Navigators Update 8/4 (pics)

[Barrett Faneuf]

Okay, I think it’s about time for a Navigators Update.

As usual my Navigators Album (http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288806687) has been updated, starting from picture #137.

Where were we? When last we left our intrepid builder, the bottom strake had just been attached, with accompanying bending struggle, various curse words and lots of thickened epoxy.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid124/p402f394f2cde0cc8cb693812f8bfe18a/f8140b19.jpg

The next step was to trim the cable ties and reinforce the bottom seam with appropriate fabric. Most folks use fiberglass tape in tried-and-true stitch and glue fashion. But I’ve never been normal. Kevlar! Yeah, we’ll do these seams in Kevlar because they take the most abuse! Hey while we’re at it, may as well do the whole bottom! Shouldn’t be too hard, right? Hoooo boy. Innocence is so cute, isn’t it?

So first, I flipped the boats (with just their bottom strakes on) over.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pceee69dec80d26cf68ccae2c20e840f0/f7d6ef23.jpg

Then, “Frankenstein’s Monster” goes through some cosmetic surgery to clean up and fair the S&G seam.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pd784ca059546632c094b312399c417fd/f7d6ef16.jpg

The Corners of the centerboard trunk slot are rounded over, and Kevlar cloth is unrolled over the bottom. The cloth is cut to shape. Those six words describe so much work. I used dollar-store kitchen shears rather then springing a lot of money for specialized Kevlar shears. My wallet is happy but my hands and patience aren’t. I recommend this method only if one doesn’t mind having highly ragged edges on their cloth. That wasn’t a big deal for me.

The Kevlar cloth is wetted out. I found the cloth drapes wonderfully but wets out horribly. The best method I worked out was to trowel slightly thickened (light molasses on a HOT day consistency) epoxy over the bare plywood with a fine notched trowel, then lay the Kevlar in that and pour unthickened epoxy on top. The Kevlar is opaque bright yellow; no-one’s going to go for an “invisible” application with this stuff. The best trick I used was to then apply release film over the wetted-out Kevlar. A rubber brayer was used to even everything out, work out the air bubbles, etc.

When peeled off, this is what you get:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid130/pc34ce65ed0fe936b08f9058030e45449/f7c19371.jpg

Note the frayed edge visible – this is an overlap in the cloth. Kevlar is “difficult” to sand fair (read: impossible), so this method was the bomb for a fair Kevlar application. Where I could, I applied release film over the edges on the bottom strake as well, but it wouldn’t lie right on the bow curve. So, I had to fair it.

Wait, Barrett, you just said it’s impossible to sand fair. What gives?

True, it’s nigh-impossible to sand Kevlar fair. It just fluffs a little and sneers at sandpaper. So I didn’t sand it. I filled around it and faired to a new surface. Used standard fairing technique of: Trowel fairing putty with notched spreader, sand THAT fair till the Kevlar almost peeks through (establish new fair surface level), backfill to fill grooves, final sand. Worked great, here’s a picture of Patchwork Sue coloration:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid130/pdf1636d0e06ae68ec0215420b7d6f009/f7c193bb.jpg

See step-by-step pics of this process in the gallery.

Okay, so now the bottom strake is really done, time to keep planking. The boat is upside-down now, I don’t flip it back since it’s arguably easier to plank in this configuration. 95% of boatbuilders can’t be that wrong, eh?

Planking commences, yadda yadda, lots of pictures showing “how to” on the plywood-plank-on-stringers method. It’s hot, it’s summer, epoxy is going off fast (even the “slow”), we all have “fun”.

Planking finishes! Yay!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid132/p1a0370add54c7e8cf088f5af4236f2c7/f79aabf2.jpg

All the screw holes get puttied and the sand-all-fair game begins. Then because they’re lapstrake, that extra clean-up-the edges and make ‘em nice bonus round happens. Just yesterday I added nice fillets to all the plank edges. Interestingly, they’re exactly the radius of my finger. Go figure.

The outer stems (optional, not on the plans but I want ‘em so I’m making ‘em) are laminated in place. Sacrificial plywood scraps are used as backing straps because I don’t have any handy spring steel to use. They cracked, but the laminations didn’t, I count it as a win.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid132/p06dbb442b5ad8fc2aaaa8ffe84a5a27e/f79aad3c.jpg

So that’s where we are! Next up: clean up the stems, affix them, trim to fit outer keel, install outer keel/skeg/c’board reinforcement.
Meanwhile to all this: slowly assembling mast staves. No pics yet, it’s just getting started.

Phew!
-Barrett

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Wow, you sure do keep up a steady pace. Fantastic. :D You'll be done in no time.

Steven

[Wild Dingo]

Excellent stuff Barrett :cool:

[Puka]

Great progress!Like your choice of materials-should be relatively "bullet proof"!
To keep the skin thickness uniform and reduce fairing we add a layer of 4oz regular woven glass over top + vaccuum.Pretty d*mn strong and the 4oz has a tight weave which requires little filling.(and doesn't fluff up if you are a little aggressive with the orb.)
Your method with the r/film is less fussy. (& easier on the back pocket)

[Barrett Faneuf]

Thanks Puka,

I have a lot of "work arounds" to do techniques where I don't have a particular piece of equipment. Like a vacuum system. There are others, but that's just me whining. and I can't take credit on the idea for the release film - that's me stealing and adapting John BLazy's pathfinding.

-Barrett

[Leon m]

Looking good !

[Barrett Faneuf]

had to add this:

The cleanup and assembly of the stems worked beautifully.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid133/pacbc99a99d075e3855e83f5f0efe563a/f789ed92.jpg

Just the outer skeg to add and I can start laying down the Kirby's.

-Barrett

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

She's a beauty, coming right along Barrett. Take your time on the fairing part. That is where I got in a bit of a hurry to start painting. She turned out just fine and nobody else would notice but if the light hits the hull just right and you look for it... well, I should have done a bit more fairing. There comes a point though when you have to say, "Enough!"

I have looked at the Navigator myself and am wondering how satisfied you are with his instructions. How thorough are they? Is there actually a step by step building manual that accompanies the plans? My impression is that when on board you sit in the bilge on seat cushions. True? Or are there side benches to sit on? Thanks in advance for your answers and keep us updated here!

[brian.cunningham]

Nice boat/design

[capt jake]

Looking great Barrett!! smile.gif I like how the 'shop' turned out as well. Great tip on Kevlar application! I'll have to have you come and help apply cloth on my next project; you make it look very easy! smile.gif

[Barrett Faneuf]

Hiya Capt!

I'm very happy with the boats- they're very easy to put together. Actually on the fairing I know what you mean - most of the slowness in progress right now is the 4 billion fairing steps I'm taking. There was definitely a point where I said "Okay this is the LAST ONE, no matter what!". That happened to coincide with running out of microlite filler. Yeah, I COULD buy more, but that way lies madness.

On your questions - one does NOT sit in the bilge - there are side benches and a 'thwartships bench that double as flotation. Some folks put storage in there too, but for daysailers I am just putting inspection ports. Don't want to try to build watertight hatches. Look at my album at ... umm.. Picture 103: you're looking down into the cockpit. You can see the seat fronts that bracket the footwell. Al the frames from 5-8 have flats on them which is where the seat tops will rest. Not to give the idea that these are HUGE seats - the footwell is about 10" deep - but definitely not sitting in the bilge. You can also kinda see the cockpit in pic #139 (which is also 2nd pic in this forum post) during the flip-over. Since it's all in framing, you have to look closely and use imagination. The two athwartships pieces you can see supporting hte c'board trunk will have seat tops on them making a split thwart that braces the trunk. the cockpit benches extend aft from there with the footwell cut out. Soon, we will flip back and you'll see real seats happening.

The building instructions that come with the plans are brief but to the point. John also has a longer book, "Backyard boatbuilding", covering his method. I don't have the book. I found the instructions adequate for the semi-experienced builder. John is also very internet-savvy; there's a Yahoo builder's forum at John Welsford Builder's Forum (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jwbuilders/) where he participates very regularly and we all pester him with questions which he answers very thoroughly and patiently. He answers email lightning fast, too. I was amazed.

[ 08-08-2004, 12:34 PM: Message edited by: Barrett Faneuf ]

[SC-Lion]

Looking good Barrett! Thanks for the update. You're an inspiration.

-Gary

[imported_Steven Bauer]

So Barrett, fill us in!:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid139/pa26c23f5d8f1a1bf98846d44ae5c4c0f/f6fba1c3.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid139/p665d1d81be26c912d8774020bf441933/f6fbafec.jpg

You've been busy I see. :D

Steven