Clippercraft bilge ideas

[Spokaloo]

Still in the planning and prep stages, but the bilges need completed regardless of what happens above them. This is a little below-decks shot series to get some opinions and ideas. The boat was built with custom laid plywood, having 5 plies in 5/8" plywood, the outer being mahogany, then 4 plies of BC fir laid up void-free as marine (there are certain perks to the PNW, like having custom spec plywood made at a mill). That is then glued to the stringers of the same 5/8" plywood faced on the visible side with MDO.

Also note the strengtheners of aluminum both at the frame joints and along the bow where the second sheet of MDO wouldn't be able to conform in such a small space. Strange, but they are well bedded and make for a stiff and well-tested hull.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/fighterama2/Clipper/clipper6013.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/fighterama2/Clipper/clipper6014.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/fighterama2/Clipper/clipper6015.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/fighterama2/Clipper/clipper6016.jpg

So where to start....

Any opinions of whether to glass the fir areas to prevent checking? The bow bilges will be 100% dry (inside enclosed cabin), but there is always a risk of a little water bleeding into the main bilge area through hatch seams that aren't bulletproof, or from condensation, etc.

I plan on doing white tinted epoxy coating to the entire bilge area on the ply, with neat epoxy on the frames (allowing to keep an eye on them for cracks). Trying to decide if glass is necessary between the stringers or if it is just extra work that will be handled by a few coats of epoxy.

Next step will be adding height to the frames to get the sole above the waterline. Its looking like +5" aft and +7" at the fwd bulkhead to give good drainage to the transom mounted scuppers. Not sure if this will be in the form of more fir on top of the frames or if it will be 3/4" ply glued to the faces of the frames and 1x1 battens to glue the sole to. Input is appreciated there as well.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/fighterama2/Clipper/clipper5015.jpg

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[Dave Wright]

Eric, you found another ClipperCraft???? Congratulations! No inboard package in this one? What are your powering plans, outboard?

I'd glass the ply where ever I could, providing it wasn't too inacessible, even if it was just with very lightweight cloth. But that's just a worry wart's point of view.

Keep us informed of your progress.

[Spokaloo]

I found the right price on the last unfinished 23' open boat. Its a 3.0Gl/SX drive Volvo setup, never been started.

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[Spokaloo]

Well that was fruitless, not much input.

I ended up putting down 3.25 oz fiberglass over the raw fir.

Any thoughts on what way would be best to raise the floors so the sole is high enough to be self bailing? Im considering adding CVG fir on top of the existing fir, or gluing up a piece of 3/8" ply on one side, then putting 1x1's on both sides to add gluing surface. I want this deck to be watertight as much as possible.

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[pipefitter]

How about using dimensioned lumber or plywood or ply lumber sandwich or TJI (I-beam) perhaps (could possibly lighten plywood stringers with lightening holes) but as longitudinal stringers to support the deck that rest notched on the frames? That way, you could run your rigging chases fore to aft without cutting through the frames, have access hatches between stringers any length you desire etc. You could build crown into the deck that would allow it to self bail down each side in channels, keeping your deck hatches high and dry down the center.

[Spokaloo]

So my only other part of this is where would I put the fishwells and fuel tanks if I did the stringers?

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[pipefitter]

So my only other part of this is where would I put the fishwells and fuel tanks if I did the stringers?

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Down here on the Gulf coast, a lot of fish wells go on the deck unless it's on larger boats. You could interrupt the stringers for well openings of your choice. You could put one back by the stern above deck or partially above and below or just put them where you were going to originally and frame around it.

How wide is this boat and how far apart are the frames?

[Spokaloo]

Frames are 28" apart aft, 24" forward. I had planned on putting two fuel tanks in, one in the frame space forward of the engine box, then a fishbox in the next space, followed by the second fuel tank in the next space. That would allow fairly centralized mass and the ability to trim by burning fuel based on catch and fish/ice storage.

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