December 2021

Dec 8,

November was a slow month for the boat for time and financial reasons.  I've switched tacks a bit and started fitting the deck.  I am only fitting pieces at this time since I'll need to take some of it back up for access.

Fitting the port bow deck in two pieces.

This is the starboard bow deck piece showing the bevel cut for the deck.  I set the skill saw to the shallowest angle and make the cut.  I then use the "T" bevel to measure the angle every 12".  I can then mark the difference in the cut angle and measured angle on the plywood and use a hand plane to steepen the bevel so it fits.  It usually takes a bit of iteration to make it fit tight.

It is slow going.  Measure, cut, fit, remeasure, cut fit...

October 2021

 Oct 3,

I'm starting to prepare the inside framing for the tanks that I have partially made.  I need to make one of the floor boards wider because the water tanks will overhang and not be properly supported.  I had a few ideas including bolting up some steel angle iron or stainless.  Both kind of expensive.  I had a big chunk of wood left over from cutting out some of the smaller floor boards and it turned out to be the perfect size and I am not using any of the dimensional lumber I have left.

I'm rough fitting the piece next to the floor board in the middle  of the picture.  I needed to notch it for the longitudinals and cut the bevel to match the hull.  This is the first fitting and it doesn't quite fit.   I'll have to trim some more off the notch.

I cut the bevel first and then marked where the notch will go.  I can't actually make it a 2" notch.  The angle of the notches on each end are tampered so the piece would not fit so I'm just going to continue the cut on the bottom to the edge of the timber.

I already did the port side.  "P" on the end is for port.

Back to the starboard side, I've made a series of cuts to the line.  Next, I'll use the chisel and cut these out.

I'm making sure that my cuts are correct.

And now the notch is cut, I can fit it.  As I said above, it will need a little trimming.

Again, I make a series of cuts with the hand saw down to the new line.

Chisel it smooth and it is done.

Refitting, you can see that it fits very nicely.

Next I drill for lag bolts.  I predrilled the holes for the lag bolts in the new timber using a drill bit suitable for the threads of the lag bolt.  Then I clamp the piece in place.  I take the drill bit and mark the holes in the floor boards by inserting it in the predrilled house and tapping it.  I remove the new timber and redrill all the holes to the shank of the lag bolts and drill the floor board suitable for the threads.  Add some epoxy, clamp in place and bolt together.  On these larger timbers, you can't expect the bolt to bring the pieces together.  The twisting torque is likely to sheer the bolt in half, so clamp tightly and then install the bolts and bring the bolts to just where the washers are tight. 

It's time to set the tanks in place to make sure they fit and to work out the plumbing details.  This port water tank fits nicely and I'm sure the starboard side will as well so I'm not going to place that one yet.  I'll need the room for now to maneuver.

The black water tanks where more complicated but they too fit very nicely.  I needed to check both of them.  Now I'll work out the plumbing details.  I already a general plan.

So if you are wondering how I got the tanks in the boat, well I borrowed some technology from the Egyptians.  I was going to have a friend come over and help lift but he ran off to do some camping. When you work by yourself, you better be innovative. 

September 2021

 September 6,

Well, it is Labor Day here in the U.S. where we celebrate working our ass off.  I celebrated by working on the boat and grilling out with my sister and wife. 

I decided to get back to work on the tanks after finishing up the main deckhouse framing last month.  That means drilling a whole lot of holes for the inspection ports.  The backing ring also has to be threaded to retain the 316 SS bolts that hold the port on.  There are 16 1.5 inch #20 bolts per port and four ports.  The ring has to be threaded, the port cap has to be drilled and the top of the tank also must be drilled and all those holes had better line up.  This means making an accurate jig out of some aluminum I have lying around.  A circle may be accurately divided into equal parts using a compass.  A simple Google search will tell you how; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TXnDbyApAM.  My advice is to always mark the lines dividing the circle with three points i.e. double the points in the video above.  Two measured points with the compass (each take two sweeps of the compass) and the center mark.

Aluminum pattern in the rear.  backing ring on top of port covers are below/

Drilling the holes that will be threaded in the backing rings or bolt retaining rings.

This is how we drill.  I'm using a small drill press donated by Mark Finger who is a cherished ex-boss of mine. He has since moved to Colorado to retire.

One of the tank tops drilled to match the bolt retaining ring.

August 2021

 Aug 15,

I have not ordered the HDPE pipe for the tanks yet so I can not finish them yet.  It was time to do some more word work anyway.  I've really missed the carpentry.   It is time to finish up the deckhouse now that I'm sure the tanks will fit in the boat with that structure in place.  I wasn't absolutely sure before.

I took all this apart and cleaned everything up and glued it all back together.

I've left off the trim pieces on the entrance.  I'm still debating the best approach here.

Measuring for notching in the longitudinal.  I'm notching both the longitudinal and the deckhouse beams using a half lap joint.  This will ensure that the joint does not weaken the beams at the expense of the longitudinal which really isn't structural.  It is more like deadwood for the decking.

A close up of the half lap joints.  This is actually a couple of hours worth of work just for this one piece of wood.

This piece fit so well I decided to call it a day after knocking it together.  No screws or glue yet. 

I had similar luck with the starboard side.  Now, all the framing is complete with the exception of deadwood where necessary.  It's now time to finish up the tanks and get them installed.

July 2021

 July 12

I've been extremely busy at work and home lately and I have not been able to spend a lot of time on the boat.  But progress must continue.

The second blackwater tank under construction.  All baffling welded in.  The inspection port for this one is dead center of the tank. There is a little bit of what I call wonkiness or not everything is perfectly square but it's within tolerance to fit (hopefully).

July 18,

Finished the fitting the top on the second blackwater tank and switch back to finishing the freshwater tanks.  Technically, they should be easier because they are square but they have their own particular challenges.  Because they are rectangular and shallow, I need additional reinforcement in the interior.  I've chosen the following configuration.

Fitting the internal baffles and stiffeners into the freshwater tank. 

All flow throughs and access ports cut out.  The plan is to be able to access all parts of the tank from a 6 inch inspection port.  

And with the top fitted.

August 1,

It has taken a long time to get to this point with these tanks.  They are a lot of work and I know I mentioned that before.  I finally have all the interior baffles welded in and the tops fitted to all the tanks.  I now have to get the interior plumbing installed, all the fittings welded on and finish up the inspection ports.  Most of this is already well planned out but it is difficult finding HDPE pipe and fittings the size I need.  Basically, I am going to have to order them and the shipping (have you priced shipping lately) is more than the cost of the parts.  I really hate that. 

Both freshwater tanks with tops fitted.

June 2021

 June 7,

It looks like these tanks are just going to take awhile to make.  I might as well settle into the task and let it take how long it will take.

This blackwater tank is getting complicated.  All of the interior baffles and inspection port reinforcement are in place.

Just another view showing how the internal flow will occur.  The baffles are placed to support the sides and inspection port.

Most of it is welded at this stage.  I removed the brace for the side and it maintained the correct angle.  I've got some internal plumbing and hose attachments to make.  The notches in the baffles will hopefully fit into slots in the top of the tank.

For the hose attachments, I plan on using short pieces HDPE pipe that I can weld on.  I'll make the barbs with the lathe.  The 1 1/2" pump-out will be an internal pipe that siphons from the deepest part of the tank.

The notches did not align perfectly with the slots in the top but this material is flexible and they can be made to fit.  Once the plumbing is installed I'll weld along the edges and the slots to make the tank very strong.  I have not cut the inspection port in the top yet.

June 12,

The second black water tank being built.

Remember this step from above.   This is the port tank and the inspection port will be centered (more or less) on the tank and accessible from under the galley sink.

May 2021

 May 4,

Worked on the tanks again this weekend.

I am welding in the side of the black water tank that will fit in the curved bilge.  I start by welding the inside.   This side piece is critical because it will fix the curvature and define the one side that is square.  I did not properly model the tank here and stepped back to produce a full three dimensional model.

Shown here is the full three dimensional model.  Note that  the part that lays on the table is square while the rest is not.  This is correct.  When I welded the outside,  enough heat is generated that the plastic relaxes into the correct angle.

Heating the bottom of tank 2.  I'm using the 3 dimensional jig (model or mold) of the tank here and the results were perfect.  When I took off the clamps,  the HDPE plastic did not spring back and laid comfortably on the mold (except for the very ends which easily clamp down). 

May 7,

I took a lunch break and worked out how to make the inspection ports for the tanks.  Basically I've cut out a 14.5 inch circular disk from the HDPE for a port cover and made a doughnut of the same outside diameter for a backing plate.  I'm going to thread the backing plate and tank skin to accept a bolt.  This is just to keep the bolts in place during installation. I will use nuts on the bolts to actually hold the port in place.  

This will be the ring for my backing plate.  I've mounted it on a jig to put in a wood lathe were I will cut out the center to leave a ring.

Just the back side of that backing plate jig. 

Attached to a lathe and cut with a nice finish.  

inspection port cover in the top of the figure with the backing ring at the bottom.

Fitting the tanks.  I placed the tanks in the bilge so I'd get the curvature to the sides correct. 

May 15,

Clamped up and ready to weld    

All four sides are in.

Measuring to build the first internal baffle.

Fitting the baffle.  It needed a minor adjustment.  Also note that there is now a lip around the edge that will eventually receive the top.