Great Expectations

The last ten days on the boat have been full of ups and downs.  After the foredeck went on, we started working on the side decks, which went on in just a few days.  Then only a few days after that the two stern quarters were on, which means all the decks are on!!!  (The first layer, anyway.)

Side panels being prepped for install.  We traced the spots between the beams when we fit the pieces, and pre-painted the first coat.  The less overhead painting we have to do, the better.

Side panels being installed!

Stern quarters are on and some of the hatches are cut out.

Everything was going great, so fast, too good to be true.  It was too good to be true.  I furnished Beth with plans to make the deck beams, and she made them according to the plans.  Unfortunately, after starting to frame out the cabin I realized the plans were wrong.  Initially I thought we would be making 4 or 5 new deck beams, but after some rearranging I think we will just have to make 1 or 2.  I had been getting so excited, I could see things just flying together and was setting schedules in my mind.  I had a ways to fall before I hit the ground.  

Its just so easy to get caught up in things like this that look like you're getting a lot done.  But in reality the last ten days were no more productive than the 10 days I spent fairing the hull.  They were however much more fun.

lots of stuff on the table, everything from a fork to an angle grinder.

This took me some time to commit to doing this, the first hole cut in the hull.  That funny looking triangle block is cut to the shape of the through-hull fitting that will go there.

No more hopeful projections for us. 

We're just putting in the hours and we will get there when we arrive.

Riding the storm out

Winter is seriously here now, we were hoping for a repeat of last the mild winter we had last year, but no such luck.  We had about 10 days of highs in the 20's, followed by well over a foot of snow overnight.  Now the snow has gone, but the cold has returned, at least its crystal clear and sunny.

I got stuck for the last week helping a friend on a remodel here in SLC, so I haven't been able to work much on the boat.   However Beth has been picking up my slack and gluing up the beams for the cabin roof.  

I got the mast step in finally, its a big chunk of Ash with two layers of plywood on top.  The plywood ensures that the subsequent layers of Ash won't split.  This is where the mast will rest, the channel at the back of it is where any water that makes it into the mast will drain.  I used heavy 8" lag bolts to hold it in between the floor timbers.

This is a new addition.  That arrow looking piece is what is called a breasthook.  It helps tie the bow together and gives us a place to bolt the bowsprit to.

Super exciting!  Finally the deck is going on.  I scarfed 2+ sheets of 1/2" ply together to make one giant foredeck piece.  Then Beth and I wrestled it into place, marked where we would glue it and painted the rest.  The less overhead painting the better!

Those to cutouts will be Delorean style doors that open into the anchor locker.  I don't know why Beth is in there.

Just finishing up glueing the foredeck down.  In typical fashion we used minimal amounts of screws and will pull them out as soon as the epoxy sets up.

We just glued up the cabin top beams, using the side of the boat as a form to get the curve right.

Clamp limbo.  Its a pattern in the pants.