house to the East). Though there were downsides, like when my housemate had seven homeless pot-smoking youths living in the tiny bedroom next to mine during midterms (I wish I would  have recorded the sounds coming out of that room), the place had character. You wouldnt say it was well-crafted by any stretch, but it was kept up decently and the space was very pleasant and warm.

Here you see about 85% of the old place.

I was looking at this photograph the other day when trying to decide what made this place special to my eye. I realized the main elements were the warm, unvarnished wood planking, the old furnishings made during a time when design and durability mattered, and the way the unique shape of the windows allowed light into the room. Hopefully, I can incorporate these elements into the finished boat.

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Saturday 3rd November 2007

I have 2 days off in a mad time at work. 8 am sees me outside trying to sift trough the piles to sort it out,

The first thing I did was to get the fuel tanks inside and coated with WD40 as I wont need them till March-08. I got as much done but having nobody else or the Frontloader I needed but couldnt get, I have to get more help next week.

I started on the Jigs for the boat. These will be welded to the RSJ frame to shape and support the boat.

Dara oversees the accuracy.

David helps with the assembly







6PM and 2 frames done and an hour later sees the 3rd one done.

PS. Anybody got a small crane for a week or 2.!

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I have welded up the deck drain I had to cut to get the generator in, welded the generator flexible feet to the uxtor plate (base of the boat in that area), welded the bracket for the raw water strainer on, soldered the T junction for the raw water strainer to share the input with the engine and the generator.

The parts for the rudder have been ordered and I have sent the rudder shaft to the machine shop for the key way to be cut and the bottom bearing to be made and started to put up the frame work for the rest of the ceiling.

The principle showable job today though was the flue for the gas fire.  Once again out came the trusty plasma cutter.  The diameter of the flue was 115mm which is the same size as a 115 grinding disk which I used as a template.  The flue needs a bit of clearance and the distance that is gained when the disk was used as a template was just right, about 3mm all the way round.

Quiz.  Im facing due East when I took this photo on 25/5/11. 
What time was it?  Same latitude as London.

In preperation for the hole cutting I removed the spray foam insulation and lined it with a metal shield.

Then to catch and cool the plasma ejector a bucket half filled with water was positioned using a ratchet prop.

Once cut and the shield material removed this was the hole.

The flue may as some point in the future need to be removed so it will be fixed with an external flange.  Bring out the plasma cutter again.  The center hole was done using a worn 115mm cutting disk and the outer using a worn 250mm disk.  I like to keep it simple :-)

Thats me in the shadow

The flange will be welded to the flue once the levels are set.  I need to get my brother to make me a hearth first.  But this is something how it will look.

In case you were wondering why a gas fire?  Well, I think its a good idea to have a secondary form of heating on a different fuel just in case.  There was no way I was going for a solid fuel solution, all that logs and coal and ash.  Na, NOT for me!!!

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I have been getting a bit fed up with getting 40L of Diesel from my friend to run the central heating boiler (Mikuni) so I ordered a full tank full 600L.

I need to fuel it up at some point and while its on dry land its better just in case there is a leak.

I was confident it was going to be fine because of the pressure tests and it was. So once full I was able to calibrate the fuel gauge.

During the Christmas brake I finally found where the leaking water from the toilet tank was coming from.  Turned out to be from the hose where it connects to the pump out pump.  The jubilee clips couldnt put on enough force to squash the hose down so I fitted so I solved the problem with Superclamps

These were able to overcome the steel spiral reinforcing in the hose.

Over the Christmas break I was able to get some more oak trim up as well but eventually ran out of adhesive.  So I gave in and had a bit of time off.

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No, not that kind...

If you are a regular user of Cyano Acrylate glues, otherwise known CA as Super Glue, its likely that you do.

"Gassing" is the white residue that appears around your glue joints, especially on dark surfaces, clear surfaces, or on shiny metal. It makes an otherwise perfect joint, look, not so perfect. Sometimes its an indication that too much glue has been used. At other times, especially with gels, you may not have a choice but to use an amount of glue that makes gassing unavoidable.

One of the biggest problems involving gassing is that it might not show up until a day or two after youve made your joint. This can be fixed if you can get to the joint. I avoid using CA to close up cabin spaces on boats or airplanes, because gassing may not appear for quite some time and it may be amplified in small enclosed spaces, possibly frosting windows to an extent that blocks vision. This can be "visually fatal" to an otherwise impressive interior space.
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If I used CA glue to close this up, Happie would have been miserable
and I would have been devastated.

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In those situations I use non-gassing glues, such as type II carpenters glue, epoxy or watch crystal cement, depending upon the specific situation. Of course, each glue has its own pluses and minuses.
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Using a non-gassing glue made Happie happy.

If your gassing is in an accesible spot...

...relief from gas can be found on your grocery store shelf...

 

I am a believer in the concept that model makers can benefit from learning to see and use common things outside of their common context. Here is an excellent example. I found this method by accident years ago and its helped me many times since:  Olive oil applied directly to gassing seems to make it disappear. There are cases where it doesnt do the job completely, but those are rare. I havent found anything that works as well. What you have to bear in mind is that it is an oil, which could affect other nearby items in your model, especially unsealed wood or the adhesive of graphics tapes. I usually dedicate a very small artists brush to the job which allows me to apply it precisely and sparingly. After it sits for a minute, or when I can see that the gassing is gone, I lightly dab the excess oil away with a corner of a paper towel. Give it a try!

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Its been 2 days varnishing the window trims. Well not solid as there is drying time but as I have used a 2pac varnish the cure time is only a few hours. The finish is a 30% gloss finish.

Its not moder art, but these days probably could be

Heres one fitted, nine more to fit!

Glued in place with a 4 small blobs of Sikaflex

If you look at the first photo you can see how I have clamped the frame while the glue sets.  I have used 1 clamp to squeeze a baton inside and out top and bottom.  I used the minimum amount I think will be effective to make for easy removal if the window needs to come out.

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It is 30 years since I last adjusted tappets and that was on a motorcycle.  So I had to buy a set of feeler gauges, something I never thought Id be buying again.

Look proper tappets

The inlet ones needed closing up a bit and the exhaust ones opening a bit, but in all cases it was only fractional.  However its amazing how much quieter it is after.  In fact I think the engine is running in a bit now and is getting quieter anyway.

I also checked the gearbox oil which was clean as a whistle and still at the correct level.

I had an annoying bit of water coming in on the floor of the port engine room bilge.  I was convinced it was rain coming in through the engine air vents but it was curious that its only one side.  I had to modify the intake vents.

However, while running the engine after the tappets I noticed a trickle of water from the normal spot where it runs down off the counter. There was only one place it was possible for water to come from and that was the exhaust outlet.  I tightened up the exhaust clamps but that didnt work so I repositioned them and re-tightened which cured it. So now I have a dry bilge at last.

 

Time for a repaint I think

Another annoying problem Ive been having is with the generator start up.  The power on relay was not always latching on, but a wiggle on the remote plug would normally get it going until the next time.  All indications were a dry joint on the circuit board so I removed it from the genny to expose the board and a bit of wiggling produced the fault which turned out to be a bad connection on the fuse.  So thats another one sorted.

Ive also re-routed the water inlet so the generator gets its water from the secondary strainer as well now. 

All I need now is some reliable periods of dry weather to do some painting outside.

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