ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

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TomW1
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by TomW1 »

Congratulations GB and child bride. I hope you had a great day with fine food and wine. We will be celebrating our 47th in December.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

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glossieblack
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by glossieblack »

Thanks Lee, pee wee, Jeff, and Tom. We had a great 53rd. :D

Today a very welcome package arrived - eight Chinese Aviation Lithium Battery (CALB) 3.2V 100 Ah battery cells, to replace the eight damaged cells needing replacement in Skinnydip's 48V 100 Ah battery bank.

CALB stopped producing these CA100 cells in 2019, and it took a lot of time and more than a little luck to source an unopened box of eight brand new cells.

If I hadn't been able to source them, I would have had to purchase sixteen new cells (too dangerous mixing 8 model 'x' cells with 8 model 'y cells in series), and have the motor controller and possibly the battery monitoring system reprogrammed. Then I would have had to modify the size of the glassed plywood containers storing the cells, as the new ones would have had different dimensions to the existing ones. :help:

The fist 2 pics show the new cells, the third how they are stored in plywood containers (one portside and one starboard side).

What a relief to be able to just remove the damaged eight cells, and replace like with like! :D

9498

9499

9479
Currently building Jacques Mertens ST21 "Skinnydip". Boating adventures: Splash testing and using 'Skinnydip, as a basis of further building refinement; Adams 44’ sailing sloop "Great Sandy" (cruising and maintaining); Iain Oughtred Feather Pram "Mini Dip" (building); Jacques Mertens R13 "Wood Duck" (built and due for maintenance).

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Jaysen
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by Jaysen »

Excellent news!

Are these not used in the aviation industry? Only curious due to the name and the usual demand that critical components for aviation have long term support plans (typically decades).
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
“Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens” wrote:Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Jaysen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:44 pm I tried to say something but God thought I was wrong and filled my mouth with saltwater. I kept my pie hole shut after that.

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Jeff
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by Jeff »

Good news GB!!! Jeff

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cape man
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by cape man »

Smiling here! Great find and easy solution.
The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before - Neil Gaiman

TomW1
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by TomW1 »

Great big congrats coming at you. :D Glad you were able to solve your problem. Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

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glossieblack
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by glossieblack »

Thanks Jaysen, Jeff, cape man and Tom. :D

Life's been getting in the way of boat building the past week or so, but today I managed to grab a few hours to get back to Skinnydip.

I'm about to swap out the eight new 3.2V 100 Ah lithium cells for the destroyed ones, but first I needed to remove the restraining frame. And to my delighted surprise, I learnt that at a workboat finish level, it's possible to Deks Olje oil over previously epoxied/glassed work.

The first pic shows the epoxy/glassed restraining frame soiled by grease previously applied to connections between battery cells to prevent rust. The second pic shows the frame after a sanding and oiling.

The oil is covering areas of glassed, neat epoxied, and exposed timber. I'm surprised how unified it looks, and has me thinking about oiled stitch and glue. :D

9500

9501
Currently building Jacques Mertens ST21 "Skinnydip". Boating adventures: Splash testing and using 'Skinnydip, as a basis of further building refinement; Adams 44’ sailing sloop "Great Sandy" (cruising and maintaining); Iain Oughtred Feather Pram "Mini Dip" (building); Jacques Mertens R13 "Wood Duck" (built and due for maintenance).

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Jaysen
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by Jaysen »

Work boat finish makes this so much easier. I think that the only time I won’t do work boat finish in the future is if I’m trading my time for lots of green paper.
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
“Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens” wrote:Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Jaysen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:44 pm I tried to say something but God thought I was wrong and filled my mouth with saltwater. I kept my pie hole shut after that.

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glossieblack
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by glossieblack »

Agreed Jaysen.

With Skinnydip stored outdoors on her trailer, and with 6" of rain this past week, I've not been able to install her eight new battery cells. :cry:
Currently building Jacques Mertens ST21 "Skinnydip". Boating adventures: Splash testing and using 'Skinnydip, as a basis of further building refinement; Adams 44’ sailing sloop "Great Sandy" (cruising and maintaining); Iain Oughtred Feather Pram "Mini Dip" (building); Jacques Mertens R13 "Wood Duck" (built and due for maintenance).

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glossieblack
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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by glossieblack »

Still more rain than sunshine. So no outdoor electrical work. :cry:
Currently building Jacques Mertens ST21 "Skinnydip". Boating adventures: Splash testing and using 'Skinnydip, as a basis of further building refinement; Adams 44’ sailing sloop "Great Sandy" (cruising and maintaining); Iain Oughtred Feather Pram "Mini Dip" (building); Jacques Mertens R13 "Wood Duck" (built and due for maintenance).

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