Rebuilding my 50' schooner in Nicaragua [Archive] - Page 2

JoshuaIII

12-01-2011, 09:18 AM

I've started to do something on my build that I think you may like it too (If it's not done yet)...

A log book!
Exemple:
Floor #4 have blind bolt, to access it remove the 4 plank from the bottom port side.

G1131 adhesive was use for this part of the boat.

Hided screws on the heel of the frames between station 6 to 8....

I am digging since a week all the pictures I can to track down a few details that I've already forgot... Just as drift bolt where they are and which one are...

I never had a book detailing detail how to repair the boat before... And I think this can be handy.. Example, changing a floor in 5 years, do I will really remember under which plank that bolt is hiding?

Just a thought ;)

Capt Zatarra

12-01-2011, 11:58 AM

That sounds like a great idea. The challenge for me will be remembering to keep the log up to date. I can see how this could be very helpful in the future when you want to change or modify something. Thanks for the idea. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

12-04-2011, 01:30 AM

While waiting for my latest wood order to arrive I had to build a new shelf to match one I had built about a year ago. I thought you guy might like to see it.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6437688051_43c0e7dfa1.jpg
Here is the one it matches.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6437684255_bdff304981.jpg
Both have a middle "floating shelf" that is suspended from natural branches.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6437669453_b525533d2d.jpg
Soooo...what does this have to do with boat building? My plan is to build all the hinges and and latches needed in the cabinetry, in the schooner, out of wood. So I thought I would try a new design I have been thinking about, on this new cabinet. Here is the door closed. It has wooden hinges and a wooden latch.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6437663315_be6962db2d.jpg
The entire cabinet is built without metal. It is mortise and tenon with square to round wood pegs in each tenon. The latch handle is a root.

Capt Zatarra

12-04-2011, 01:54 AM

Here is the latch, on the inside of the door, in the open position. The root on the front attaches to the gear.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6437648659_7549b05543.jpg
Twist it to advance or retract the slide lock.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6437657485_5a44ce2ccd.jpg
So can you see my mistake?
I cut too many teeth on the gear and the slide bar. It still works fine but it should stop before exiting the first bracket. I'll not make that mistake in the future. Capt. Z.
And here is the hinge.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6437643583_30969708b2.jpg

George Ray

12-04-2011, 07:05 AM

Nice!

sailboy3

01-25-2012, 01:24 PM

Anything doin round here? How bout an update, Cap Z.

Capt Zatarra

02-07-2012, 01:39 AM

Well, not much really, I got all the deck beams cut and the shelf clamp cut and routed, only the hull planks have been delayed so I cannot install the clamps and beams till I have some hull planks to bolt through. Then I had an old back injury from my last ever parachute jump, flair up and one of the disc in my back blow out and I could not get out of bed or a chair with out my wife or daughter pulling me up. So not much happened for a while except me learning how to get up on my own again. I'm moving under my own steam now. Well I got a phone call from my wood supplier today assuring me that my wood will be here tomorrow. So keep your fingers crossed. I'll post pics when we unload and get to work, I'm pretty stoked to get moving again. Capt. Z.

JoshuaIII

02-07-2012, 06:09 AM

Really nice to ear from you Capt, sorry for your back it is something I am familiar with.

What do you expect, jumping from a running airplane that have nothing wrong with it! ;)

Take care.

George Ray

02-07-2012, 10:42 AM

Best wishes/hopes/dreams for you and your back.

J.Madison

02-07-2012, 11:35 AM

Good to hear from you Captn, we look forward to any updates.

Capt Zatarra

02-13-2012, 11:42 PM

O MY GOSH!!!O MY LORD!!!O MY MY!!! I finally found out why my wood has not arrived. 4000+ board feet of Santa Maria and 1600 board feet of brizialian cherry. The driver of the truck that was contracted to deliver the wood from the east coast of Nicaragua, where it grows, to the west coast where I am building, WAS ARRESTED and thrown in jail and his truck IMPOUNDED, WITH MY WOOD ON IT!!! They tell me that the wood is not impounded only it is on the impounded truck in the impound yard!! So now there is a lawyer working to process the wood out of the impound lot, and how long this will take I have no idea! Capt. Z.

Larks

02-14-2012, 02:11 AM

Capt Zatarra

02-14-2012, 03:10 AM

Bloody hell Z!!! That sounds like one heck of a problem.......how far away from you was the truck impounded? Is it a case of hiring another truck, paying a bit of baksheesh and picking it up yourself?

It is three hours away, and I hope that it is as simple as that, I am waiting to hear what is the procedure. I have never heard of this happening before and No one I've talked to has either. I should hear something any day. Touch wood, scratch a stay, turn three times, May the lords and saints preserve us. Capt. Z.

Larks

02-14-2012, 04:00 AM

Touch wood indeed Z, may it be your own in very quick time!!

George Ray

02-14-2012, 05:24 AM

Hoping for a good outcome, fingers crossed , best wishes, positive energy, etc...

wizbang 13

02-14-2012, 07:13 AM

holy geeze, gd third world bs. sounds all too familiar.
here is hoping for the best.
naughty wood, crissake

ILikeRust

02-14-2012, 07:29 AM

I swear, there is never a dull moment around this place. It's like the old-fashioned radio cliff-hangers. You never know what's going to happen next.

headonz

02-14-2012, 11:52 PM

bastards !! what next !!?? .... try to think of it as yet another thread to the rich tapestry that is your life Capt Z.Good luck.

Phil Y

02-15-2012, 01:33 AM

A little time for your back to come good, another happy lawyer, the wood gets delivered and its all good. Just another day in paradise.

Capt Zatarra

02-15-2012, 02:41 AM

Thanks guys, ya'll make me laugh. I'll keep ya posted. Wallowing in paradise with nothing to do! Capt. Z.

Phil Y

02-15-2012, 04:57 AM

You could always read the Schooners R Us thread

Capt Zatarra

02-16-2012, 02:12 AM

SchoonersRUS

02-20-2012, 07:53 PM

I have peak in there from time to time to see if any thing is actually started and it is mind boggling! I saw that he wanted an engine and offered him mine but he did not answer me. I am not sure what that means! Mean while back at the ranch no word from the lawyer yet! I got a new carving tool pocket knife, so for now I think I will see if I can get a piece of wood and start carving the Name board while I wait. Capt. Z.

It means this forum has technical glitches. Actually, I did reply to your message. It even shows that I replied in my inbox. You didn't get it for some strange reason. I asked you about shipping cost, and some other details about the engine. We can try again ... see if PM works.

Capt Zatarra

02-21-2012, 09:07 PM

A quick update. It appears that the truck driver had a little side line job smuggling drugs! The good news is the wood will be out soon. Now if someone down here actually knew when 'soon' was! Waiting and wondering....Capt. Z.

JoshuaIII

02-21-2012, 09:08 PM

Good for you! Good for me also... Give me more time to finish the planking before you catch up with me ;)

Capt Zatarra

03-08-2012, 05:44 PM

Hallelujah My Wood Has Arrived Hymn (feel free to sing along with me)

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Police saw fit to release my wood
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Santa Maria is the name of the wood
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The wood is really pretty
Is become the wood for my hull
And of my deck, and of my deck;
And it shall float for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever,

Wood of woods, and Plank of planks,
Wood of woods, and Plank of planks
And Nails and screws,
And Then it is caulked,
And It shall float forever and ever,
Planks on frames, forever and ever,
And Wood of woods
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

And Santa Maria shall reign forever and ever,
Plank on frames! and Chaulked joints!
And It shall float, forever and ever,
Plank on frames! and Chaulked seams!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Amen. Brother Zatarra

Sailor

03-08-2012, 06:59 PM

YAY

George Ray

03-08-2012, 08:07 PM

: )

Larks

03-08-2012, 09:08 PM

Amen indeed Bro' Z!! Great news!!

JoshuaIII

03-09-2012, 06:13 AM

That song deserve a dancer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FzDXvYAKEA

Capt Zatarra

03-10-2012, 12:00 AM

Now I am off getting a planer, as all the planks are 2" thick, and I need them to be 1 3/4" thick. Capt. Z.

P.s. Stephene, great dance, so many parts going in different directions!

Capt Zatarra

03-23-2012, 02:21 AM

So I finally got about twenty planks planed down and got the first plank hung. It feels like this is a major mile stone that was never going to be reached. Yee haa bending a 1 3/4 inch plank takes some force to get in place! The shear clamp is a one by six and the curve of deck needed it to bend two inches along the six inch axes. So I clamped it down at one end screwed it to the first couple of ribs then put a big honkin clamp on the other end and started bending it into place, and as the curved board reached the mark on the rib it was screwed on. Worked out pretty well. The shear strake on the other hand will have the curve cut in to it. Where as the shear shelf will get bent into place. I took some pictures and will try to get them down loaded tomorrow. Capt. Z.

Larks

03-23-2012, 02:45 AM

Great to hear Z, looking forward to some pic's!!!

JoshuaIII

03-23-2012, 05:51 AM

Good to hear progress capt!
Looking forward for the pictures!

George Ray

03-23-2012, 01:07 PM

Congrats!!

Capt Zatarra

03-25-2012, 02:43 AM

So here are pictures!
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6039/7012492393_927b3372ec_z.jpg
This is the shear clamps going up. I took the deck beam and put them in the hull as a temporary platform to stand on while working
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6036/6866306048_0d9e312b85_z.jpg
So here is the bow just before the shear strake goes up

Drum roll please......Ladies and Gentlemen may I present our very first plank!
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6098/6866330658_d508d8ca6e_z.jpg
Clamping and screwing and nailing, one end first and then bending a piece of a tree that has been straight for the last 150 years. It just requires a lot of umph.
Of course this requires some one to stand and hold up the other end until we can bend it in to shape.
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6111/6866343148_aa2c6da3f7_z.jpg
And here it is just waiting around for nails
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6050/7012467043_101ebe430a_z.jpg
So that's it for now, more pictures soon. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

03-25-2012, 02:50 AM

Here is one more picture as a bonus, since I hear that everyone wants more pictures.
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6231/7012479861_2ba5b67141_z.jpg
Capt. Z.

Larks

03-25-2012, 03:14 AM

Wonderful to see some action 'Z. Are the plank edges at all shaped for seams/caulking? I take it from the pic's that you will be butt joining the ends rather than scarphing them, but do they get shaped for caulking? It's difficult to tell from the photos.

Capt Zatarra

03-25-2012, 03:34 AM

They will all be butt blocked and shaped for caulking. Butt blocking is what I know, so it is what will happen here. Scarfing (as I understand it) would require the entire length to be scarfed up before putting it up in place and a single plank over fifty feet long would not be something I would want to try to get into position. I like that I am doing this build the way it was done in the 1790's when this design was popular. Granted we are using power tools but the construction technic is true to form. I like to think that a shipbuilder from then would look at this build and recognize it for what it is. And approve of what we are doing here. Capt. Z.

JoshuaIII

03-25-2012, 05:49 AM

Hey Capt, nice to see you going forward!

Come on you guys can put a bit of chance on your side, steam the plank!
they are more cooperative when you give them some drinks first ;)

Larks

03-25-2012, 06:27 AM

Capt Zatarra

03-25-2012, 12:14 PM

I forgot to add that before we started planking I put a string line down the keel to see if it was still where it was suppose to be. To my eye it felt like the keel was hogging. The ground that the boat sits on seems as hard as a cast iron pan, but it is still dirt. The string line told the story. She had hogged a little over a half inch in the middle! I put a 20 ton jack under the bow and lifted it two inches before the keel was straight again. Then we reblocked her and started planking. Capt. Z.

headonz

03-25-2012, 05:05 PM

Thats impressive dimensions Capt Z ! Are these planks through bolted to the deck clamp,surely not just nailed !Huge project,you are obviously a man not easily put off by the prospect of a little hard work.

Why does this project not get a sticky ??

Capt Zatarra

03-26-2012, 02:26 AM

Thanks for the kind words, Headonz. The planks are indeed bolted through the ribs, the shear clamps, and the shear shelf. I'll take a picture and post it. I got a new camera so I I'm pretty stocked to take pictures. Capt. Z.

P.L.Lenihan

03-26-2012, 02:41 AM

And many followers of this most impressive thread must all be breathing a happy sigh of relief and clapping at the good news of a new camera,thus more pictures!

The blue sky background in your latest pictures appear to have post card charm them. Very nice!

I too have wondered why this thread has no "sticky" too!

Cheers!

Peter

Capt Zatarra

03-27-2012, 02:24 AM

Another day, another plank. Here is an interesting thought, down here people are very resistant to change. As a result many building/construction techniques go unchanged for centuries. The expression "it was good enough for my father's father" comes to mind. So before I started this project I visited a few ship yards to see how boat building was done here. I got the impression that I was seeing how boats were built two or three hundred years ago. One thing that stands out to me in perticular was how the caulking was done. Here they do not but a bevel on the plank, they fit it light tight back to front and then use a special caulking iron to force open a space in the front of the seam just deep enought to start the cotton or oakum. Usually one person will start with the parting iron and get a three or four foot lead on the seam and then the second (more experienced) guy will start on the opened seam and caulke in the cotton, all the while criticizing the lead man on his tool marks. The first iron or parting tool must make a constant width and depth that is smooth and continues. If the iron is at a slight angle it will leave a tiny notch or groove. Which is considered sloppy. If it is a small job, one guy will do both jobs, parting for four feet, then caulking the gap, then parting again.

When I told the caulker that I wanted a bevel cut in the planks like we do in north America, he said He COULD do that! All the while looking at me like I was determined to do something completely worthless. Anyway I may just do it their way this time. I am running out of time to waffle about on this decision. More later. Captain Zatarra.

JoshuaIII

03-27-2012, 06:10 AM

chuckt

03-27-2012, 07:16 AM

That is interesting. Please take some pictures of what you are describing. (I'm sure you were planning to anyway). I suppose the parting iron is "crushing" the wood to open up the seam? I think Abeking crushed a groove in the center of the plank edges when doing the planking on Concordias. The cotton caulking was put in the groove. Then, I suppose the crushed wood expanded when wet. Is that the same idea?

Capt Zatarra

03-27-2012, 08:55 AM

That's interesting capt.

But specially in the turn of the bilge, you can't have the plank all tight on the lower edge without shaping it as the outside of it wil be touching a lot before the inside does, removing a bit more for the caulking bevel don't even take more time...

Except if they build mostly round bottom boat, which can explain a bit...

They cut the bevel on the plank edge so that it perfectly matches up to the plank next to it. They don't cut a bevel for caulking on the board after that. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

03-27-2012, 09:06 AM

That is interesting. Please take some pictures of what you are describing. (I'm sure you were planning to anyway). I suppose the parting iron is "crushing" the wood to open up the seam? I think Abeking crushed the plank edges when doing the planking on Concordias. (I might be remembering that wrong). Then, I suppose the wood expanded when wet. Is that part of the idea of doing it this way?

The next time I see one being done I try to take some pictures. it might be my schooner next.
The parting iron is crushing the wood to open the seam, but the seam is closing back up rather quickly (just a few minutes) the caulker must get his cotton in right away or he loses his seam. Capt. Z.

Sailor

03-27-2012, 10:55 AM

That sounds like a logical way to do it. Open the seam and then it will close ( tighter now that there's caulking in there) and just like A&R's crushed plank edges, wet expansion will help it seal out water. I wonder..... I like the theory.

Matti

03-27-2012, 11:07 AM

Soundman67

03-27-2012, 11:40 AM

You mean like this;http://www.freewebs.com/maryii/apps/photos/photo?photoid=26582659

Looks like a lot of mixed heatwood sapwood in that boat. great looking build but isnt that going to cause a lot of problems?

Matti

03-27-2012, 11:55 AM

Looks like a lot of mixed heatwood sapwood in that boat. great looking build but isnt that going to cause a lot of problems?
What you mean?
The answer is no. Local pine (pinus sylverstus), there is only little difference decay resistance between sapwood/oldgrowht, red colour.
In boats structure is over 200l linseed oil (mainly in "sapwood"), it''ll helps!
That way has boats been made for very long time here, pine hull last 40-80 years, when fully saturated, that's enough for me.

Soundman67

03-27-2012, 12:08 PM

Over here we always separate out the heartwood. Thats why I asked.

George Ray

03-27-2012, 05:03 PM

I used to have a little scandinavian honeymoon sloop that was tight planked with quarter sawn lumber. IF the planks are plain sawn it seems that over the years if not sooner, the shrink/swell resultant gaps will be more difficult to deal with. The grain orientation in the plank has much to do with how the seam will act over time.

JoshuaIII

03-27-2012, 06:41 PM

They cut the bevel on the plank edge so that it perfectly matches up to the plank next to it. They don't cut a bevel for caulking on the board after that. Capt. Z.

I was thinking about it today, and remembered something about people building in tropical region that the wood being soaking wet they make it extra tight so when it dry it does not open as much...

Capt Zatarra

03-27-2012, 07:59 PM

My wood (Santa Maria) was cut six months ago. Last month it was 14% moisture, I haven't checked it lately. Here in the dry season the danger is the wood drying out so fast that the wood splits. I have had to paint the ends to help slow down the shrinkage and the checking.
So on a different note, it can be a little frustrating when I realize that I over looked that the combined thickness of the shear shelf, shear clamp, the frame, and the shear strake is seven and a half inches thick and the drill bit is only five inches long! And the hardware store only has five inch long drill bits in stock. So the solution was saw off five inches of 3/8 tool stock and weld it to the the drill bit and viola, now I can whip out my big ten inch
Record of a band that plays those blues
Well a drill bit that could have belonged to a band that plays the blues.
(don't hate me Aerosmith, I'm just sampling as an homage to your greatness, and because you would love my big ten inch
Drill bit that sings the sawdust blues.)
Capt. Z.

chas

03-27-2012, 11:20 PM

"So on a different note, it can be a little frustrating when I realize that I over looked that the combined thickness of the shear shelf, shear clamp, the frame, and the shear strake is seven and a half inches thick and the drill bit is only five inches long! And the hardware store only has five inch long drill bits in stock. So the solution was saw off five inches of 3/8 tool stock and weld it to the the drill bit and viola, now I can whip out my big ten inch
Record of a band that plays those blues
Well a drill bit that could have belonged to a band that plays the blues.
(don't hate me Aerosmith, I'm just sampling as an homage to your greatness, and because you would love my big ten inch
Drill bit that sings the sawdust blues.)
Capt. Z."

OK. I had to mark this fine thread somehow. Carry on Cap'n, I'm watchin' with envy your predicament. Especially with those recent pictures. / Jim

chuckt

03-28-2012, 05:28 AM

Yeah Matti--exactly. Although Waldo Howland's Concordia book says Abeking used a special hammer to whack down that center groove put the tool in that picture looks pretty nifty.

Capt Zatarra

03-28-2012, 09:43 PM

I took some pictures of the drilling and bolting the shear/clamp/shelf/strake, only I didn't get to the Internet cafe in time to down load the pictures, I'll try to get it tomorrow. In the mean time here is a picture to hold you over.
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6226/6879453860_363f2407a8_z.jpg
This is the second shear strake going up.
The third strake and the third clamp and the second shelf is up.
This day consisted of drilling and drilling and drilling and Oh yea did I mention drilling.
With my big ten inch
Drill bit that burned up one of my drills today. (crap)
The nails in the picture must be drilled before nailing as a nail will not penetrate the wood.
So tomorrow I'll post more pictures
Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

03-30-2012, 10:33 PM

So it's Friday night and I have pictures, so it is only right that I start by whippin' out my big ten inch
Drill bit that would make a band that sings the blues jealous
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/7030116267_3a7a44ec48_z.jpg
Here I am pushing it through all 7.5 inches of nicarguian hardwood
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6055/6884013544_9e3468d1bd_z.jpg
For those who wanted to see how all four parts are fitted together this is it
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7030119365_d99201f4db_z.jpg
The shear shelf in the picture is only partly there, we will clamp up the next one drill, and bolt the first two holes and then bend the shelf so that it follows the curve of the shear. Since the spacing of the frames and the spacing of the deck beams are not the same they will run into each other at a certain point and the frames will get trimmed down.
Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

03-30-2012, 11:38 PM

Cleaned up two of my three oak barrels and put some varnish on them to keep them nice till they go back on the ol Bonnie Lassie
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7275/6884006966_49181aba34.jpg
After all what is a schooner without a rum barrel? Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

03-30-2012, 11:48 PM

Here is the view after we lifted the bow two inches
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7068/6884010276_0830d8d834.jpg
I really enjoy this view. The seam you can just make out at the bottom of the picture is a piece of wood that will be replaced, when the ballast is recast. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

03-31-2012, 12:20 AM

Another view a little farther back
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6112/6884009250_6bffeb401e.jpg
So now that I have a new camera I'm not sure what to take pictures of. Capt. Z.

Larks

03-31-2012, 05:52 AM

So it's Friday night and I have pictures, so it is only right that I start by whippin' out my big ten inch
Drill bit that would make a band that sings the blues jealous
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/7030116267_3a7a44ec48_z.jpg

Looking ready for business there Z'. As far as the new photos and what take? Anything and everything, we never tire of photos. How about a few pics around the yard to give us an idea of what's up there at the moment?. To be very honest, I've even found myself looking at the scrub in the background of this pic to get an idea of what the countryside is like where you are.

ILikeRust

03-31-2012, 08:24 AM

So now that I have a new camera I'm not sure what to take pictures of.

As much as possible.

sailboy3

03-31-2012, 10:12 AM

As much as possible.

+1

Thanks for posting these, this thread is great!

JoshuaIII

03-31-2012, 01:51 PM

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/7030116267_3a7a44ec48_z.jpg

Remove the background, and this look like a serial killer ready to make another victim! :D :D

Capt Zatarra

03-31-2012, 04:05 PM

Remove the background, and this look like a serial killer ready to make another victim! :D :D

Stephane, I'm positive it is the native French speaker thing, so please let me help you here. I'm sure what you were trying to say is "Remove the background, and this looks like a dashing and debonaire Boatbuiding sailor ready to mix another martini." Capt. Z.

JoshuaIII

03-31-2012, 04:16 PM

Stephane, I'm positive it is the native French speaker thing, so please let me help you here. I'm sure what you were trying to say is "Remove the background, and this looks like a dashing and debonaire Boatbuiding sailor ready to mix another martini." Capt. Z.

Sure it is! It was hard to see the real expression under all that beard :D

ILikeRust

03-31-2012, 04:37 PM

Actually, when I first saw that pic, my first thought was "I don't often drill large holes in my boat, but when I do, I use this ten-inch bit. Stay thirsty, my friend."

Either that or, "When you come to shoot, don't talk - shoot."

oceangroover

03-31-2012, 04:54 PM

Z - another lurker sticks his head up from under the woodpile.

Love yer work, appreciate the posts and photos.

Those about to drink, salute you.

Regards and more power to your elbow from Groover

Capt Zatarra

03-31-2012, 07:17 PM

Groover, I am humbled and honored to see your post #1 was for my thread. I salute you. And here is a complimentary picture, as a thank you for your kind words.
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6042/6884011382_8cc1585092_z.jpg
This is the view of the Starb'rd side looking forward, where the quarter deck drops to the main deck. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

03-31-2012, 07:23 PM

Bill, we could have a contest for the best tagline for the photo, but there are two problems, I have no cool hats to give away, and it would be neigh impossible to beat yours. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

03-31-2012, 08:35 PM

Here it is the first plank run from bow to stern
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/7033505887_19b6d27cd8_z.jpg
I have a bruise on my shoulder from hoisting this plank up into position three times while the end was cut to fit. Once we got the end nailed and some clamps on I jumped down and took this picture
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7111/7033549323_1384047fce_z.jpg
We needed to remove an eighth of an inch from the top outside down to nothing
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7176/7033538541_95f5890348_z.jpg
And here it is from below looking up
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7238/7033570901_bc48b22f4c_z.jpg
Enjoy. Capt. Z.

sailboy3

03-31-2012, 08:47 PM

I'm enjoying it all right. That first pic of the starboard quarter is great!

George Ray

03-31-2012, 08:55 PM

Man Oh Man it's taking beautiful shape !!!!

oceangroover

04-01-2012, 03:29 AM

Sailor

04-01-2012, 04:37 PM

She won't have far to go once she's finished. :D

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7176/7033538541_95f5890348_z.jpg

Capt Zatarra

04-04-2012, 11:34 PM

Two planks on the port side now. And this week is samana santa. So the whole country is here to play on the beach. No more work till Monday. We are getting out of town for the weekend, we go to Managua and catch the movies and buy supplies for the boat. Capt. Z.

headonz

04-05-2012, 08:37 PM

Another view a little farther back
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6112/6884009250_6bffeb401e.jpg
So now that I have a new camera I'm not sure what to take pictures of. Capt. Z.

We are never going to tell you "Stop Captin Z ..too many photos !!!!" .Its just not possible.

Before you started ,what had you intended to do to your schooner ? was it an extensive rebuild as this ?

Maybe I missed it but I would be interested to see your workshop/machinery and timber in the state it arrives.

Other than that I know little or nothing about Nicaragua so anything you snap will be of interest to me for one.

What the photos never show of course is the climate ,how is the heat and humidity ?

Capt Zatarra

04-12-2012, 01:46 AM

Headonz
There will be more pictures coming soon. About the original plans, when we arrived here the plan was to replace a few planks and replace the deck. And maybe redo the head. We also wanted to replace the masts and rigging. We had future plans to replace the aft doghouse with a flush quarterdeck, and add some stern deadlights/port lights. Also to redesign the cockpit with some weather protection. After we pulled some planks we found most of the frames were cracked or broken. So I decided to replace them all and make them a little larger. That lead to the decovery that the bulkheads were coming unglued (40yr old plywood). And that prompted the desision to gut the boat completely and build it back with all the changes we had thought about for the last 6yrs living and sailling her. That is a short concice version of the story. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-13-2012, 12:24 AM

Tomorrow the first fore deck beam goes on! Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-13-2012, 10:14 PM

As promised here is the first fore deck beam, or maybe it should be called main deck beam,
I have decided to put in some of the deck beams to make sure that the force that the hull planks do not warp the over all shape of the hull.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7280/6929202096_b10ccce66b_z.jpg
But wait, for today only, you get not one but two deck beams for the same low low price
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7077/7075277963_30650101c4_z.jpg
Two little bits of info. The bolts for the shear clamp would most likely be carriage bolts some where other then Nicaragua. Here the cost was too high, so I used threaded rod and used a small sledge to hammer a mushroom shape to one end of the rod and then then back a nut down on the planished end insert a washer next and voila, custom built carriage bolt. So you will notice in the picture the vise grips on the bolt in the shear shelf, that is because some times when you try to tighten up the nut on the inside the threaded rod will twist driving the rod through the nut on the plank side and making it stick out of the counter sunk hole. So you grab the rod with the vise grips and tighten the nut with a box end wrench. And no one has taken the vise grips off the threaded rod yet.
The other tid bit is about the weather here to day was hot, very hot, I have no idea what the actual timpeture was but by five o'clock it had cooled off quite a lot. So here is the deal, at around eleven o'clock I cut the first deck beam to 13' 4" and the fit was very very tight. At five o'clock the fit was lose. When I had remeasured the length was 13' 3 15/16". I had lost a 1/16" from heat expansion. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-13-2012, 10:25 PM

So I snapped this picture of some guys making a platform for a paragliding operation some one is planning to open up here
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7140/6887466852_56ec7d691b_z.jpg
So far they have not had any luck figuring out how to balance the load on the two pangas.
Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-13-2012, 10:31 PM

And for those who ask to see around the boat yard here is a view looking west from atop the schooner. Capt. Z.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7124/6929200172_634eebb16f_z.jpg

Capt Zatarra

04-14-2012, 11:09 AM

Maybe I missed it but I would be interested to see your workshop/machinery and timber in the state it arrives.

There is no workshop, all the work is done outdoors. And here is what the timber looks like when it arrives. The fliches are cut with a chain saw, we cut out the beam and then we clean them up with a hand plane, then a sander.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3455/5841036110_52080f00a8.jpg
The board on top of the pile is the pattern for the deck beams.
And here is a shot of what we think of as 'the workshop'
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2758/5795261174_8cb24e1a1f_z.jpg
Cutting out a deck beam. Notice the natural curve to the tree so that the grain follows the shape of the beam. Sweet. Again the other board is the pattern. These are being sawn by hand, the wedges in the cut are to keep the saw curf from closing on the saw blade.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5268/5788155091_29a3694ae9_z.jpg
The planks are being handled differently, I have hired someone with a large planer to plane down both sides to 1 and 3/4 inches.
Capt. Z.

headonz

04-14-2012, 09:11 PM

Sailor

04-14-2012, 09:34 PM

Capt Zatarra

04-15-2012, 02:54 PM

The enormity of your task is a little mind bobbling if you dont mind me saying so.:p

Has there ever been a time when you have stood back and looked at your schooner and screamed "OH MY GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE !!"

I take your point about the deck beams needing to be in place.Those 1 3/4" planks must collectively exert an enormous pressure.Will none of them be steamed ?

I don't mind you saying so. I really try to only look at it one day at a time. It is something I learned to do a long time ago. Once I decide to take on a really big task, I never look at the total package again. I take it in small manageable chunks. Most of the time I view it in daily perspective, how much can I do today? And then l keep my eye on the growing list of things that are done and focus on adding to that list. That way I never feel over whelmed by what needs to be done.
About your other question, will any be steamed? I don't know. If we get to a place where we cannot bend a plank in to shape, I will build a steam box.
Capt. Z.

JoshuaIII

04-15-2012, 04:28 PM

Capt Zatarra

04-15-2012, 05:40 PM

You're sawing them out BY HAND! You sir are a sucker for punishment. I don't envy the task and I am glad you're willing to take it on. I wouldn't be. I'd be on the lookout for a power saw of some sort. in very short order. Tenner is about the only other man I can think of that would eschew power tools like that. Though even he would likely find a way to cheat and have someone else do it for him with their big tools. Keep up the good work. She's coming along beautifully.
Daniel

It's not that hard, keep your saw sharp, and it over before you know it. To my way of thinking anyone who goes to an office every day and sits behind a desk is a real sucker for punishment. This is the view from my 'office'
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2641/5794713663_b42b57eb8a.jpg
I actually tried to cutting out some ribs with a skill saw but it made such a hash on the tight parts of the curve that the clean up took up so much time and wasted so much wood that We went back to cutting it by hand. (technically a band saw would be needed to do it with power, but as I have said before 'power tools are for men in their reclining years')
I have to say though, building on this beach a 1790-1812 era Schooner, with hand tools that would be recognized by the journeymen of that day, I feel a real kinship to the boatbuilders of the past. This bay is the location that the Spanish used to build over 200 ship here to try and hold the pacific, as well as this was the port where the treasure ship came once a year to unload the gold and wealth collected from the Philippines, Macao, Japan, and China, to be loaded on to mule trains and transported overland to barges on lake Nicaragua and then down the Rio San Juan, to be loaded on the once a year treasure ship bound for Spain. Years later this beach was a ship building meca for the California gold rush, and then again for the fruit companies with Vanderbilt at the lead. There is a picture in a hotel here of a ship being built right where I am building mine. I'll try to take a picture of it and post it here for you to see.

By the way, who is Tenner?

Thanks for the compliments, it feels good when some one says she coming along beautifully. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-15-2012, 06:00 PM

Hey Capt!
Glad it's going forward!

May I suggest to steam them, as you will see a lot of breaking near the fastening because of the high amount of pressure on them (Talking from experience there, I didn't want to steam either)...

Hay Stephane, how's fatherhood treating you?

So far (knock on wood, scratch a stay, turning, turning, turning, "may the lords and saints preserve us") we are getting it done without the extra step of steaming. Part of our success may be due to leaving the clamps on the plank ends after it is fastened for about three days. Giving the wood a little time to learn their shape before putting all the load on the fastners. The plank ends in the rabbit keep their clamp for a week. It is a little something I learned down here. I suspect that we will need to start steaming as we get closer to the bildge where there is much more twist and bend. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-15-2012, 07:21 PM

Here's the picture from 5 July 1856
Costa Ricans retreating from San Juan del Sur, the wounded being transported to the ship
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7101/7081979521_4482a695f7_z.jpg
The ship on the beach in the background is now this place
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5464/7082028275_fe2de481e5_z.jpg
Capt. Z.

kewlrunninz

04-15-2012, 10:26 PM

Capt Zatarra

04-15-2012, 10:42 PM

Hi Cap. Z, have'nt been aboard for a while. You certainly are ploughing ahead, looks good. I see you posted some pics of the boatyard but dont see any vessels the size of PROVIDENCE. Or maybe she is too heavy for the yard there (67 tons). ......best o luck to you in the coming "warm" season

Good to hear from you kewlrunninz
There are actually two yards side by side here, the one on the other side of the fence from me has a railcar to haul out the big boys like PROVIDENCE. Let me know if your coming down and I'll get updated prices.
Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-16-2012, 12:50 AM

On the subject of steaming planks; does anyone know the origin of this practice, both country and time period? Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-16-2012, 02:12 AM

Larks

04-16-2012, 04:52 AM

Larks your post showed up in my email but not on the thread here. Did you delete it or is there something more sinister going on here. You ask.....

Z', when did you take the cabin off and gut her? I missed that. I thought up until these last photos that you'd managed to be reframing and replanking around much of the structure?

It was back I post #168 In October of last year that I went crazy with a sawsall and a crane and ripped it all out. It was rather liberating, now the choices are numerous. Capt. Z.

Nothing sinister Z, just me being dopey. After I posted that I remembered your cardboard models and went back through the thread and found the answer to my own question, so deleted the post. I think I gave the reason for deletion as "stupid question".

JoshuaIII

04-16-2012, 06:52 AM

Hay Stephane, how's fatherhood treating you?

So far (knock on wood, scratch a stay, turning, turning, turning, "may the lords and saints preserve us") we are getting it done without the extra step of steaming. Part of our success may be due to leaving the clamps on the plank ends after it is fastened for about three days. Giving the wood a little time to learn their shape before putting all the load on the fastners. The plank ends in the rabbit keep their clamp for a week. It is a little something I learned down here. I suspect that we will need to start steaming as we get closer to the bildge where there is much more twist and bend. Capt. Z.

Not bad thanks, he did sleep a entire 6 hours yesterday night it felt like I woke up after 2 weeks on vacation ;) After some intensive work it's around every 3 hours usually.

It's a interesting idea about the clamps worth to know. For me I kind of like steaming now, once the set up is done it's really not long. I start the steamer when doing the bevel of the plank (Last thing I do on the planks), once done the steamer is ready so I throw the plank in. During that time I gather all the clamps, prepare the surface, clean a bit and 45 minutes later I put the plank in. It's a lot faster and easier with a plank steamed, I broke about 15 clamps when I was doing it without steaming and those are heavy 4" clamps. The steel rod kind of eat the cast iron body over time with lot's of pressure (Even with grease), and the cast iron body twist out of shape over time too...

Anyway that's me, keep me updated on your Nicaragan way would be interetesting to know!

Capt Zatarra

04-17-2012, 01:05 AM

Another day in the boatyard over and I thought I would see what is happening on the WBF (well actually, I just wanted to see if anyone said anything on my thread.....ssiighhhh, nothing....bummer). So I spent the morning measuring where the main mast will go, and where it will go up through the deck, it sits at a 15* degree angle relative to the waterline. Which makes it 7* degree angle on the mast step. Then I figured out where it exits the deck and where the deck beams would be relative to the the mast. The original deck beams 2x3 and were 12 inches on center and had a plywood sub deck with a teak overlay. The new deck beams are 3x3, (and absolutely no plywood near this deck, much less this schooner.) when I laid out the new ones at 12 inch on center they only had eight inches of space in-between them, and this looked very crowded. I looked up Nevins's scantling rules, it specified 12.5 inches of space between beams so I tried 12 inches and looked much better. It will also facilitate deck prisms much better this way. Then I got three more deck beams fitted this afternoon. They are only cut to fit athwart ship, the trimming of the bedding will be done after they are all in place past the foremast so that I am comfortable with the spacing in relation to the mast and the butterfly hatch in between them. Then I will trim the bed and bolt them in place. I forgot my camera today so I could not take pictures. But I'll take some tomorrow. I still am debating on how big of a butterfly hatch to but on the deck between the mast. I am thinking about 3feet athwart ship and 4 or 5 feet for and aft. If I remember right the distance between the mast is 13.5 feet. This would leave about 4 3/4 or 4 1/4 feet between each mast and the butterfly hatch. I have the idea to build a dingy rack to house the dingy over the hatch, while making passages. I'm of a mind to have the dingy right side up with a battened cover to shed water and make it possible to store the oars and dingy's sail and mast inside the dingy. And right side up will allow the butterfly hatches to be opened with the dingy in place. Where as if it were upside down on the hatch, it will have no light or air until the dingy is removed. Any suggestions on the hatch size out there. I was thinking that if it was large enough to pass the stove out through it then it would be big enough for anything on the boat to get in or out. Anyone? Capt. Z.

m2c1Iw

04-17-2012, 04:33 AM

OK I'll say something......been watching for some time now and constantly impressed by the size of the job, how you are doing it and what will be a great outcome. Y>

Cheers
Mike

Mad Scientist

04-17-2012, 01:37 PM

...I have the idea to build a dingy rack to house the dingy over the hatch, while making passages. I'm of a mind to have the dingy right side up with a battened cover to shed water and make it possible to store the oars and dingy's sail and mast inside the dingy. And right side up will allow the butterfly hatches to be opened with the dingy in place. Where as if it were upside down on the hatch, it will have no light or air until the dingy is removed...

If the dinghy rack is high enough, you might be able to stow the dinghy upside down and still have room to open the butterfly hatch, plus have a bit of extra protection for the hatch.
The only drawback that I can think of, is if the hatch needs to be usable as a 'secondary egress' for Coast Guard regulations...this was an issue for the schooner Sultana, IIRC.

One other thing...just because you don't see lots of responses, don't worry! Lots of us are following this thread (and wishing we were there to help!)!

Tom

wizbang 13

04-17-2012, 04:58 PM

heck yea, I look in everyday.

Capt Zatarra

04-18-2012, 12:08 AM

Mike, Tom, Wiz, and all the rest thanks for letting me know your watching.
Here is the string theory in action! If you already know this just skip down to the pictures, I know that's what you do! No one reads the articles, everyone just wants more pictures. So if your still reading here is string theory. A gravitationally oriented string(we like to call this the gravitationally oriented string) is hung over the mast step. Now at deck level two strings are tied athwart ship parallel to each other (about a foot apart) (we like to call these athwart ship string 'A', and athwart ship string 'B') place a bubble level at both athwart ship string 'A' and athwart ship string 'B', to verify the deck is level. If it is not then the degree out of plum must be added or subtracted from the theoretical angle of the relationship of the gravitationally oriented string and the mast string. Unless the deck at this point is not intended to be level with the waterline in which case calculations must be adjusted to compensate for the differences. But I am getting ahead of myself. So, then another string is then nailed to the center of the spot where the mast will one day reside rooted in Brazilian cherry with a silver dollar under it's heel and a truck on it's head (we like to call this one the mast string). Now the mast string is tied to an other string running fore and aft (we like to call this one the fore and aft string)such that the mast string it can be run fore and aft. This part is not in the picture.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7130/7088930103_556f58b225_z.jpg
Now the mast string is moved fore and aft (on the fore and aft string) till the relationship between the mast string and the gravitationally oriented string intersect at a 15* degree angle. You will have to take my word for it that the angle you see pictured here is in fact at a 15* degree angle. Now in theory where the mast string exits the deck is the center of where the mast will someday be exiting the deck. Now measure the angle from the mast step and you have the angle to cut the base if the mast
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5239/6942861294_d6141b3707_z.jpg
Now that you all understand string theory, let's look at where we have got to so far on the schooner theory
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/6942862326_1c01cbd113_z.jpg
The theory is that some day this will be a schooner!
Looking very close you can see the fore and aft string. This is the heatedly debated point where the juncture of string theory and schooner theory overlap.(YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO THERE! You think that what is going on over on the NACA thread is serious business? That is Childs play compared to this overlap debate.) So back to pure schooner theory, the space between the two aft main deck beams and the three forward main deck beams is the location of the theoretical main mast piercing up proudly like a giant colossus through the main deck. It's beautiful man!!...... Well I mean in theory it's beautiful,....... because it's not really there and you know.....so it can only be ......well, you know ah,..theoretically beautiful.....but I can see it..ok...So ah, just aft the Spanish windless is where the theoretical fore mast will be and I'm not going to say anything about how it will look or anything, just I'm sure you will like it, ok, so, ah, until next time aarrggh matey. Capt. Z.

headonz

04-18-2012, 05:52 PM

Finally !!, I truly feel I have grasped the string theory in its entirety.The voluminous text I have read in the past lacked pictures.But you cleared that right up.Onwards and upwards Cap'n.

happy days

Later.

wizbang 13

04-18-2012, 07:05 PM

Coarse or fine thread nuts?

johnno

04-18-2012, 07:28 PM

Should qualify as an addendum to Chapelle! You have our undivided attention... :D

Capt Zatarra

04-18-2012, 07:48 PM

Coarse or fine thread nuts?

Course for motorboats........fine for sailboats..........of course! Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-18-2012, 09:54 PM

Today; the good news is....We put in the rest of the port side shear bolts up to the the fore mast. And cut to fit six deck beams so now the deck beams run up past the foremast.
The bad news.......I burned out an brand new (five days on the job)professional half inch drill.
It is quite a sensation to stand in side the hull with the deck beams over head and get a since of the space. I worked till it was dark today so I didn't get a daily progress picture taken. I'll try to remember to take one in the morning. Capt. Z.

Mad Scientist

04-19-2012, 02:11 PM

I, for one, am glad that you provided this intro to String/Schooner theory. That NACA foil thread was giving me headaches!

Tom

Capt Zatarra

04-19-2012, 08:16 PM

Pictures, Pictures, red hot pictures, new evidence supporting schooner theory! get your pictures here!
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/7094893221_93fed38bdd_z.jpg
I climbed up on the back to get a view looking forward.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5346/7094913505_d4fa90c8f6_z.jpg
This view is from inside the V berth.
so then I climbed up above the V berth and took this picture.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/7094930997_97c83969dc_z.jpg
Cleaned up all the nuts and washers on the shelf clamp and put a coat of varnish on them. The part inside the wood and in the outside counter sink hole are treated with a metal protection paint. Also got five beams faired to the shelf, so tomorrow we will continue bed the rest and then sand and varnish these faired bedded beams then drill and bolt them in to place. Enjoy. Capt. Z.

tigerregis

04-19-2012, 08:23 PM

I'm going to steal the line from an old joke...beautiful just f'''kin' beautiful. You Capt'n are an amazing, if not fast guy. Thanks for this thread.

J.Madison

04-20-2012, 12:06 AM

You sir are FAST. It looks as if you'll soundly beat me to the water. My whole boat displaces some small fraction of your ballast alone, and yet I can't seem to pull ahead! I love watching this build. Keep up the good work.

Capt Zatarra

04-20-2012, 07:58 PM

Does anyone remember the lyrics;
Some days are diamonds
Some days are stones
Sometimes the hard times
Won't leave me alone.
Well today was a stone. I started to work bedding the next beam from where I left off yesterday when my helper started to sand the first beam of the day, he plugged in my porter-cable random orbital sander and turned it on and it went supernova in his hand. It has been my sanding work horse for years. And now it's gone. And then my screen on the new camera started to have dead spots on it. I spent the rest of the day going from store to store only to find no one stocks random orbital sanders in this town. So went to the next town and returned the camera for a new one(that took the store 2 hours to exchange it!!! And I got nothing done. So much for being fast, thanks for the kind words tigerregis and J. Madison. And J. you cannot pull ahead from germany and brazil. Also I noticed your building in Oregon City I have family there and my daughter will be stopping in to visit them next month, that makes us almost like neibors or something. Anyway I too have been following your build and I am looking forward to seeing yours planked. Capt. Z.

jsjpd1

04-20-2012, 08:21 PM

Bummer to hear about the sander, it looks like you're making fine progress though. Better luck tomorrow.

Jim

Capt Zatarra

04-20-2012, 08:37 PM

Thanks Jim, Tomorrow I hope to be the proud owner of a new RO sander. And new tools always make me feel better. Capt. Z.

J.Madison

04-23-2012, 07:42 PM

And J. you cannot pull ahead from germany and brazil. Also I noticed your building in Oregon City I have family there and my daughter will be stopping in to visit them next month, that makes us almost like neibors or something. Anyway I too have been following your build and I am looking forward to seeing yours planked. Capt. Z.

Oregon city! We knew it was a small world. Well if she gets tired of visiting relatives and wants to hang out in a boat shop send her my way. Any relative of the Good Captn is welcome around here. (Well maybe not your worst relatives, assuming they're anything like mine.)

seo

04-23-2012, 10:07 PM

As far as burning out the drill goes, it might be a good idea to check your line voltage when you have a good-sized tool running at full power. If you're under 100 volts that might cause trouble. It's easy to check. One guy drills, other guy used voltmeter in the outlet closest to the tool.
Low voltage is hard on tools, and particularly on variable speed reversing tools. The switches get hot and burn out, I think. So if you can find an old-fashioned drill, one speed, one direction, that might last longer. If the label on the tool says that it will work with AC or DC, that's the tool you're looking for.

Capt Zatarra

04-23-2012, 11:03 PM

J.M. I'll tell her. My little brother is getting married there next month. So I recon that there will be a whole passel o' kin folk of mine runnin' round there. So I figure maybe fer visitin' your shop, just my closest kin, hand selected, cream o' the crop type kin folk, allowed over. Besides my daughter that leaves exactly ah oh ah..... Let's just say their a wild and crazy bunch, when you see a wedding with every one in kilts and pagpipes playin' that will be my clan!

Meanwhile back here in Nicaragua I took a picture of a traffic jam while I was out looking for power tools.http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7121/7108111703_bda68af390_z.jpg
Don't you just hate it when some guy is in such a hurry that he keeps pulling his horse farther and farther into the intersection. As if it will make the truck move faster.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6962088076_cfdc68f3ab_z.jpg
The best part of this picture is the cowboy with the Woody and Buzz Lightyear backpack.

While on the other side of town more evidence to support the schooner theory is discovered.
This is the first two main deck beams bolted in.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/6962074636_38910ab017_z.jpg
The bolts will be trimmed back. So do you guys want some input in the build here. I keep going back and forth on how to finish the two lower corners of the beam.
1.-Sand the corner softly rounded over.
2.-Router the corner with an ogee bit or a bead bit.
Let me know what you think-remember, like any presidential election-vote early, vote often.
Capt. Z

jsjpd1

04-23-2012, 11:20 PM

I like the ogee bit on the sheer clamp and that would look good on the beam edges too. But a nice round over will be easier to deal with come refinishing time.

Jim

m2c1Iw

04-23-2012, 11:20 PM

I like rounded.

Larks

04-23-2012, 11:35 PM

Personal preference is the routed edge, I went through the same process as you trying to decide how to clean up the edges on my H28 sheer clamp and deck beams Z, the routed edge ended up easier and better looking for me in terms of removing splintered edges and hiding chips out of the edges. Although mine isn't as perfect as I'd like it, having done it around all of the existing framing, it looks like a little more effort as gone into the finish than just a round sanded edge.

Mad Scientist

04-24-2012, 09:49 AM

How about hand planes, to give the edges that look of unique craftsmanship?

Tom

Capt Zatarra

04-25-2012, 03:06 PM

How about hand planes, to give the edges that look of unique craftsmanship?

Tom

I really like that idea I will play around with a cut off piece and see how it looks. Capt Z.

Capt Zatarra

04-28-2012, 08:12 PM

I just realized that I have been posting on this thread for one year now! Happy anniversary every one, I hope I get a lot more done in the next year then I did in the last year. The wood delivery delay just really set the nonexistent time schedule back. But we press on.
I got another deck beam bolted in this morning. It seems strange that something so simple can take so long to do. It goes like this
Step. 1. Place beam on shelf (today the beam was only 8.5 feet wide so much easier then the 13.5 feet wide ones I was doing yesterday)
Step. 2. Measure from the bow to both port and starboard ends of the beam to ascertain that the beam is square to the ship. Next measure both port and starboard ends from previous beam to insure the new beam is parallel to the neighbor beam.
Step. 3. Clamp beam in place.
Step. 4. Drill 3/8" hole from the bottom of the shelf clamp up through the beam.
Step. 5. Change drill bit to 1" spade bit and drill countersink hole on top of beam.
Step. 6. Measure depth of hole and measure and cut 3/8 threaded rod (painted with rustproofing).
Step. 7. Planish rod over nut and then insert washer in hole then rod and nut, thread unpainted washer and nut on rod below shelf clamp and tighten.
Step. 8. Trim excess rod and then varnish lower washer and nut, and a second coat of rustproof on top washer and nut.
Prior to all this each beam was cut to fit and then notched to fit flush on the shelf then removed from the boat. Set up on sawhorses sanded and varnished then when dry carried back up the ladder to the deck where the above steps are taken.
I was hoping to get the deck on before the rainy season, but that is looking rather unlikely. So I think that I will have to sew up a boat cover from some awning material. To keep every thing dry. It has been a very wet dry season, and some of the old-timers say that means we are in for a very dry rainy season. That would be hard on the farmers here, but really good for me. So happy Anniversary everyone and have a gulper on me. I believe I shall have my usual ginseng lime coca-cola. It goes like this fill a tall glass with ice squeeze one large lime over ice, add 20 drops of concentrated red panax ginseng extracted and then pour the glass full with coca-cola. Take a hardy swig and enjoy. Cheers me hardies, here's to wooden boats. Capt. Z.

Larks

04-28-2012, 10:21 PM

Happy anniversary Z and all the very best wishes for the coming year. Do you have any non existant finish line in that non existant schedule? End of the dry wet season ready for the start of the next wet dry season perhaps? Or the season after that?

Capt Zatarra

04-29-2012, 12:01 AM

If there was (and there certainly is not) a nonexistent schedule it would not have any references to having the deck laid and the hull planked by the next mini dry season (august)!!fact is this post probably doesn't exist either. Besides it is just a schooner theory, which means that it's existence is still in doubt in which case I don't exist either?? I think!? capt zzz....

oceangroover

04-29-2012, 01:46 PM

I'll raise a glass with ya Z in honour of a year on the job.

I'm getting excited seeing those deck beams go on; it's like you're giving your boat it's bones back.

You are part of a long proud tradition, rebuilding yer boat on that beach. 'xcept these days we can all watch you sweat from our world wide web of comfy chairs. Thanks for takin time to share, more power to ya

regards from Groover

svaap

04-29-2012, 02:28 PM

Capt Z

I really admire this project.
The honest approach and progress you are making is very inspiring for a lot of us!

Thanks, and keep up the good work!

Cheers,
Ole

jsjpd1

04-29-2012, 04:16 PM

^ +1 to what Ole said. Happy anniversary.

Jim

SV Papillon

04-29-2012, 09:40 PM

Good on you Capt Z keep it up, you can blink and a year will go by but you can also blink and your working on pesky interior problems instead of decks and planks n stuff

Keep on keeping on

Jake

purri

04-29-2012, 11:40 PM

Excellent stuff el capitan! Takes me back to days of working on "larger vessels", oh the pain...

Mad Scientist

04-30-2012, 01:11 PM

Belated congrats, Captain!

...I was off the Net for a few days and mjust caught up last night. Yes, I hoisted a glass in your honour, and here's to another (whatever time it takes) to complete your rebuild!

Tom

chas

04-30-2012, 06:25 PM

"Step. 2. Measure from the bow to both port and starboard ends of the beam to ascertain that the beam is square to the ship. Next measure both port and starboard ends from previous beam to insure the new beam is parallel to the neighbor beam."

Probably too late to help you on this z, but to cut down on all that individual measuring you need to trust your layout. Get a middle beam in and then layout each side from there, both forward and aft. If your beams are 13" O/C, hook a tape on a beam and run 13 and away (don't mark beam centers), 26, 39, etc. keep your tape close to square to the beam and you'll be close enough. Measuring beam to beam can get you in trouble as a 1/16" discrepancy can have your beam placement off by over an inch in ten feet, even though measuring from the bow to each side remains equal. You might not want that forward skylight to end up over a bulkhead.:d Lookin' good, congrats on the anniversary. / Jim

Capt Zatarra

05-01-2012, 01:29 AM

Jim. Thanks for the help. It is always appreciated. I am familiar with the 1/16" creep. I face an additional challenge with this build, in that since all the fliches were hand hewn in the forest, (chainsaw mostly) and then dragged out to the road, they are not perfect in their dementions. And becuase I am attempting to be true to the idea that this build would be recognized by a builder from the late 18th, early 19th century, I chose to not run them through a planer to make them all exactly the same thickness, but to hand saw the beams from the fliches and then hand plane them to remove the saw marks, and then sand them leaving the slight variations in thickness. I must confess to using an electric sander at this point. (I am not completely crazy). Doing it this way, the beams are all the same height but not the same width, most are within 1/4 inch thickness, but some are as much as an inch wider then all the others, the widest ones I put on either side of the masts. And some are not the exact same from one end to the other of an individual beam. All of this makes it a little tricky to lay up the beams in just the right place before bolting. In this case I opted to keep the space between the beams the same instead of the distance between centers, if ihad kept the dbc the same the negative space between beams would have varied. As for the skylights and bulkheads and such that is where string theory comes in on my center string that I talked about a few post back, I hung strings down to mark where the beams had to go to frame mast and hatches. This way I was able to pretetermine the exact placement of the beams ahead of time as well. I hope that makes sence. Capt. Z

chas

05-01-2012, 05:46 AM

"I hung strings down to mark where the beams had to go to frame mast and hatches. This way I was able to pretetermine the exact placement of the beams ahead of time as well. I hope that makes sence. Capt. Z "

It does now, Z. I had been reading along but perhaps was distracted by the beautiful pictures. Tks for the clarification; I'll try to pay more attention in the future.:D / Jim

Capt Zatarra

05-01-2012, 08:22 PM

Beaming right along, I have reached the point where there is still a little bit of the old boat left. These are the last four original beams and the breasthook, and the bowsprit. Looking around I noticed the sawsall, you can see it lurking down in the corner of the picture, and the four pound short tail sledgehammer sniffing about. Like all predators they are looking for a weakness.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/6987222330_a0622181c3_z.jpg
Here is the side view, it is so tranquil.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7132/7133448109_27674451d4_z.jpg
And then in just a few quick strokes the sawsall has removed the sick and weak wood from the strong and the sledge has driven it off.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7219/7133269485_ff3577e98e_z.jpg
And the side view again, after the carnage. All that's left is some rusty nails and bolts. But they won't last long, whenever there are predators like the mighty sawsall and the short tail sledge around, there will always be a CROWbar or two, waiting to rush in and grab a rusty nail or two.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7121/7133432841_c9e7047a19_z.jpg
That was quick! Now if anyone is out there watching this and your thinking that looks like fun I think I'll just go and build a new boat right where that old boat is parked in the boat yard. After all I own a sawsall and a shorty four pounder. A word of advise "UNbuilding an old boat in order to build a new boat is hard work and your docile seeming sawsall sitting so quietly in it's carry case has a voracious appetite and if it is not kept on a short extension cord it will cut and part until there is nothing left of the old boat to be found. Take my word for it sawsalls are not domestic tools, they are wild and dangerous tools and must be handled by some one who can control them. I've got mine back in it's case now. And my arms are really tired right now and feel like spaghetti noodles. I think I am going to go lay down. Capt. Z.

JoshuaIII

05-01-2012, 08:27 PM

That was quick! Now if anyone is out there watching this and your thinking that looks like fun I think I'll just go and build a new boat right where that old boat is parked in the boat yard. After all I own a sawsall and a shorty four pounder. A word of advise "UNbuilding an old boat in order to build a new boat is hard work

Nice work capt... I found that part funny... Remember my first post #16 about a year ago ;)

Capt Zatarra

05-01-2012, 08:53 PM

After wrestling with my sawsall all morning. Some friends came by and invited me to go sailing in the afternoon. Alright!!! We loaded up with food and beverages and sailed for about three hours down the coast. To a place called Playa Blonca. Once we got there we strung up a hammock between the forestay and the mast and well I'll let the picture of my feet tell you how it was.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6987258256_5f7162d521_z.jpg
Over on the shore to my left, white flowers were blooming
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7133479401_868c48c763_z.jpg
And on my right the rocks look like an Indian
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/6987295100_28dec0340d_z.jpg
After much food and beverage was consumed we sailed back to San Juan del Sur. This rock at the mouth of the bay is actually called Indian Head Rock.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/7133395119_a53057b901_z.jpg
I took this right after the sun set so it is a little fuzzy. What a great day. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

05-01-2012, 10:17 PM

Nice work capt... I found that part funny... Remember my first post #16 about a year ago ;)

Oboy do I ever! If only I could see into the future! Capt. Z

headonz

05-02-2012, 06:54 PM

your docile seeming sawsall sitting so quietly in it's carry case has a voracious appetite and if it is not kept on a short extension cord it will cut and part until there is nothing left of the old boat to be found. Take my word for it sawsalls are not domestic tools, they are wild and dangerous tools and must be handled by some one who can control them. I've got mine back in it's case now. Capt. Z.

Never a truer word spoken.Ive seen many a fine vessel turned to sawdust before they were brought to their senses !

Capt Zatarra

05-04-2012, 06:48 AM

Today I finished bolting in the last of the shear shelf, shear clamp, and shear strake. Big sigh! Then started on the breasthook.
I decided it would be easier to install the last full length deck beams starting from the breasthook and working aft to the fore mast. After all the whole deck beams are in it's on to the carlins and short beams. Capt. Z.

Me Tarzan

05-04-2012, 08:36 AM

Great restoration thread! I just checked out the whole thing. Congratulations on the progress you are making. I feel like a real doof sitting at my desk on the computer typing this reply. You are pushing me further towards selling everything and going 3rd world. Keep it up I will be following along with admiration and jealousy! And oh yah, MORE PICS!
Ron

Capt Zatarra

05-05-2012, 10:00 AM

Capt Zatarra

05-06-2012, 01:50 AM

So it's Saterday and and I'm sitting here in a quandary, it has to do with the forward hatch and the anchor chain and locker. One of the changes that I am making to the schooner is to add a second anchor and anchor chain to the bow. Before the anchor chain was stowed in the chain locker in front of the v- berth, 300 feet of it. When I relaunch it will be two lengths of 400 feet of chain. And 2 anchors one port and one starboard. That increases the weight of the anchor chain from 510 pounds in the anchor locker to 1360 pounds. A 850 pounds difference. So I moved the anchor locker back from in front of the v-berth to both sides of the foremast moving that weight aft a little over eight feet. The problem is getting both chains to pass on both sides of the v berth hatch. Since the hatch must be wide enough to fit a grown man through it needs to be about 30 inches plus about 8 inches of framing and lid over hang, so approx. 38". That would mean the windless would have to be about 50 inches wide. I should add here for clarity that the windless is the old fashioned wooden barrel type. Like this one on the Adveturess, only smaller and a little more modern with the bronze rachets for the pawls on either side(circa late 1700's).
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G7EOwJyBn78/T41jqgWPgHI/AAAAAAAAAmw/MfSaZb4vJ-s/s1600/IMG_0313.jpg
(I stole this from MariaSimpson's Rockport Marine web page. http://rockportmarine.blogspot.com/2012/04/sailing-adventure.html Thanks guys.)

I feel that if the chain was close to the hatch it would chew it up over time. And if I made the windless wide enough for the chain to pass on either side of the hatch, the windless would look ridiculously wide. If I put the windless next to the Samson post I would have to have a chain pipe running at a 45 degree angle through the v-berth, which is even more ludicrous, as it would make the v-berth virtually unusable. The other option that I have thought of is to put the hatch to the side, by the gunnel. Something like this.http://www.aandrwayboatbuilding.co.uk/image_library/library/a/aan/aandrwayboatbuilding.co.uk/orig_FILE00202_RSSize300x200.jpg
Thanks to A&R way boatbuilding for the picture, I pinched this one too!
And if I did that can I get away with doing it on only one side? Or do I put one on both side for semetry, even though there is only eight feet athort ship at this point.?
This is one of those problems I had put off the final desision till later, figuring that I would come up with the right solution as I worked on the schooner, so now I am at the point where I need to frame in the foredeck to acomadate the hatches and hardware, and I am still not sure which way to go! Any thoughts from anyone. Capt. Z.

Larks

05-06-2012, 04:24 AM

Z, I'm picturing that you want the chain to run back from the rollers to the hawse pipes in a straight line, but could you curve the chain around the deck using a couple of extra vertically mounted rollers or a bit of curved stainless or bronze pipe, ie curved like an elbow, either side? So that they angle slightly outboard from the anchor rollers wide enough to clear the hatch by a good margin before turning slightly to run straight back to the hawse pipes.

wizbang 13

05-06-2012, 07:34 AM

Good for the chain to stow aft, but the windlass does not have to be there. Remember the angle of the chain from the cat to the windlass is crucial.
Maybe run the chain under the deck, not on top of it, in an angled pipe to where it wants to go.
The weight of 10 or 15 feet of chain pulling BACK will make it more civilized.
Buncha chain rattling around on deck be freakin dangerous.

JoshuaIII

05-06-2012, 03:31 PM

Don't get too paranoid on weight at the bow. There is a constant crew in the cockpit + a heavy diesel + diesel tank aft of the boat... The boat will already sit down aft if you do not put some weight forward... That diesel engine of yours sure weight the 800 pounds that you talk about ;)

I always find it funny to see people sailing with 3 peoples sitting in the cockpit with the bow pointing toward the sky...

Capt Zatarra

05-07-2012, 06:33 AM

As promised here is a photo of my progress
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/7004886156_a682a27075_z.jpg
And this is a splice in the shear strake
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7004882530_897db16c92_z.jpg
So about the anchor chain/hatch problem,
Larks, I would like the chain to run in a straight line. For two reasons, first, becuase of the wear on the deck by the chain I have seen where other builders have used a harder denser wood that had a slight channel for the chain to run in that was laid up as part of the deck planking. And second every roller or angle in the chain seems to add so much more resistance to hauling in the chain and it is a lot of work already.

Wiz, I'm not sure what you mean about the angle of the chain from the cat to the windless. The 'cathead' is used to haul the anchor up for storage after the anchor has cleared the surface. Once the anchor is secured the chain is unfastened and feed the rest of the way through the hawse hole in the bulwark to the hawse pipe where it is out of sight till it is time to anchor again.so it is only on deck when at anchor. So can you elaberate a little more cause you lost me.
I had thought about running the chain under the deck, but that is what I was talking about with the two pipes angling from the above deck over the v berth bunk forward and then angling down to the mast base all the way across the v berth bunk. Like this
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5234/7004875488_b697d6a13e_z.jpg
Excuse the simple sketch, this shows how the pipes would run over the v berth bunk making it almost useless. So this is the idea with the windless before the mast
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/7150979511_e3673e6e7b_z.jpg
Stephane, the big ol' diesel engine is long gone, all 1,260 pounds. And the schooner is a center cockpit, even so a 23 gross ton schooner doesn't really move much with with a few people moving around. This is actually a better drawing of the chain locker relocation. The green pencil points to the old chain locker, as you can see the locker was above the waterline. The pink pencil points to the new chain locker which is about 4 feet below the water line, as well as eight feet farther back from the bow
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7177/7150977575_ea4d5ee56e_z.jpg
Here is a drawing from 'The Baltimore Clipper' by Chapelle. It shows the windless over the hatch, and
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7004879526_e11a37e1cb_z.jpg

JoshuaIII

05-07-2012, 06:46 AM

Nice wood Capn't...

So you are a engineless guy now, let me give you the secret hand shake ;)
Does that famous SchoonerUS finally bought it from you?

If you really want to have it so far back, I would put the windlass back also to reduce the angle of the pipe to a maximum(Slight angle is good, but not huge one). The chain tend to jam sometime when the angle is not big, and it always happen at the wrong moment. But that's me...

Few people moving around, let's take 4 and let's make them slim 160# in average. 4*160 = 640 pounds, if as you said your boat doesn't move yet with that amount of weight, I would not bother with the chain locker much... But once again that's me...

Larks

05-07-2012, 06:49 AM

For what it's worth Z, I was thinking of the slight angle being aft of the windlass, the weight of the chain hanging into the locker would be enough to overcome any slight turns for it to fall neatly through the hawse. But I can see the problem re it rattling on the deck, the few vessels that I've seen such a setup on have had heavy stanless steel chain run plates on the deck, but that'd probably be out of place on the schooner.

Nice splice bye the way!!

Slacko

05-07-2012, 07:01 PM

I moved my chain locker back 400 mm to suit the new winch and the bow rose 30 mm.
It is 100 metres of 9 mm chain, but a 7.5 ton yacht with pointy bow so probably more pronounced difference than you will achieve.

Sailor

05-07-2012, 08:19 PM

Larks, What you're describing sounds like what most sailing ships would have had. Normally a sacrificial piece of wood on the deck called a Scotchman to keep the cable from maring the deck as it roared out. Perfectly suitable if properly executed.

Capt Zatarra

05-07-2012, 09:22 PM

It appears that part of what I typed last night got cut off when the power went out. And when it downloaded this morning it was missing the last part. I will try to recall what I was saying. In the mean time.... Today I continued to work on the breast hook and the last few deck beams, it was HOT here the wind was barely stirring so it felt even hotter. I spent about three hours just planing the tops of the shear strake and the shear shelf up in the bow section where you can see in the picture in my last post how they flare out making the inside of the boards about inch higher then the outside that has to be planed off so that it is level to the deck beams and breasthook that I spent most of the day working on. It is slow going and one of those jobs that makes me feel like I must admit to being in my reclining years and buy a electric planer!!! After I make a enough progress I'll snap some pics for you guys. Other then that I am too tired to think right now. Time to lay down, for a while. Capt. Z.

Larks

05-07-2012, 11:05 PM

Time to lay down, for a while. Capt. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

fixed that for you Z....;)

oceangroover

05-08-2012, 04:08 PM

Capt Z. we salute your progress. Nice splice mate. Thanks for the photos and the updates you are keeping the dream alive for us all.

1360 lb of chain in your new set-up is 600 odd kilos, more than half a metric tonne. And the 1200 pound engine gone. Moving your new chain locker aft; I reckon it makes sense. Moving it 8 feet back sounds like a worthy gain on 50.

I quite like the off to one side hatch option, and I wouldn't build two for the sake of symmetry. Go the offset look. Can you plant your windlass slightly off centreline to move chain runs away from the hatch? Or is that a stupid idea? It would allow you to bring the hatch inboard a bit. And are you restricted as to how close to the foremast you can plant the windlass before the mast gets in the way of using it?

Placing the hatch on the centreline with a super-wide windlass to run a chain each side.......hmmm. Doesn't sound like the most elegant solution.

It's good you're using a lot of hand tools, Z. We need you to stay toned for when you're hoiking 400 feet of chain back up.

Capt Zatarra

05-09-2012, 12:23 AM

Another day a little more progress. Still working on the breasthook, almost there. And a little more work on the string theory to locate the carlins and the supports for the hatch way from the saloon to the pilot house.
Stephane hold off on the secret handshake, the plan is for a small powerfull electric motor. Still working on the shipping of the old motor.
Anyway still brainstorming for the forward hatch. I like the idea of the hatch to the side, the ladder going up the side of the hull seems like a good use of space, but the idea of a hatch on the side during a knockdown sounds very dangerous. Having had more than my fairshare of them, and a lot more oceans to cross still, I think the side hatch is out. Besides that is right about where one of the swivel guns goes. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

05-09-2012, 08:04 PM

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7167589174_27df841349_z.jpg
BREASTHOOK!

Capt Zatarra

05-09-2012, 08:07 PM

The breasthook still needs to be drilled bolted and bedded, that comes next. Capt. Z.

headonz

05-09-2012, 11:30 PM

I think the side hatch is out. Besides that is right about where one of the swivel guns goes. Capt. Z.

There you go Y>

Any chance of moving the bulkhead aft ?

Capt Zatarra

05-10-2012, 02:09 AM

There you go Y>

Any chance of moving the bulkhead aft ?

The bulkhead sits just forward of the fore mast, so not really. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

05-10-2012, 06:29 PM

There you go Y>

Any chance of moving the bulkhead aft ?

I keep thinking about your question. And I am wondering what you had in mind? The bulkhead could be put on the aft side of the mast. That would make the v berth larger. So what are you thinking of there? Capt. Z.

headonz

05-11-2012, 04:13 AM

Its a little difficult to see clearly not knowing how close to scale or otherwise your sketches are.Can you do a forward elevation showing the chain drop in relation to the beam in this sketch?
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/7150979511_e3673e6e7b_z.jpg

Phil Y

05-11-2012, 04:55 PM

Plenty of boats have an offset forehatch. Loving your thread. And I'd route the deck beam edges.

Phil Y

05-11-2012, 05:03 PM

Plenty of boats have an offset forehatch. Loving your thread. And I'd route the deck beam edges.

headonz

05-11-2012, 05:41 PM

My thinking was if the bulkhead and hatch was moved aft of the mast you might have the room to pass between bunks and chain drop as shown in your above sketch.I am assuming this a water tight collision bulkhead.When the mast and all framing is considered including hatch you would end up with a large forward cabin which kind of negates the point of a water tight collision bulkhead as the area that would fill with water would sink the boat anyway.Perhaps not.

my 2c worth

Capt Zatarra

05-11-2012, 10:18 PM

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5319/7179565388_f42a90831f_z.jpg
Headonz, I whipped this out. Each square is 6"x6" so is this what you wanted to see.
I drew two different types of windlasses, older style on the port side, and a more modern type with a ratchet pawl on the starb'rd side. To see which looks better.
Phil, The other problem is the offset hatch also makes one side of the deck on a boat this size very cluttered, and almost impossible togetaround. Capt. Z.

headonz

05-13-2012, 03:32 AM

Spent a bit of time sketching out different ideas Capt'n ,It seems you have a very tricky problem,nothing seems to quite fit !

Still at it.

Capt Zatarra

05-13-2012, 11:23 AM

Spent a bit of time sketching out different ideas Capt'n ,It seems you have a very tricky problem,nothing seems to quite fit !

Still at it.

Tell me about it! I really appreciate your working on the problem. At this point I think I will put in the deck beams as if there was no hatch, then lay enough board to walk around on and take a piece of cardboard the size of the hatch and lay it in the different places and see how it looks and feels.

In the mean time I have four more deck beams to mate the surfaces to the shear shelf and then all the deck beams are done. I've got the butterfly hatch carlins cut and varnished and ready to be installed. And the elusive fore hatch carlins cut and varnished and ready as soon as I figure out where to put them. I will take some pictures as soon as the last beam is in. Capt. Z.

Larks

05-15-2012, 05:33 AM

Z, have you seen Ole's scotchman on his thread here: http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?114428-Rebuild-of-Norwegian-Pilot-Cutter/page10

Phil Y

05-16-2012, 03:22 AM

.
Phil, The other problem is the offset hatch also makes one side of the deck on a boat this size very cluttered, and almost impossible togetaround. Capt. Z.

Not so sure about that-"clutter" is very handy to hold onto/brace against on a heaving, sloping foredeck. And with the hatch offset, you might have a good storage space for a dink.

Capt Zatarra

05-17-2012, 10:56 PM

I was off line for a spell as my power cord on my IPad went on the fritz. So here is what I have done since my last post. All the deck beams fitted some still need to be bolted. Now starting to install the carlins for the butterfly hatch.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/7218560766_721f1cdc88_z.jpg
The wood for the king blank is supose to arrive tomorrow. And I still have not solved the foredeck hatch delema, as you can see in the picture there is not a lot of room between the Samson post and the space where the mast partners will be.

Phil. Clutter is probably not the best word to use here, I hope that I did not offend anyone, my apologies if I did. I am not sure until I actually lay it out, if the the hatch could be set to the side and still have room between it and the anchor windless to pass through. I am also considering moving it back to the aft side of the bulkhead which would place it at a wider part of the deck. Although I do like some aspects of a hatch off to the side, my innate sence of balance compells me to put everything centered down the middle(it is a personal problem, I know). there will be stout gunnels, stantions, and jack lines for the heaving decks. And as for the shore boats, they will be between the mast center line over the butterfly hatch.

Larks. Yes I have. Ole makes me look like a junior high school kid in his first shop class! That build is SWEET! And his scotchman is close to what I have in mind only mine will be laid in the deck as a plank.

Headonz. Any ideas yet?

Thanks all y'all lookin' in. And double thanks for committing. Capt. Z.

wizbang 13

05-18-2012, 08:23 AM

Things are five times more violent forward on my boat . I would not offset a forward hatch.
My MAIN hatch is offset a bit , and whaddya know, I took ONE knockdown gulf stream wave , guess which side was low and let in a few hundred gallons of the briny in 3 seconds ?
I wouldn't even offset the main hatch, were I to do it again.

Capt Zatarra

05-18-2012, 08:47 PM

Another week in the can. Finished fitting and securing one of the butterfly hatch carlins this morning. I cut it last thing yesterday and was quite unhappy with the fit because it was a tad loose. I quite for the night ready to burn my carpenters card and take up knitting. It rained hard last night, and this morning the carlin joint would not go together because the wood had swollen up to much. I refused to shave any back because I know it will dry up later, so I rigged up some clamps and squeezed it together and nailed it down. This afternoon another 1600 board feet of Santa Maria arrived minus the Brazilian Cherry(which is suppose to arrive next tuesday now. So I spent the second half of the day unloading and stacking that. Maybe tomorrow I will get some short beams cut. I have decided to follow Bud's advise in "How To Build a Wooden Boat" and do a notched king plank in leu of blocking down the center. My Brazilian Cherry king blank will be 24 inches wide and three inches thick with an half inch notch for the deck beams, this leaves two and a half inches above the deck. The deck planks are one and a half inches thick so the king plank will be one inch higher then the deck planks. The plan is to cut the first couple of inches of the king plank level with the deck and then rounding up with a concave curve then rounding over with a convex curve making a nice soft toe hold for a canted deck. I thought about screwing the king plank from underneath so that there is the no bungs visible on the king plank, but I think I would rather see the bungs visible on deck then on the deck beams from down below. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

05-18-2012, 09:06 PM

Another thought on the foredeck hatch. I have the watertight doc Freeman hatch that was in my cockpit originally. You can see it here
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3284/5875286330_9360a6434f_z.jpg
And here
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3323/5795222952_7475b1d9ff_z.jpg
A friend of mine here has suggested I should use it on the foredeck for the hatch. When I told him that I had considered using it but I was put off by the non period look of a aluminum water tight hatch on a period schooner, he said just glue a wood sheathing cover to the hatch so that it blends in to the deck and no one will know what is there. Now I am thinking very seriously about this. Any thoughts? Capt. Z.

headonz

05-18-2012, 09:12 PM

headonz

05-18-2012, 09:18 PM

ahh ! you beat me to it.I see we are thinking along similar lines.

The best of both worlds.?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G7EOwJyBn78/T41jqgWPgHI/AAAAAAAAAmw/MfSaZb4vJ-s/s1600/IMG_0313.jpg

SV Papillon

05-18-2012, 09:39 PM

Phil Y

05-19-2012, 03:09 AM

NO to the oval aluminium job!

Capt Zatarra

05-19-2012, 01:06 PM

NO to the oval aluminium job!

Is that a 'NO' for the aluminum hatch if it is visible on deck or a 'NO' for the idea of the aluminum hatch built in to a fake wooden hatch where the aluminum hatch cannot be seen till the hatch is opened? Or both?

Capt Zatarra

05-19-2012, 01:26 PM

Capt Z,

You can take this or leave it,
I got pretty ocd on the details of chain locker placement of this and that and finally realized it will evolve into what makes sense when the boat is together. On a smaller boat it can be more cut and dried, but on a boat of your size which is similar to mine you are trying to get every once of space out of it and things change as the interior goes in. It is good to have a concept but leave the final details till it is buttoned up. As far as hatches go I decided to go with a retro approach, I want something watertight but am not inclined to build all custom teak hatches etc. I'm going to put in hard wood frames and use ss off the shelf marine hatches. Marine hardware in ca went under or has gotten really unreliable as bluewater, but you can still get the same ss hatches from someone in Florida. I can't bring myself to put in a aluminum lewmar but who knows maybe I'll be eating my words in a year. Boat looks great!! Keep on keeping on!

Jake

Jake, good to hear from you. I always want to hear what you have to say, our projects have so much in common. I will heed your advise and try to let the details wait till it is their time. Although I think that will be easier said then done. I am going with all hardwood frames and hatches. I view the hatches as the gemstones set in the deck, and so they will get special treatment (even if there is an aluminum hatch hidden underneath one). I personally could not but a production metal and glass hatch on a wood deck, that's just me be an old traditionalist.
You did such a great job on your pilot house, it would not take much for you to build matching hatches would it? Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

05-19-2012, 02:02 PM

Capt'n ,I keep coming back to this configuration.With the chain either side of the hatch angled down from the windlass to aft of the bulkhead then a straight drop to the lockers.The width of the hatch seems to be the issue,can it not be reduced to the minimal width with the chain channeled securely either side of the hatch.

Could it not be a sliding hatch.When anchored the chains only have to be as wide apart as necessary for a man to climb down between them.You still have a useful forward cabin,the chain stored further aft at sea and a safe work area .How often will you actually have two anchors out ?

What distance do you have from the Samson post to the bulkhead ?

You want answers and I give you more questions :D:p

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5234/7004875488_b697d6a13e_z.jpg

Ok let's see if I can hit every one of your questions.
Yes it could be a sliding hatch, and the more I think about it the more I realize that it has to be very low profile, where deckhands can step on it and over it very easily when working the foredeck. As much as I wanted a raised hatch with doors, it just seems to crowded for that. And yes the hatch will be as small as possible and still allow safe and convenient passage.
How often do I have two anchors out? This is a trick question, because I always have two anchors on my primary anchor chain about thirty feet apart most of the time. But I know your real question is how often do I deploy my second anchor and chain, one port and one starb'rd? Anytime the weather kicks up or anytime I think I might be dragging anchor. I have made it so simple to deploy and retrieve a second anchor we do it probably way more then we actually need to, but then I really hate the idea of waking up to find my bottom side bumpin' on the beach. When I sailed Mexico durning the hurricane season we weathered 14 named hurricanes, then we had 4 anchors out!

6 feet from the Samson post to the bulkhead

I think that covers that, what next? Capt. Z.

headonz

05-19-2012, 09:23 PM

SV Papillon

05-19-2012, 10:24 PM

I view the hatches as the gemstones set in the deck, and so they will get special treatment (even if there is an aluminum hatch hidden underneath one). I personally could not but a production metal and glass hatch on a wood deck, that's just me be an old traditionalist.
You did such a great job on your pilot house, it would not take much for you to build matching hatches would it? Capt. Z.

Capt z, On the hatches for me it comes down to maint and reliablility, if you look at the wood hatches Luke desinged on on the VN schooner they will probably last many moon. My last boat had teak hatches and they were a real PITA. I completely dissassembled and rebuilt and they still were a issue, mr. Crealock designed them so that was not the issue. IMHO what is really lacking is someone makeing bronze deck hatches. You can go crazy on the hardwood frame etc but the actual opening closing glass holding part will always let go in the heat of it. Just a note I have lots of experiance with freeman hatches in the briny north and they also like to leak, mostly the seal ring getting dried out on them.

Jake

Capt Zatarra

05-19-2012, 11:26 PM

The issue would be how do you get the chain from the windlass to the hawser without eating you hatch I guess.Maybe a sacrificial strapping/edging on the hatch.
I wanted to show a more detailed side elevation but too many interruptions grrrrr ! maybe later today .

What headroom do you have ,is it accurate as drawn ?

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5323/7230699674_4d3c43aa16_z.jpg

I like where your heading with the drawing, again thanks for taking the time to help out.
The side view drawings that I posted earlier were not very accurate mearly to show the chain flue going to the chain locker. The beam view looking forward is accurate within two inches +\-. It is measured at the bulkhead. The head room is 6' 3", and the chain lockers sit on the cabin sole, with the floors being 12" tall under the sole. (It looks like you drew the sole on top of the chain lockers.) I am investigating whether or not I will be able to store the chain between the floors. There by getting the weight of the chain another 12" lower.
Tomorrow morning I will measure the deck and make a drawing to show you the actual deck width at each deck beam and where the mast and Samson post sit. Capt. Z.

kewlrunninz

05-20-2012, 12:19 AM

Dont fake anything Capt. its either one or the other. For me I used aluminum on PROVIDENCE who is most definetly a "period" vessel and have no regrets. As long as it is functional and not dressing it's just fine

Capt Zatarra

05-20-2012, 12:58 AM

Capt z, On the hatches for me it comes down to maint and reliablility, if you look at the wood hatches Luke desinged on on the VN schooner they will probably last many moon. My last boat had teak hatches and they were a real PITA. I completely dissassembled and rebuilt and they still were a issue, mr. Crealock designed them so that was not the issue. IMHO what is really lacking is someone makeing bronze deck hatches. You can go crazy on the hardwood frame etc but the actual opening closing glass holding part will always let go in the heat of it. Just a note I have lots of experiance with freeman hatches in the briny north and they also like to leak, mostly the seal ring getting dried out on them.

Jake

Funny you say that your hatches were a PITA, the one thing on my boat that was bulletproof and never gave me a problem was my hatches. I could have bronze hatches cast here at the foundry only I don't have the deep deeeeep pockets that would be required I'm sure. Capt. Z.

Phil Y

05-20-2012, 02:32 AM

Cap'n Z I'm saying no to the aluminium, and definitely no to fake wood over it. I probably wouldn't go the big quarter round hump back hatch (don't know what they are called). There's nothing at all wrong with a traditional hinged hatch, with a double framing around the side with a drain. Rubber seals and the like mostly don't work, a good drain system is what you need. I'm sorry i don't have a good picture of mine, and I'm a couple of thousand miles from my boat-basicaly there's like a small cabin almost on the foredeck, with a sliding hatch built into it. The "cabin" is central, but the hatch itself is set off the stbd. Don't know why it was built like that, but it works well inside. There's a bulkhead immediately aft of the hatch. Ladder/steps on the front face of the bulkhead, and the doorway from the main cabin into the focsle is set to port. You can kind of see it here.
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4122/4883326989_80d6d64c1b.jpg

And with the dinghy sitting on top of it here.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5222/5678398065_1d655ded0a.jpg

Capt Zatarra

05-20-2012, 11:10 PM

I got the measurements this morning, and then later this afternoon I translated them in to a drawing, and then I took pictures of them. But then (theres always a but, when things don't go the way we want) people came by and I was unable to get away, to go to the Internet cafe to down load the pic to the Internet. So tomorrow I will get them down loaded, so you can see them. Interestingly enough taking all the measurements and drawing out the deck actually helped me to figure out what might be a plausible to to do this. I will post my idea with the pics tomorrow for everyones scrutiny. Capt. Z.

Phil,what you said about the traditionally hinged hatch, is what I had before and it worked great. Then the time I spent on the foredeck today, thinking about how to how to make this work, I realized this should not be made more complicated then it already is, and keep with what works. Look for my drawing tomorrow and see what you think.

headonz

05-21-2012, 05:39 PM

Yes ,there was a bit of guess work going on,see what you mean about the sole.Make much more sense now.
Looking forward to what ever you can get up next visit to the cyber cafe.

Capt Zatarra

05-21-2012, 11:01 PM

And here it is
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/7246114922_0c6303bd50_z.jpg
The numbers on the right are the width of the deck to the out side of the hull, measured on the aft side of the beam, rounded off to the 1/2 inch. So what do you think?

And here is my latest idea showing the anchor windless, hatch, and catheads. Someone (Larks) suggested a few post back that I should use a wheel like on a bow roller to control the direction of the chain. So if I put a roller at the base of the catheads the chain can run from the haws hole to the roller to the anchor windless, while staying clear of the hatch.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7232/7246060652_e128b6dd04_z.jpg
On closer inspection it looks like i would have to move the catheads back 18 more inches to get the chain to run right.
Capt. Z.

Phil Y

05-22-2012, 02:10 AM

Capt Zatarra

05-22-2012, 09:12 PM

Looks all wrong to me, the windlass should be up forward. I'm sure I've seen a modern boat somewhere with its anchor chain running aft, from a winch up near the bow, aft to a hawse pipe right back near the mast. Maybe a little channel made of HDPE-that white plastic bread boards are made of, for the chain to slide along.

I know what you mean about what looks 'right' for the windlass. But one of the criterias that I am trying to accomplish is that raising the anchor is a one man job. (in this case, a one woman job as raising and casting of the anchor is my wife's job. She wants the job to help keep her in shape.) We have always had a manual anchor windlass. And the chain rolling off the windlass would go straight down the hawse pipe. The problem arose when I moved the anchor locker farther aft. If the windlass is winding the chain in forward in the peak and the hawse pipe is aft, then a second person must be pulling the chain aft and hand feeding the chain down the pipe.

The Bonnie Lassie is not a modern looking boat by a long shot. So I am trying to keep the look as 'correct' as possible. And the chain will have a grooved piece of brazilian cherry to run across the deck in. In looking through some of Chapelle's books for a reference as to where the windlass was located back in the day, I found them spread all over the deck. Sultana has hers about five feet behind the fore mast. The Hallifax is about twelve inches aft of the fore mast. An awful lot had capstans aft of the main mast where the chain would transverse almost the entire deck. The Prince De Neufchatel has it the same place as I have in the drawing above but she is hundred and ten feet on deck so I'm not sure we should make too close a comparison between mine and hers! Now the Revenue Cutters are very close to the Bonnie Lassie in size and lay out and several of these have the windlass right in front of the foremast. The peculiar ones are the ones like Berbice, and Dos Amigos, that have nothing on deck for hauling the anchor? Did they just put a bunch of hands on the anchor rode and haul it in? Anyway I think that it is most likely what you are used to seeing that then dictates what looks right. I had considered putting it in front of the main mast so that I could get all that weight right down in the lowest part of the bilge. But this would take up too much space between the mast where I secure the shore boats. I have fifteen feet between the mast and I really like having BIG dinges, like my thirteen and a half feet long Whitehall. Well I think I have been rambling here for too long so I will sign out for now, but first I will say I don't disagree with you Phil that it would look better farther foreword, but then how to solve all the issues needed to get the chain where it needs to be? Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

05-22-2012, 09:20 PM

Yes ,there was a bit of guess work going on,see what you mean about the sole.Make much more sense now.
Looking forward to what ever you can get up next visit to the cyber cafe.

How long ar ya gona keep me waitin' fur yur next drawin' ther matie? It's ben a whole day! A very impatient Capt. Z.

headonz

05-23-2012, 03:51 AM

How long ar ya gona keep me waitin' fur yur next drawin' ther matie? It's ben a whole day! A very impatient Capt. Z.

Sorry Capt'n ,nothing new here.In light of your last drawing and further explanation as to how and by who the anchors will be handled I dont have anything to help you.I probably need a good flogging but failing that I will have to hope for some miraculous inspiration as I sleep on it.

Capt Zatarra

05-26-2012, 09:06 PM

My last post of progress pictures was may 17th. Back at post 427. So here is an up date. The king blank wood did not arrive till yesterday, and it was on not the full order. But the covering board wood arrived, 30 inches wide by 2 inches thick by 12 feet long. Six of these planks, they will have to be milled down to inch and a half thick. And the grown knees are still AWOL. In the mean time I have installed the short beams on the butter fly hatch. They look like this from below. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7219/7275323218_8b74d04f32_z.jpg
And here is the view from above the waist looking forward. For those who have not read all the post or are new, the stringers that you see in the picture will be removed eventually and a ceiling will be installed.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8164/7275426474_f98dff364c_z.jpg
I laid down on the temporary work deck to look up through the new butterfly hatch hole to get a feel for what it will looks like, I really like it.
It is the hot time of the year, so I have been starting to work on the schooner by six in the morning. By nine o'clock in the morning it is H.O.T. hot. Also I have a new helper, an English gentleman/sailor, who sailed in to here a few months ago and took a shine to my project and joined the crew. He is in several of the pictures. So last month the two nicaraguans who have been working for me, decided to take a few weeks off, and sort of forgot to mention that they were not coming to work! And then, when they came back, they wanted a pay raise. I think that the idea was to show how much I needed them, only it backfired on them because the two of us still working were getting as much done as the four of us were doing before their walk out. So for now it is just myself and the Englishman on the job. Monday we finish bolting all the short deck beams on the butterfly hatch and start on the carlins for the main hatch. This one is a little tricky as it makes a open corner that will be something of a Chinese puzzle box to construct. Also I have made a few slight changes to the pilot house which will make it possible to put a head next to the aft cabin as per the wishes of SWMBO. Which makes the carlins on the quarter deck in the wrong place and so will have to be redone. I'll post the pics as we figure it out. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

06-02-2012, 09:26 PM

So here is where we left off last week. The last beam on the quarter deck is the one that has to go because the carlins are to be moved to a new location.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7234/7275374648_2b45bfc9d6_z.jpg
The beam has relaxed, over time, from the curve that it was origonally cut too. I was not too worried about it because I will be installing the bulkhead next to it and I was going to jack it up to it's proper height and then bolt it to the bulkhead. Now, I didn't need to worry about it as I will just remove it and cut two new short beams for the entrance to the saloon that had the correct curve. Two pillars were cut to support the short beams, and a floor was installed just for them to be bolted to. These pillars will be behind the bulkhead.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7225/7323141780_a966bb5543_z.jpg
Where the carlins meet the main deck beam I used a standard type slot joint cut into the top of the beam an inch and a half tapering down to nothing (at the bottom edge). The other end is a mortise and tenon joint into the upright pillar. This end will eventually have a hanging knee under it to help support it's weight and ensure it does not back out when the ship is worked at sea. The cross piece, in between the uprights, is the height of the pilot house floor, it is also joined with a mortise and tenon joint on both sides, as well as mortise and tenon on the top of the uprights into the underside of the short beams.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8023/7323252966_23920033df_z.jpg
I had hoped to have both carlins in this week. But the time it took for the pillars and the short beams and the other parts took way more time then I expected. It doesn't matter how many mortise I chisel out, they still take longer to do then I think they should. Plus non boat building stuff really got ugly this week and stole almost two days of work. So I only got the second carlin cut out but not the mortise in the upright or the slot in the deck beam.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8011/7323082940_ea9b3f66a9_z.jpg
One more view just because everyone wants more pictures. So that's where I am at the moment, what do you think? Capt. Z.

Sailor

06-02-2012, 11:36 PM

MMMMM boat joinery. Sweet pics Captn. Keep 'em coming.

oceangroover

06-03-2012, 04:05 AM

I think she looks great Z. Thanks for keeping us hungry lurkers well fed. We need our Capt. Z fix almost as bad as we need coffee in the morning.

Onward to victory and a wet bottom, regards to ya Z from Groover

Capt Zatarra

06-06-2012, 11:36 PM

I could use a little help here. I just cut out the main mast partner, out of a single piece of braziallian cherry. I will post pictures tomorrow. Now I was going to put two bolts running fore and aft, one on each side of the mast (like in Pardey's 'Classic Boat Construction') but then I read in Chapelle's 'Boatbuilding' that I should fasten the mast partner to the beams with spikes, and then run the bolts athort ship, one before the mast and one aft the mast. So the first puts compression holding two beams tight to the partner, while the second runs across the grain protecting the m. partner from splitting. On my project there is a short beam that will be let in to the m. partner the same as if it were a carlin. Would this not give the same protection as athort ship bolts? And do I need bolts at all? Since I will be installing a king plank that the ribs will be let in to it 1/2 inch. This will keep the deck beams from spreading apart. If I don't have to put in the bolts it will save having to make a 30 inch long drill bit and the hassle of drilling the long deep hole in the partner and the corisponding holes in the beams. Please I could use some insight here. Capt. Z.

SV Papillon

06-07-2012, 07:35 AM

Not saying this is right... I used two blocks one below the cabin top grain athwart and one above grain fore aft. The lower one if put in during the building of the cabin top would have been let in to the beams some as it is now it is not. The whole thing is through bolted top to bottom with 3/8th bolts 4 ea. foremast is about the same it just all happens under the deck vs sandwiching it like the main

Jake

Capt Zatarra

06-09-2012, 06:33 PM

Thanks for the reply Jake. I like the idea of two layers with the grain crosswise to each other. I am trying to figure out how to work that idea in to what I am doing now. I thought I would get a few more responses then I got???? No one on the WBF has an opinion? Is it something I said? Anyway while I ponder this, I will show all of y'all what I have done so far. This is the fore and main partners shown with the piece they were cut from.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7071/7355488918_d14ba07112_z.jpg
The black plastic is to show the size of the mast.
The next step was to cut the hole in the partners. If you have been following along on this thread with me, you will remember that the mast rakes back at a 15 degree angle. So I have to cut an octagon that tapers 15 degrees. I had considered cutting the piece in half, cut out the two halves of the hole and then glue the pieces back together, but, I really wanted the piece without any glue joints. So here is what I came up with. I cut a guide block at the needed 15 degrees. Then clamped it to the partner where I had glued a drawing of the octagon.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7235/7355460454_07a35b5640_z.jpg
Using the guide block I drilled each corner of the octagon, making sure I always drill each hole in the same direction. Here is the view from above.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7214/7170192223_f2251113d9_z.jpg
Then I chiseled out around the edge using the drill hole as my guide to maintain the correct angle for each side.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7355502202_cac81f9e8b_z.jpg
At this point I ran out of memory on my camera. So here is what you cannot see. I flipped the partner over and scribed a line from each drill hole and then cut the line with a straight edge and a knife. This allows me to chisel a clean edge with no chip out. I chiseled out 3/4 of an inch and then flipped the wood back over and chiseled out around the edge till the middle fell out and then cleaned up the inner faces. I will get some more pictures now that I have cleared the cameras memory. More to come. Capt. Z.

SV Papillon

06-09-2012, 09:05 PM

Capt Zatarra

06-10-2012, 11:36 PM

Hi capt Z, looks like what you have going will work as a reference I'm laying in the fore cabin looking at the fore mast partners, the king plank is about 20" plus minus wide, I am too lazy to get a tape, at the partners it is the same dim block with grain fore aft but the width goes out to 3 x the mast diameter. Them the lower block has the grain athwart and has 5 3/8 bolts per side the lower block is also rebated from the deck beams by about 1/8. If you are going to be letting in stub beams to this block I would make the top one thick enough to accommodate the bottom block and bolting are to tie everything together and eliminate the athwart loading of parallel grain on the top block, keep it from splitting in the skinny part at the mast.

Hope that makes sense

Jake

Jake I have to admit I am a little confused. Is the king plank bolted to the partners? How thick are your partners? Is your king plank rebated to the deck beams? I plan to rebate my king blank 1/2 inch. This will make the king plank stand 1/2 inch higher then the deck planks. (good for a foot hold on a slipping deck) The combined thickness of my king plank and partners is five inches, how does that compare to your setup? I plan to put an additional two inch layer on the king plank that is only a few inches wide, that the mast boot would tie to to keep water out. But if I were to make it five or six inches wide and run the grain athwart ship, then I could run all the bolts through all three layers for a total of seven inches, is that overkill? It is certainly more then what was there before. Although before there was a plywood deck, and I do not know how to compare side loading on plywood to side loading on a laid deck. (before, one inch plywood deck, 3/8 teak overlay, 3 inch thick mast partners). I apologize for being a little thick, but I really appreciate the feed back, outside of this forum there is no one here (Nicaragua) who I can talk to about sailboats much less wooden sailboats and even less about building one. Thanks again for your patiences and contribution. Capt. Z.

SV Papillon

06-11-2012, 09:25 AM

My bad I was confusing king plank with blocking, on my boat aft and fore there is blocking on centerline let into the beams, from the bowsprit to fwd cabin carlin and stern to cockpit carlin. It is about 1 1/2 thick by 20 wide let in about 3/4 on the top of the beams. On the foremast the deck is laid over this right to the mast. I don't really like this arrangement as it can let water in being flush with deck. I think as long as you have at least two blocks with there grain opposed and one is let into the beams fore and aft you should be good. You could thru bolt the upper block and king plank to the deck beams as well. 7" does not sound to thick to me. Also you should let in some substantial horizontal knees on the forward outboard side of the fwd beam and aft outboard side of the aft beam. Take a look at Lucky Lukes thread on the vn schooner it has some nice pics also the one on the pilot schooner from bc I think he has some good pics as well. I would say there is a pretty big difference in the loads and distr with a ply deck and a laid deck.

Hope that makes sense

Jake

Capt Zatarra

06-11-2012, 09:45 AM

06-12-2012, 10:42 AM

This thread needs a sticky......

Hey Cap.....sorry if I'm a bit late with this, I had to go out to the boat and use a measuring tape to make sure I got it right. The partners can be a complex structure, lots going on.....

Our boat is of a similar size to yours and built of a mix of PNW softwood (Yellow cedar sawn frames, beams, stringers) and South American Hardwoods (the deck is planked with 1.75" Ishpingo). The partners seem to be hardwood similar in grain to mahogany, dense, fine, and clear. The drawing might explain it best but the grain in the partners runs across the boat so side loads from the mast are taken by the end grain for minimum wood crushing. The blocking is let into the beams slightly to lock it all in place. The blocking is all flat on the bottom and shaped to the deck crown on top. I know she is massively overbuilt by today's engineering standards but this allows for rot which we have plenty of......:D

http://tadroberts.ca/pics/Partners.jpg

Around the mast the deck planking is replaced by a boss that swells the thickness to about 2.5", so at the main mast there is about 6" of solid wood taking the loads, this is necessary for softwood spars.

SV Papillon

06-12-2012, 02:50 PM

What Tad said

If your boat originally had a plywood deck and you are sticking to the same dim on everything I would think real hard about switching to a laid deck, you might consider t&g with ply glued over it then a faux layer glued on the ply of you want the wood top.

Jake

SV Papillon

06-12-2012, 04:53 PM

In the sketch you show Tad, do you think this arrangement is prone to possible trapped water issues and rot, lots of joints and holes in the beams all under the deck.

06-12-2012, 06:35 PM

In the sketch you show Tad, do you think this arrangement is prone to possible trapped water issues and rot, lots of joints and holes in the beams all under the deck.

Hi Jake......Do I wish my boat was built differently? No....well maybe, but anything will rot if you let fresh water get in. This partner layout is pretty traditional, I can find versions of it on LF Herreshoff and Bill Garden drawings. Just without all the lodging knees and not quite as massive. No, I don't wish the boat was built weaker, I love just sitting and marveling at all the bolts........It could be simpler for sure. But Bob Prothero was running what he termed a "master" school of boatbuilding, I guess a simple solution wouldn't cut it. I had a deck plank over this blocking up last summer, the deck seams had been leaking for years. The Yellow Cedar beam was going soft on top but the blocking around it was sound as a nut. We'll start pulling up sections of deck and changing beams in about 10 years......:d

SV Papillon

06-12-2012, 06:54 PM

Thanks Tad and pardons Capt Z. for sidetracking, a new deck should happen for us before any serious offshore time and I want to think of any potential structural changes that will happen then, if you go for the big thru bolting Capt Z don't go buy some exp long bits just find a welder to weld some 3/8 steel round stock to the ends of a couple of your bits, the ends of most HSS and other drill bits are not hardened so they are fine to weld a extension on.

Jake

Capt Zatarra

06-14-2012, 08:05 AM

My Internet was out for a couple of days and I could not get on line, I'm back now. Tad, the drawing and explanation is awesome thanks so much. I am working on incorporating in a layer of wood with the grain running athwart ship as it makes sence from both examples. Jake, I am not sticking with the same dem, fact is (for me) plywood belongs in packing crates, not boats that are expected to last years and years. I had two major problems in my hull undersized steam bent ribs, that were all busted to hell and back. And plywood bulkheads and cabins that were petre dishes for rot spores. So the plywood is gone and I have grown frames and beams and will lay a traditional straight plank deck. Lots of changes! Pilot house instead of open cockpit, two steering stations (one inside and one outside), new layout below, losing the raised cabin, new mast heights, raking the mast, new sail plan, you know nothing too drastic or big! So anyway thanks again both of you guys your input has been most appreciated. So now I am off to install some more short beams. Please keep the coments and suggestions coming. I'll have new pictures soon. Capt. Z.

06-14-2012, 12:01 PM

Every construction style and detail is part of a system, and all the parts of this system must work together. If there's no plywood in the deck supplying the diagonal bracing something else must be added. The diagonal metal strapping by Herreshoff is one solution, massive blocking (as above) and lots of lodging knees is another. We have no plywood in our boat yet but 17 lodging knees (and about 8 hanging knees)each side of the boat. There is a lodging knee each end of every deck opening, forehatch, chart house, galley hatch, and aft skylight, plus those at the partners and two at the deck break. It adds up to a lot of wood and bolts.

Capt Zatarra

06-14-2012, 01:17 PM

Tad, thanks again for helping out, I agree completely with what your saying.
I have twenty four knees on order from my wood guy, and hopefully will be getting them soon. I do understand not mixing construction styles and I have chosen to rebuild traditionally from the keel up, so hopefully she'll float when I'm done. I have been getting the lions share of info for this rebuild from the books by Chapelle, McIntosh, and Pardey, and then what I can glein from other sources like this forum. So advise and critiques are always welcome. This morning I got another short beam installed and hopefully will be able to get another one this afternoon. If I get it in today, I will only have 14 more to go!, then I will dive into the blocking and knees. Wish me luck. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

06-16-2012, 08:34 PM

Another week in the can. And a few more short ribs in, besides the two mast partners cut out that we were talking about earlier, but not installed. How many progress pictures of deck beams being installed do you guys want? Capt. Z.
Ohh ya today is my birthday!

Sailor

06-16-2012, 09:34 PM

Happy Birthday. You can't post enough pics of deck beams, mast partners, stem peices, backbones, floors or any other boat part you've got going over there. :)

P.L.Lenihan

06-17-2012, 03:24 AM

Happy belated BD Capt Z and I third Mr.Roberts's call for a sticky!

Cheers!

Peter

Phil Y

06-17-2012, 05:57 AM

Happy birthday Capn

Capt Zatarra

06-17-2012, 08:22 PM

Thanks for the birthday wishes, y'all, there is an El Cribe festival going on today and yesterday, music, food(Ron Don pork oh heavenly yum) traditional dancing, bull riding, a lot of fun.

Three calls for a sticky! That the nicest thing any one has said about my post. I'll have to work hard to live up to such high praise.

Tomorrow I will take pictures of the new short ribs I have been installing around the saloon entrance. Even though sailor is the only one out there that wants more rib pictures, these will be just for you sailor. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

06-18-2012, 07:53 PM

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7093/7398022418_38c7a52438_z.jpg
As requested, these short ribs are for you sailor. Capt. Z.

Sailor

06-18-2012, 08:35 PM

Thanks! :)

Capt Zatarra

06-19-2012, 09:05 PM

Today was a good day! I made up my mind on how to install the mast partners, and then went to work on them. It is a process for me that As I am building I want to keep my options open incase a better way to do some part becomes apparent. So right up to the point that the piece of wood must be installed I am still asking myself, 'self is this really how we want this done?' I find myself asking myself. And then I go for it. So today I cut two channels in the back of the mast partners, like this.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5155/7404805852_ae0ae34518_z.jpg
I then hoisted the partner in to it's position and marked the deck beams where the channels were, lowered the partner, drilled holes in the deck beam, ran painted/treated threaded rod through the beams and then lifted the partner back into place and tightened the bolts up. Then taking splines I had cut I glued the channels closed.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7404762744_186d412b16_z.jpg
Then I chiseled the spline flush with the top surface of the mast partner. You will notice that the the mast partner sit half an inch below the top of the beam this is for the king plank to resess into. Then I cut the mortise for the short beam. Like this.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7093/7404719888_d2b12b9341_z.jpg
And then cut and fit a short beam to fit from the shelf clamp to the mortise, like this
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7223/7404595336_7a29d60cb0_z.jpg
And one more view from the bottom. Like this. Because every one want more pictures.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7404666294_9201a9f3f0_z.jpg
So that is what I call a good day in the boatyard, and it only took nine hours!
And to make things even better, some how, today I got 5 stars on my thread. Thanks so much to who ever did that. That was really very nice, it made the perfect ending to a perfect day.
enjoy Capt. Z.
P.s. Knees and blocking still to come.

Larks

06-19-2012, 11:10 PM

The five stars only seem to come when you have a decent number of viewers all voting consistently a five start rating.

I understand the frustration of going to the trouble of photographing, downloading and posting updates here, looking forward to comments and responses only to be just a tad disappointed that no one seems overly interested. But just remember Z, that you at least now have proof that although we may not be responding after each of your posts, we are watching and admiring every post and every milestone on this thread, well I am anyway and the 5star rating shows that I am certainly not alone.

I think the difficulty with commenting anything other than oohs and ah's and admirations and a few polite questions here and there, is that what you are doing is quite a bit beyond the mere tinkerings with little wooden boats that the rest of us are doing (other than the likes of Ole etc anyway - his is another thread that I enjoy as much as yours).

Capt Zatarra

06-20-2012, 12:12 AM

Larks, thanks for your support and understanding. This may sound funny but I am really looking forward to this build being done so that I can build two small row/sail boats for my shore boats. Some thing in the 12 to 14 foot range. After all you have to have the perfect 'captain's gig' and a dependable 'liberty boat' when your cruising. Nothing is more fun then when you sail to a new location then to set up a couple of little sail boats to race each other while exploring the new anchorage. I have never built a traditional clinch nail clinker built boat so I want to build one maybe a white hall they are one of my most favorite rowboats. And then the second boat would be some thing light probably a cedarstrip type since I have built that way before, a little Mellonseed would be the cats meow(anybody built a 14' Mellonseed before?) but then when I see what those SOF guy are doing, holy smokes, ultra light? That stuff is radical, I might have to go with a SOF white hall for my second shore boat. Anyway that is a little ways down the road still. but I still follow the threads on the which is the best rowing and sailing boat under 14' very closely. Capt. Z.

Tom Freeman

06-20-2012, 12:24 AM

I haven't looked in on your project for a bit. Nice to see the outstanding progress that you are making!

headonz

06-20-2012, 02:20 AM

Thats it Capt'n ,Larks hit the nail on the head ,its the shear magnitude of the build that would intimidate most people.And be careful what you wish for,do you really want the hordes here pontificating endlessly on every detail.Nay !

Some of the certified bonafide experts are a little conspicuous by their absence though !??

I just feel privileged to be along for the ride.

SV Papillon

06-20-2012, 10:43 AM

Looking good Capt Z

It looks like you have it figured out! I would let in blocking in the frame bay aft of your partners a little over the width of the Carlins aft of the beam, maybe 3 pieces to keep it manageable. If you make a sketch of the layout as is I bet Tad will draw in where the lodging knees should go.

I used to get a little bummed about the lack of feedback good and bad as I'm new to it all. After you read enough on here though you can see that the old school and new school professionals absolutely cannot resist pointing out when you are f&$cking up!! So no news is good news and the occasional atta boy from a Cleek , Greer or Roberts goes a long way. I may have said it before but my first post on here after I bought my boat and was Oh so full of enthusiasm and ignorance was replied to by a Mainer telling me that I was a complete idiot for buying the boat and I needed to run away from the whole thing.

They weren't entirely wrong but it didn't stop me!

Keep the pics coming!!

Jake

Capt Zatarra

06-20-2012, 09:25 PM

Always good to hear from you Jake, Did any of your 'run from it' type posters ever come back and say that you did all right after all? I hope mine looks as good as yours some day. Now in an effort to "keep the pics coming!!" here is a couple of shots of me making paper patterns for the knees that I am planning to go next to the partners
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5452/7411401016_bd19680530_z.jpg
I laid some old bolts and sticks on top to show where it would be through bolted. The inside part against the short beam is 12 inches long and the long out side length is 22 inches long. I am guessing that this is long enough, it would make the combined length 71 inches long athwart ship.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5236/7411357170_aefcc26329_z.jpg
And the underside view, you cannot see it in this picture but that blue sky is blazing HOT, by nine o'clock in the morning I was soaking wet in sweat. Today, despite the heat, I got the foremast partner in as well as the other main mast short beam that you can see in the picture with the paper patterns.
Jake, I was under the impression that if I were to install a king plank, in this case about 21 to 24 inches wide with an half inch recess over the beams, that king plank would replace the blocking needed between the mast beams and the carlin beams and the beams in between those two. Tad? Do you want to weight in on this? If it does not replace the blocking I need to make some changes in my plans, quick! Waiting to hear what the crowd thinks. Capt. Z.

Larks

06-20-2012, 09:39 PM

Any reason why you couldn't go belt and braces and do both anyway? It'd reduce any possible risk of twist of the whole thing, within those three frames, for and aft that the king plank might not be thick enough to cope with......probably unlikely but would there be any harm, other than extra work, in being sure while you have the chance?

SV Papillon

06-20-2012, 09:42 PM

Hi capt Z

I think what you are saying is that you are going to cut into the bottom of the king plank over each beam 1/2"? If it were me I would do the blocking and keep it independent of the deck planking but your plan should work too.

Jake

J.Madison

06-20-2012, 09:58 PM

Looks really good to my untrained eye Captn'. There are lots of opinions around here on the small boats but when it comes to something like your boat I think most people are out of their league! At least I am. I like to just sit back and watch the real shipbuilding in action.

06-21-2012, 11:15 AM

Thinking about loads........The centerline blocking between beams is there to spread the fore & aft compression and sheer load from the mast. Imagine running off in a gale and you can't get the sail down or you're being chased by pirates....(See J Slocum).......There's a smooth bend in the spar from head to step, in the middle are your partners being pushed both aft and sideways. The strength of wood is different depending on grain direction. You have the end grain (strongest direction) of your longitudinal blocking pressing against the side grain (weaker) of the beam. Thus I would look to maximize that contact area, lowering the load on each square inch of side grain. I guess I don't think 1/2" by 24" is as good as say 2.5" by 24". This is an area where you really do not want any movement ever! Thus overbuild. If the blocking is almost full depth (molding) of the beam it (the beam)cannot roll even though it's mainly fastened on top (deck spikes).

Maybe one thing you could do without changing too much would be to do the king plank as planned, then add some small (2" by 10") underneath and between the beams? Not sure on the fastening though, perhaps drifts from one end........This blocking should always be let into the beam from the top with a shallow (1/2" max on top) wedge shaped socket.

Capt Zatarra

06-21-2012, 05:09 PM

Tad. That makes sense. I can visualize the strain on the deck beams causing them to twist from under the 1/2 inch slot of the king plank. So I am taking your advise (as well as Jake and Larks) and will add in blocking under the king plank. If I run the grain for and aft I could cut the blocking from the same wood as the mast partners in the same dimensions so that the visual line runs all the way across the overhead in the saloon, from the entry port to the butter fly hatch and then continue from the fore side of the bfly hatch up to the bow. I will let it into the beam 1/2 inch from the top like you said. But as to the fastening, becuase I can only get at one side, what do you think of drilling a hole all the way through the outside of beam and the block and then halfway through the far side beam, then cut a four inch long piece of 3/8 steal rod and drive it through the hole with a 5/16 steal rod as a nail punch. Then drive a normal 3/8 spike with a head in the hole from the drilled side. This would have both sides nailed with an empty hole in the middle between the two spikes. I could drive a wood dowel into the middle to fill the void if it really made a difference. This would be nailed in place, but it would have no compression as it would if it had been bolted into place. Does that seem strong enough? Thank you again for your help, Capt. Z.

06-22-2012, 12:47 PM

Cap,

Your method will work but properly installed "drifts" will be better. I gather this is pretty hard wood you are framing with, thus the holes should be only slightly smaller than the rod diameter. I would do a single rod full length, through the beam, blocking, and 3/4's of the way through the next beam. So for your 3/8" rod try drilling holes at 11/32" or 23/64ths.......Hammer a short point on the drift and slip a washer on it before hammering in, when it's in all the way peen the head over the washer, if done correctly these hold impressively, almost like a bolt. Oh and you can countersink the washer and head out of sight into the side of the beam........Keep hydrated in all that sun!

Capt Zatarra

06-24-2012, 02:56 AM

Thanks Tad. I am going to do some experiments to see if I can make the right hole and drift diameters in some scrap wood before trying it on the build.

Yesterday was a tough day, the wood gods were playing games with me. All I needed to do was cut out a couple of 3 inch by 4 inch by 31 inchs long carlins for the fore hatch. Becuase my lumber is cut from trees with chainsaws and has never seen the inside of a sawmill it has no straight edge to start from. So when it is time to cut a long flat side. So usually I pick the flattest side and hit it with my 18 inch Stanly joiner plane till it is level then mark the next side to cut and then I cut it with my skilsaw if it not to thick. Well needless to say this was not working for me and I wound up butchering a nice piece of wood, before I had to start over and try again, this time things went much smoother and I wound up with two pieces of wood that look like they came from the sawmill. Square, straight and flat, it is days like this that I miss having a lumberyard and a table saw. I will try to get some pics. Tomorrow. Capt. Z.

Sailor

06-24-2012, 09:21 AM

You're building this boat without a table saw? wow. I bow down before your gutsy move.

wizbang 13

06-24-2012, 10:38 AM

Hey Z , The boat is looking good to my eye. I do not advise you cuz this is outta my field. I am just a glueworker after all, not a chippy.
I watch west indian shipwrights in carriacou, that does not make me one. I am watching you too.
I am familiar with the oppressive heat, no tradewinds to speak of there. Thanks for taking time to build this thread.
Bruce

svaap

06-24-2012, 12:44 PM

Capt Z

I am impressed by your progress, and especially that you manage to do it with primitive tools.
The rest of us need big planners and bandsaws to get going.
Remember a picture of you sawing the deckbeams with a handsaw.... Phew. Love it!!!
Y>

Capt Zatarra

06-25-2012, 12:58 AM

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7436648984_01551c59f2_z.jpg
Sorry it's a little blurry but I was was standing on a deck beam holding the camera over my head, trying to get as much of the fore deck in the picture as possible. This way you can see both mast partners in the same picture. I was about to take another picture when my batteries went dead! So for now this is it. Capt. Z.

Capt Zatarra

06-28-2012, 01:42 AM

I was thinking today how much joy there is in a razor sharp chisel. There are (in my opinion) three types of cut that can be made with a chisel, and all are a so much better when your chisel is sharp enough to shave with. First is the 'moving meat' cut. This is for when you have made a cut with a saw and there is a lot of wood to be removed, think of an ax splitting firewood, in this case you are not cutting the wood you are using the chisel as a wedge to split the wood on the grain. This reminds me of when I was 12 yrs old and I was chopping firewood (one of my chores at the time). My Dad stopped as he was passing by, and watched as I would swung the ax over my head in to the chunk of wood where it lodged firmly. My Dad ask me what I was trying to do 'bruise the log in two or split it?' He then taught me how to sharpen an ax till it could shave the hairs on the back of my arm. And explained that the point was to cut deep enough for the wedge to get enough traction to split the wood on the grain. It is the same with a chisel, if you are lopping off big pieces of wood and your chisel is getting stuck, try sharpening it. The second is the 'shaving with a mallet' cut, usually I cut about 1/8" in hard woods and as much as 1/4" in soft wood. The technic here is to tap the chisel just enough to cut without splitting or chipping. Usually the chisel advances about an 1/8" each tap of the mallet. And the third, my personal favorite, the 'push shave', here you choke up on the tip of the chisel with your off hand, with the chisel turned backwards and with the palm of your prime hand you push the the chisel so that a fine thin shaving of wood curls off, or lay the flat of the chisel on the on the face of the cut with the thumb of your off hand pressing the chisel down, your prime hand pushes the chisel forward shaving off any high spots just like from my 100 year old marsh #7 hand plane. Yes there is a joy in a razor sharp chisel. Capt. Z.

oceangroover

07-01-2012, 04:46 PM

Poetry Z. Love your work

Capt Zatarra

07-03-2012, 12:24 AM

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8292/7491328116_1c6ed5d3d1_z.jpg
Progress continues. Your looking up at the framing of the Samson post, and the starboard fore hatch carlin, and the port side carlin notch. For those who were apart of the discussion on where the fore hatch should go, you can see that it will be just abaft the Samson post, and about three feet in front of the fore mast. For better of for worse, it feels good to have made the decision and moved forward. Now it is what it is and we are movin' on.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/7491406134_e59449a15c_z.jpg
I placed the some of the carlins and short beams where they will eventually be so that you can see how the pieces notch together.
And here is the view looking aft from inside.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8004/7491353680_7d769ea5fa_z.jpg
I love the view looking up through the big deck hatch. I designed it to be big enough to pass any thing up from below, like the stove or the motor or tanks. After seeing people cut huge holes to get an engine or a bad tank up through the deck, I figured out that this will keep that from ever happening to me. And if I get desperate for some jingle in my pocket, I figure I can haul some freight in the main saloon. Just lower down through the hatch thar matey! What do ya think? Rare pieces of wood, the worlds finest chocolate, premium wines, rum, cigars, caviar? After all this schooners pedagree is blockade runners, and smugglers. Capt. Z.

m2c1Iw

07-03-2012, 01:32 AM

It's amazing how far you've come since this thread started, keep up the great work. When does planking start?

Cheers
Mike

Capt Zatarra

07-03-2012, 07:19 PM

When does planking start?

Cheers
Mike

That is the $64,000 question. I had hoped to be there already, the plan was to do the deck first so that durning the rainy season she would not fill up with rain while we were planking the hull. The deck like every thing else is taking longer then I anticipated.

I thought that I might drift a little to show all you guys and gals out there a few small details of the schooner that I do in the evening after working on the big stuff in the boat ward. This is a carving of Eolo, God of the wind. It is carved from kakui nut (a type of palm nut, sometimes called plant ivory). It will be mounted on the ships wheel, as the TDC MARKER, that I am building for the schooner.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7491077176_d2402b8dd5_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7127/7491174574_5331cc0183_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7115/7491124840_d597ebe04f_z.jpg

I might have mentioned here or on other threads that I really like to cook and entertain other sailors on our schooner. As such I like to keep different kinds of oil for cooking near the stove. Olive oil, coconut oil, sesame seed oil, and others, but I was always worried about them breaking, but then I learned about an old solution. I had seen where several hundred years ago people would shrink boiled leather around glass bottles and make them almost break proof. So I went to a friend of mine who owns a bar and ask him to save me some fancy cork top tequila bottles. Like this
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7491462940_e5fbaec937_z.jpg
And after reading up on boiled leather on the internet I tried my hand at it. This is my first leathered bottle. It is a little crude, but I think now I can make them a little nicer. Next I will have a small brand made up with the schooner's logo on it and brand the leather with it.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7491277418_33dd50f835_z.jpg
And finally I always wanted to try my hand at scrimshaw. So awhile ago I was walking to the boat yard when I saw an old beef soup bone that some dog had gnawed on and abandoned. I took it to the boat yard and cut it in to slabs and sanded it down till I got to 600 grit then polished it up with emery paper. I ended up with a disk an inch and three quarters wide and two and seven eights inches high. So then with an exato knife and some India ink I scrimed this.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8431/7491224244_605c9c653a_z.jpg
So this is my very first whack at being a scrimshander. Hope you like it. Tomorrow we will be back with an update and pictures on the schooner as all the deck beams and carlins and short beams are in and today we spent our time cutting and sanding blocking and the trim that goes around the hatches that the deck planks butt up to. Anyone know what this piece is called? Capt. Z.