MiToS re-built/fit- versilcraft Mystery43

[rafiki_]

Happy New Year to you too Vas.

Sorry to hear you have back problems. Few things more painful or debilitating ��

Nice work on the anchor. And nice for you to have the extra reassurance.

In the Azi, the curtains have tracks top and bottom, hence keep the curtain material reasonably tight, so no sagging.

 

[vas]

Happy New Year to you too Vas.

Sorry to hear you have back problems. Few things more painful or debilitating ��

Nice work on the anchor. And nice for you to have the extra reassurance.

In the Azi, the curtains have tracks top and bottom, hence keep the curtain material reasonably tight, so no sagging.

thanks Paul, back is slowly getting better..

the curtain tracks are like normal tracks both top and bottom? Probably need both hands to slide them open or close them, right?
Got any pics you could post on that?

cheers

V.

 

[rafiki_]

thanks Paul, back is slowly getting better..

the curtain tracks are like normal tracks both top and bottom? Probably need both hands to slide them open or close them, right?
Got any pics you could post on that?

cheers

V.

They are the same tracks top and bottom. 10mm Tracks held in place with clips. Sorry no relevant pics. Can take some when I am next on board?

 

[waynes world]

Hi V, so back at it again cant keep a mad man down

I was going to also mention using curtain tracks top and bottom, can be a pain at times as needing two hands to operate them as some types can stick, but it dos work well. I have used that method on a few boats and even caravans over the years. Either that or a SS rod held in place either end to hold the curtain back. All depends how far the rods come out as not to hit your head when seating.

Love that Anchor, need a shiny chain now to go with it




Looking good kida

 

[Sol68]

Happy new year to all !

 

[vas]

They are the same tracks top and bottom. 10mm Tracks held in place with clips. Sorry no relevant pics. Can take some when I am next on board?

Hi V, so back at it again cant keep a mad man down

I was going to also mention using curtain tracks top and bottom, can be a pain at times as needing two hands to operate them as some types can stick, but it dos work well. I have used that method on a few boats and even caravans over the years. Either that or a SS rod held in place either end to hold the curtain back. All depends how far the rods come out as not to hit your head when seating.

Love that Anchor, need a shiny chain now to go with it

re tracks, I have a small problem with the bottom area and I'm considering a top track and a bottom wire with loops holding the curtain as it folds close to the cabinets and away from my head. We shall see, haven't got decent pics atm

W,
anchor does look good, atm I have to live with the old slightly rusty 8mm chain, still too many expensive things to do this year to bother with changing it...

Happy new year to all !

you too!

few more jobs to report as we are on the 5th day with temps not rising above 0 even midday and there's no way I'm going to do any work onboard...

First the third cabin (made by joining the two heads on stbrd side) needed ceiling. Obvious approach was to follow the same method used on the other two cabins (and everywhere else on that matter...)
So 20cm wide slats were built, secured with the original hooks I had leftover and testfitted. I've added two (or maybe three we shall see) original light fittings up there and got all the wiring done. Not finished the job as at the header side I'm planning to built a hanging cabinet for various bits and bobs that daughter carries around with her... No comments!

Don't worry about the lousy ending on the stbrd side of the panels on the next pic, the vertical one (not lined yet) covers them nicely and pulls them all up in line:

On the lower helm area, I went through all the trouble of washing all these tiny flags and then nicely wrapping them up and fitting them where they should. Stupidly I'll have to remove this panel alltogether now in order to get the backing plates for the harttop and route cables/wires around. Will try and do it without removing all of them again as it took me a couple of hours to complete:

Another "important" first world problem was matching the frames on the vimar switches/sockets on the cabins. I stupidly opted for the offwhite ones for the cabins and the black ones for the saloon. For reasons beyond me the Italians have a beige which they call bianco and it's almost impossible to find matching frames for the bleeding thing! I've used the same at home and at the time I could get matching colours, so now I'm nicking the frames from home and fitting them at MiToS. There are a few behind couches where the non matching white wont be noticed, so I'm fine... A few non-matching examples, I need to take some pics of the right match ones as well.

On the first pic you see a combo of all things together and it really looks a mess. Garmin GMI10, domotic controller (frame will be replaced with one matching the Garmin) and beige Vimar. May have to replace the vimars in this one to black...

unsucessful colour combos:

Going outside, the nicely designed and alloy framed saloon table which lives on the aft deck all the time was in rather poor condition with the wooden slab rotten and destroyed at the mounting points. So decided to built a new slab out of a 15mm ply lined on both sides with iroco leftover from various other jobs around MiToS

original:

original vs new (similar sized tops):

section of how it's going to be done, started sketching on the various slabs that are used as raw material as I end up forgetting how me and George decided to do, then George also forgets and I have to go through all that again and again...

ah, and since we are at the aft deck, a pic of again a Vimar IP67 or something like that socket with inverter 220V, usb and 24V options, really useful when you're outside charging mobile or notebook/tablet. Should really add one on the port side, but probably wont bother run all the cables over.

cheers

V.

 

[vas]

managed some time, so a good excuse to post one more installment!

previous post showed the mess with Vimar Idea socket colouring scheme, and the v.interesting approach of the Greek dealer who doesn't stock the frames that identical ivory coloured as the sockets, nice! Since I have a couple of dozen of these at home, I brought a few, bought a couple of the available colours/finishes and tried them on. Cannot say I'm impressed:

Another thing I did before the rainy season (should really be called snowy season this year!) was to do a f/b dash cover and a lower helm screen cover.
The former was made out of thick rubberised material used on HGV trailer covers on the suggestion of the fabricator (the guy that did the salon cushions) His explanation was simple, "they all fail due to the sun, if you use this material, you'll only need to come to me after 5yrs to redo the stitches as the sun burns the thread used..."
The f/b cover is by no means a thing of beauty and anyway will be nicely wrapped and stored during use, it does help a lot with gauges, steering wheel and paintwork (which will need a retouch up there due to being the first part that primer and general finishing work was done by George before passing the painting job to Alekos, basically needs doing it again from scratch but wont happen this year!) Shape and the elevation of the two engine controls, wheel, central dash, compass and side ending are not helping in creating a smooth flowing cover. The material is not helping either!

Regarding the windscreen, I decided against the full covers used extensively and had a go at doing a black thin mesh one, only costed 100euro or so with the material, so at least now I have a model to use on the next take if the material fails. TBH, it looks ok from a distance, and most important I can see outside during daytime without having to remove it. Most of my friends with f/b down here never remove the lower screen cover, but I really like being in the lower helm and slowly going somewhere being able to see where I'm going. Galley is next to the lower helm so you can also prepare food and keep a watch

Last week I've been working AGAIN on the hardtop, trying to decide on what panels and how the thing will be supported. Panels look like they'll be 72cell 2X1m (approx) each, which is fine as a size. Also decided to reduce the length of the main frame securing the HT to the f/b, keeping the existing lines and not coming out of the existing superstructure (need some mock testing onboard to establish that it's going to work with bodies moving up there). Even thinking of adding a couple of thin wires holding the front section of the HT in place. BTW, the slats on the front of the HT is just that a removable timber frame with 45deg shades keeping the sun out when helming midday.
The following 3 Photoshopped images show the expected outcome and play on the position of the radar up there.
My preference is the first pic with radar practically stuck on the HT shifted aft to avoid shading the panels.
Second option elevates the radar but means that the panels have to shift slightly to the front
Third option I think is plain silly but is probably the best placement for the radar itself.

any ideas re HT and radar welcomed, should find a way to post the 3D model of the thing for whoever want to explore it...

cheers

V.

 

[rafiki_]

The plinth finishers are not great Vas, and don't look like they fit too well? Rafiki has a flybridge tonneau, keeps the rain, sun and much of the dirt off the fly. A flappy one like yours would last minutes in the average uk autumn breeze��
I too like your first hardtop style. Looks very cohesive Vas.

 

[vas]

The plinth finishers are not great Vas, and don't look like they fit too well?

nice spot P., they are a pig to remove, so I was just placing them there without actually clipping them on properly (on the first pics, last one is there to stay!)

Rafiki has a flybridge tonneau, keeps the rain, sun and much of the dirt off the fly. A flappy one like yours would last minutes in the average uk autumn breeze��
I too like your first hardtop style. Looks very cohesive Vas.

A full f/b tonneau, would be a relative big task (especially with the pipes going through it for the HT!) so wont bother.
I'm pretty sure that the f/b dash one this guy made is going to last almost everything!
Not sure about the lowerhelm windscreen, but tbh it's full of holes, so air can get through it
If it's good enough for Greek winter, then I'm happy!


Ah, regarding the HT radar placement, I prefer the first one, but I'm not sure if the actual HT construction interferes with the near field of the radar (which admittedly don't know...) I mean look at sea lever straight ahead.


cheers

V.

 

[rafiki_]

A full f/b tonneau, would be a relative big task (especially with the pipes going through it for the HT!) so wont bother.
I'm pretty sure that the f/b dash one this guy made is going to last almost everything

V.

With your Gucci hardtop, you could create a canopy for the fly? Giving weather protection and shade when required?

 

[vas]

another issue that was bugging me was the retrieval of the anchor - chain piled up and reached the deck blocking the gypsy.
Solution was to drop a bit of anchor, send one person on the bow to tidy up the chain on the gypsy and rush to the bow cabin, open the cabinet door and throw the pile of chain down.
Then off to the heads, wash hands and up again to resume with anchor retrieval.

NOT nice, not fast.
For anyone wondering, no, I've not yet cut a hatch on the deck to be able to throw the pile of chain from the bows... Further, looks like I wont do it either.

So, was looking at the available ss mushroom style thingies, sorry don't know the proper name for them, and decided (unsurprisingly) to have a go and do one myself.
Got halfprice a big chunk of ertalon (the white plastic thing) measured carefully the slope of the keel at the base of the anchor locker and went to my machinist Vangelis.
The guy is getting used to me going there and asking for some obscure, often complicated job.

Plan was to shape the ertalon into a cone on top, a much smaller on the bottom (to avoid chain snagging on deployment) and built a ss base for this.
Some dims:
threaded shaft 14mm
mushroom dia 160mm (iirc)
angle of the cone is a plain 45deg couldn't see a reason using another angle tbh
height of the tip of the cone above base of anchorlocker approx 650mm

On the lathe the thing is dangerous as the thin innocent looking flakes coming out of the cutting tip are like razors:

The base:

everything put together (note the imperfections of the material - the reason I got it halfprice):

and in place:

Believe it or not it works
OK, had an initial blonde moment where I gave the wrong angle to Vangelis between plate and shaft (iirc the keel slope was 35deg and I gave him this instead of the complimentary 55deg, doh!)

I've tried it a couple of times in the marina, retrieved 70m of 8mm chain without issues in one go. I was one 14mm nut short so I now need to drop all the chain, remove the whole lot, undo the long bolt and get a nut on the bolt-base to tighten and keep it a bit more stable. I actually may have to add two side supports, but I'm worried that I'm looking for trouble with chain snagging on them. OTOH, the first meters of chain end up around the base more or less stabilising it, so I'll probably leave it as is.

Stupidly I've manage to loose the retrieval video I took back then but I have the retrieval without the mushroom and a deployment with the mushroom. I'm pretty sure you lot are sad enough to watch the two 1:45 videos so here they are





fwiw, all this was done in November, just didn't have time to post at the time, things are v.slowly getting better timewise so hopefully I'll be able to post more than once a month.

cheers

V.

 

[rafiki_]

Another great result Vas. Must be very satisfying when your musings work out so well��

 

[waynes world]

Great stuff V, I just love things like this, cant beat a bit of imaginatlon and DIY

I didnt have a clue what the thing was either you were talking of at first, infact I still dont know as I have never seen one before.

Like the idea of how it works.

Got to love that lathe, good old classic machinery

I intend to get one some day when i have sorted the rest of my life long ambitions out.

Good to see you fettling along

 

[waynes world]

A quick thought.

How about to keep it sturdier fit a plate under the thingy and bolt in with 3 or 4 bolts and use the biggets ( maybe 40mmx3mm ) RHS .

will need a bigger foot/support though and then you fit a few gussets to it.

 

[vas]

Another great result Vas. Must be very satisfying when your musings work out so well��

yes P., although it's worrying if I only start posting successes, you need some failures as well...

Got to love that lathe, good old classic machinery

I intend to get one some day when i have sorted the rest of my life long ambitions out.

me too!
problem is that they are big heavy beasts if you want to be a cheap 50-70yo machine, or you go expensive on new bench top ones. We shall see, if wife sees me bring a lathe in the garage she wont be very pleased, although If I sort out some crap out she wont even notice

A quick thought.

How about to keep it sturdier fit a plate under the thingy and bolt in with 3 or 4 bolts and use the biggets ( maybe 40mmx3mm ) RHS .

will need a bigger foot/support though and then you fit a few gussets to it.

I'm generally worried that starting reinforcing and adding all sorts of pieces of metal down there you create ways to snag the chain and I'm not v. keen. If it works as is, even if it's a bit wobbly, I'll leave it

cheers

V.

 

[Firefly625]

Another great result Vas. Must be very satisfying when your musings work out so well��

+1

what an excellent adaption.

 

[BartW]

one more time: very well done !

re the hardtop,
why don't you place the SP's on the eyebrow ?
my plan is to fit 3 panels there, and 1 panel on the first non opening part of the HT

re Chain boy,
big congratulations, it seems that your DIY device works much better than the one I bought
from Douglas Marine in Italy,

that device did not work satisfactory,
the positioning of it was very critical. and
if boat was healing a bit to one side, the chain (Very rusty) tends to stack on that side

they recommanded to place the "mushroom" very high, about 15cm below deck iirc.

the season after that we changed to SS chain which is the best solution.

 

[vas]

one more time: very well done !

re the hardtop,
why don't you place the SP's on the eyebrow ?
my plan is to fit 3 panels there, and 1 panel on the first non opening part of the HT

Bart, MiToS is only 43 ft long, not 70
Not enough space, plus a small hatch that does wonders under way and on anchor keeping the galley and lower helm cool.
Further, not sure I want to fit semi-flex and get all the extra problems of them overheating and not performing properly.
Bought for 600euro (give or take) two 2X1m 300W each panels. Hardtop is approx 2X2m so two panels are just fine for it. Will post (soon I hope) pics of the h/t. Work will start next week, weather too cold to work up there right now.

re Chain boy,
big congratulations, it seems that your DIY device works much better than the one I bought
from Douglas Marine in Italy,

that device did not work satisfactory,
the positioning of it was very critical. and
if boat was healing a bit to one side, the chain (Very rusty) tends to stack on that side

they recommended to place the "mushroom" very high, about 15cm below deck iirc.

the season after that we changed to SS chain which is the best solution.

I also noticed that the mushroom thing, didn't know they also call it chainboy/chaingal (I guess the PC version is chain_little_person...), works best if it's approx 100-150mm from the deck hole. I also noticed that the commercial versions seem much too blunt on top, almost flat. In my case the machinist wanted an angle, so I thought 45deg is as good as it gets and it works. Train of thought was that if 45 didn't work, I can go narrower to 55, 65 or even more without issues. OTOH, going less than 45 would be a problem but hadn't seen one shaped like that.
FWIW, my chain is not in a v.good state, but I bet I can use it for another few years like that.

cheers

V.

 

[NormanB]

I think you have a great solution for your chain locker.
my only suggestion would be once you have settled in the final height, I would get a bit of scaffold tube cut to protect the studding between the chair person's bum and the deck, or even a bit of larger diameter pipe. The aim is to reduce the chances of snagging and bending the stud when dropping anchor.

 

[vas]

I think you have a great solution for your chain locker.
my only suggestion would be once you have settled in the final height, I would get a bit of scaffold tube cut to protect the studding between the chair person's bum and the deck, or even a bit of larger diameter pipe. The aim is to reduce the chances of snagging and bending the stud when dropping anchor.

thanks Norman,

that's a great idea, if I can get hold of a 60-80mm dia piece of tube, I can cut it and fit it over the bolt from bottom to the ertalon lip (should be 80mm dia) and wedge it there.
Only issue is that I cannot use a nut to tighten the ertalon, so I have to make sure the ertalon cone will tighten over the tube.
Will see if I can get get such a piece at the ss fabricator's workshop

cheers

V.