Making New holes in the hull of the slug

[dylanwinter]

I know you PBO types like to see a man out of his depth

so I made the hole in the keel bigger - so that I could make is smaller

I cut a ruddy great big hole in the cabin sole

and opened up a new aperture in the back of the boat

all round pretty good progress I reckon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbtt8_9NscU

D

 

[Fire99]

Good work Dylan,

That bearing has probably been spinning around a bit then sitting for months on end stationary for about a million years. Lasted well in my book.

Once that bearing is sorted plus a bit of work on that fibreglass support and a bit of tarting up on that keel hole and it'll be sorted.

Fair play to that chap who restored a Mirror Offshore. Nice to see people putting some time and effort into diddier cheaper boats.

 

[Searush]

Very impressive. I know you'd rather be sailing, but it will be worth it in the end. And it is probably easier to sail in the winter than it is to try repairing the hull when the resin won't set & the old GRP is covered in condensation or ice.

Can't someone in the area take you out for a run? I know it's not your boat but it may be enough of a fix to encourage perseverance with the repairs.

 

[dylanwinter]

prefer the slug

Very impressive. I know you'd rather be sailing, but it will be worth it in the end. And it is probably easier to sail in the winter than it is to try repairing the hull when the resin won't set & the old GRP is covered in condensation or ice.

Can't someone in the area take you out for a run? I know it's not your boat but it may be enough of a fix to encourage perseverance with the repairs.

by the time I have carved out some time to get to wells then I need to focus on the repairs

agree - its nice not to be fighting the temperature when fixing the boat - but the rain has been incessant

D

 

[Searush]

Yes, it did look a bit damp. Nice touch filming the splashes in the puddle.

It is very difficult to show rain on film - like waves, it is sort of camera shy. Hence the use of hosepipes & showerheads in the movies to get really big raindrops that can be seen as a light shower.

I'll bet there's a forumite not far from wherever you live who could take you out for a tide just too remind you why you are hanging upside down, covered in resin & sticky bits of loose fibres, with bits of boat furniture poking you in the kidneys.

Come on Guys, give the bloke a break - I would, but I'm 200 miles away & the boat's 300miles from him!

 

[BrendanS]

Great stuff Dylan, and well done to your mentor as well!

 

[DogWatch]

I know you PBO types like to see a man out of his depth

so I made the hole in the keel bigger - so that I could make is smaller

I cut a ruddy great big hole in the cabin sole

and opened up a new aperture in the back of the boat

all round pretty good progress I reckon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbtt8_9NscU

D

ref: the drill, are you sure you should be using grown-up tools?

 

[DogWatch]

ref: the bearing, considering you have a habit of boating up puddles and creeks, I really think you would benefit long term by fitting a cutless bearing, otherwise you may be complaining of wear again before you leave the East coast. Especially wise if you come down the West coast and play sand yachting on this side.

just a thought.

 

[gary_yank]

Progress

You had a hole now you don't, you had problems with a bearing and soon you won't, sounds like progress to me. Rhyme not intended.

 

[tobble]

was just thinking about that mini bulkhead that's disintegrated.

could I suggest the following - cut the whole lot out and clean up the surrounding hull; then get a bit of ply and cut to shape to replace it - you can prob srounge an off cut that size. Drill a hole to suit the prop tube; it's not quite clear what your arrnagement is there but I assume you have a stern tube. If you can't slide the new bulkhead over the end of the tube as the shaft is out, then make two cuts from the bottom of the bulkhead that join the hole at a tangent, so you have a bulkhead with a slot that slides over the tube, and a piece to fill the slot when it's in. then slather THAT in glass and resin, preferably epoxy.

obviously in any case you'll need to check your engine allignment...

 

[Little Rascal]

Commiserations Dylan! Welcome to the itchy club...

Now you know what it's been like watching your videos while I refit this summer.

Nice article here by Roger Taylor http://www.thesimplesailor.com/articles.html called 'Make Do and Mend' .... apparently you'll feel all the better for it!

Bonding in more ways than one!

All the best
Jon

 

[corkonian1]

Did you see any ballast in the keel?There is supposed to be 370lbs. That is quite a chunk of cast iron.It must be under the floor in there someplace.You were lucky that the hole wasn't beneath that.

 

[Fire99]

Did you see any ballast in the keel?There is supposed to be 370lbs. That is quite a chunk of cast iron.It must be under the floor in there someplace.You were lucky that the hole wasn't beneath that.

Would the ballast not be in the two bilge keels? That centre keel (with the hole) I would imagine is just part of the moulding.

 

[Lakesailor]

Doing well in Wells. Must be an added problem not being near your workshop when attacking these repairs.

I know it's not a make-do-and-mend solution, but I wonder if, when nearer to home and on the hard it would be worth making a shoe to fit the keel bottom?, Just a sacrificial plank really. Just like Formula One cars.
It would protect the grp and make grounding worries a thing of the past.

Mind you, boat - value - pointless, springs to mind. I throw away many ideas on the same basis.

 

[Searush]

On the face of it, that seems a good idea, LS - but any such shoe needs to be firmly fastened on &, if that means more holes, I wouldn't want it on my boat. The risk is that in a grounding situation there is less risk of a scrape or impact hole in the hull, but more risk of it being dislodged slightly & the stud/ bolt holes ripping or at least becoming loose.

 

[Lakesailor]

The Major got some bond-on keel protector when he was having trouble with his boat trailer.
Any keel attachment is normally bolted on. The bilge keels look like they are. As the inside is so accessible (once you've cut the cabin sole) strong pads could be bonded in for the bolts.
But, on an old boat it's not really worth the effort and cost. In Dylan's position I wouldn't have spent money on a new propshaft. I'd have bolted an outboard on the back and done away with future maintenance costs. (I know someone will now post about pitching and prop-out-of-water etc etc)
I'm like the Minimal Yachtsman.

 

[Fire99]

The Major got some bond-on keel protector when he was having trouble with his boat trailer.
Any keel attachment is normally bolted on. The bilge keels look like they are. As the inside is so accessible (once you've cut the cabin sole) strong pads could be bonded in for the bolts.
But, on an old boat it's not really worth the effort and cost. In Dylan's position I wouldn't have spent money on a new propshaft. I'd have bolted an outboard on the back and done away with future maintenance costs. (I know someone will now post about pitching and prop-out-of-water etc etc)
I'm like the Minimal Yachtsman.

My Snappie has exactly that. Old inboard / propshaft removed and Outboard in a well. It's not perfect by a long shot but no cavitation issues and, even with a Honda 10hp 4-Stroke which is a big fat lump with no decent grab points, can be lifted into the cockpit at your will.
Also means oily bilges are a thing of the past. (Or never in my case as I bought her that way. )

Regarding the keels, would it not be practical, once the inside has been 're-glassed', to build up the outer edges of the keels with additional fibreglass and resin?

 

[sarabande]

I like the idea of a sacrifical keel. Perhaps steam a chunk of wood to shape and let it dry out in situ; then epoxy it and adhese it to the keel with more epoxy. Needs to be an inch or so think but would stop a few serious scrapes becoming keel breakers.

If you want a chunk of English oak about 8ft long, 2inches wide, and an inch deep, let me know. I think there's a Forum relay to the East Coast mid Sep.

 

[dylanwinter]

thanks

for all the suggestions

did consider a sacrificial strip on the hull - the more holes seemed a bad idea

am considering marine veriosn of isopon type stuff - just plastered on the bottom of the keel

will stick with the inboard - engine almost new -

aiming to get back on the water in mid september

steve from www.Kissworks.co.uk is goin g to make up a satinless steel plate to match the bracketI will fibreglass and bolt it into position leaving the remaining fibreglass bracket thing in position

so it should be better all round

D

 

[Searush]

for all the suggestions

did consider a sacrificial strip on the hull - the more holes seemed a bad idea

am considering marine veriosn of isopon type stuff - just plastered on the bottom of the keel

will stick with the inboard - engine almost new -

aiming to get back on the water in mid september

steve from www.Kissworks.co.uk is goin g to make up a satinless steel plate to match the bracketI will fibreglass and bolt it into position leaving the remaining fibreglass bracket thing in position

so it should be better all round

D

All sounds good to me, repaired, improved vs minimum cost/ work - a good balance.