February 2021

 February 10,

This month we are planning to frame out the deckhouse.  I previously said that I would wait until the interior is finished before doing that but I have since changed my mind.  I think it would be better to build the interior to the deckhouse and not leave it pieces hanging that will attach to the deckhouse for later.  Besides I really don't think It will get in my way.  I'm not planning on putting the deck on yet (just the framing) except where the two deckhouses overlap.  I'd like to keep the boat open-air for as long as possible.  

So far I've cut all the upper deckhouse clamps and have started to scarf them together.  They are made of two laminations of 1" (2.5 cm) lumber.  I'm installing the inner layer first where we can attached the laminated beams that will support the roof deck.  I'm going to screw the laminated beams into place from the outside of the inner layer of the deckhouse clamp.  I'll then laminate the second layer of the deckhouse clamp and cover up those screws.

Temporarily positioned deckhouse roof clamp into place for fitting.

This is where the upper deckhouse clamp notches into the forward deckhouse post.  

Cut, fitted and temporarily installed.  It was way too cold for epoxy work.

This is a side view of the new deckhouse upper clamp.  This is one of two laminations.  I'm affixing the deckhouse laminated roof beams to single lamination of the clamp and then I'll add the second lamination. 

Deckhouse laminated roof beams going in at 16 inches on center.

More deckhouse beams.  Not permanently installed yet.  It was too cold outside for epoxy work.

A view from the aft end of things.

February 20,

I needed to adjust the placement of those laminated beams just a little so the plywood would break (fall on a seam) better.  Rookie mistake that I have not made in 20 years but sometimes context will get you.  It was easy to do.  Sliding them aft an inch tightened them up a bit.  I had plans to adjust the cuts on a few but it turned out to be unnecessary.  Sometime you get lucky.  I also installed the lsat one forward off the bulkhead.  Tomorrow is going to be the first day in two weeks that temperatures will stay above 40 degrees (4.4 C) which is the minimum curing temperature for the epoxy.  I got some more beams prepared for laminating since I've installed all I have.  I was thinking about how to handle the top of the bulkheads. Do I only put one beam against the bulkhead?  What about the other side?  It would need trim and look odd.  My solution was to laminate a wider beam and cut it down the middle and attach them to either side of the bulkhead.  I think this will be a nice finishing touch.  The resultant beam against the bulkhead will be slightly wider than half the free hanging ones.  A pleasing look I think.  

February 21,

Very nice sunny day.  Still some snow on the ground but very lovely.  There was quite a lot of work on the boat that was fastened temporarily waiting on a day like this.  I got the aft deckhouse corner posts epoxied and bolted into place.  And I got the entire port deckhouse bottom clamp finished and some of the starboard side.  I had not finished making the starboard side because that is where I have a little platform to make it easier to get in and out of the boat.  I'll end up modifying that platform and finishing the clamp in the next week or so.  I really do not need it finished at this time so I'm concentrating on things that will stall progress.

In the back are the normal laminated beam layers being scarf jointed for the proper  length.  In the foreground is the 2 5/8" wide beam being laminated.  I'll run it through the table saw and make two when it is cured.  Much easier than making two with only one form.  I'll clean up the edges by lightly running it through the planer.   

We should have a few good weather days this week.  I'm planning on making those laminated beams before work or during lunch depending on the temperature.  This weekend is going to be raining and warm.  A great time to work on the boat.  No distractions.

February 28,

The weather was perfect over the weekend for working on the boat.  The work I had performed in preparation for the weekend was not so perfect.  When I installed one of the laminated beams, it was 2.5 cm too low.  It turns out that the laminated beams shown being glued together above were made on the wrong form.  The form showed above is for the deck beams which are all made.  I'll trace this mistake back a few months after I made the last deck beam.  I just removed the wrong jig.  It's a good thing I still had the pieces and they were numbered so it was easy to put back together and I only made two so it's not too bad.

This is the correct form.  You can see that there is a bit more curve to it.

I was still able to get the deckhouse clamp permanently installed and most of the beams.  I also cut down the forward deckhouse beams. 

This is the first of two laminations of the deckhouse clamp holding the deckhouse beams.