MF14 - New Build in UK

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Whameller
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MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by Whameller »

Well, I've finally made a start !

Only a small step - the transom:

Image

This will be a pretty slow build as I have to balance it with life & work demands. With luck, we'll be on the water next summer.

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Re: MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by ks8 »

Congrats on the first cuts! :D 8)

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Re: MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by Whameller »

Some progress:

This is the main bulkhead which forms the aft part of the dagger board/mast trunk and the forward part of the cockpit:

Image

And theses are the sides of the trunk:

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All in 12mm WBP ply. I'm using up some of my workshop offcuts from previous builds and repair work - its surprising how many components fir a small craft like this you can get out of offcuts, which all reduces the cost of the project (not to mention clutter in the workshop !). The frame is going to end up a mix of WBP and Robbins Elite marine ply; the former is more than adequate as the design is explicitly an epoxy/ply sandwich - the latter is overkill in quality terms, but it was lying about in small parts, so .....

I have now completed all the frame components. I couldn't resist setting them out roughly, so that I could begin to get a clearer picture of what I am building.

A view from the stern:

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another from up towards the bow looking at the daggerboard trunk:

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And a final closer view from the stern:

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For bulkhead C (the one with the central circular and two rectangular side cutouts) which is the rear bulkhead of the cockpit well, the design called for 6mm ply. I had run out of large enough stock scraps for this, so laminated it from two 4mm layers; I reckon that a little extra strength at the rear of the cockpit (the forward bulkhead is 12mm) will be no bad thing.

Somehow this seems bigger than a Laser hull - though they are nominally about the same length.

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Re: MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by Whameller »

Just about to start on the deck.

A question:

- The builders notes say that I should cut out the 2 sections of the deck and then splice them together. It seems to me that it would be better to join the sheets of ply and then mark out before cutting anything - that way I can spring a fair curve with a batten along the complete sheer. If I cut first, then the curve is likley to be too flat near the join.

- Am I right, or is there something I'm missing here ?

Many thanks.

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Re: MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by sds »

There are many ways to skin a cat. Don't do that though -- I like cats.

You could also just butt the deck pieces together to draw the curve.

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Re: MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by Whameller »

Thanks, that advice is very reassuring because that is what I have just done ! I clamped the sheets together, dry-fitted, then marked out the sheer lines. Once I had them marked, I rough-cut to within an inch of the marks; this made the sheets much easier to handle in what is a very small, multi-use workshop.

I've now made the splce:

Image

and tommorow should be able to start marking out for placement of the bulkheads.

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Re: MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by Whameller »

The splice of the deck sheet has worked out well, although - given the low (for UK) temperature - it took over 48 hours for the epoxy to cure:

Image

After which I planed down to the marks all round and then marked out the positions of the bulkheads. Either there is a discrepancy in the plans between the sheet cutting plan and the bulkhead position plan, or I have cut the bow of the deck out 20mm short ! I'm pretty certain its not me as I have checked & re-checked my marking out against the plans before cutting. Whatever, the sheer line is fair and I reckon that I will be able to adjust the side and bottom sheets if necessary.

The next step is to assemble the daggerboard/mast trunk (you can just see it under the bench in the photo above). Here's a better view of it in the process of being dry assembled:

Image

The bulkheads are there to provide reference points and the bow stringer (with 6mm doublers either side of the forward 76mm) forms part of the trunking assembly.

Here's a view of the daggerboard slot:

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Getting this the right width (not fully specified in the plans) took quite a bit of calculation - factoring in the thickness of the 2 layers of 12mm ply, glue joint and glassing the sides of the well, plus 3mm play on each side.

Here's as shot of the mast well:

Image

which is easier to calculate as I know the OD of the mast tube. The packing pieces immediately fore and aft of the well are oak from my offcuts box as I reckon that this area is going to take a fair amount of stress - so I want something tougher than the pine recommended in the plans

To the left of the clamp, there is a complex joint where the bow stringer enters the trunking. This requires some experimentation with packing pieces to get a good fit:

Image

Once I've got the fit right, I'll tidy up the packers to match the bow stringer, bulkhead and trunking.

Next up will be the glueing up, which I think will be at least a 2 stage process.

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Re: MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by jacquesmm »

Nice clean build but I have to move this to the proper forum.
Jacques Mertens - Designer
http://boatbuildercentral.com

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Re: MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by Whameller »

Apologies - my mistake.

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Re: MF14 - New Build in UK

Post by Whameller »

The Moonfish design uses the inverted deck accurately marked out as the building jig for the frame. Here you can see that, after I marked out the positions of the bulkheads and stringers on the deck in pencil, I covered them with parcel tape and then remarked with permanent marker:

Image

The tape is to prevent the frame sticking to the deck at this stage of assembly; the green polythene sheet serves the same function for the daggerboard/mast trunking assembly. The cleats around the sheerlines are screwed on temporarily and will be used when fixing the hull side panels to the frame.

I start the daggerboard trunk in two halves. When it was accurately dry assembled, I drilled it for dowels which will provide accurate and positive location during assembly:

Image

I've learned the hard way that epoxy coated components are slippery and tricky to clamp together accurately !

Once those packing pieces were glued on, I then coated the trunk sides with glass cloth and epoxy:

Image

These will need a second coat of epoxy before assembly of the trunk. Once assembled, the ends formed by the packing pieces will be covered by glass tape and epoxy.

Next up is the bow stringer, which gets doublers at the bow and packing pieces where it goes into the daggerboard/mast trunking:

Image

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