PhillM
Well-Known Member
She looks beautiful. Remember to wave as you pass us in round the island.
What lessons for this week
- Thread starter Javelin
- Start date
Javelin
Well-Known Member
Finished rigging the new mast on the vashti today.
You have to love the Sta-lok system even though its a bit pricey.
We're working on the other new wooden mast and boom for the Tideway, seem here with her old alloy one.
The mast has been sanded and all the fittings have been located and then removed.
As with the vashti, we're following the original plans so this mast will have a single set of spreaders and diamond stays although we will be adding a forward set of lower shrouds that do not appear on the drawing.
In the photo the mast has just had its 2nd or 4 coats of Bonda wood sealer, which is a marvelous product and highly recommended.
It's polyester based but uses moisture in the wood to go off and not a catalyst or heat.
It gives a superb base for high quality varnish finish.
The other thing that surprises me with Bonda is the finish changes very little from the point you apply it to when it dries.
Also we've started on the Town green flag pole.
The rotten end was cut off and a scarfe joint was started.
The new spruce was cut and planed and laid out on the trestles.
You have to love the Sta-lok system even though its a bit pricey.
We're working on the other new wooden mast and boom for the Tideway, seem here with her old alloy one.
The mast has been sanded and all the fittings have been located and then removed.
As with the vashti, we're following the original plans so this mast will have a single set of spreaders and diamond stays although we will be adding a forward set of lower shrouds that do not appear on the drawing.
In the photo the mast has just had its 2nd or 4 coats of Bonda wood sealer, which is a marvelous product and highly recommended.
It's polyester based but uses moisture in the wood to go off and not a catalyst or heat.
It gives a superb base for high quality varnish finish.
The other thing that surprises me with Bonda is the finish changes very little from the point you apply it to when it dries.
Also we've started on the Town green flag pole.
The rotten end was cut off and a scarfe joint was started.
The new spruce was cut and planed and laid out on the trestles.
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ex-Gladys
Well-Known Member
Interested in your comments on Bonda... I tried to use it a few years back on a brand new iroko aft deck/transom capping piece on the advice of a mate who is a boatbuilder in Cornwall, but had problems with shelf life of the can. I poured the stuff into cardboard cups to use and replaced the cap religiously, but within a couple of weeks the small can was solid... Also it didn't seem to survive very well, mind you neither has anything else - UCP/ Clear Primer etc - Fed up every second winter having to go back to bare wood
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
Javelin, I will admire your work on the flagpole next time I visit Southwold.
Javelin
Well-Known Member
Ah the bonda can issue.
The stuff goes off with moisture in the air as well as in wood.
So what happens is when you pour some into a container you get a little dribble on the top lip,
when you put and screw the lid back on you inadvertently end up spreading it round the cap thread,
this then goes off hard (It is a resin) and you then cant open the lid.
Even in a vice !
So what we do here is lose the cap and use a wooden taper bung.
Never have I seen even part of a tin go hard but I've seen a stuck cap numerous times.
The stuff goes off with moisture in the air as well as in wood.
So what happens is when you pour some into a container you get a little dribble on the top lip,
when you put and screw the lid back on you inadvertently end up spreading it round the cap thread,
this then goes off hard (It is a resin) and you then cant open the lid.
Even in a vice !
So what we do here is lose the cap and use a wooden taper bung.
Never have I seen even part of a tin go hard but I've seen a stuck cap numerous times.
johnalison
Well-Known Member
I imagine that in spite of your obviously amazing craftsmanship, the wooden mast on the Tideway will be heavier than the alloy one and that this will alter the boat's motion, presumably for the better.
ex-Gladys
Well-Known Member
Cheers, will give it another go
Javelin
Well-Known Member
Not sure that it'll be better performance wise.
Usually any saving in weight will be beneficial and additional weight usually makes things worse. (unless its on the end of the keel)
However the mods are more to do with getting her more original with the added benefit of a wooden mast being significantly cheaper.
Mctavish
Well-Known Member
A newbie lesson: Today, I learned that, after a certain point, a suddenly deflating tender is not just about to sink. I have considered what I can do if the tender starts to sink many times. I found today that, in addition, as the inflatable folds, it becomes unrowable and uncontrollable. Rowing/motoring may make you sink faster.
My tender has a slight leak in the floor but it holds air maybe deflating by a minuscule degree per trip. From the outset, I was carefully monitoring the leaky floor, satisfied that it was fine. Suddenly, I noticed that the tender was suddenly deflating while I was on the water. I "rowed" the flopping boat extra hard, racing for the slipway. I was thinking of saving the outboard as much as anything. I didnt faff with starting with the outboard as the transom was starting to lean. I made it back dry but a bit shocked.
As it was a perfect day for a swim, and I now wanted to investigate this phenomenon and was in a fairly safe location, I pumped the tender up again. Same thing happened again. Got back dry. Went out one more time, just for fun. The inflatable kept air fine for the rest of the day. The valves were secured and checked the same way each time. I don't know what caused the problem yet. I was rowing the first two times. The third time I used the outboard. I very tentatively rowed a little and there was no more great deflation.
I learned something from the strength of the instinct to move when in a sinking vessel. The initial instinct to CLIMB! is overwhelming. I shot back to shore. I can imagine what it feels like when the danger is much greater. I'm glad I got a whiff of what that feels like when I was in relative safety. I think I'm going to put the tender down, terminate it.
My tender has a slight leak in the floor but it holds air maybe deflating by a minuscule degree per trip. From the outset, I was carefully monitoring the leaky floor, satisfied that it was fine. Suddenly, I noticed that the tender was suddenly deflating while I was on the water. I "rowed" the flopping boat extra hard, racing for the slipway. I was thinking of saving the outboard as much as anything. I didnt faff with starting with the outboard as the transom was starting to lean. I made it back dry but a bit shocked.
As it was a perfect day for a swim, and I now wanted to investigate this phenomenon and was in a fairly safe location, I pumped the tender up again. Same thing happened again. Got back dry. Went out one more time, just for fun. The inflatable kept air fine for the rest of the day. The valves were secured and checked the same way each time. I don't know what caused the problem yet. I was rowing the first two times. The third time I used the outboard. I very tentatively rowed a little and there was no more great deflation.
I learned something from the strength of the instinct to move when in a sinking vessel. The initial instinct to CLIMB! is overwhelming. I shot back to shore. I can imagine what it feels like when the danger is much greater. I'm glad I got a whiff of what that feels like when I was in relative safety. I think I'm going to put the tender down, terminate it.
Javelin
Well-Known Member
Interesting lesson indeed.
Lucky for me that the Avon tender is banned by swmbo so pontoon only for us!
The mast repair is moving on this week and the photos below show current progress.
We launched the Vashti on Monday.
Unfortunately the owner couldn't make it as he is overseas so I chucked together a little video for him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX-Q9g0_z4s
Lucky for me that the Avon tender is banned by swmbo so pontoon only for us!
The mast repair is moving on this week and the photos below show current progress.
We launched the Vashti on Monday.
Unfortunately the owner couldn't make it as he is overseas so I chucked together a little video for him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX-Q9g0_z4s
DownWest
Well-Known Member
A question: You use a simple scarfe joint on the flag pole. Might a clothes peg one be better, if a bit more tricky?
BTW, one of the best threads on the forum! Keep it coming.
BTW, one of the best threads on the forum! Keep it coming.
Javelin
Well-Known Member
You said it yourself, its a flagpole.
Its 12" dia with a huge scarfe area plus 6 x m12 ss bolts
A sail carrying mast would be a different story.
Ovni with the corroded prop update.
The max-prop was too far gone so we opted for a Darglow Feather Stream to replace it.
The feather stream anode is quite bit bigger plus the fixing screws have more meat about them.
We also decided on a longer shaft so we could add a shaft anode.
We changed the Volvo seal and the rubber cutlass bearing as well.
Not sure I like these Jeanneau rubber cutlass bearings, they seem very soft compared to the usual ones we fit.
Not got any specific evidence against them but I'll be watching the performance of this one closely.
Its 12" dia with a huge scarfe area plus 6 x m12 ss bolts
A sail carrying mast would be a different story.
Ovni with the corroded prop update.
The max-prop was too far gone so we opted for a Darglow Feather Stream to replace it.
The feather stream anode is quite bit bigger plus the fixing screws have more meat about them.
We also decided on a longer shaft so we could add a shaft anode.
We changed the Volvo seal and the rubber cutlass bearing as well.
Not sure I like these Jeanneau rubber cutlass bearings, they seem very soft compared to the usual ones we fit.
Not got any specific evidence against them but I'll be watching the performance of this one closely.
Fantasie 19
Well-Known Member
I bet that shed smelt lovely with all those wood shavings... :encouragement:
Javelin
Well-Known Member
The sheds always smell of wood to be honest.
You get a bit blase about it after while.
If you or anyone else is up Southwold way you're more than welcome to have a look round and have a sniff.
(ask for Mike)
Laurie did wonders with the mast today, shaping and sanding her and starting to plan where all the new fittings will go.
Started to glass in the internal propshaft tube bulkhead in the Colvic Watson.
There's a before and after below.
Due to the difficult location I decided to just seal and essentially tack the plywood bulkhead in today and will add the strength and bulk tomorrow.
In the first shot you can see where I've cleaned up the old glass and given it a good key with 40grit and then removed the dust and wiped down with acetone.
The second shot shows the first 18mm plywood piece glassed to the hull, the existing bulkhead and tube.
The white plastic you can see at the end of the tube is a spacer i fitted to make sure the prop shaft is centrally located in the tube.
Oh and as an aside I want to give Proboat in Burnham the thumbs up for service.
I've not used them much before but wanted a mechanical backstay tensioner for an Oyster I'm re-rigging.
(the owner had kittens at the price of a hydraulic one!)
Anyway ordered a mechanical ratchet one yesterday and was here by midday today.
Nice piece of kit by the looks of it as well, made by Wichard.
You get a bit blase about it after while.
If you or anyone else is up Southwold way you're more than welcome to have a look round and have a sniff.
(ask for Mike)
Laurie did wonders with the mast today, shaping and sanding her and starting to plan where all the new fittings will go.
Started to glass in the internal propshaft tube bulkhead in the Colvic Watson.
There's a before and after below.
Due to the difficult location I decided to just seal and essentially tack the plywood bulkhead in today and will add the strength and bulk tomorrow.
In the first shot you can see where I've cleaned up the old glass and given it a good key with 40grit and then removed the dust and wiped down with acetone.
The second shot shows the first 18mm plywood piece glassed to the hull, the existing bulkhead and tube.
The white plastic you can see at the end of the tube is a spacer i fitted to make sure the prop shaft is centrally located in the tube.
Oh and as an aside I want to give Proboat in Burnham the thumbs up for service.
I've not used them much before but wanted a mechanical backstay tensioner for an Oyster I'm re-rigging.
(the owner had kittens at the price of a hydraulic one!)
Anyway ordered a mechanical ratchet one yesterday and was here by midday today.
Nice piece of kit by the looks of it as well, made by Wichard.
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Javelin
Well-Known Member
Got a bit of a shock today.
I was getting some quotes for a furler to replace a very old Colnbrook furler.
Got quotes for the Harken, Facom, Furlex, Profurl and Sailspar.
It appears that Sailspar have gone into receivership.
This is a great shame, we have a number of boats here that have a sailspar furling system and almost all swear by it.
I did manage to get a quote but they can't sell until the receivers have finished whatever it is they are doing.
I know that they have a large number of parts in stock so in time its hoped we might be able to keep the current ones working well.
I guess there's a chance it might get bought and resurrected but time will tell.
The other slightly surprising thing was that from the above furlers it was Profurl that came in the cheapest.
Didn't expect that.
I was getting some quotes for a furler to replace a very old Colnbrook furler.
Got quotes for the Harken, Facom, Furlex, Profurl and Sailspar.
It appears that Sailspar have gone into receivership.
This is a great shame, we have a number of boats here that have a sailspar furling system and almost all swear by it.
I did manage to get a quote but they can't sell until the receivers have finished whatever it is they are doing.
I know that they have a large number of parts in stock so in time its hoped we might be able to keep the current ones working well.
I guess there's a chance it might get bought and resurrected but time will tell.
The other slightly surprising thing was that from the above furlers it was Profurl that came in the cheapest.
Didn't expect that.
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Well i have to say Javelin , if I had. A wooden boat that needed work , I know what yard I would be bring her too .
Good to see there still great skills around and people who don't just think they know what they are doing , but skilled in what they are doing .
Make me what to buy a classics boat now and pass it n to you
.
Good to see there still great skills around and people who don't just think they know what they are doing , but skilled in what they are doing .
Make me what to buy a classics boat now and pass it n to you
.Solent sailer
Well-Known Member
we had a genoa cover and it did flog badly the solution was 2 rows of D rings sewn on and a draw string to lace it up, completely sorted the problem, just tied the lacing down to the deck with a bungee as tight as possible and it self tightened over the lime it was left.
DanTribe
Well-Known Member
As a kid, I can remember the original Vashti being launched at Priors. The owner gave a party for the yard guys and local dignitaries. Our main object was to get at the free scoff while the grown ups chased us away.
That's sad news about Sailspar. Good kit and lovely people to deal with.
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Javelin
Well-Known Member
Yes still can't get used to it, funny enough its a sailspar furler on the Vashti "Lady of Hamford"
They refurbished the unit for me with new bearings and a new main wheel about a month ago for about £200.
I've got two 20 year old Hood furlers to try and fix for the oyster 435 which is not looking good as all the stainless sockethead screws have corroded into the cast alloy and wont budge even after a soak and heat.
One of the options was to go for a sailspar but it looks like Profurl will get it now along with another to replace an old colnbrook unit for a 26' cat we're working on.
Javelin
Well-Known Member
I received a couple of PM's on progress of my new cockpit Instrument panel.
Well the truth is I've been so busy in the yard that when its come to the weekend I've run out of steam so progress has been slow.
That said the panel is fitted and sealed.
I've re routed the internal wiring for the engine panel and the next job is to cut an access hole big enough for the plugs, wire up the panel and then run the wiring for the plotter and Triton display.
Well the truth is I've been so busy in the yard that when its come to the weekend I've run out of steam so progress has been slow.
That said the panel is fitted and sealed.
I've re routed the internal wiring for the engine panel and the next job is to cut an access hole big enough for the plugs, wire up the panel and then run the wiring for the plotter and Triton display.
