It's not an easy project, its a boat project!

[Gary M]

Yesterday, I was down at the boat early to mount an organizer on deck. After much planning I was ready to go. Four holes, what do you think, about four hours? No, all day and it's not done.

First I dropped the pad overboard and though it floats I couldn't find it and had to cut another one.

Then I positioned the organizer and drilled the holes.

I used a bent nail to remove the core and I used duct tape to close the holes from the bottom and poured epoxy in from the top. Too thick so I mixed another batch of epoxy.

I poured the epoxy in, the duct tape leaked and I've got a mess on the cabin table below.

I decided to clean up the mess and wait until the epoxy kicks before I continue. I taped up the holes on deck to prevent any morning dew from getting in the holes and went home.

This morning at 2AM I heard a driving rain outside. I was up in a flash knowing my tape would never withstand a driving rain. Not knowing what I would do, I ran to the front door to discover it wasn't raining. The wind had picked up, blowing pine needles on my window making the sound of rain.

I'll be back down this afternoon to redrill the holes through the epoxy and inspect the core. I'm expecting to start all over again with the epoxy.

Next is the rope clutch!

I said I would finish this project, I didn't say when.

Enjoy your Sunday everyone, and wish me luck!

[Cathy Monaghan]

Hi Gary,

I don't know which epoxy you're using, but try Marine-Tex, it's not as soupy as West, more like thick mayo. Anyway, you may have better luck with it.


Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

[Gary M]

Cathy,

Thanks, I'll give it a try, but in this case the organizer uses #10 bolts so I'm working with a small hole. (unlike the 1/4 inch bolts the big guys use!!!)

Next thing I'll be mounting is the rope clutch and I was thinking of not drilling the hole all the way through, then break up the core with the bent nail, then vacuum it out the top and add epoxy.

Now the epoxy has to stay put.

Once the epoxy cures, I'll redrill the hole all the way through.

Might work.

[GLutzow]

The West System has a thickner which is added when you don't want a soupy mixture.

[Carter Brey]

Greg,

Nearly every single one of my many projects has become a maddening Gordian knot before being resolved. It's totally normal for something to take 10 times what you initially estimate it to require. I was shocked the other day when something actually went according to plan, without intervening complications. I sat there waiting for some gross error to become apparent and was almost disappointed when I finally had to admit that I'd done something right the first time.

Go to it,
Carter

Sabre 28 Series II "Delphine"
City Island, NY
Now at last nearly ready for splash

[GLutzow]

Consider....if it were easy, anyone could do it. Annnd....the satisfaction derived when you "finally do it right" is incredible. Sometimes I suspect that I have had to learn everything "the hard way" and I have the scars to prove it.

[Gary M]

Today I got the organizer mounted, and decided to drill the holes for the clutch. This time I tried something different.

I drilled through the deck, through the core, and stopped before I drilled through the bottom of the sandwich. Ah Ha! Don't have to tape up the bottom.

I cleaned out the core and vacuumed it out through the top hole. Then poured epoxy in. It seemed to work perfectly.

I can't get down there again for at least a couple of days, but when I do, I'll redrill the holes all the way through and expect to find the core perfectly sealed.

Did anything else go wrong? Yes it did!

While waiting for epoxy to kick I decided to mount my cheek blocks below reef one and two. I had already planned this out. The cheek block for the first reef should go a little lower on the boom then the block for the second reef so the line can pass under the second block. I did it backwards but caught myself before both were installed.

I'm almost there!

[carldoc]

Did you sell The beautiful featured in "Good Old Boat"? I'm using that article as a reference for my CD25.

Any tips on getting the engine well to vent with it shut?

[Carter Brey]

Did you sell The beautiful featured in "Good Old Boat"? I'm using that article as a reference for my CD25.

Any tips on getting the engine well to vent with it shut?

Yep, I sold her over the winter. I wanted another project boat and, as they say on Broadway, "You wanted show business-- you got it!" Actually, my Sabre's in the water now and just needs some items of rigging hardware installed before she's ready for action. Cosmetically I have a long way to go before she's up to Mary Ellen's standard, but I've had limited time this Spring and I wanted her to be mechanically excellent before anything else.

The secret to engine well venting on the CD25 lies not with the well but with the engine: you want a model that exhausts through the prop hub. I ran my Nissan 6 for many hours at a time with the lazarette hatch closed and the cowl vents turned in opposite directions. I never heard a hiccup from that great little mill.

Regards,
Carter

[carldoc]

Was it a 4stroke? That sounds great. I have a Yamaha 9.9 that moves the boat well. I may have to change power.

Thanks again.

[Carter Brey]

Yes, it was a 4-stroke. About $1300, last time I checked.

CB