VG23 New Build

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pee wee
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by pee wee »

Great progress all along; I sense the drive has kicked up a few notches lately!
Hank

mhd
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by mhd »

pee wee wrote: Sat Jan 11, 2025 10:34 am Great progress all along; I sense the drive has kicked up a few notches lately!
Hi Hank,

The last few weeks have been good ones for progress. But today I woke up and feel like I've been run over with a truck. Good day to spec out solar panels and have a bit of a half-day :-)

Cheers,

Mick
FB11 (Designer Evan Gatehouse)
VG23 (Designer Jacques Mertens)

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. Robert A. Heinlein.

mhd
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by mhd »

Laid out some of the deck hardware in approximate locations. All seems okay.

Jib-track, sheet winch, single chock, cleat, (and possible cam-cleat) port and starboard, accessible from the cockpit. I've not shown ancilliary lines, just the main headsail layout. Thin/flexible solar panel port and starboard (with still enough space to move on deck outboard or inboard. The wood parallel to the companionway hatch is a runner for the sliding hatch.

At the bow, things are a little cramped - there isn't a lot of space.. No full pulpit. Stanchions port and starboard, with the lifeline angled down to deck and terminating at the anchors as shown. This, in my mind, will provide enough security - the space between the lifeline anchors at that point, is narrower than my shoulders. Plus I want to have access to/from the boat at the bow also. Forestay fitting will be central at the bow (not fitted - blue rectangle drawn on deck), with chocks for mooring/anchoring each side. A single mooring cleat on centre (I originally aimed for one port/starboard, but couldn't make it work well without the lifeline getting in the way). Base for a short bowsprit.

The anchor roller base will extend out past the bow on the port side - can't fit it that far out yet as no room in garage, but you get the idea I hope. The through-hull/chain-pipe will be through into the chain locker, just in front of the small hatch. I realise now that my original idea for the anchor-roller base (with a hole just forward of the anchor roller) was stupid and couldn't work as intended - it would have been impossible to remove the chain/rode from the anchor roller and use the chock. But I will modify to make that possible.

The chocks aren't symmetrical - port is further forward than starboard, but I located them as far forward as possible.

Hope all that makes sense.

I'll show the stanchion/lifeline layout for the cockpit in a future post.

Cheers,

MIck



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Image
FB11 (Designer Evan Gatehouse)
VG23 (Designer Jacques Mertens)

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. Robert A. Heinlein.

mhd
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by mhd »

Made good progress the last few days. Made slanted base-plates for all the stanchions, and anchor points for the lifelines, and marked out their location on deck. Glued on the winch bases, and drilled various holes for other deck hardware.

Decided to do away with the metal chocks, and instead I'm going to cut matching chock-shaped holes in the toerail, right at the bow. I'll relieve the holes very well to avoid chafe. Lighter and simpler, and further forward also. And best of all, they will be symmetrical - it had been annoying me figuring out how to achieve that.

Also I cut the companionway hatch rails and built the hatch frame itself. I need to work on getting the bottom surface level, then rounding over, fit the top, and glass. It will do the job. I always intended to make a fancy inlaid sliding hatch for the companionway so I at least had some proper joinery to show onboard. It would have been pretty much the only bright-work on the boat. But the time needed to do a good job on it would be too much. I'd rather get the boat in the water. So the sliding hatch will be painted like the rest of the boat.

I'll post more photos of progress in a few days.

Cheers,

Mick
FB11 (Designer Evan Gatehouse)
VG23 (Designer Jacques Mertens)

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. Robert A. Heinlein.

mhd
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by mhd »

Finished construction of the sliding hatch and rails. My design, but I took inspiration from here

https://skills.woodenboat.com/books/hat ... k-joinery/
https://dansboatblog.blogspot.com/2018/ ... cover.html

The hatch needs glassing and fairing, and the rails need gluing and taping to the deck, but it is all there. The hatch will slide on two/three pieces of brass rod that extend out from the hatch sides into a recess in the rails. Usually this is done with routing a channel out in the side rail. But if I did that I'd have trouble glassing inside, and didn't want to be replacing the rails after a few years. So instead I made each rail out of three pieces. One piece of 4"x1" mahogany, then two pices of 2x1" mahogany glue to the first piece with a gap between them. Each peice was cut, then rounded over, and separately glassed with 6oz. Hence when stuck together the entire rail will be glassed inside and out. I hope it was worth the effort. I still need to fit the brass rod through the hatch, but that will be a job for after the boat is turned back over, and final fitting takes place. You can see two pieces of the rail, after rounding and glassing, with the brass rod (uncut) between them on the right hand side. I already cut the limber holes in the wider pieces of rail (back to back for symmetry). It is nice to slide the hatch back and forth, even when it isn't on rails. Makes the boat seem a lot more complete.

Today I built the bridge deck - the pieces are again all cut but need putting together. Should be ready to glass by tomorrow. The access hole is *just* large enough for a liferaft. I will build a hinged lid over the top. Don't expect it to be completely watertight, but it should do the job. Nice place to sit, out of the wind. And out of the rain too if I make a rudimentary canopy.

Also the solar panels arrived. I've not tested them outdoors yet, but one each will fit on deck, port and starboard, forward of, and at the same angle as, the jib track. A third panel will fit on top of the sliding hatch. Panels are Renogy flexible 50W. We'll also take a Renogy 100W foldable panel for use when docked and it isn't raining! All run through a 30A charge controller. 150W when sailing, 250W when in port.

I toyed with putting the panels on the rail, or somewhere else, as on deck they will be shaded by the sails at least part of the time. But it is a hell of a lot easier to have them on deck, not high up, not creating windage, not needing adjustment, and easier to deal with if they need replacing, etc. The price to pay for that is buying more power than what we probably need. But regardless, there should be more than enough power for what we need to be self-sufficient and not reliant on shore power. I hope that proves to be the case - the electrical system is going to be pretty simple.

Mick

Image

Image

Image
FB11 (Designer Evan Gatehouse)
VG23 (Designer Jacques Mertens)

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. Robert A. Heinlein.

mhd
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by mhd »

Hatch rails are built and glassed - just need rounding over and glassing to the deck. Hatch is glassed inside - the top still needs doing once I decided on how much overlap to allow on each side. I've built the bridge deck also, just need to build an adequate hinged lid for it.

Today I started on the final piece of construction before turning over - the starboard skirt. After I fitted the first piece I had to crawl under it to get out of the garage. That will be the case from now on, whenever I need to get to the far side of the boat. I reckon we're less that two weeks away from turning over, including building the turn-over frame and supports. Once I get the skirt finished and I'm sure it is level and symmetrical, I'll dismantle what is left of the original "basket" that the boat was built in, and start on the new one, for when the boat is upside down.

One other thing - I could have turned the boat months ago - it would have been a lot lighter. But I'm glad I didn't. It was good to be able to do things all in one go, the "right way" up, especially getting everything symmetrical and level. It would have been a lot harder if I was trying to do a lot of that stuff inverted.

Mick
FB11 (Designer Evan Gatehouse)
VG23 (Designer Jacques Mertens)

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. Robert A. Heinlein.

mhd
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by mhd »

Lots of small jobs for days it seems. Nothing finished, but progress at least.

Spent the last few days rounding over the deadlight ports and glassing wtih 6oz (as Fallguy suggested). I've built two parts for the bridge-deck lid and they need glueing together, and the hasp and fastener and hinge holes oversize-drilling and filling. I'm sure the bridge-deck locker will leak, but depending how much, I may cut drain holes for it so the water goes down the slope into the cockpit and out, I've also got most of the starboard skirt ply done, except for the top. Messed around more with the sliding hatch and rails also. Drilled holes where the stanchions will be, so I know where to fit the backing plates. Cut the deck for the chain-plates to pass through, although they need a bit of work with the angle grinder to finish, so they aren't done either. Nothing much worth photographing, and I'm too tired for it anyway. I'll post photos of progress when things are a little more complete. But the work is endless, it seems.

Coldest we had the last week was 5F at night, but warming up slightly from today. Down to below 25% humidity *in the house* and my skin is dry and cracked, and if feels like I'm treading water and going nowhere fast, despite working dawn to dusk (and beyond). I keep telling myself each job only gets done once. UNLESS you pour epoxy and hardener into a mixing cup, then apply it with a brush BEFORE mixing. Lucky I realised before I'd used more of it. Still a horrid mess and endless sanding discs to remove what was mostly neat hardener from one area. But mistakes happen when tiredness sets in.

There are still a few jobs that need doing before turning the boat. Finish the skirt. Finalise the toe-rail shape where the deck ends aft. Build the frame for turning. Cut the through-hull for the speed log (yes, I'm still mechanical enough minded to prefer a rotating impeller to electronically-derived GPS speed). Anyway, another day passes. More snow is forecast for next week.

MIck
FB11 (Designer Evan Gatehouse)
VG23 (Designer Jacques Mertens)

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. Robert A. Heinlein.

mhd
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by mhd »

Glassed inside the starboard skirt, and did some of the other minor stuff.

Also cut the first open mortice and tenon joint from 4x4 for the turn-over framing. I'll bolt through also....don't want the boat falling out... Tomorrow I'll remove the basket support that the boat is currently in, and start with the new structure to turn the boat over in. I also need to drill a couple of anchor bolts into the driveway.

Less than a week before the turn I hope. We're forecast snow by then, of course.

Mick
FB11 (Designer Evan Gatehouse)
VG23 (Designer Jacques Mertens)

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. Robert A. Heinlein.

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OlivierP
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by OlivierP »

Flipping a fully built 23ft sailboat is quite an undertaking, I'll be watching with interest as I plan to build a 25ft sailboat in 2025. Good luck.
Built C17 app.php/gallery/album/262, GF14 app.php/gallery/album/263, Devlin Bella 16. Sails a 30ft Biloup 89 sailboat.

mhd
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Re: VG23 New Build

Post by mhd »

OlivierP wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 3:19 am Flipping a fully built 23ft sailboat is quite an undertaking, I'll be watching with interest as I plan to build a 25ft sailboat in 2025. Good luck.
Hi Olivier,

Yes, it is going to be an interesting experience turning the boat over. LOA is 24' 5" with the skirt. I'm estimating we're up over 2000lbs, so not a simple project. And complicated with the lack of space to do it in. But I think I've got a workable plan, and will keep my fingers crossed.

I've spent the past week gettting everything ready and the boat is now 100% ready to go. The turn was going to be today, but both me and the wife are completely exhausted. So we're going away to Colorado/Utah for a bit of a road-trip and to rest up. The turn over will happen as soon as we return. I'll post photos for sure :-)

Just out of interest, have you already selected a sailboat to build??? If so, which design? I'll certainly be following your build with interest!!!

Cheers,

Mick
FB11 (Designer Evan Gatehouse)
VG23 (Designer Jacques Mertens)

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. Robert A. Heinlein.

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