On a big project like this one sometimes we take pride in doing the big items, but doing the small ones is as important, some of these things don't even get noticed because they are not exposed, but they are as important if not more, than their big counterparts. So in this update I will knock down some of the smaller things on my list.
The swim platform being the support for that big bait tank needed a very good structure to support all that weight. Instead of going with aluminum or stainless pipe as it's commonly used to hold swim platforms in place, I opted to make my own "supports" out of fiberglass. These are over-the-top-STRONG "legs" for my swim platform.
I hung the swim platform and held it were I wanted it to rest, I then cut a styrofoam sheet with the angles of the transom/s.platform and cut a curve to finish up the template.
Here is the template (white foam) and the fiberglass layer that I will use to make this part, the yellow foam is the divinycell, core material.
I begin to make the molds for each part, I will have two "Swim Platform Supports".
After the first couple of layers of fiberglass were in the mold, a thick layer of cabosil went in, and the core (3/4 inch divinycell) went in, then the gaps between the walls of the part and the core were filled with cabosil (no bubbles), the core was wetted and then more fiberglass was laid to finish the part.
Here is how it looked after the fibeglassing was complete.
After two days the parts were taken out of the molds and sanded.
Fairing and sanding
After sanding and gelcoating the parts were installed. 304 stainless angle was used to hold the "supports" in place, 1/4" x 2" x 2" angle. I used 5/8 stainless steel thru-bolts. It's heavy duty strong. The swim platform was glassed (chemical bonding) to the "supports" and also screwed down (mechanical bonding) to the supports using 6 - 14x3" stainless steel screws on each side. These screws were countersink and they even went about 1/8" below the surface so that the hole would be covered in gelcoat refinishing the surface of the swim platform.
The bow had this teak bow plank but it needed to be supported/reinforced so that I could put an anchor roller on top of it for my anchor. I figured I could do this two little parts out of fiberglass to strenghten this area.
Here is a picture of the bow plank with a cardboard-cut template in place.
Here are the two parts still on their little molds. There is 1/2 inch divinycell in them.
The boat came with only 50 gals of fuel capacity in its tanks, I got a 27 gal tank to increment my range. I was told by my shop I would get 3 mpg, I figured I place this extra tank in and then I would figure out if I would need to add another 50-70gal tank below the pilot house deck. Having gone out, I figure I'm gettin about 2 mpg, so I'm ordering a custom alum tank. Anyway here are three parts built to support the 27gal tank.
Finish up the supports for the tank...
All three supports curing.
Next on the list was to close up the transom side of the cockpit. I wanted a door on each side, leaving enough space below the doors to have one or two scuppers in each side of the engine.
The first step in makin the mold when the part is "flat", is to draw the part in your melamine board. Here is the initial drawing of this part.
My youngest daughter came out to help me but she doesn't want to give up the sculpey box....
My "middle" daughter came out and she wanted to help so here she is pushing some of the sculpey in place.
Here are my two little helpers. I love their smiles...
Here is the finished mold, the red paint covers the sculpey so that it will be easier when I take the part out of the mold. The paint is not a special paint, just something I had laying around.
Here are two shots of the finished part. Notice how there are two additional parts in the center, these are used to make the corners, they go on the ends of the bigger part. You'll see it in the following picture.
Here is the finished part, sanded, faired, sanded, installed (tabbed in) and then faired, sanded, and with the first couple of gelcoat layers. You can see how the parts on the previous picture were used to make corners.
On the next update you will see how the fuel tanks were tested, coated and installed. You will also see how the deck in the cockpit was constructed, this is very interesting, the deck hatches, and some seriusly hardcore sanding, stay tunned.
Josh out
Linear Mode
