C17 in New Zealand.

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OneWayTraffic
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by OneWayTraffic »

Dougster wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 9:21 am Some of those holes may not be on high spots and not sand out. I'd just slap a schmear of Quickfair to sand on those.

Dougster
I would love it if I had Quickfair, but will need to make do without. System 5 is not sold in NZ. Bigger issue is some of the putty has not properly bonded to the surface below. I did sand, well I thought, but in a couple of places I can scratch it off with a thumbnail. I'll need to go over the whole side checking adhesion before I proceed.

Dougster
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by Dougster »

Yeah, I see, an overall sand on questionable areas is surely in order. After that how about some kind of microballoon mix for a fairing mix? You wouldn't need much.

Dougster

OneWayTraffic
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by OneWayTraffic »

I have WEST microballoons, will need to buy another bag I guess, then there's the WEST microlite filler. I have a little left from the little dinghy, but will buy a big bag.

As an experiment today I tried adding a little neat mixed WEST to a little of the commercial 1:1 fairing mix. (I'll call it epoxybog from now on.) Then put it on a scrap bit of wood and left it in the polytunnel. It's at least 50C (120F) in there today with the sides closed in so a fast cure! Seems to be curing just fine, and if it cures properly and sands well afterwards I may do that in future to mix it a little thinner for adhesion, and so I don't need to wait for a full cure before swapping. When it's gone I think I'll stick to WEST with fillers. I'm used to it.

Main job this weekend is get the trailer put back together, and the donor boat on it. I have finished the wooden mini bunks with brackets for attaching on the trailer. I went the full monty and epoxy coated treated wood, then used my portable drill press to locate the bolt holes. Holes were sealed, plastic skid strip added on top and I glued some rubber pads to the bottom of it. Not the best look, but functional. I'll spray paint the sides and exposed areas later. Need to reassemble: new leaf springs, axle, tires, centre rollers, bunks, drawbar, jockey wheel, then crank the boat on. Fishing this weekend I hope!

OneWayTraffic
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by OneWayTraffic »

Anyway, some measuring of both the bunks on the trailer, and the project in the tent convinced me I needed to reduce the height of the bunks. This will bring the stern down a bit, and for the new boat it is needed to have the keel sitting on the rollers. I've done that and will bolt them on today. Bunks will need to come in a little. Then I'll remove that centre roller, and see how it sits.

Yesterday I put the final coat on the starboard side. Used a squeegee and tinted the epoxy with black tint and Aluminium powder. The side is fair, though there are a couple of drips that I'll sand flat when the high build goes on. Took the polytunnel off today and moved it across to make room to do the other side. Gave the lawn a much needed mow.

It's not really visible in the photos but the skeg is slightly off centre. I'll build out the other side of it a bit to get it symmetrical. Not going to affect performance or appearance.

I'm pondering what to do with paint. I was thinking I'd paint below the styleline when the boat is upside down, and above after I put it on the trailer. Now I'm wondering if I'd be better advised to wait until I can get it into the garage. Every time I put epoxy on it I'm picking out insects.
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OneWayTraffic
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by OneWayTraffic »

Plugging away. Only being able to work on one side at a time has its disadvantages. The other side of the skeg has multiple drips and runs to smooth before I can profile and glass it. Also the front of it is slightly off the centreline. I had considered using dowels for aligment, but didn't want the holes in the hull. I would do it that way if I had to do it again. After a lot of measuring and pondering I planed a 9mm strip of ply into a wedge and glued to the side of the skeg to build it out a bit. I'll try to feather it in with a dam and some putty later then sand it down to match the other side as best I can. At least nobody will be looking at it.

50 degrees C under the tunnel so had to work quickly. I also have spliced the port side upper side panel together. Will dry fit and glue tomorrow I hope.

OneWayTraffic
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by OneWayTraffic »

Not so much to report. I've been busy with Christmas stuff and the weather has been ****e. I have put a coat of fairing on the side panel. This is the one where I had the glassing stuff up in March so am filling a lot of dings and dents before I glass the side. Photos below.

I did do some calculations on buoyancy for the donor boat. Best estimate of underfloor volume is about 340-360L. Hull weight is approx 450kg of which about 35% will need to be supported over and above the inherent buoyancy force of the glass. Then the battery aux and engine weigh about 160kg with essentially no buoyancy.

450*0.35+160=320L. There's essentially no safety factor for my calculations being out and not enough margin to float crew etc in the unlikely event of swamping. If the underfloor is just trapped air, and it gets compromised then I'm done to lifejackets and my PLB.

Moreover it's all underfloor, I have no idea whether it's foam or air, and so if the boat floats at all it will barely float above the surface and probably just the bow not immersed, and inverted.

But I don't want to spend a lot of money on it that I can't put to use later if I can help it. So I paid a trip to Bunnings.

9 packets of EVA foam mats, each about 15L in buoyancy over their own weight. EVA foam is closed cell (I've got a sample immersed in a bucket to confirm), UV resistant, durable and resistant to petrol etc. It will all go under the gunwales at the back and in unused space near the outboard. I'll push a couple of my buoyancy bags that I made for the dinghy (each 70-80L) down the sides and front and tie down a spare empty tote tank under the front ( I have 3 24L tanks, but will be using two at most generally.)

That's another 300L of buoyancy, all above the floor and in the sides, and it's only cost an extra $100, and almost no usable space. I will repurpose the EVA mats as seating mats or as foam in the gunnels.
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OneWayTraffic
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by OneWayTraffic »

Mats.
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Gluing up. Spray adhesive in the middle and epoxy around the outside. About 50ml between each sheet. Next time I’d just chuck a few blobs down rather than try and work it into the puzzle joints.
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All glued up, ready for a tidy up and fixing to the inside near the transom.
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Not yet sure how I’ll attach them. Want them slightly off the sole so they don’t get wet all the time. Thinking a small glass tab at the sides or some glue behind. I want to be able to remove them in a year or two. They are tall enough to just slide in under the gunnels with pool noodles for a friction fit, so I could just do that. Net buoyancy is 75kg-5kg=70kg each for their own weight. That's 300lb all added near the transom.

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VT_Jeff
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by VT_Jeff »

I like the use of the closed cell foam. I have a bunch leftover from a floor that didnt work out but like you, didnt want it under floor. I'm now thinking of adding some under the bow and stern deck where I can keep an eye on it and remove it if needed.
There are only two seasons in Vermont: boating season, and boat-building season.

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OneWayTraffic
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by OneWayTraffic »

Removing the side shelves was easy. I came prepared with grinder and multi tool just like an epoxy job. In the end I just stood on them and they peeled away clean. Chopped mat with poly over damp rotting wood. Cleaned up the edges with the grinder and just pushed the mats under the gunnels. A friction fit will hold I think. .
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OneWayTraffic
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Re: C17 in New Zealand.

Post by OneWayTraffic »

Got the side glass on today. I had spent days on it fairing before the glass thanks to surface damage on the ply. The job was nearly perfect: tight only a couple of cuts to make it fit and no visible air bubbles except some on the overlapping side panels. Sadly I didn’t get a photo before filling the weave. I use the excess epoxy squeegeed from the wet out, save it in a container then mix with a bit of fresh epoxy and filler to fill an earlier piece. Other scraps of epoxy go underneath to fill a chine join or the like. Saves waste but I’ll need to grind when I flip. Fairing rub rails and paint!
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