25D Cabin Sole Update

[barfwinkle]

Well the deed has begun. We cut the hole for the new sole hatch today and I just want to add a couple of comments.

1st, not only is there a 1/2" plywood floor there is a 1/2" balsa cored fiberglass sub floor! So we had to "carve" out a bit of balsa and fillet with epoxy.

2nd, I am not too sure that the cost/benefit analysis of the new hatch (just forward of the original and 10 1/2" x 14") would be that supportive of the hatch. I gained some space, but not a lot. I guess it depends on what you think is important.

Anyway, I have got pics coming, but I am at the lake for the evening and will post pic at a later date.

Fair Winds

[Cathy Monaghan]

Bill,

Note the cross-members in the photo below:

<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/C ... ole/"><img width="540" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/C ... 7.jpg"></a>

The floor on Realization is supported by a ladder-like structure with members running both fore/aft and athwarthships. In the photo, you can only see the 2x6s running athwartships down the middle of the hatches, but there are more of them running the entire length of the sole. The beams that run athwartships are tabbed to the hull.

As you already know, a 10 x 14" hatch isn't big enough -- should be at least 2 feet long, closer to 3 feet is even better.

Cathy

[henry hey]

I can attest that Cathy's cabin sole is a thing of beauty. Actually the entire vessel is so pristine that it makes me want to pull my 25 out on the hard again and start working on it.



hh

[Cathy Monaghan]

Hi Henry,

I can attest that Cathy's cabin sole is a thing of beauty. Actually the entire vessel is so pristine that it makes me want to pull my 25 out on the hard again and start working on it.



hh

....and you saw our boat with sheets covered in duct tape over the v-berth cushions. I've finally got those v-berth cushions recovered. So now, instead of those VERY uncomfortable (hard as a rock) 4-inch oatmeal cushions, we now have much more comfortable 6-inch cushions (4" of open cell foam and 2" of 4 lb. density viscoelastic foam) with new eggshell/green/blue leaf-patterned covers. So no more duct tape in the v-berth! I broke over a dozen needles making those new covers.

[barfwinkle]

As you already know, a 10 x 14" hatch isn't big enough -- should be at least 2 feet long, closer to 3 feet is even better.

Hi Cathy and Bruce. I hope you are enjoying your cruise. I posted a reply to this yesterday, but cyber space ate it I guess so I'll do it again.

There is not enough room on a 25D for a 3' hatch. The keel slopes up toward the head and as it nears the compression post there is probably only two or three inches under the sole. My new hatch (12 1/2 x 14) added some storage, but was it cost effective????? Probably not. Oh well live and learn.

For the gentleman that posted a question some time ago concerning the way in which the femal table socket for the table leg, I still can tell how it is mounted. As I stated earlier, the floor including the cored subfloor is one inch think, but looking at the socket you can only see the "plywood" top floor, so either that sucker has a flange sandwiched between the two floors or it has a 1/2" pretrudion sticking above the subfloor, but not above the plywood.

I guess another possibility could be that the subfloor doesn't extend that far forward, but I doubt that.

Fair Winds and enjoy your cruise.

[Cathy Monaghan]

Hi Bill,

You'd be surprised at just how much stuff you can store in an area that's only 3" deep.

I know our boat's bigger so we've got alot more room (everywhere), but I thought you'd like to see what Realization's bilge looks like (forward of the deep bilge) when she's all loaded up for cruising. Just click on the photo for an enlargement.

<a href="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/C ... .jpg"><img width="340" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/C ... 7.jpg"></a>

The empty bucket down at the bottom of the photo is now full of Barrit's Ginger Beer and an assortment of other beverages.

Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

[barfwinkle]

The empty bucket down at the bottom of the photo is now full of Barrit's Ginger Beer and an assortment of other beverages.

Rub it in Cathy The last case I purchased cost me $50. Talk about cost/benefit ratios. I have yet to try the Package you and Bruce sent me but the Barrits is almost gone and then we'll see. Alas, I have one last hope as I am in the DFW area as we speak and will conduct an exhaustive search for any kind of ginger beer to carry me through the season.

Yawl be careful and enjoy the cruise.

B&S

[John Vigor]

Barfy, why don't you make your own ginger beer? If you search the archives you'll find an original British recipe I posted some time back. I make five liters at a time and use one-liter plastic Coke bottles. It costs me about 10 cents a liter, and it's lots of fun. You can also re-use beer bottles with screw-on caps, though they are more likely to explode if the yeast is feeling too frisky, whereas the Coke bottles just elongate.

It's every bit as good as Barrits, probably better because you can make it sweeter or hotter to your own taste. Excellent in Dark 'n Stormies. My next project will be to find a recipe for Black Seal rum. Out here in the great Pacific Northwest they charge $20 a bottle for Black Seal, and as you know, a bottle goes nowhere. I've heard you can make vodka from potatoes and distill it with the cooling coils from an old fridge. Add a bit of molasses for the rum flavor, and away you go. You could keep 50 gallons or so in one of those flexible water tanks in the bilge, and be self-sufficient in D&Ss for a week or 10 days.

Cheers (as they say)

John Vigor

[Phil Shedd]

John

In my ill spent youth a buddy and me made rum using molasses ,sugar, water and bread yeast . I had built a small still out of a stainless steel tank. The whole system worked quite well. We ran it off in my parents basement when they were away.

The product was a clear liquid that would burn on a spoon and had the kick of a boom across the head. We did drink it but had to use a lot of coke. I never forgot the taste of the stuff.

A few years back I was on a tour of the oldest Appleton distillery in Jamaica . They gave the tour samples of rum at different stages in the process. The first sample was right out of the still . It was just like we had made a long time ago. Who would know that way back then I had it right and did not know it.

Since I going on the NE cruise can I bring Havana Club???



Phil

[dasein668]

I don't believe it's legal to distill your own spirits in the US... Check with the BATFE and/or your local officials first. They don't have much sense of humor about those sorts of things.

[barfwinkle]

John that was the same thread in which I received a) the mix from Bruce and Cathy and b) the $50 case of Barrits from Mike and Merrie of Adigio (is that the name of their new boat I forget).

Anyway as much time as I waste looking for Ginger Beer, making it couldn't be that much more time consuming. Now when you get the process down for the bladder in the bilge please let me know. I just happen to have a new over priced hatch in the cabin sole that would hold just such a bladder and then I can install a foot pump to the galley and THEN we would be all set.

Damn the BATFE, stand by to repel boarders Dark 'N Stormies all around and an extra ration for each blood stained badge.

[Mike]

Hi Bill,

It's Adagio!

We've discovered a new stateside ginger beer that is as good as Barritt's. It's called "Regatta". So add that to your search! If all else fails, move East.

Merrie and Mike

[John Vigor]

I don't believe it's legal to distill your own spirits in the US... Check with the BATFE and/or your local officials first. They don't have much sense of humor about those sorts of things.

I had no idea Pearson sailors were so law-abiding. You are a wonderful example to us Cape Dory reprobates. Thank you for drawing this to my attention.

I know that many of life's little pleasures are illegal, but it never occurred to me before to turn myself in before I committed the crime.

I shall certainly call 911 before I next break the speed limit in my car. I'll contact the Coasties on Channel 16 when I notice my flares are outdated. I'll get in touch with ATF when I want to smoke within 50 feet of a building and have my own handcuffs ready. I'll ring our State Prosecutor if I accidentally stumble upon a porn site, and ask him which jail I should report to.

I used to trust in Bacchus to protect me from the fuzz when I was distilling illicit hooch, and by golly he did a great job, but I now see that was wrong. Next time it happens, perhaps I shall fling myself off a cliff and save everybody a lot of trouble.

Thank goodness for Pearson sailors. Without them, who would keep us honest?

John Vigor

[Oswego John]

John V and all,

This thread brought back memories. When I was first married, our apartment was upstairs above an Italian immigrant couple. It was late summer or early fall when we smelled this peculiar odor. After checking, we discovered the owner was pressing grapes in the cellar and making his own wine.

It was a nice apartment but we had to leave. Every room, including the bathroom, was painted refrigerator white. Ceilings too. Looked like a Good Humor Truck.

Und zen, the next apartment we moved into was above a plattdeutcher. Ja wohl, he made his own lager, but year round. Wunderbar.

Now, I'm searching for a landlord who makes his own home brewed ginger beer in the cellar.

O J

[dasein668]

I didn't know you were such a dink, John. Christ I thought I might mention that in case someone didn't know. Mea culpa for trying to keep someone from doing something that will send them to jail. ::rolleyes::

Clearly us non-Cape-Dory owners aren't welcome here. Very well. Bye.