This has been a big month. I almost hit 90 hours which for a non holiday month is my best ever. And a productive month in which I almost hit all of the goals I set for it. I set out to complete the furniture in each of the forward bedrooms, or at least as much as I know I can do until the mast posts go in probably in November. I have not made the curved panels that will be the side cabinets along side each side of the port athwart ships bunk. I ran out of resin but even if I had not I would not have got to them before the month was out. But I got the back of both forward bunk furniture broken, and have just a little to go there now. Next will be to finish the furniture in the aft bunk. But part of this work completed was to complete the steps into each of the beds, all except for the top step into the starboard bunk which will be hinged or removable so as to accommodate an escape hatch.
I also glassed the port stairwell into the boat and started on the rest of the steps into the port hull, which should be finished in the next week. And also did a little more on the saloon furniture including the curved Nav cabinet and the third side of the fridge cavity.
One of the still unresolved issues with the steps is whether I retain symmetry and have the same step height spacing as the starboard hull which for various reasons is more problematic in the port hull (due to the more forward position of the steps and the square wall). Because the well is about 500mm further forward the well is more opposite the daggercase rather than behind it as in the starboard hull. This means that the bottom step is about 100mm closer if the normal footfall formula is followed and the result means the companionway is only 400mm instead of the usual 500mm. I can maintain a 500mm companionway if I go to the original 300mm risings instead of 200mm as in the starboard hull. I am still working on possible compromises and step shapes, there is no reason we have to follow any formula or symmetry and will settle on what works best for us.
The curved panel for the front of the navigation cabinet was trimmed and dry fit in place, and a flat panel piece cut to finish the sides of the cabinet with only the doorway opening left. Of course I am still to make the top for it and this will incorporate a hinged section and a box below it that will house the multi function screen. Once the curved side is glassed on I will make a ply box and fit that before making the top to finish that cabinet. Hopefully that will be done before the end of September.
Then finally I started playing around with templates for the nose cone but I have a bit of work to do on it yet as I cant quite get my head around how the various chines and angles work. The centerline of the hull whilst centered at the keel is not centered at the deck, with the hull flaring more inboard than outboard so that the centerline is no longer center and if lines are maintained they converge at differing points forward of zero bulkhead. These pics explain it better than I can in words.
This has been a fun month and it is reflected in the hours I managed to log. Another interesting piece of information is that the boat kit was delivered to me 5 years ago this month. I started work on the strongback in September 2005 and actual boat work started in October so I am approaching or have passed the 5 year anniversary depending on whether I count from the start of the blog (July 05, receiving the kit Aug 05, starting to actually work (strongback Sept 05 or started on working with the actual material that becomes the boat Oct 05). I had originally budgeted on 5 years so I ought to be in the water now. I am probably still a year away but I am surprisingly not too disappointed by that. I can see the end and am very happy with where I am. Would I like to be finished, of course but I can see the finish now and am still healthy, happy and enjoying life.
