631 replies to this topic

[Ryley]

where are you building this btw?

not that far down the road from you, Mustang, in SE CT.

[mustang__1]

Had a feeling. Will have to figure out how to get down there and take a look sometime.

[Lightningflash]

Kevin,

Hey, this is Brian Gibbs. haven't seen you a while. your project looks awesome. Hi say to Geordie for me!

Keep the updates coming.

Brian

[psyklik]

We keep plugging away. The keel box is in. As seen in the attached photos the keel box has been vacume bagged into place with 12oz biaxe. You may be able to see the layering in the photos. Not show is the foam part that will become the keel grounding frame. The black parts will become a compression column for the mast step and the wooden thing is the start of the mould for the keel box frames.
Kevin

Kevin,

Thanks for taking the time to show me your marvelous project Tuesday afternoon. I'll have to drop by check it out from time to time.
Thanks for the raffel bag also,
~ Rich

[Ryley]

I'm curious about the layup. uni glass vertically and horizontally around the foam core, just two layers inside and out except for the keel sump area. I'm not a boat builder, but I've repaired a few in my day. I know this is light, I've seen it. any feel for the overall strength of this construction though? Is this going to be a stiff boat, is it going to take some rubbing with other boats, or is it going to end up being delicate? Would you do a long-distance race, like the Brooklyn challenge in this?

This isn't meant to be critical, it's just a far far cry from most other layups I've seen, and I want to understand it.

Thanks,
Lance

[Johannos]

boats this small usually have a lay up off about 600-900 grams. So 300 to 450 grams each side. Can take quite a bit. But it's not the most impact resistant. Just don't hit other boats
stiffnes you get by adding the core. Usually 15 mm this size boats. Stiff, strong enough, and light

[Jim Donovan]

I'm curious about the layup. uni glass vertically and horizontally around the foam core, just two layers inside and out except for the keel sump area. I'm not a boat builder, but I've repaired a few in my day. I know this is light, I've seen it. any feel for the overall strength of this construction though? Is this going to be a stiff boat, is it going to take some rubbing with other boats, or is it going to end up being delicate? Would you do a long-distance race, like the Brooklyn challenge in this?

This isn't meant to be critical, it's just a far far cry from most other layups I've seen, and I want to understand it.

Thanks,
Lance

Lance,

The hull layup you reference is the inner "base laminate".
Both the inner and outer skins get reinforcements added that help tie the topsides panels to the bottom hull shell and reinforce the hull shell in the high stress areas.

Jim

[Jim Donovan]

I'm curious about the layup. uni glass vertically and horizontally around the foam core, just two layers inside and out except for the keel sump area. I'm not a boat builder, but I've repaired a few in my day. I know this is light, I've seen it. any feel for the overall strength of this construction though? Is this going to be a stiff boat, is it going to take some rubbing with other boats, or is it going to end up being delicate? Would you do a long-distance race, like the Brooklyn challenge in this?

This isn't meant to be critical, it's just a far far cry from most other layups I've seen, and I want to understand it.

Thanks,
Lance

Lance,

The hull layup you reference is the inner "base laminate".
Both the inner and outer skins get reinforcements added that help tie the topsides panels to the bottom hull shell and reinforce the hull shell in the high stress areas.

Jim

BTW Lance,

Kevins base laminate is approx 35% thicker than the base laminate on my TP 52 design.
The TP 52 was carbon, and the GP 26 is E-glass, but then the TP 52 is 8 times heavier with much larger panel spans.

These thin skins are plenty strong, but you are right, not really tough enough to take much abuse without showing dents, etc.
That's why there are thicker laminates and reinforcements where needed.

To build a GP 26 to class weight, you have to be very careful with the structural weights.
This makes the laminate detailing a bit more complicated than what you would encounter with a normal production boat.

[Ryley]

Jim,
thanks for the reply. This design looks really good, and I only wish I was in a place right now to build hull #2.

[Savage 17]

Kevin.....

Been a long time since we got an update....

[Kevin Farrar]

Hi Savage,
Holidays, work, having to pay the mortgage well I'm back at it today. There has been slight revision of the keel support structure which has slowed progress somewhat. These changes seem to be sorting themselves out and I hope to stirring epoxy again soon. Today I'll continue making pattern mock ups for the transverse keel frames and stick some foam together for the center longitudinal which pick up the mast step, keel box and transfers the load aft to the keel grounding frame.
More pictures when something is glued in place.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

Hello All,
The attached pictures show the "dry fit" of the basic keel support structure pieces. Shown is the fairy massive keel grounding frame ("athwart-ship" aft of the keel box). The centerline longitudinal which becomes the mast-step forward of the keel box and transfers the grounding load aft of the box to the grounding frame. The green looking frames are the transverse keel frames which when finished will transfer the lateral keel load out to the bunk fronts and then further out to the topside panels. The chainplates will be attached to the forward transverve keel frames.
Yet to be done are the inverted "L" pieces which will be made from a simple mold and bonded to the transverse frames forming a "T" structure. The next project is to make cloth patterns and start cutting the glass to reinforce and bond this whole thing in. Some additional fairing will be done to the longitudinal prior to the pieces being glued in.
On a separate issue the epoxy (with the deep freeze going on in New England) turned to slush, I remedied this by emptying a closet and sticking an oil fill heater in it and fortunately the epoxy has returned to its proper state.

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[Ryley]

Hawt...

[Kevin Farrar]

The keel grounding frame was laminated yesterday afternoon and evening. 55 pieces of cloth before peel-ply. Hours and hours and my knees are killing me but it was a big step forward. This next week I'll pop it off the release tape, clean it up and bond it in with spar-bond. Once its bonded in I'll lay in the cloth pieces which clamp it to the hull and finally on to the centerline longitudinal which picks up the keel box and maststep.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

I just popped the frame off the release tape and put it on the scale- 6.65kg before trimming. I was concerned that it would be quite a bit more. The part will lose some more weight when I trim it. A fresh batch of Spabond should show up in tomorrow's UPS.
Kevin

[007]

I just popped the frame off the release tape and put it on the scale- 6.65kg before trimming. I was concerned that it would be quite a bit more. The part will lose some more weight when I trim it. A fresh batch of Spabond should show up in tomorrow's UPS.
Kevin

Any more photos? Keep up the good work Kevin, unless of course there's a foot of snow falling up north! There are Priorities you know.

[Kevin Farrar]

Well its been a while since the last update and it still hasn't snowed in northern Vermont.

The keel grounding frame has been spa-bonded in place and the clamping cloth strips also glued in. These pieces went up the turn of the bilge about 235mm and were taper to avoid any hard-spots.

I just finished glueing the lonitudinal pieces (fore and aft of the keel box) in place with high density putty. This part will take some fairing in place before I can laminate it with cloth and resin.

Kevin

[mustang__1]

Kevin, i'd have sent you a PM but the forums are messed up... Do you know how far from a bus stop or station you are? I'd love to come down and check it (from rhode island) and even lend a hand, but im car-less up here.

[Kevin Farrar]

Hi Mustang,
I always could use help. There are both greyhound and amtrack stations in scenic New London. The shop is just a couple of blocks away. Where are you in RI?
Kevin
farrar.sails@snet.net

[Kevin Farrar]

Well I haven't been eating bon-bons all this time.
The longitudinal needs a little more fairing and JD has sent me the revised lay-up. I've cut 128 of the 224 pieces needed for Assembly of the transverse keel frames. These pieces will become 8 parts that will eventually end up as 2 sets of frames. Also a good portion of the peel-ply and bleeder materials have been cut for the frames. I hope to be done with the cutting this evening or tomorrow so I can start the multiple vacuum bagging operations this weekend. The longitudinal will need pieces cut but not nearly so many and as the lay-up will be done in several steps I'll cut them as needed. This section of the boat is really fairly complex and I'll be very happy when its done and I can move on to bigger pieces that will at least seem like the project is moving forward faster.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

Its good to be mixing epoxy again. The third transverse keel frame "L" is in the vacuum bag as I type. The first two have come out better than expected with fiber to resin ratio about 67% fiber 33% resin. I've nearly finished sanding the longitudinal fillets and should be laminating that this weekend.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

Thank you Tom, Geordie and Bill for the long hours this weekend.
The centerline longitudinal is complete with the awhartship transverse keel frame base layers laid up across the boat from keel box to sheer clamp.
Seven of the eight "L" beams are made and the final one will be made tomorrow. This afternoon I will start bonding the "L's" together creating the "T's" which become the transverse frames. The foam for the bunk fronts is now shaped and glued together and the laminating will begin in a few days.
Kevin

[Ryley]

Kevin, if you're going to be in the shop over the weekend, maybe you'd let me come by and take some pictures for everyone?

Lance

[Kevin Farrar]

Transverse Keel Frames
From about 230 pieces of cloth I'm down to six parts two of which are in there final shape ie. one piece. The forward two transverse keel frame "T's" are under the clamp and curing. These will need their second trimming and then they will be tacked in the boat. The aft set of frames will be bonded the first part of next week and after the forward set's hull bonding is complete they will go in.
Kevin

[Ryley]

alright Kevin, ski season is over...

[Kevin Farrar]

It was 84 degrees at 4 in the afternoon in Warren Vermont on Saturday. It wasn't spring skiing - it was summer skiing. I'll go up one more time in a couple of weeks if the mountain makes it that long.

The forward "tee" frames are tacked in with epoxy and I will finish the fillets in the next day or so. The aft "Tee's" are awaiting final trimming and should be in the boat by the end of this weekend. I hope to get the inside layer of cloth bagged on the bunk fronts and the forward frame tabbing to the hull done this weekend as well.

Kevin

[Ryley]

Hey Kevin,
thanks for the cook's tour today. The boat is very sexy... like I said, the boat's only a little longer than RockIt but feels so much bigger. You've got to be very proud of the way it's coming out. Wish I had your skills and patience. Hell, it's not my boat and I'm already anxious to see it out there tearing around in LI sound! You and Jim have got to be very proud of the way this is coming along.

Thanks again -- can't wait to see the pics.

Lance

[Kevin Farrar]

With a lot of Tom's help this weekend we completed the tabbing in of the forward transverse keel frames. We shaped the aft ones and got them tack in with epoxy fillets. I'll finish the filleting this week and hope to finish the tabbing of the aft frames and cover both fore and aft with 10 more layers of material this weekend.
We also laminated the inside sides of the bunk fronts ( see photos). I need to cut rebates along the top edge and around the cut-outs where the bunk fronts will drop over the grounding frame and the two transverse keel frames. Once the bunk fronts are in and the bunk/tank tops bonded in place will be on to the cockpit then the deck. But I still have some detail work that needs to be addressed be I get to far adhead of myself.
Kevin

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[Jim Donovan]

Kevin, When are you going to post those photos we talked about the other day?

[Ryley]

Now that is sexy. Thanks for sharing the pictures. This is going to be such a machine.

[Kevin Farrar]

here goes.
Kevin

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[Kevin Farrar]

Walter and I spent all of Saturday cutting cloth, peel-ply and bagging materials. Tom showed up on Sunday and the three of us started a bit of a marathon lamination day. The bunk fronts were laminated and vacuum bagged first and then the aft transverse keel frame was tabbed to the hull portion of the beam. Lastly we laminated the ten layers of material to the tops of both frames. A couple of long days but quite a step forward in the process. I'll start the bunk front fitting today.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

Fitted and traced the wooden bunk front template onto the real ones I pulled out of the vacuum bag. I cut the pieces and beveled the edges this morning and with luck I will have the bunk fronts tack glued into the hull this evening.
Kevin

[Heriberto]

Hi Persilz,
I did a little review a came up with a imformal guess.
Measured wieght includes internal ballast (7% of hull wt. in measurement trim) and Batterys (2% of hull wt. in measurement trim) this measured trim weight can be between 1000 and 1100 kg.
A guess of all the stuff excluded form measurement should weight approximately 73 kg. This would included items such as sails, outboard, anchor with rode, first aid kit, flares, fire extingusher, fenders, dock-lines, loose navigation gear, winch handles, tools and spares etc.
I figure another 8 kg of personal gear for 5 crew and 5 kg for food, water, beer and of course red wine.

So sailing wieght should be about:

Hull in Trim 1000 kg
excluded gear 73
personal gear 8
food and drink 5
sub total 1086 kg
crew wieght 340
Total 1426 kg

Add another 100 kg if sailed at max Hull wieght.

Have I formally invited you to do the Mac yet?



But only 5 kg?

[007]

Hey, look out, I may stop by this weekend to check the progress first hand, although we just received another foot of snow at the usual playground, and Mt Washington is calling with two feet+.
Surely you keep some decent amounts of beer/wine at the Loft for thirsty inspectors!

[Kevin Farrar]

Hi everyone,

Thanks 007 for your help Saturday, I know cutting e-glass is not the most glamorous job but it is an enormous help.

The bunk fronts (air tanks) are finally glued in and filleted. The tabbing in comes next (see 007's cutting above). Meanwhile light weight glass L's have been made to help "seat" the bunk top which is the next big piece. I think I've figured out a way to make the L's which need to follow the curvature of the hull and remain in plane with the bunk top.

The lumber yard has delivered a number of sheets of melamine board which will be used to increase the size of the layout (vacuum) table to accept the bunk top and then the cockpit sole as one piece. And what I hope $$$ is the last large resin order (115 kg SP Ampreg 22 Resin and Hardener) is supposed to be on Friday's truck.

Thanks Charlie for the use of the Fein Multi-master how I've lived this long with out one I have no idea.

Kevin

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[Heriberto]

Hi everyone,

Thanks 007 for your help Saturday, I know cutting e-glass is not the most glamorous job but it is an enormous help.

The bunk fronts (air tanks) are finally glued in and filleted. The tabbing in comes next (see 007's cutting above). Meanwhile light weight glass L's have been made to help "seat" the bunk top which is the next big piece. I think I've figured out a way to make the L's which need to follow the curvature of the hull and remain in plane with the bunk top.

The lumber yard has delivered a number of sheets of melamine board which will be used to increase the size of the layout (vacuum) table to accept the bunk top and then the cockpit sole as one piece. And what I hope $$$ is the last large resin order (115 kg SP Ampreg 22 Resin and Hardener) is supposed to be on Friday's truck.

Thanks Charlie for the use of the Fein Multi-master how I've lived this long with out one I have no idea.

Kevin

I haven't used the real thing, but now that the patent has run out, there are bunches of clones of the multi-master available for around $100 with attachments, Dremel has one, I think Porter Cable has one. I bought one and it's incredible. They are all compatible (to my knowledge) with the Fein attachements.

[John Heinemann]

Kevin, I enjoyed the photo tour, I went to photo bucket and checked out all the shots there as well. It looks like a fun boat and It looks like you are doing a great job, keep it up - John

[Jim Donovan]

Kevin, I enjoyed the photo tour, I went to photo bucket and checked out all the shots there as well. It looks like a fun boat and It looks like you are doing a great job, keep it up - John

Kevin really is doing great work - he's going to have a beautifully clean and structurally solid yacht when* he finishes it.
Better than a lot of "professionally built" projects I've seen.

*Couldn't resist Kevin - pretty much all I hear about my project these days is, "when are you going to be finished?"

[Kevin Farrar]

The bunk fronts are tabbed in and I must say what a pain in the as%=/-#! Lots and lots of little pieces going around turns and corners. We have starting sanding the tabbing and when finished it will be just fine.
In the attached photos you can see the quick and dirty wooden mold I made up to creative the ledge pieces that the bunk/tank top will nest on. Prior to bonding the top onto the bulkheads and ledge pieces I need to put in foam and glass part between the transverse keel frames as it will be nearly impossible to install them later. I hope to modify the layout table today so that the bunk top piece can be started this weekend. The truck with cans of epoxy finally showed up this morning.
Kevin

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[Kevin Farrar]

Has it been 10 days.
Last weekend was spent building the new table surface and filling the seams with wood glue. It is amazing how much melamine covered particle board can suck up. I had my first experience with cutting biscuit holes.
Once to table was done I cut and epoxied the bunk top together and made the support jigs for the foam filler pieces that have been installed fore and aft and in between the transverse Keel frames (see photos). Thursday afternoon was spent cutting e-glass and vacuum bag material for the bunk/tank top and the first side was laid up on Friday morning. Saturday - more cutting, rebating and trimming. Sunday the second side was completed. Tomorrow morning we will start putting in the light weight ledger pieces and hope to get the bunk/tank to fitted and glue in by the end of the weekend.
Kevin

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[Kevin Farrar]

The last couple of weekends have been spent installing the ledger pieces which will hold the glue mixture when the bunk/tank tops are put in. I've made a cardboard dry fit template and have transferred that fit to the full size plywood template. The inside of the tanks have been sanded (sharp pieces of glass) and are ready to get their final coat of clear epoxy sealant. As soon as I can get a second set of hands I will do the last dry fit of the plywood template then trace that pattern to the vacuumed bag top, cut and glue the tank top in place. Attached are some photos of the ledger installation. Lots of clamps.
Kevin

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[Kevin Farrar]

The epoxy clear coat has cured and the work party is showing up within the hour. This afternoon the bunk/tank top is going in. More photos soon.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

Wow! That part is finally done -- Well almost. There are a few details like filleting and taping the part to the hull but it is glued into the boat. The bonding of course did not go as planed. The plan was to hot coat all the bearing surfaces with epoxy and then lay a bead along those surfaces with Spar-bond using the fancy double barreled caulking gun with mixing tip. Well that is where things started to screw up. We knew we have a fairly short time window in which to work having used fast hardener so if the gun had worked we thought the beer would come out in about 45 minutes. The pressure required to move the Spar-bond through the mixing tip was so great that the nozzle tip blew off repeatedly and the amount coming through successfully was painfully slow and little. We jumped to plan B and started mixing Ampreg 22 with high density filler (fast harder) and went to work puttying it on. The job was determined to be a success an hour and a half later. We used about a hundred dive weights, four scuba cylinders and three gallons of acetone to clamp the tank top down.
Kevin

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[jim lee]

Bigger pix! I can't tell what's being put together. I keep looking and squinting my eyes but its not helping.

-jim lee

[007]

thanks Kevin; looking forward to seeing progress photos of the next phase.

[mustang__1]

Hey Kevin, cool meeting up with you the other night at SHYC. Its a shame we couldnt stop by, but AJ was on a schedule to get home and we were both pretty beat. I'll definitely give you a shout when i head up in August, with a car. Sorry to have kept your wife waiting BTW, A.S only told me afterwords that id made a bit of an ass of myself there!

Dan

[Kevin Farrar]

At long last we just unloaded the plywood for the cockpit, deck and cabin blister molds. Promised very soon are the rib bands (maybe as early as this afternoon- but I'm not holding my breath). Its been really busy in the real world of sailmaking and hot as hell in Southern New England so progress has been slower than hoped for the past couple of weeks. That will change now that we can start building molds and some of the loft panic lessens.
Kevin

[Ryley]

Alright Kevin, it's August... bumping this up so you'll give us all the latest.

[Kevin Farrar]

Its still hot as hell in Southern New England.
Some progess has been made over the last month but not nearly as much as hoped for. The table has been modified again to be large enough to bag the cockpit sole. Wood molds for the foot braces have been made and I'm part way through cutting the high and regular density foam to shape. I'm ready to stop sailing and start working on this thing. 300 percent humidity and 90 degree tempertures are not helping much.
Kevin

[Ryley]

Isn't that what the beer is for, to cut through the humidity?

[Kevin Farrar]

Modest progress.
A few photos of the foot rest molds and the high and regular density foam glued togeather yesterday. I have more foam to cut and fit before the cockpit sole can be laminated. I have to come up with a way to climb out over the vacume table because its to wide to reach the middle. More photos when I'm further along.
Kevin

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[jim lee]

Would you like to buy some foot rests? We already have the mold built an all..



'Cause I know tooling up molds takes a lot of time.

-jim lee

[Prova]

Modest progress.
A few photos of the foot rest molds and the high and regular density foam glued togeather yesterday. I have more foam to cut and fit before the cockpit sole can be laminated. I have to come up with a way to climb out over the vacume table because its to wide to reach the middle. More photos when I'm further along.
Kevin

Hey Kevin! Good to see you puttin' some blows on it. Amazing how long it all takes isn't it? I must say though I am somewhat dismayed at the apparent lack of "empties" scattered about the workshop. Way too clean.

[Kevin Farrar]

We cut the foam last night for the foot rests. The foot rests form the fore-aft stiffeners in the cockpit sole. The entire sole (foot rests included) will be laminated as one large part. This afternoon I should have all the foam cut and will continue gluing the pieces together. There will be a bit of pre-fairing the foam ie. rounding edges and filleting prior to bagging the part.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

The foot rests are starting to take shape.
Kevin

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[Kevin Farrar]

The cockpit foam is finally all together. I need to add micro balloon fillets around the foot rest and then cut glass and bag the thing. I will also route out several rebates where cloth will overlap and where bonds to the hull will be made. Please note the high density foam inserts is ie, main sheet block, rudder post, back stay and traveler.
More soon.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

Another shot from aft.

[fullsail]

Nice work Mr.Farar
And thumbs up for the new photo size.

Christian.

[Kevin Farrar]

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Yesterday we finally got a full day in. The unidirectional e-glass and bi-axle was laminated to the intersection of the bunk fronts and bunk (tank) tops forming a "L" that should help eliminate twist and distribute grounding loads should we whack something. Patterns were made for the cockpit sole cloth and bagging material so that piece is also moving along. Yet to do on the bunk (tank ) tops is a little more filleting and single layer tape of the join.
Kevin

[Ryley]

That's looking good, Kevin. the keel box looks like it came out great, and starting to have an interior... the boat really looks like it's shaping up.

[Jim Donovan]

That's looking good, Kevin. the keel box looks like it came out great, and starting to have an interior... the boat really looks like it's shaping up.

Kevin's "interior" is made up of watertight tanks - last I counted there are 8 of them.
The upside of these structures are several:

1) Obviously these provide flotation in case of something bad happens

2) This type of boat is extremely wet, and as the boat dives through waves, it is inevitable that water gets below decks. The tanks prevent water from getting all over the boat, directing it to a central area that can be pumped dry. A couple gallons of water outweighs the tank structures, so it’s pretty easy to justify. There is very little “excess“ structure here; all the tank panels are doing double duty as internal framing to support the hull shell and keel.

3) There’s a lot of watertight storage compartments.

[Ryley]

Yeah, I think it makes for a smart design. the added tanks in the aft keep everything pretty well balanced as well. Do you expect most of the water to get below from the pole getting doused or are you expecting water back through the companionway?

[quasi-expert]

That's looking good, Kevin. the keel box looks like it came out great, and starting to have an interior... the boat really looks like it's shaping up.

Kevin's "interior" is made up of watertight tanks - last I counted there are 8 of them.
The upside of these structures are several:

1) Obviously these provide flotation in case of something bad happens

2) This type of boat is extremely wet, and as the boat dives through waves, it is inevitable that water gets below decks. The tanks prevent water from getting all over the boat, directing it to a central area that can be pumped dry. A couple gallons of water outweighs the tank structures, so it’s pretty easy to justify. There is very little “excess“ structure here; all the tank panels are doing double duty as internal framing to support the hull shell and keel.

3) There’s a lot of watertight storage compartments.

sure about 2)?
I sail on a similar boat and the only problems we have with water coming in is the tube around the bowsprit whose inside opening is not watertight, some leaking fittings (marginal) and through deck control lines.
with a well thought out bowsprit system and sealed fittings there should'nt be a problem at all.
don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of combining structure and interior and I also understand the the tanks make getting the water out easier, I'm just not convinced that there will be gallons of water coming into the boat.

[lickety-split]

You will get ALOT of water on a big day. Comes in through the bow tube as you say and a surprising amount through the companion way when green rooming.

1hr races we were bailing a good 8 to 10 buckets out on a 18kt+ day, between races.

[quasi-expert]

You will get ALOT of water on a big day. Comes in through the bow tube as you say and a surprising amount through the companion way when green rooming.

1hr races we were bailing a good 8 to 10 buckets out on a 18kt+ day, between races.

Is everybody sailing with an open bow tube? I thought we were the only ones having (big) problems with this.
we were out in up to 25 knts about a week ago and we never get huge amounts of water in through the companion way, only when we mess up the kite take down.
I think the bow tube leak will be closed once we've figured out how to close the inspection hatch at the end of our tube properly and remember to open the drainage before we go sailing.

[Kevin Farrar]

We think that we could get a fair amount of water in for a couple of reasons. The sprit will have an adjustable bob stay that will need to be tensioned with the sprit partially deployed. We haven't decided yet but two method of tensioning this stay seem obvious, the first is dead end the stay at the sprit end and tension it through a sheave low on the stem and second dead ended low on the stem and tension it through the sprit. The other potential area for water egress is the adjustable forestay. The forestay under class rules will not be adjusted while racing and will have a form of gasket to attempt to keep water out but when the bow plugs in I'm sure the water will flow. Current thinking is to install a pump that can be operated by the crew in normal sailing position similar to the systems used on the Etchells Class.
Kevin

[Ryley]

Take a look at the Antrim 27 system, where the forestay is adjustable through a purchase inside the mast, rather than through the bow. On my boat, the pole and the forestay adjuster are in the "anchor locker" which drains through the bow and which keeps a lot of water from getting into the main cabin. Most of the water we get below is from a- the pole extender line (which I think I could fix or at least make a little better by going with a more hydrophobic line type), b- the spinnaker, which is launched out of the companionway and if wet at all drips into the bilge. The GP26 videos I've seen show a pretty big opening for the companionway... I can see where that'd become problematic if the boat is prone to burying the bow.

[quasi-expert]

We think that we could get a fair amount of water in for a couple of reasons. The sprit will have an adjustable bob stay that will need to be tensioned with the sprit partially deployed. We haven't decided yet but two method of tensioning this stay seem obvious, the first is dead end the stay at the sprit end and tension it through a sheave low on the stem and second dead ended low on the stem and tension it through the sprit. The other potential area for water egress is the adjustable forestay. The forestay under class rules will not be adjusted while racing and will have a form of gasket to attempt to keep water out but when the bow plugs in I'm sure the water will flow. Current thinking is to install a pump that can be operated by the crew in normal sailing position similar to the systems used on the Etchells Class.
Kevin

What kind of forestay are you going to use (don't know what is allowed in the class rules) ?
If it is not allowed to use an adjustable (while sailing) forestay why built one? we have a simple turnbuckle and therefore no problem with it not being watertight.
I guess you want to be able to tension your bobstay, because you want to use a) lighter tube and code 0?!
is it not possible to run the bobstay from the stem through (vertically) the sprit and then on top of it towards the cockpit? maybe doesnt't look to good, but it may be even better for the pressure distribution in the bowsprit.

of course these things only make sense if you are going to have a tube into which the bowsprit retracts. otherwise it's senseless!

[Kevin Farrar]

Hi Quasi,
The reason for the adjustable forestay is to eliminate the need to use a jack to load the rig. A code zero is allowed in the class and is the main reason we need the bob stay. The sprit will retract into a centerline sleeve which is set about a meter into the boat. There is a way to tension the bob stay and keep the control lines external but it adds more lines going over the deck. This would simplify things a lot so we will have to think about that.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

Fillets are made on the foot rests. I have begun the cloth cutting process and when I can round up enough help we'll laminate the cockpit sole.

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•  IMG_1221.JPG   51.64K   18 downloads

[Kevin Farrar]

Yesterday we glass taped the perimeter of the tank tops to the inside of the hull. All that remains is some detail glassing around the transverse keel frames. I ordered the carbon sprit and e-glass hull tube this afternoon.
Kevin

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[007]

We think that we could get a fair amount of water in for a couple of reasons. The sprit will have an adjustable bob stay that will need to be tensioned with the sprit partially deployed. We haven't decided yet but two method of tensioning this stay seem obvious, the first is dead end the stay at the sprit end and tension it through a sheave low on the stem and second dead ended low on the stem and tension it through the sprit. The other potential area for water egress is the adjustable forestay. The forestay under class rules will not be adjusted while racing and will have a form of gasket to attempt to keep water out but when the bow plugs in I'm sure the water will flow. Current thinking is to install a pump that can be operated by the crew in normal sailing position similar to the systems used on the Etchells Class.
Kevin

Hey Kevin - Might have a viable solution to preventing unnecessary water egress at the adjustable forestay; by integrating a small lightweight adjustable stuffing box/packing gland, inverted in the penetration where the forestay "gasket" might be installed. We'll draw out plans and conclusions over a beverage at the loft soon.

[Kevin Farrar]

 IMG_1225.JPG   89.34K   26 downloads
The bulkheads have been leveled and trim lines drawn. Getting ready for the final cut.

[Kevin Farrar]

 IMG_1226.JPG   70.49K   29 downloads
The cockpit bonding flanges off the molding but not yet trimmed.

[Kevin Farrar]

 IMG_1228.JPG   100.69K   57 downloads  IMG_1227.JPG   97.74K   55 downloadsThe water tight, "C" and transom bulkhead have all been trimmed to their final height. The fore and aft bonding flanges are clamped in place while the epoxy cures.
This morning we cut the bleeder, breather and bag material (made the bag) making the cockpit sole laminating party closer. Just a few more reinforcement pieces of glass to cut and some rebating with the router and it will be ready to go.
Kevin

[mustang__1]

Kevin, my car just went into the shop, but when its out i'd like to a drive down and check this out and lend a hand if i can. Should probably have my car back by next week. With no classes after 9am on friday it shouldnt be too hard to pull of a trip down.

[Kevin Farrar]

Hi Mustang,
That would be great. We will be laminating the upper surface of the cockpit sole this Sunday morning and should have the bottom (underside ) surface ready to go next week. If not there is a ton of other pieces and part to work on. Call me when your car is out of the shop.
Kevin

[Ryley]

So I have a question about your carbon sprit and I don't remember from looking at the hull structure - are you extending straight out? so the tube is on dead center? How long is the fully extended tube?

[Kevin Farrar]

Hi Lance,
Yes the sprit is on centerline. The J measurement is 2.9 meters and the TPS is 4.8 meters. The forward point of J is .185 meters aft of the stem so the spinnaker tacking point when the sprit is fully extended is out 1.715 meters. The sleeve which is just over a meter long will be bonded through the stem foam pastie, bow transom then aft to the forward bulkhead A. The sleeve will be trimmed flush with the bow and under class rule the tip of the sprit can stick out 0.2 meters when retracted.
Kevin

[Kevin Farrar]

This Saturday afternoon the cockpit sole is prepared for laminating. The vacuum bag is under protective plastic as is the perimeter dumb-dumb tape.

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•  IMG_1229.JPG   90.33K   31 downloads

[Kevin Farrar]

Sunday six of us went at it and got the laminating of the top side of the cockpit sole done. Finally! Two of us crawled out multiple times on the staging plank which we supported over the table so that the center of the cockpit sole could be reached. Its amazes me how much time some of these pieces take to laminate. With all the parts precut and everything ready to go Saturday late afternoon it took the six of us 27 man hours from mixing the first batch of resin to turning on the two pumps. Fortunately the under side of the cockpit is a much simpler lay-up. The slight differences in pump vacuum pressure was due to leaks though the table where the melamine sheets where glued together. We stuck dumb-dumb tape onto the seams on the underside of the table and that help a lot in equalizing the two pumps.


Thanks go out to Ed, Peter, Tom, Geordie and Walter for thier hard work as with out them this step would not have happened.
Kevin

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•  IMG_1233.JPG   117.54K   110 downloads

[Prova]

Sunday six of us went at it and got the laminating of the top side of the cockpit sole done. Finally! Two of us crawled out multiple times on the staging plank which we supported over the table so that the center of the cockpit sole could be reached. Its amazes me how much time some of these pieces take to laminate. With all the parts precut and everything ready to go Saturday late afternoon it took the six of us 27 man hours from mixing the first batch of resin to turning on the two pumps. Fortunately the under side of the cockpit is a much simpler lay-up. The slight differences in pump vacuum pressure was due to leaks though the table where the melamine sheets where glued together. We stuck dumb-dumb tape onto the seams on the underside of the table and that help a lot in equalizing the two pumps.


Thanks go out to Ed, Peter, Tom, Geordie and Walter for thier hard work as with out them this step would not have happened.
Kevin

MMMMMMMM... Nice Bag.

Good to see the empties mate. PBR if my eyes don't deceive me. Now that's boat building.

[Kevin Farrar]

The project gently moves forward.
The cockpit sole has been trimmed and is now resting on its receiving jig a set of fitted boxes which will allow us to vacuum bag the underside of the sole. I have started the underside clean-up and fairing and we have cut all the cloth and bagging material. Once the fairing is complete I'll make up the vacuum bag and gather the gang to laminate the cockpit sole. With luck the end of next week. The sprit and receiving tube should be finished by the end of next week as well.
Kevin

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•  IMG_1237.JPG   125.12K   93 downloads
•  IMG_1239.JPG   104.09K   93 downloads
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[Heriberto]

Hey Kevin,

Making great progress! Do you think you will launch it next spring/summer?

What are you doing for foils?
Rig?

[Kevin Farrar]

Hi Heriberto,
God, I hope this thing is in the water next season. Jim and I have recently been talking about the foils and I suspect that the rudder will be a slightly scaled and modified version of the one you are having (have) built. The keel is a little bit of a different story as its design can be condition driven and the construction method has yet to be nailed down. The sprit and receiving tube are being built by Hall and we are waiting for quotes on the rest of the rig. Originally we were going to build the rig ourselves but in the interest of time, if the quotes are affordable, I'll probably have the rig built by someone else. The carbon is here for the spars so if necessary we can go back to plan A and build them here but this, of course, adds more time to the project.
Kevin

[Heriberto]

Hi Heriberto,
God, I hope this thing is in the water next season. Jim and I have recently been talking about the foils and I suspect that the rudder will be a slightly scaled and modified version of the one you are having (have) built. The keel is a little bit of a different story as its design can be condition driven and the construction method has yet to be nailed down. The sprit and receiving tube are being built by Hall and we are waiting for quotes on the rest of the rig. Originally we were going to build the rig ourselves but in the interest of time, if the quotes are affordable, I'll probably have the rig built by someone else. The carbon is here for the spars so if necessary we can go back to plan A and build them here but this, of course, adds more time to the project.
Kevin

I was reading on the Van Munster GP26 site that a steel fin is required by class rules. Is that not true? The reason I ask is that I am also toying with (and talking to Jim about) a new bulb keel.... I'm not going to let that stop me from getting this thing wet as is though!

Keep in touch with your keel project/plan. I might have some metal fabrication options for you.

[Kevin Farrar]

Hi Heriberto,
Yes, the rule does state that steel is part of the keel structure and that fairing can not be thicker than 10MM. It does not say what can or cannot to be used for "fairing" so the "construction" could potentially be creative. I will give you a call soon.


Well, Saturday is when the underside side of the cockpit sole gets laminated; the veteran group of laminators will assemble at 9am. Tomorrow morning we will finish the bag preparation and vacuum off the foam again. I'll post photos later in the weekend or early next week.
The package containing the receiver tube and bow sprit was opened about an hour ago and the sprit looks incredibly stiff making me wonder how necessary the bob-stay is. I think I'll load it and check to see how much it flexes and discuss the results with JD.
Kevin

[Heriberto]

Hi Heriberto,
Yes, the rule does state that steel is part of the keel structure and that fairing can not be thicker than 10MM. It does not say what can or cannot to be used for "fairing" so the "construction" could potentially be creative. I will give you a call soon.


Well, Saturday is when the underside side of the cockpit sole gets laminated; the veteran group of laminators will assemble at 9am. Tomorrow morning we will finish the bag preparation and vacuum off the foam again. I'll post photos later in the weekend or early next week.
The package containing the receiver tube and bow sprit was opened about an hour ago and the sprit looks incredibly stiff making me wonder how necessary the bob-stay is. I think I'll load it and check to see how much it flexes and discuss the results with JD.
Kevin

Maybe they are getting set to change this rule?

[Kevin Farrar]

We had a productive weekend with the lamination of the underside of the cockpit sole. The part came out at its target weight and will be trimmed and sprayed along with the interior of hull. Once fairing and general clean-up of the interior is complete we will fit and install the sole. Peter H. is seen in one of the photos drilling and tapping screw holes in the aft watertight bulkhead which will secure the hatch covers. We are guessing another week before the interior and various parts are ready to spray with 545.
Kevin

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[Kevin Farrar]

OCD???
Well maybe.

Fairing of the interior of the hull complete, the insides are painted white. This process took longer than expected but what else is new. We also painted the underside of the cockpit sole and the water tight hatch covers. We have a few more bonding flanges to put in and then its time to fit the cockpit sole to the boat.
Kevin

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[Ryley]

That last picture is sexy

[Kevin Farrar]

Little steps are starting to add up. The last of the cockpit sole bonding flanges were put in last night. Once the clamps are removed today plywood templates will be used to begin fitting the sole to the boat. We think that the sole should be in the boat by the end of the weekend.
Kevin

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[Kevin Farrar]

Bench Seating?
We did comment that we could glass in the fitting jig and throw an outboard on it.

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[Kevin Farrar]

Dry fitting of the cockpit sole then it gets glued in. Nearly every dive wieght and cylinder in the shop clamps the sole down.
Kevin

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[Kevin Farrar]

With the tanks and weights removed it is really starting to look like a boat. This morning Roger and I taped the joins to the topsides and transom including the centerline reinforcements which pick up the back stay loads. Next is are the above deck bulkheads at bulkhead "C" and dewatering boards which run from these above deck bulkhead to the transom.
Kevin

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[StayinStrewn]

great progress

[Kevin Farrar]

The second sides of the companionway bulkhead, cockpit bulkheads at station C and the two de-watering board are now curing under the vacuum pumps. Peter H will be installing inspection port in the air tanks over the next week or so. We will put in the cockpit bulkheads and de-watering board when I return from the 470 Jr. Worlds in Qatar.
Kevin

[Ryley]

The second sides of the companionway bulkhead, cockpit bulkheads at station C and the two de-watering board are now curing under the vacuum pumps. Peter H will be installing inspection port in the air tanks over the next week or so. We will put in the cockpit bulkheads and de-watering board when I return from the 470 Jr. Worlds in Qatar.
Kevin

Ain't you a little old for the Jr.'s, Kevin?

[Kevin Farrar]

Well just a little to old. I thought I'd share with you a photo I really did take this morning of the start of class D in the local sport boat series here in Doha.
Five more nights and I'm on my way back.
Kevin

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