Monday, March 18, 2013




Everglades Challenge 2013
Well, we made it to the start and we made it to the finish. And, the boat made it with out any problems or failures. Our work paid off. Now we have an "EC Proven" boat. 5 days, 9 hours and 40min. Approx 300 miles. We encountered a variety of conditions, most of which were favorable - down wind or off the wind.  Here are some pics. We'll have more to share on the race, soon.
Locked and loaded, time to roll

On the beach, Mullet Key, day before start


Looking down the line

Check Point 1



Wing on Wing, Charlotte Harbor

Picnic Island

Check Point 2, Chokaloskee

Leg 3, Sailing around Cape Sable

Check point 3, Flamingo
leg 4, between Flamingo and Key Largo

At the finish, tied up, Key Largo


Friday, February 22, 2013

Oar lock

This photo shows oar lock and mast crutch in place to support mast while boat is on the trailer. The crutch we use while rowing is the same, just tall enough to sit under. Our seat slides in at the end of the CB trunk. We'll use the same arrangement on the new boat.  Oars are 9' aluminum with hard plastic blades. They are heavy but served us well for shoving the boat back into deep water the few (many) times we ran aground. We keep a set of paddles handy (grey blades) on board to. We'll have better pics up at of the new boat at some point.

Monday, February 18, 2013


So, we are still at it, making progress. The hull and deck are gelcoated. We decided to paint the topsides too. The coaming is painted to match the topsides. Centerboard is fair(mostly) and painted. Rudder stock is complete and just about ready for paint. We have 2 blades just in case, and were bringing the old wood one along too. Hopefully we just need it for firewood. The pressure is on for this weekend. We plan to work like mad to get this done. Then were on our way to Florida come Wednesday next week. EC 2013 or Bust!

Sky Green Topsides 



Sky Green Coaming



Shallow water rudder blade (on donor boat)
 
Centerboard - Faired and painted
Deep water rudder blade (on donor boat)


Finally on her keel!
Fork truck comes in handy for roll over


Friday, January 25, 2013

We took some time off for Christmas and New Years, and have been back to work on and off. The hole has been cut for the bailer. The thickness of the bottom in way of the hole is almost 1/2" solid glass. Reassuring for the occasional groundings in the shallow water. Once we turn the boat over, we'll drill, rout for the flange of the bailer, and install.



The new deck did not come with a coaming forward of the cockpit. So we are using the existing coaming of the old boat (the "donor") as a mold. We have covered it in packing tape to act as mold release and glassed over it. Once it is cured we'll add some filler, fair, trim, paint and remove. It will be set aside ready to attach to the new deck.

wood coaming covered with packing tape and 2 layers of wet glass

raw glass coaming pulled from donar boat and set on new deck
   
More filling and fairing has been done to the old steel centerboard and it is just about ready for prime and paint.



Fabrication of the kick up rudder is under way. The blade is a low density foam core with glass both sides. The rudder stock is a high density foam with glass both sides. We used a higher density foam to resist compression once the cheek plates and pintles are though bolted. Cheek plates are carbon fiber. Some additional glass is used where tiller mounts. We're hoping this is a "hardy" rudder as we have read about the WT boats loosing rudders during previous EC races.   



The hull and deck are now one piece, almost. We glassed a band around the sheer on the outside of the hull and two layers, staggered, on the inside.  Last night was the final night of fairing /sanding on the hull. It will be moved to a warmer part of the shop tomorrow to begin the paint process. We are hoping two coats will do the job. It will sit for a week. Then we'll roll it over and finish glassing the deck to the hull in way of the transom. Then, it's prep and paint the cockpit and deck. And finally install all of the hardware.




Thursday, December 20, 2012

Some progress this week:
More fairing, trying to get some of the pin holes filled on the surface. These are a result of air trapped between the laminate and the mold during the infusion process. We added a flange at the bow. This will provide a surface for some thickened epoxy for bonding to the deck. Once the deck is on, we'll through bolt the chainplate for the headstay here and get even more integrity at the bow. The flange will be scuffed up and trimmed back some when the deck is fitted.
A flange was also added at the stern to receive the deck. The deck part was trimmed short. This flange will tie in the deck to the hull, then require some additional reinforcement and fairing.
note where deck terminates








Next, we'll add an Anderson bailer just aft of the centerboard trunk on centerline.





Monday, December 17, 2012

Greetings,

The purpose of this blog is to share some of what's involved in getting our boat ready for the 2013 Everglades Challenge. We are starting with an older wood lightning and a new fiberglass lightning hull and deck. The older boat came well equipped with an aluminum mast, north sails, misc deck hardware and a somewhat intact steel centerboard. This is Sonar (sitting) and I before the start of the North Carolina Challenge 2012


The new hull came with centerboard trunk, seating, floatation and some transverse structure in the bottom. The hull is epoxy infused biaxial fabric with structural foam core, as is the deck. I believe the laminate is in accordance with the lightning class rules. This hull and deck also came on a serviceable trailer.






There is quite a bit of work to do in the next couple months leading up to the start March 2, 2012. We are fortunate to have access to indoor heated shop space in order to complete the project. We are in the process of filling and fairing the Centerboard and fairing the hull. The centerboard slot has been cut into the hull. The skeg is lightly glued in place, and will be permanently attached with epoxy, then tabbed in with some +-45 along both sides to reinforce the attachment.



Some mods to the boat will include a robust set of oar locks and a kick up rudder. More photos and updates to come.