Small Steps, A big Leap Forwards

Week eleven, and it feels like a break through has finally been made.

Saturday morning I was up early and straight into sanding the hull down where I had filled in the gaps with fairing powder.

Once that was completed I gave it another coat of epoxy and then it was off to pick-up the windsurfing mast I bought on TradeMe.

I got a 4.60m mast as per Gary’s plans, with a 30% carbon content. I think its a standard entry level mast from Neil Pryde but its a common brand and in good condition. As a bonus the ends of each section are plugged with rubber caps which will help prevent them from flooding if I capsize.

After we collected the mast it was off to a Pirates and Princesses birthday party Nico and Eloise had been invited to. When we got home and the kids were put to bed I put a final layer of epoxy on the hull. It has four in total, more than specified but I will be sanding some of it back before painting.

Sunday morning and it was time to cut away the fiberglass skirt (to catch epoxy drips) and give the hull a good wash down to get rid of the “blush” left by the Epoxy.

While waiting for it all to dry I made two brackets to hold the hull right way up. After un-screwing some key stations and with a hand from Cecile I popped the hull straight off the strong-back onto a pair of wooden horses.

After pulling all the remaining stations off the strong-back, Nico and I mounted the two holding brackets. Nico is beginning to be quite handy with the little hand drill we were using, so much so that he decided to try it on the hull! Luckily mum was on hand to quickly put the drill away.

With the brackets mounted, I was able to, on my own, lift and turn the hull and then place it down back on the strong-back right way up. Not the best of ideas, but at least it looks like the hull will be light enough for me to handle by myself.

At this point the plans call for you to take a step back and have a drink! Good advice Gary!

Photo of how she looks at the end of the day, I’ve started planing

the inside smooth, which I will continue during the week. Next weekend will be more sanding to get the areas I can’t reach with my plane. And the following weekend if luck (and Cecile) allows I’ll be glassing  the inside.

I’m Flying! I’m Flying!

Week ten and I’m flying forward… Well actually I’m not. With Day Light Savings ending and Autumn in full swing, my working hours have been curtailed somewhat. To compound this, what I need to do, sanding, needs to be done outside to keep the dust out of the house. Which limits me to working over the weekends.

Saturday started with another trip to Bunnings for new sanding disks and a pair of working gloves to save my hands from even more splinters and cuts. From there I got stuck in with the sanding. Fortunately, between bouts of rain I managed to sand back the patches I added.

Sunday was babysitting duty looking after Nicolas and Eloise while Mum and friends were swinging from the trees!

Great fun was had and Nico learnt a new Dutch word; Gek, as in geke Mum :) Eloise took most of it in her stride, so long as she was being carried by Dad… Which made taking photos a bit of a challenge!

After we got home it was back to work on the boat, I had my first experience with fairing powder. Not being sure of how much I should be adding, I just kept adding the powder till I got it nice and thick (peanut butter was one guide I read).

Using this paste I filled in the gaps left by the opened air bubbles and covered the areas of the stern bare of glass.

Next week….

…. More sanding and then another layer of epoxy before I finally get to turn the hull.