Engine / Transmission Mounts

Before I can glass in the after cabin sole I have to replace both sets of engine / transmission mounts.  I'm sure they were very secure when they were originally installed .... 40 years ago, but after not being used and being under water off and on for almost 15 years .... well, let's just say, "I think they've seen better days."  The old ones took less than 5 minutes each to remove.  The new ones will be heavy duty, all fiberglass.  I layed two layers on a plug, the other 7+ layers will be done in place as a one piece mount / hull attachment.

The next day:   I'm on a roll.  I learned on the first mount.  The second was easier.  Today I layed up both the engine mounts and will fit in the port side mount.  Over the Christmas time off work I hope to get them all at glassed in place .... at least 7 additional layers on top of the two layer that I moulded.  Now all I have to do is get motivated to go out in the cold, dark nite to do it.  It's much more appealing to sit in front of the heater and watch a movie.

The old mounts

They sure came out easily

Port Transmission Mount

Port / Stbd Transmission Mount
Two down / Two to go

Cabin Sole - - - STBD Side

Between having to work for a living and misc other stuff having to do with life I do manage to continue to work on the boat.  I had today off.  Having finished the re-inforcement fiberglass on the floor supports that I installed months ago, I sanded, resin sealed, installed, and glassed in place the starboard side cabin sole.  With the cooler weather it took all day because of slow cure tiime, but one side is finished.  Well, the main part.  I still have to fit, cut, and do the same thing for the aft section of the stbd side.  Then, .... do the port side.  Next comes re-inforcing the cabin sides above the deck.  When the cabin sole is down and the upper cabin sided are complete, I can finally put in the galley and nav station bulkheads.  Then it will start looking more like the inside of a boat instead of just a big room with round walls.

Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1 Sewing Machine

In sailing, as in life, there are beginnings and endings.  You begin a journey .... you end a journey.  I'm currently in the planning / building / fabricating stages ... the beginning of my sailing journey - to join the hundreds of those already embarked upon their journey.
Some, for various reasons, have choosen to end their journey but in doing so they leave behind precious, aquired treasures ... one of such treasures being the Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1 Sewing Machine.  They have more treasures that I'll eventually want and need but my project budget and storage prevents my taking advantage of a bargin.
I enjoyed meeting a fellow sailor, sorry to see you go, but thank you for adding to my equipment list.
http://www.sailrite.com/Ultrafeed-LSZ-1-Walking-Foot-Sewing-Machine

Keeping the rain out

With winter comes the ever growing need to keep out the rain.  I've closed up all the holes in the cabin top.  I still have to cut in dorade vents but I can do them one at a time and cover them.  If you've followed from the beginning you may remember that I closed up all the original, oversized port light openings except for two, which I joined together to put full sheets of plywood into the boat.  ie: cabin sole, main bulkheads.  With winter and rains comming on I loaded 4 sheets of plywood for the large projects I have left and have been working on closing up the last two opening.  I've got one done and the other fit to go in but it got dark so I'll do it tomorrow ... or the next if it rains all day tomorrow.  If I can't keep the rain or even the dew out how will I ever keep the sea out?

Cabin Overhead

Finally ... This week I've started grinding the main cabin overhead, fitting, and gluing in the polystyrene insulation.  Looks cool to have the overhead starting to take shape.  It's a really dusty dirty job grinding the fiberglass so the glue will stick properly.
As I work the overhead I'm glassing in the backing plates for the cabin top safety rail.  No water's going to leak down bolts and make the cabin damp.
Pictures to follow tomorrow.    .....  Here you go.  Pictures for all of you who are not here watching me .... oh ya, that would be everyone.
11/09 .... Finally, finished glassing in the cabin top safety rail stantion bases .... 16 of them.  If I can keep the rain out I should be able to keep the sea out.

Still working

I've been working on the shower stall.  I sanded, cleaned up, and put in a 2 inch radius cove at the bottom.  Yesterday I sanded the whole bottom to lay down the fiberglass floor only to find out I was 2 inches short on my fiberglass supply.
So .... I sanded and cut fiberglass for the second layer on the floor supports port side of the engine compartment.  I need to get that section of cabin sole down so I'll have something to stand on while working on the cabin side where the portlights go.  I need to do some corner repair then the entire portlight section gets a re-enforcing layer of glass.  ..... lots of glass and lots of resin .... but it well greatly increase the stiffness of the catwalk deck.

.... Remodeling already ???

I've finished the beams in the cabin overhead except for the ones on either side of the hatch.  I need to grind and reinforce the corners first.  Anyway, my cylinder of glue to put in the insulation hasn't arrived yet.  So, I spent today moving the shower door bulkhead.  No, I'm not remodeling already.  I built the shower stall 30x30.  Standing in it it just seems to big and a waste of precious space.  So, today, and I've been contemplating this for quite some time, I moved the wall making the shower 3 inches smaller.  There's still plenty of room considering that the outboard wall extends under the port walkway.  Now the standing room in the middle is 3 inches bigger.  Hey, when you're dealing with only 2 feet or so 3 inches is a big deal.  Standing in the companion way in the fwd cabin looking port into the 'head,' or washroom, is the shower stall to aft and the 'head', or toilet, to fwd.  The sind will probably me outboard.  Haven't designed the cabinet yet.

"...I'm back working inside the boat again ..."

Yesterday, for my birthday, I bought another 5 gallon bucket of resin.
Today, after almost 2 months of working on the stantion bases and having to go back to work, BIG YUCK, I've started installing more rib ssupports into the cabin overhead.  ... aawwhh ... the smell of curing resin ...   I've got 2 sets of bracing maybe I'll get the second rib in after dinner.  Right now my tummy is saying, "feed me".  Fried tators and ... I don't know.

Stantion bases installed

Here are all the stantion bases installed.  Safety tubing to follow.  The safety rails will be continuous fore and aft on either side 6 inches above the cabin roof.  You can see the line of the old teak rail, which was removed.  I may install a toe rail just like along deck edge.  Either side of the entrance hatch there's room on the cabin top for a 100 watt solar panel.  Also, 2 winches for sheet a storm jib, or anything else you want to sheet close in.

Stantion bases are coming right along

August 31,20011 ..... Well, it's only taking me a month, but after many hours of cutting, grinding, drilling, countersinking, welding, more grinding, polishing .... the bender finally came in the mail yesterday and I could make the loop .... only to find out that the bender wouldn't bend 5/16 S/S rod .... OOPS, I broke my brand new bender !!!!!!  ....  using the hook part of the bender, heating it glowing red, and my hydraulic press I finally, after two attempts, got a good bend.  I repolished it, welded it into place.  .....  Not bad looking, if I do say so myself.   ....  Now only 15 more to do.   .....  Oh, ya, I still have all the stantion bases to fabricate around the deck.  These, remember, are for the cabin top rail.

My tubing arrived today.  I cut off one length for a sample.  Turned out excellent.  I still have to finish welding the top,  cut in the countersink bolts, and make the re-enforcement loop.  ... and polish the whole thing.  Hey, those welds don't look half bad for an amature.

Stantion Base

I'm making my own stainless-steel stantion base & backing plate, which will be fiberglass embedded on the inside.  No leaks here.  S/S grab rails on the cabin top.  Toe boards will be, as per Hal Roth in "After 50,000 miles" attached to the stantions.  Jib tracks will also be backed with nutted s/s strap and glassed on the inside to prevent leaks.  Finally, I'll at least be able to close in the cabin overhead.
The right tools for the right job.  Thanks to craigslist I was able to purchase extremely cheap an old radial arm saw for cutting the 3" x 3/16" s/s strap.  I first tried using my chop saw.  Took forever even on the 1/8" and the edges were not straight.  Couldn't find a slide/chop saw and got the idea for the radial arm.  This this, if one knows how to use it properly will do almost everything possible.  Boy, Raymond DeWalt sure had a great idea when he invented it in 1922.  http://www.gallawayb2b.com/The-History-of-DeWalt
Then I quickly realized that drilling thick stainless with a battery drill was futile and very time consuming .... so, again CL came through with a never used drill press at half price.  Both of which I can re-sell when I'm finished.  I'll probably use them extensively when I get to the interior cabinet work.  Between the radial arm and the table saw I can have nice clean cuts.
I'm still waiting on the metal for the stantion base tube.  It was actually less to order it from Speedy Metals in Wisconson then to drive and pick it up locally.
http://www.speedymetals.com/p-4482-1-14-od-x-120-wall-tube-304-stainless-steel-annealed.aspx

Companionway hatch opening

Well ... had to take a part time job to make ends meet and keep working on the boat.  I officially dislike work.  It really cuts in on my boat time.
Last several days I've been working on the companionway hatch.  You know, the big opening where you go in and out and hope water doesn't do the same.  I raised the opening of the deck by 4-1/2 inches.  This way if I take water on the deck it at least has to get that deep before coming aboard.  This also strengthened the deck by laying the glass around the corner.  I also narrowed and strengthened the side panels with a corner as well. (see the picture below - you'll probably get the idea.)
Next, because I'm out of resin until payday, going to continue to cut and laminate overhead beams.  I already have the plywood and glue.  I can make one double wide beam per day in one glue-up and cut them separate the next day.



Honoring My Country ... The United States of America

This weekend I honor and celebrate my country's birthday.  I'm a proud American.  I served in it's military and was a proud submariner.

However, there's more to this weekend.  How 'bout relaxing on my boat.  Ya, I know, it's not in the water yet.  But I get really nice cool breezes off the ocean.

Violet sure knows how to relax on deck and keep cool.  I think I'll lose this camera and join her for a sail.

Spencer Rendezvous 2011

To all who gather for the Spencer Rendezvous 2011 .... I'm there is spirit.  I'll see at the next one.  I look forward to chatting with you Saturday evening.

Look through my blog.  Make comment and suggetions.  I'll check frequently between the 1st and the 4th.

Me and Violet, my First Mate

Here's what it currently looks like: (the plastic on top is to keep the sun of the insulation board I have on the cabin roof to keep the heat down.  Eventually it will go on the inside)

Main salon looking fwd from as far aft as I can get

One of the two SS diesel tanks.
I got them from a friend for really cheap.

Looking in the above picture, Stbd aft will be the chart station, fwd will be a settee, which converts to a 4th berth.

Port side lower left corner, including where the tank is, will by the galley.  I have a diesel stove all ready to be set in place as soon as I get the cabinetry in place.  Fwd of the tank is the dinette.

Visitors to my Blog

Looking at the stats I have noticed that many people are viewing my blog.  I hope you're following my progress.  I know there's no guest book to sign, but if you could leave a little note in the comment section I'd appriciate it.  I'm not trying to build an email list so don't leave that unless you have questions.  Suggestions from other cruisers or boatbuilders are most welcome.
Thanks

Diesel tank finished .... finally

Today I put the final layer of glass repairing the section I removed for modifying the bottom of the tank.  It's been a long process but it will be nice to have a common bilge flow fore and aft.  Now, only one pump set needed.  With the addition of the fwd sanitary holding tank the fwd bilge area was really to small to be and affective seawater holding area anyway.  Water from the fwd hatch or chain locker can flow over the fwd water tank, drain down and run aft to the pump station. .... Wow, why didn't Spencer think of that !!!

Diesel Tank

Well, I know it looks like just a deck with the center missing but it's more than that.  The shiny spot near the top is on the lid for the sanitary tank I finished a couple days ago.  Also, installed the forward two floor supports.  If any Spencer owners follow my blog you know that Spencer liked to put in bilge tanks.  They used the sides and bottom for the tank and just added ends and a top.  This ment if you got any water in the bilge, like .... da .... it's a boat .... , you would have to pump both fore and aft of the tank.  When I installed the sanitary tank I have it a double bottom so the bilge could drain aft.  Today, I cut the top of the diesel tank and spent the day with my head in the tank cutting out the bottom 3" of the fore and aft ends.  Tomorrow I'll glass in a double bottom for that tank as well.  Now my can flow from the chain locker drains all the way aft to the engine bilge.  One common bilge, one pump .... will probably two or three .... you know, multiple back up pumps.  .... electric, and 2 Gusher pumps

06/17 -- I finished the tank bottom.  Layed 5 layers of glass: 3 matte, 2 roving.  I've done cleaner lay-ups, but then, I wasn't doing it up side down with my head in the bottom of a tank breathing vapors.  It got a little hot and set up quicker than I expected.  There are a few wrinkes, but who's going to see it anyway?  Now I have to grind the lid I cut out and get it put back in place.

Fwd holding tank

08/11 -- Finished all the edge support for setting on the tank lid tomorrow. That will be the last time I can stand in the bottom of the tank. Of course, who'd want to after that. It's a black water tank. It has a double bottom so the bilge water can flow under it. The bilge is common from bow to stern.  --   9 yards of 18 oz roving cloth, 18 yards of 2 oz mat, and 4 gallons of resin.  Would have taken more if I had to build the sides.  They are the hull curve.

08/10 --- Completed the final lay-up of glass on the front and back wall. Cut and layed-up the lid on the work bench. It's a flat surface that I can cover with mold release. It should be hard enough to put in place tomorrow.

This week I'm working on completing the fwd bilge holding tank. This way I can fininsh the main salon floor supports and fasten down the cabin sole. Once the floor is fastened I can start with the cabin interior: galley, settees, dinette, nav station, aft berthing compartment

aft compartment floor

I decided that it's important to get all the floor supports, below floor tanks and cabin sole finished throughout the boat. Eventually, and hopefully not for a few months, it's going to rain again and I want the cabin closed up. I have a large hole on the stbd side for bringing in 4x8 sheets of plywood. By finishing up all the cabin sole and bulkhead I can close up the cabin sides and make the boat water tight. That being said, the last couple days I've been working long hours making, fitting, and installing the floor support in the aft cabin. (pics it follow) I've got the port side 50% finished and started the stbd side.

The hole in the middle is where my Perkins 4-107 engine and Borg Warner 71C transmission will mount up. Crew berth one on each side.

I know .... short attention span.  Look at the next post.  I did complete the floor supports, I just didn't get the sole layed down.

Shower time

I know one doesn't spend a large percentage of one's time in the shower but it still requires thought so it's attractive and of adequate size. Even a medium size sailboat has to have a shower. Did you ever watch the movie, "Capt Ron"? Here we have a 65ft boat and a shower no big enough to turn around in. Let a lone accomodate two people. (you never know) The last couple days I've been working on the shower stall and the hot water cabinet. A 10 gallon hot water storage tank goes on the shelf. It well be heated via heat exchanger in the diesel stove. Not quite ready to install but tomorrow I hope to fit in the bulkhead separating the shower from the rest of the compartment.

40 year old stantion bases

Today I bought a 12 ton hydraulic press to remove the stantions from the bases they've been in for 40 years. If I can press them out without breaking them I'll use them for the safety rails on the cabin roof. . . . . . Well, 6 of the 10 came out .... the other 4 broke. So much for using them on the cabin top. Oh well, back to my original idea of making all my won stantion bases. Fourteen for the cabin top and 18 or so for the deck, that's one every 5 ft plus the gates and pulpit and stern rail. Thirty-two in all including a couple spares. That's a lot of stantion bases !!!

Fwd Bulkheads

Four sheets of plywood ... two each side for double compartment bulkheads / mast support. I got the first one fit and installed. Sure hold the main bulkhead true. Getting these installed means great progress because now I can start enclosing smaller sections of this compartment. The right side of the picture will be the shower stall. Ya ... a shower on a boat that you can actually use.

Skippers Stateroom

I got tired of chiseling out the old rib in the overhead. Today I fit in the supports and plywood for my berth. Layed a towel on it and laid down. .... cool .... Tomorrow I just might spend the nite on the boat. May 7th .... my first night on the boat. All that's left for the main structure is the front support. I can do that tomorrow no sweat.

What a stack of insulation ! ! !

Went and picked up the insulation today. Forty 2x8 of 1-1/2 Dow DeckMate blue board. That should keep me warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Tomorrow I start cutting and fitting the first sheet. Got a really good deal because the supplier's had it for a long time and was more that glad to get rid of it. ..... There's plenty more if you need some to insulate your boat .... or what ever else it is you have.
I must have look pretty strange driving down the freeway with a 30 inch stack on the roof of my Jeep.

Work Progressing nicely

Picture on the left: Gluing the interior overhead ribs on the coach roof to get the proper bend.

Picture on the right: Installing the overhead ribs. Because of curing time I only set two at at time.

Well, after hitting myself in the head with a hammer a couple days ago, OUCH, while knocking out the old overhead ribs. I installed the first overhead rib in the fwd compartment. I know ... big deal ... well, to me it means progress. I've ordered the insulation and by next week I can start putting it in the overhead between the ribs.

Back, finally, from my trip to the far side of the US

Finally, after 6 weeks working, traveling, visiting family, I'm finally back home working on my boat. Great trip but really long. All in all Violet and I drove through 19 states not including California. We saw the Atlantic ocean, Big Horn Sheep, Prong Horn Antelope, Elk, and lots of snow.
So .... back to work ..... I missed my boat .... where did I leave off? Where do I start? Ok, let's get on track and finish the fwd berth and head. Sorry, no pics, 'cause all I'm doing is glassing in bulkheads; they look basically the same before I start and 8 hrs later when I'm finished for the day.

Page with no title :-)

Well, pictures would seem to show I haven't been doing anything these last several days, but I've completed fitting and installing the aft half of the main double bulkhead. It takes a day to prepare a template then fit, cut, route, and install each of the 3 panels. I double glass taped the section that will be below the cabin sole. Now I can work aft of the bulkhead and fit in the sanitary tank or forward and fasten down the forward cabin sole and start with Cptn's cabin and head compartments. Tomorrow I'm going to start glueing up the support arch under the mast step.

Main Salon Floors

Well ..... after many days of glueing plywood strips I fit and installed the first of 8 or 9 main salon floors. Yesterday I tore out the old stbd quarter berth. The boat really look big inside with that structure gone. Of course, it will be going back in just 6 inches further aft and not quite so wide. Hal Roth says berths on a sea going cruiser should be no more than 24 inches wide. Hey, he's sailed 50000 miles. He must know a little of what he writes about. Actually, he did a lot of his sailing in a Spencer 35, the same basic design as the S-42, just shorter. I'm taking a lot of his ideas and incorporating them into my boat. It doesn't really look like I've done much but I'll post a picture of the suppot floor tomorrow. Feb 15 I've installed 5 floors and the 6th is fitted. I need to finish the double main bulkhead and holding tank before I put in the last 2 floors.

Hand Holes

Well, I'm not going to get the fwd cabin sole in by tomorrow. Those little circles on the ground are the under side of the hand holes you see in yesterday's post. Each circle has to be cut outside, inside and the outer edge routed. Tomorrow I'll fasten them in place. Then, before I fasten the sole I have to run the shower drain and fwd water tank fill and system supply. Oh well, at least the days are warm and sunny. :-)

Fwd Cabin Sole

It's really good to have my Jeep working again. I almost forgot what the clutch was for. I've been speed shifting for a month.

Finally, back to boat construction. I've been working on fitting the cabin sole in the forward compartment. This view is in the used-to-be V-berth area, now sail and chain locker, looking aft . The holes in the sole are access holes between the floors. Naturally, once the sole is down and the bulkheads are in there's no way to get under the sole. Stbd, where the saw and tape are will be my berth; 27" wide at the head tapering to 24" at the foot. Port will be the head/shower. Have to have a shower, and not just a shower head stuck in a crouded corner. I'm planning a 30"x30" shower area. The water system will be the port side. Tomorrow I cut and fit in the under sole edge for the hand holes. By Wednesday I hope to have to sole glassed in place. :-)

forward bulkhead

The last few days and today I've been working on the bulkhead between the stateroom and the sail storage in the bow. Before installing the stbd half I traced it on a sheet of plywood. Today I cut, fitted, routed, and installed the port half of the bulhead. Why is it that the second half of a project goes easier than the first half? I took 3 pictures but when I went to view them they were not on the camera or the SD chip. How disappointing. You take once-in-a-lifetime pictures and they disappear. Really makes me think twice about going back my realiable film camera.
Yesterday I started working on my 86 Jeep. I was having clutch problems. All indications pointed to a worn out release bearing. So, I bought a clutch kit. You can't just buy, or atleasts it's not recommended, a release bearing. After half a day of grease and yuck working in a gravel parking lot. I discover that the clutch lever arm is badly cracked and and bent. Order the part ... wait for shipping ... put the whole thing back together again. Yes, with the new clutch whether it needed it or not. In the picture the lever arm in front is what it should like like.
Oh well, another relaxing evening. Tomorrow I measure for the stateroom floor in the boat. Finally, something to walk on besides the open floors, tanks, and bilges.

Main Bulkhead

Well, with a break in the rain I finally got the boat dry enough inside to continue with some woodworking. Today I finished fitting in the mast support bulkhead. Also, cut out what will be a watertight door. I took a picture but there was a read error when I went to load it. Guess you'll have to wait for the picture tomorrow.

01/13/11 --- Glassed in two more floors/mast support beams. The rest of the floor only support the cabin sole and don't have to be so heavy and will fit in a lot faster. Maybe I can have the forward compartment roughed in by the end of the month.

Holding Tanks

The last several days I've been working on building and installing holding tanks. I should have at least 50 gallon holding between two tanks. I made supports and a lid for an open, very deep bildge area under the engine, behind the keel lead. The other tank will be between the keel water tank and the diesel tank leaving space between the tanks for access to the keel bolts.