The Forecast Calls for Fair(ing)

Yes, the time has come to begin filling all of the screw holes, dings, gouges, and screwless holes (how did that happen?).  I spent some time on Christmas Eve and Christmas day getting lots of fairing compound mixed up, then fill fill fill!

The goal has been to get everything filled, sanded and ready for chine fiber-glassing by the end of the weekend.  Looks like I am going to make my self-imposed deadline.  Here are some shots after I filled and faired everything, pre-sanding: 

Note to self: next time, use less filler. It was so much sanding.  Something like 4-5 hours worth of sanding.  Here it is today:

Getting ready to lay some 2" tape on the outer Stem Post.

Glass is all wetted down now.  Waiting for it to kick before I sand more.  Also filled in some of the spots that weren't perfect post sanding:

Being a glutton for punishment, I will probably go out later tonight for some more sanding.  It should be a pretty quick and easy affair, however.

Chines get glassed on Monday.  Then we flip it over and get to work on the decks, hatches and interior portions!

Catsup - Better than Ketchup?

Well I still remember how to use a computer.  Seriously, just been tough to get Blog posts up with everything else going on.  Not to fear, there has been lots of progress, so time to Catch Up! I also have taken the smaller PnS camera out in hopes of getting more pictures as we go.

Gary can be seen below thinking about chines a few weeks ago.  Yea, chines are cool.

She seems pretty fair too, right Gary?

Sorry, pics are sideways in spots...  Chines ready.

Damn plunge cuts to get the notches out of the frames.  

Thar she is!

Measuring lengths of the chines.

One chine installed.

Chine Installed.

Both chines.

Amy likes the boat!

Getting the bottom cut out.  We scribed this off the sides, then got to cutting.

 Checking for fit.

Cut out the glass.  Thanks Scotty!

Epoxy station all set up.  

Before shot.

The inside of the bottom is glassed.

I was here!

 Nice Lines!

Weighing down, and getting out of the way!

 All ready for a bottom

The bottom.

Pooky

Strap on

Getting 'er done

Belt sanding the edges in.

 

Bottom is on.

So we dance on it!

So today the bottom was screwed on around the chine, and I am getting ready to fillet all of the screw holes and rough areas.  The last few weeks have seen a lot of little things get resolved.  The chine notches, the chines installed, everything sanded and faired, the bottom was cut out, glasses, smothered in adhesive then installed.  Lots of work to be done too, now that we know catsup, is not as good as Catch Up, time to get everything ready to flip back over and start the bulkheads, deck framing and decking. 

Monday Monday

Well, I wasn't convinced anything would get done tonight as my motivation was severely lacking, but a quick call to Gary and I knew we needed to do something.  So we did.  We spent some time thinking about the chine logs we were now going to add.  Thinking we could get fancy and creative was quickly rebuked once we got the boat together on Saturday.  Now we have to add a chine log to the inside and we didn't cut the notches into the frames.  Argh!

So Gary and Chad got a jig to cut the Chine scarfs made up lickity split, and we set to getting the 3-1/2"x5/8" Doug Fir boards ripped down to 2-1/2" wide.  Once these were ripped down and the proper scarf angles cut, we set about figuring out how to cut the notches into the frames.  Still scratching our heads at that one.  Any ideas out there?  Gary said to give him a few days and he would figure it out.  I hope he does.

So we got the chines scarfed and decided to call it a night.  Will probably get back after it on Wednesday night, since AMY comes home from Peru tomorrow (woo hoo!).

These scarf joints are getting pretty second nature.  Pretty soon (at least sooner than we realize) we will be ripping the mahogany up to make gunwales and trim pieces.  Still working on fiberglass and more epoxy so we can get the bottom on and start on the decks.  Transom eyelet should be here soon, so progress is progress.

Structurally Sound

Wow.  Pretty sure that's almost all that comes to mind.  Well, maybe the beginning of all that comes to mind.  Today was a full day.

Started the day by checking last nights scarf joints.  It was the best one yet.  Think we got that part dialed.  Here is the second side fully scarfed.  Gary laying out the first side beyond.

 Multi-tasking

 First side is cut.  Except the tricky bottom cut with the radius.

 Cutting one of the sides.

 There it is.  Finished side.  Once both were cut we clamped them together and faired the panels.

 Completed side panel.  Doesn't look like much of a boat yet...

 Got the Stem Post attached and glued to the sides.  We needed lots of room.

 The temp frames were both a gift and a curse.

 Hmm.  I think it looks like a boat!

 Didn't get a lot of pictures of the boat coming together.  I was just a little busy.  We ended up installing all of the cedar frames.  It is now time to get the inner chine logs ready to go.  But first, we must enjoy the fruits of our labor!

 Shot of the Frames.

 The happy team.

Left to Right: Chad, Josh & Gary (G-Money!)

Today is a milestone day.  A day we will savor, but there is always more to be done.  Chines, bottom, glassing, decks, and on and on....