The method for putting my hulls together leaves a flat area at the bow (very front). It’s to be filled with foam, rounded off, and glassed over. It creates somewhat of a sacrifical area, so if you hit something really hard, I suppose the false bow will get taken off first hopefully leaving the hull structurally sound. I’ll do my best to avoid testing it.
Attaching the foam to the already glassed over stem was a chore. I didn’t want to simply drive screws through the stem and what I came up with fell apart no less than four times before I finally got it to hold.
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| From Fall 2010 |
Once the first layer was in, it was easier to clamp and screw to that:
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| From Fall 2010 |
After that, rounding it off is simply a matter of applying muscle to the long board, which you can see still leaning against the hull.
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| From Fall 2010 |
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| From Fall 2010 |
and finally, lots of fiberglass:
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| From Fall 2010 |
With that, the hull is totally fiberglassed and everything I do to the outsides is just cleaning up my glass work to get ready for paint. For some builders, this takes as much or more time than any other step, but I’m not looking to build something that appears to have popped out of a mold with a perfect mirror reflection. I’ll be doing more that just “slapping” a coat of paint on, but it’s all just aesthetic at this point and I really want to go sailing soon. The designer said it best when he suggests building a 50ft boat: One that looks just as good as anything from 50 feet away.
October 12, 2010 at 3:40 pm |
I dunno, Sweetie…I think that stem looks darn purdie.
November 7, 2010 at 12:16 am |
Hello Heather and Jeff. I has been a while since I checked your bog out so I’m glad to see your moving along so nicely. I think your doing a great job on your boat by the pictures.
Our family got to Romany 13 days ago. The first week was quite an adjustment, but were now starting to feel like a family again. We have lots of major project to do before the Wharram Rendezvous on December 10, and then off to the Islands.
As I read your blog I’m wondering where your putting the 4 T105′s. We only have two and would like to have more.
We are adding a radar/utility arch for a bunch of reasons. It will be used to mount our two 120W PV’s. We will have two 8 foot Ham antennas on it, and a Windcharger mount (if we decide to get one). We also decided to install davits too. I know Richard said they were unnecessary, but handling the heavy (to my wimpy self!) motor is a bother to me, and impossible for little Carol. This way we can hoist up the dingy, motor and all with one hand! I’m doing everything I can so that Carol can manage without me if that ever comes to pass (or she pushes me over!).
We have also removed the port water tank, because the waste tank was over it and occasionally belched on top if it. We replaced it with a snug space for two 7 gallon jerry cans. Were setting things up so that we can use jerry cans for everything but the galley area. Please note (at least on our boat) with the batteries, ALL the water, and the head on the port side the boat was port heavy. We are also removing the marine toilet (gave me fits every week I used it this spring) and going to a natures head composting unit.
Doing lost of other small stuff but I won’t bore you with it. You probably obsessed enough with your own “Romany” without mine cluttering up your brain space.
I hope you are both well. KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE. IT IS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So few people do.
Chris Curtis
s/v Romany
curtisfamilyadventures.wordpress.com
November 8, 2010 at 8:26 pm |
Hey Chris,
Good to hear from you! I’m putting the batteries under the sink area. I build a box that will fit 4 T105s and I’ll likely vent it to the outside. I thought about that location for a long time. it’s not ideal, but it seems to work the best for how my system is going to be setup.
Good luck with the composting head. I’m also planning on using one.