It's a Boat!

It is a boat. only two and a half hours from flat to form. I had the best help in the world. 3 Men with good stories as well as willing hands. The morning flew by as holes were drilled, wires fed through and twisted. (Ron suggested Twisted Sister as a name.) The hull panels came together well. We had the same difficulty at the stern as Carl did. The stern kicks up a bit at the last, tends to spread the keel stitching and the angle of the transom is a bit deeper than the stern bulkhead. But both station wagons in the parking lot held line and web straps for pulling it in tight. Nothing like having sailors for friends.
I had the glories of working in a very large, cavernous, well lit space. As we put the two halves on the cradle, I had rigged wires from the ceiling to support the "wings" (actually the sides) they worked so well, they ended up supporting the whole boat as she came together.
This day has highlighted one of the aspects of sustainability that I feel is very important. It is the person to person sense of responsibility and sharing that exist in community. I was able to help on a friend's boat assembly, learning valuable stuff along the way from another friend that had already had the fun of folding his boat.

Prelude

It is the night before the boat opens. The core sound construction has you tack the bottoms and sides together at the front and then coax all three seams together using copper wire and then epoxy.
I had a very nice tour of MAS epoxies this afternoon. It is a nice tight family group of folks producing quality products. I got to sample a new filler material made from cellulose (paper pulp) which is much more friendly than the fly away colloidal silica. Also they have a new biodegradable wash for paint brushes. I'll let you know how this one works.
I also tried to fabricate a sprit from a non-functioning trash picked 8' glass fluorescent tube and some carbon fiber.

Wheels

I finished the cradle tonight. I put wheels on so we can move it around the warehouse now and then use it at the waterfront as a dolly. I am hoping to get help for folding the boat on Sat.

cape

white horses on town cove

Sail Rigs

Possibilities. I sail a lug rig now and am partial to it. The spars are shorter, and lighter, There is no boom or sprit to knock your head in a tack. The look is pleasant.

Recycling

I have found a number of ways to recycle items which have gotten another use or two, saving me from having to purchase them. First the packing case was dismantled and all the screws saved. I have used the screws to devise a clamping method for the scarfs.




The nice thing about step scarfs is that they are very easy to align as well as being strong. With the first method I used to join panels of plywood, I had to plane 8:1 bevels and then screw one board to an under board, then carefully align the second one atop the slippery surface. Wet epoxy acts like grease and makes everything slide. The step scarfs don't allow sliding in one plane , which really helps the builder to maintain the designers intent. Back to the recycling, I used the screws from the shipping container to sandwich the glued panels between two pieces of plywood- also recycled from panels headed to the dumpster.



Another recycled item has rained down from above. The wiring in the ceiling of the warehouse is being replaced where necessary. I have been collecting the short bits and trimmings from the floor. After stripping off the cable cover, I get three copper wire ties from each piece to use to "stitch" the hull together. Copper is good for this use for two reasons; it is ductile and mailable, yet stiffens with twisting to keep the joint together and it transfers heat readily allowing stuck joints to be released. After use these wire bits can still be recycled for cash at our local metals reclamation center. This will save me having to purchase copper wires.



I am also recycling the acid brush I use to mix epoxy with by cleaning it after each use with white vinegar. White vinegar is inexpensive and denatures uncured epoxy resin and hardener mix.The vinegar is a substitute for acetone, with obvious health benefits. Tuna cans are saved for use as mixing containers as are the lids from other containers that can't be recycled in our
township.

Stringers

Monday nite Pete & I took the screws out of the the stringers in hopes of "sewing the hull together on Tuesday. The day began well, but quickly filled up with the stuff of life and the NJ Regional Science fair which I am a co-director in. I had to meet my obligations and so had to only think about progress. In the meantime I received emails from my other friends build the same boat which helped with the cradle I am building.

Cinnaminson

Friday, I spent cleaning out my new workspace at the warehouse. I glued up the two sides. Today am planning to glue up the bottom boards and make the joint between sides and bottom, as well as making the cradle. Started shaping the rudder hydrodynamics. Went to hear Chris Smither play at the Tin Angel for a break in routine.

Spartina

Today, I glued up the rudder blanks.
Yesterday, I built the middle temporary bulkhead for the Core Sound. Spartina is the name of the boat.


It is a marsh grass that grows along the water, peat, and muck boundaries at the Cape. It is a beautiful color green. I have painted a few of my boats this color, so they blend in, rather than detract from the view when they are left at the landings.



I also made a jig for gluing up the test panels for filler materials. I have collected chopped glass, silica, dryer lint, linen tow, polyester waste, phenolic microballoons, and fly ash. I am planning to compare weight and strength of these materials at an angle between the chine and keel angles. I am using 120 degrees as the test angle.

Skeg

The centerboard for the sneakbox is made of four oak planks drifted together with bronze pins. There is no adhesive.



Charles & I made a new skeg today for the sneakbox.







Silent Maid has her plywood deck. Patterns were made for the tanks onboard.

Bulkheads were made and installed.

Charlie & Bobby were making plywood again.




The A-cat, Spyder, has a gleaming coat of paint. She's ready to move out.

Bulkheads and Cabin Soul

June Christening for the MAID! All the staff is busy detailing and constructing the belowdecks, so they can get on with the decks.

The Sneakbox has beautiful new laminated knees. Also a new oak centerboard cap. the beginnings of the centerboard were noted today.

SPYDER is still being painted.

Parts of Wendy's grad project CoreSound were moved to a Cinnaminson warehouse since the boatshop is full.

Making Plywood

Gluing up a lamination for the Coaming of SILENT MAID.










Harpins, deckbeams, frames, and a new mast step for the sneakbox. Centerboard case glued/screwed in. I spent most of the day underneath this boat, working over my head. I could see the celing through the gaps between the planks.



John working on new rugbeater tillers for SPYDER and TORCH

All the Toys

Some folks just have to have it all.









Sneakbox progress. Working on resetting the deck. and making deckbeams.

Spyder getting new paint.
bees were out, after a week of teens and twenties, it went up to fifty degrees.

Carl's Core Sound

Spent Sat am. helping out with the stitching part of stitch & glue construction. This is the same hull I have chosen. Pictures courtesy of John G.

Boat in a Box

B and B yacht designs, NC sent this. Patience. I need a name for this boat. Am soliciting ideas. Mike contributed "Plum Duff"Any others out there?

Model Core Sound

While recuperating I am working on a model Core Sound 17.

Short Visit

Saw Benji & Charlie.

Catch up

A lot has happened since the last note. These pictures are old, from Nov. More new frames in the duckboat, Carolyn reinstalling seats in SPYDER, one full boat shop, Jeff working on the chart case for OLYMPIA. Since then I have become a grandma, and had major constructive surgery on my head. Christmas & New Years came and went. I am getting better and preparing for a new quarter and my thesis project.

I have decided to use a Core Sound 17 as the basic application of the new technology I am planning to develop. It is the closest to meeting all the desired inputs from earlier discussions on this blog, affordable, and two fellow TSCA members are building the same boat, providing control subjects. I am excited by their level of building skill and know those boats will be well founded. Since we are friends and members of the same TSCA we will be able to compare methods and building techniques along the way. Those boats will serve as the controls for my experimental applications.

I see this project in several phases.

Composite Hull Materials testing.
1. Punch samples, weigh, waves, stranding, strength test of fiber. Compare glass, carbon, mixed and kevlar fibers. Get books, formula, from Dr. Pastore.
2. Laminate samples to Marine ply, drop test, delamination, sheer, torque, penetration. Find devices for testing.
3. Filler materials. Compare stock (off the shelf) fillers to more ecological types, Concepts: lint, sifted sawdust, $,ground vegetable wheat/rice hulls, straw, linen tow) matter, etc. Make deformation tests, sandability, gravity, sag, viscosity, formability, smoothness, filleting, fairing, etc.

Application testing.
A full size hull mock up will be constructed to determine modifications for comfort (Rob Fryer).
Auxiliary power. The sustainable version will have no oil burning power devices, like an outboard engine, electric may be considered. A Hobie drive and oars will be accommodated with in the design.
A shelter will be designed for overnight and inclement weather. Interior cockpit area will be designed for both comfort underway and camping arrangements. Stowage and
Sailing performance will be optimized. Sails will be compared to the sprit rig as supplied by the designer. Rigs to be tested will include full batten Harrier (Tony Diaz), junk, and lug. Models will be wind tunnel tested for drive, power and angle of point.
Tested material/products will be applied to full size hull and compared with classically built version for sustainability.