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

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

Post by Jaysen »

cape man wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 2:32 pm
When suddenly we struck and were stuck on an isolated coral bommie - port and starboard pics below.
/ (ˈbɒmɪ) / noun. Australian an outcrop of coral reef, often resembling a column, that is higher than the surrounding platform of reef and which may be partially exposed at low tide.

If anyone else here has never hit something submerged they aren't using their boat enough!
I’m so good at it (hitting stiff) that other people I boat with feel obligated to try it in their own boats!

I may need smarter friends.
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.

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

Post by Fuzz »

Dang GB Great Sandy is a pretty good gal but I don't think that is the proper way to spank her bottom :lol:

Always interesting to see how things were built and how to go about repairing them.

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

Post by BarraMan »

cape man wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 2:32 pm
When suddenly we struck and were stuck on an isolated coral bommie - port and starboard pics below.
/ (ˈbɒmɪ) / noun. Australian an outcrop of coral reef, often resembling a column, that is higher than the surrounding platform of reef and which may be partially exposed at low tide.
If anyone else here has never hit something submerged they aren't using their boat enough!
I'll put my hand up - I've been stuck in mud a sand quite a few times but I have only had one BIG hit in 45 yrs of boating. 8O

Cruising along at 20 kts in 20' of water in one of my favorite fishing spots, although exploring an area where I hadn't previously been when .......... BANG!
I looked at the sounder - showing no water under the boat, but by the time I closed the throttle and the boat came to a stop we were back in 20' of water.
A bent skeg guard, a big piece of metal out on the skeg and a bent prop! :help: Fortunately we weren't disabled because we were a long way from help. We were able to recover ourselves, slowly, and $1k later the OB was good as new.
We hit what the locals described as 'an unmarked pinnacle'! :doh:

Image

Fortunately I am not a reef fisherman and I don't go near the Great Barrier Reef because it scares me! I hope Michael is able to talk a bit more about what happened because I am surprised that Great Sandy was able to have been holed as easily as it appears.
What doesn't surprise me is that Michael was prepared with the backup gear to save the boat in what appears to my naive eye to have been a potentially very dangerous situation.
My boat is technically unsinkable (untested!) and is overkilled with bilge pumps (4 x including a manual pump, 5 x if you include the bucket :D )! Where I fish is very remote and the boat is our 'life support system'! :lol:

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

Post by glossieblack »

Thanks for the interest Jaysen, cape man, Jeff, Tom, Fuzz and Barra Man. :D

Apologies for not answering your questions these past few days about hull holing size and staying afloat.

I’ve been totally focussed on the repair job and antifouling the whole hull. These are nearing completion, and we hope to be back in the drink in 48 hours.

And so, to the question of hull hole size and staying afloat.

The answer is in two parts, because Great Sandy’s hull skin consists of two layers of timber planking, each 1/3” thick and approx. 6” wide, and each running at 45% to the centreline of the boat and at 90 degrees to each other.

The coral had ground out a hole in the outer skin - approximately 3” in diameter on its outer face tapering down to around 1” in diameter on its internal face. The outer plank had not fractured, it had been ground away.

By way of contrast, the inner plank had a triangular fracture, its base at the junction of the plank and the keel plank/hog to which it was epoxy welded to. The other two sides of the triangle were ragged tapering tears all the way through the plank. The force of impact had partially snapped the inner plank along the hog line, but fortunately not all the way through. The remaining intact timber acted as a baseline hinge to the triangle, its jagged apex was sitting approx. 1/8” proud, and water was flowing in.

I was able to largely staunch the flow by using timber wedges to force the hinged triangle closed and firmly in place. The bilge pumps where then able to cope.

The first pic shows the removed triangular section sitting on the mahogany plank used for the repair. The teaspoon is for scale. The following pics show aspects of the tearing or fracturing of the inner plank. The last pic shows the junction of the keel plank/hog and the inner planks after the triangular piece's hinge was cut with a chisel and the triangle removed.

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

Post by BarraMan »

Thanks for that Michael - really interesting!
I’m heading south next week and was going to offer to drop into Bundy to see if I could help you with anything - but it sounds like you will be back on the water by then.
Let the adventure continue! :D

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

Post by Jaysen »

Wow. Sounds like the “poke” was followed by grinding thanks to wave action. No idea how to approach this situation on a “modern” hull that is all glass. I’m guessing it would be a trip over the side to use a patch of self sticking gasket or that fancy epoxy.

Not to self: visit the big reef in someone else’s boat!
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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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by OrangeQuest »

I’m guessing it would be a trip over the side to use a patch of self sticking gasket or that fancy epoxy.
Composite, plastic, wood kayaks will use duc-tape or some special made, waterproof patch to keep water from coming in. And it is done from the outside so water pressure pushes it against the hole. Little boat like that can't take on to much extra ballast without effecting performance and/or sink to the gunnels.
"that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it."
A. A. Milne

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

Post by TomW1 »

Thanks for the very informed report of and what has happened since. May you have sunny sky's and fair winds the rest of your days of your voyage. :D 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 Barra Man, Jaysen, OQ, and Tom.

Great Sandy went back into the drink this afternoon. :D

Tomorrow we'll recommence our northern voyage, taking extra care in coral-blessed waters. :wink:
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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Re: ST21 'Skinnydip' build, and boating adventures, Noosa, Australia

Post by glossieblack »

Back to the future - After arguing with a coral bommie, Great Sandy is again heading north, and after today's sunny 55 nautical mile sail/motor sail is once again in the beautiful wilderness anchorage of Pancake Creek (pic below). :D

After a first sparrows fart start tomorrow, by afternoon we'll cross the Tropic of Capricorn, and be winter-warm again. : :wink:

9574
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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