Spent a few more hours with the longboard and decided the hull was fair enough to start fiberglassing. Did more before that since dad had to work today though.
Last night I added the additional reinforcements specified by Ian in the update for the rudder web. Also finished the bobstay eye.
This is the part where I’m going to plug Ian as a designer – he always answers questions promptly (even though they might be trivial) and is quick to send out updates. During a race last week, one of the first F-22R’s launched had the upper gudgeon crack and ultimately fail. He addressed this problem by sending the builders an email and a few days ago we received an updated design for the rudder web. Things like this make me so glad I chose one of his designs.
Anyway – back to the building….
Bogged together enough foam for the rudder blank (a little longer than the off-cuts we have). One of the options for making the foil is to have the trailing edge bog so it can be sanded down and not worry about de-laminating. I decided to make the center sheet of foam 1″ shorter than the outside pieces and will fill with bog before we start to shape the foil. I think this will make it easier in the long run.
Also added another layer of foam to the exposed areas at the stern. They are already much stiffer and I’m sure they won’t even move when the outside has fiberglass.
After dad got home from work, we rolled out and cut one width of exterior fiberglass and started laminating with peel-ply. Glad we didn’t do both sides of the deck at once because I don’t know where I would have sat up there to get the other side. Everything seemed to go well though, and hopefully we can get the port side laminated tomorrow.
With this post I think I am finally caught up. I’ll try and take more pictures again and post in a timely manner.
The bow is closed in from the bow-web to the keel and we decided to add the extra 3/4″ foam to the exterior – this actually happened before laminating on the keel but I forgot to add it. Have the bow template set up with the position of the bobstay-eye but need to add the interior layers of foam to the bow before that can be positioned and laminated into place.
Dad enlarged the screw holes on both sides of the hull and the joins between the foam – I followed with QuickFair.
Unfortunately, it looks like this weekend will still be too cold for epoxy to flow well enough for laminating (50 degrees F if we’re lucky) – so time will most likely be spent with the longboard on the hull to prep it, and maybe starting to shape the daggerboard blank.
Pictures of the hull starting to take a better shape
I think it’s looking real nice and the little bumps and undulations in the transition lines will disappear with a little longboard time – then hopefully a warm(er) weekend so we can start putting the exterior laminate on.
The plan is to laminate the deck down to just past the gunwale, then rotate the hull onto the deck so we can bog/fair the keel and then laminate and prime it. After that, back onto the cradles to level properly and install the beam mounts.
I still can’t express enough how exciting it is to start and see the main hull come together 
Happy 2009 everyone!
We disassembled the form frames last night (except for 5 and 8 to support the hull) and spent the morning lifting the hull and turning upright to support on cradles made that morning (again, supported at 5 and 8).
We had a hook in the ceiling (and added a second half-way through the process) and ran a strap around the cabin bulkhead at station 8. No pictures of this – was just dad and I performing this feat and taking pictures was not on the mind.
The only laminate on the keel right now are 2 of the extra laminates (not the larger of the 3) so still have to be gentle walking inside until the full exterior is laminated. Still – VERY exciting to go inside the cockpit and interior with things positioned properly… almost feels like a boat, and feels very large for a 22′ boat.
Here’s the first load of rubbish (mostly MDF and battens that are un-usable)
And the second load – some of this was good lumber that we kept, however.
Again – no pictures in process, but here are some various pictures of the main hull once upright and starting to rough-sand areas.
Starboard-aft looking forward
Aft cabin deck looking forward
Deck at bow looking aft – important areas on deck marked out
Port looking aft
Starboard looking at forward beam bulkhead area
Starboard looking aft
View from outside the garage looking in. Can see foam-blank for daggerboard on bow
Port-forward looking aft
Port keel looking aft
Aft cabin deck looking forward
Port aft looking forward
Stern-deck
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