12/12/2024 - Trev cut fibreglass ready to do the uni layups in the hulls where all the bulkheads sit. He did a bit of grinding but mainly sanding the bulkhead locations. We checked measurements and markings for the layups. Where main bulkheads sit had multiple lay ups.
The diagram show 3 layers in the pink but there are also layers that are 5 and 6 layers think.
13/12/2024 - We started fibreglassing in the uni in what I call Hull No. 1. The uneven floor really kills your feet when you've been in there a while.
15/12/2024 - Finished off the fibreglassing in Hull No. 1. We had to put in w layers of 600 double bias on the back section that wasn't done when we did the hulls.
We then did the measurements on Hull No. 2 and Trev went on to sand where the uni was to go and I went and did some gardening a Trev's mums.
16/12/2024 - Hull No. 2 Started putting in the uni strips. Because the day was going to be a bit warm we did the sections that had the 2 layers plus 5 and the 2 layers plus 6 first. It takes a while to do these layups and you can feel the underneath layers heating up, so it's best done while cooler. We went on and completed most of the others. Only had the 3 or 4 to do plus the 600 Double bias area.
17/12/2024 - Had a quick trip down to Kanwal and back. The care home Trev's mum is in put on a Christmas party for the residents and family, which was lovely.
18/12/2024 - Finished off the Uni layers and the DB layers on the back of Hull No. 2. After lunch Trev got the grinder out and.cut off all the hanging over the edge bits of fibreglass, removed the peel ply, measured where bulkheads were to go and drew in lines marking their location.
19/12/2024 - I did more garden at Trev's mums home while Trev started fitting the smaller bulkheads and sanding off excess bits to get them to fit better.
20/12/2024 - Off gardening again while Trev put more bulkheads in. We marked out Hull No. 2 and Trev drew in the lines for those bulkheads. Helped Trev put in some of the full width bulkheads. Bulkheads 6 and 6a which are where the cockpit is and where the post will go up from the top of these to the cabin top. As well as Bulkhead 1.5 which is at the front.
22/12/2024 - Carried Bulkdhead No. 5 in. I swear he's trying to kill me. Glued the bottom pieces to it on the floor - too tall for the trailer which is why it was the only one in two pieces.. Once glued we fibreglassed the joins as well. Brought in the front bulkheads. In and out, in & out, oh my I was sick of taking them in and out. Each time Trev just taking little bits off. I wanted him to take bigger chunks but he soon informed me that each time it went back in it was sticking in a different spot. 😆🤪. Once in we screwed pieces of angle to hold them in place - 4 on each.
23/12/2024 - Had a Christmas party to go to, a tip run, a Bunnings run and groceries to get. Day off from the shed.
24/12/2024 -Trev put the whirly birds that we got from Bunnings on the shed. Hopefully they will pull some of the hot air out and the shed will be more bearable on the hot days.
26/12/2024 - Measured up the Cabin Top to make sure the Bulkheads were going to line up with where they join. Only needed to remark BH5, Frame 4.5 & BH4. Not out by much but now is the time to realign. We will be double and triple checking everything before we get to the gluing them in bit.
Watched a bit of the Sydney to Hobart then Trev did a bit more sand off on the Bulkheads bottoms to get them to fit better.
29/12/2024 - Trev Routed out the bottom, the window, the doorway and the two access holes on BH5. Spent a bit of time with grandkids and in the afternoon we put filler and uni rolls and more filler in the routed out areas.
30/12/2024 - Trev sanded all the bits that we did yesterday. All of the access holes that we will have to climb through at some point he is rounding the edges on those as he goes. He pulled out a few of the smaller bulkheads and routed those. We lifted BH5 back into place.
31/12/2024 - My Birthday and we always have a fishing competition on my birthday.🎣 Result of that competition was that I beat him by one. We caught a total of 11 - 6/5 but if you only count the keepers he won 2/1. We had to do a bit of chasing. Hopefully next fishing outing the tiddlers will be keepers. 😄
I often look when Trevor watches other boat builders and think "I wonder how old they are". Some are quite young but there are others that look about our ages which, for the curious ones like myself, is early 60's. I remember when my Nan turned 66 and I thought that was old. 😅 In a few more years that will be me. All I can say is that I am extremely happy to be still here.
1/1/2025 - 'HAPPY NEW YEAR' 🎉.
Back in the shed we did some more - what shall I call it so that I don't keep saying Filler, Uni Rolls & Filler.. Looks like it's FURF.
FURF = Filler, Uni Roll & Filler
2/1/2025 - Trev back sanding what was done the day before and routing out more on bulkheads. I lost track of which ones we were doing. It just goes on and on.
3/1/2025 - Routed out more openings on the bulkheads and we FURF'd a few more.
5/1/2025 - Trev back sanding all the ones we did Friday and we lifted BH3 back into place. Routed out the next ones. We glued wedges on the cove. the cove is 20mm. The bridgedeck is 50mm. We need to glued the 30mm wedges to match the bridgedeck and that will gives us a nice run over from bridgedeck to the hull with uni layers that go under the bulkheads. That will be a process for a later day to tell you about.
6/1/2025 - FURF'd again and later in the day glued more wedges on the cove.
7/1/2025 - Did a bit more work on Trev's mum's yard in the morning and then back to the shed. Sanding and pulling peel ply off the bulkheads. Rolled bulkhead over, sanded and pulled peel ply off that side then spent the afternoon cutting out the ring frames for the single bunks up front and the king single. We had to enquire with out boat designer as to how much we could cut those back and what to do to stiffen them up. Got that sorted so cut those and routed out. We now have a heap to FURF.
9/1/2025 - Spent the day doing more FURFing. The video will show that process.
10/1/2025 - Trev spent day sanding everything and routing corners on the ones that need softer edges. We spent some time then putting all of the bulkheads that were out back in their places and cleaning up the centre of the shed.
12/1/2025 - Glued more wedges on the cove. Amazing how many clamps we found to do the job. 😳. Would never have guessed we owned that many. Trev had a bit of modification to do to the acrow props to get them to go low enough for when we lift the bridgedeck.
12/1/2025 - cont... We moved the hulls back to line up with the bridgedeck on the floor. Made sure the bulkheads are where they should be. Measuring everything again. Looks like we are out about 10mm from one side to the other. A couple of the small bulkheads that don't go right across but should have lined up were a bit out. So houston - there's a problem somewhere - Found it and marked where all the bulkheads should be. We lined up the back of the hulls to determine a measuring spot that was definitely the same on each hull and now pretty certain that the marks are in the correct spot. The only other thing to do now is re-align with the cabin top - make sure that's still good.
We squared everything up again - marked the centre of the bulkheads front and back to give us a reference point when we lift the bridgedeck.
13/1/2025 - Lifted the bridgedeck with the help of Phil and his trolley jack to get the middle up in place. Marked where the excess on the edges needed to be cut off. Glued the last of the wedges on the other side hull. - they are all done now. When we did the Uni layups on the bridgedeck we stuffed up when we did where bulkheads 6/6a go. Trev thought they were 200mm apart but they are 250mm apart and so our layups didn't go far enough on the back side. So we did those layups as well today.
16/1/2025 - Raised the bridgedeck. Propped with acrow props. Phil & Alan gave us a hand to do the raising and propping. Then Al gaves us hand to glue the joins with resin and bonding filler.
17/1/2025 - Sanded the bonded joins and filled areas that needed extra or that were missed under bulkheads.
19/1/2025 - Trev did a bit more sanding of joins and then we cut 600 double bias fibreglass and peel ply ready the fibreglass along the join, top and underneath on both sides and the Uni fibreglass to do the layups that go under the main bulkheads. Took forever to cut it all out ready.
20/1/2025 - Fibreglassed the top side joins on both sides from the front back to bulkhead 6. We won't do that back bit until we have all the other bulkheads back in place. Trev went on to sand more underneath. The area we need to fibreglass needs to be free of any undercoat or epoxy filler. The going was a bit difficult.
21/1/2025 - Because the grinding back is all overhead Trev ducked to Bunnings to get a new grinding disc so that the job could be done a bit quicker. I spent the morning catching up on a bit of house cleaning and then after lunch we started the join layup on the starboard side. There was dust everywhere from Trev's grinding but I guess there's not a lot that can be done about that.
We applied a layer of resin with filler first that helped the first layer to stick up there. It was a bit messy with the resin overhead. By the time we go to layer 3 we decided to wet it up on the table and roll the strip of fibreglass on a cardboard roll and that made it easier to put up. We did it in two sessions the back first and then the front. Would have been too much to do the whole length in one go. We were very happy with the outcome. We weren't sure how many layers we would be able to do overhead without having some kind of drama with it.
22/1/2025 - Fibreglassed the join underside on the Port side today and did the Uni on the cove on the side we did yesterday. That was a fun time had by us both. NOT. We wet out the uni before we put it up and with it being a curve you had to be fuss gutsy with putting it on because if you pulled it to much it would pull off the curve and then peel all the way off. We had one really fun moment with the 3rd layer on the bulkhead 6 at the back but we managed to eventually get it on there as well as the next 3 layers. Very happy that that side is now done.
24/1/2025 - Fibreglassed the cove sections on the Port Side Hull with Uni. Trev sanded the Starboard Side ready to put fairing compound on. Managed to get the first layer of fairing compound on that hull before the weekend.
26/1/2025 - ENJOY YOUR 🇦🇺"AUSTRALIA DAY"🇦🇺 LONG WEEKEND
26/1/2025 - Trev started sanding the fairing compound he put on on the 24th. Removed peel ply from the other side. I helped sand for a while. Sanding high is an arm killer. You go go go for a little bit then you have to rest your arms.
27/1/2025 - More fairing compound on the port side cove and I sanded cove bits on the starboard side. That side just need a little bit more in a few places. We both moved bulkheads. Sanded a bit more off so that we can just squeeze glue between the bulkhead and the hull rather than lift out again. Screwed them in place.
28/1/2025 - We had a fire to light today 🔥 so we set up for that. Laid out the hose first and the lit it up. I did the fire watch (11.5hrs) and Trev went to do more sanding and fairing compound and brought me food and drinks.
29/1/2025 - Trev out sanding again yesterdays fairing compound. I did a catch up in the house then went to give Trev a hand with the break neck and arms sanding. Once we finished that we started working out bulkhead placements again, making sure that we did have them right this time. Set up laser leveller & string lines to make sure everything was straight and upright straight.
30/1/2025 - Trev worked today and I got to do the groceries but we went out and had a look at different things and trying to work out the stairs in the boat, down into the hulls. Seeing if there was a way to put them in without cutting into the hull.
31/1/2025 - Fitted more bulkheads. Had a look at where the table goes and working out a few other things. Moved bulkhead 6 & 6a out of the way so that we can fibreglass the join and do the cove layups on the top to the bridgedeck. Trev started working out a spare piece for a door. He has to add a few little pieces to make it the correct shape.
WHERE DO THE WEEKS GO - CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S 3 WEEKS SINCE I POSTED LAST
We have done so much in the last 3 weeks - it's lucky I keep a daily diary.
2/2/2025 - Cut 2 doors - one for the king single and the other for the head (bathroom). The usual fit and trim, fit and trim.
Fibreglassed the back section of the bridgedeck to the hulls. We had only done back to BHD(bulkhead) 6/6a. Worked out what scrap pieces we had with the correct layups for the stiffeners and cut them out. Cut fibreglass & peel ply ready to fibreglass across bridge deck. Later Fibreglassed across the bridgedeck. These layers of fibreglass match layers we did on the underside of the bridgedeck. Along the way Trev also cut pieces for the keel. These go in the bottom of inside the hull and fit between the bulkheads.
3/2/2025 - Cut stiffeners, cut multiple rolls of 400 & 600 double bias fibreglass 200mm for taping BHD 6/6a only & 150mm wide to tape all of the other bulkheads. Glued in BHD 6a.
4/2/2025 - Marked where BHD 2 sits and then shifted it back out of the way to sand where it will be glued, wiped it down with acetone then glued it in place & then glued in one of the the boards that goes in between BH 2 & 3 to create a huge locker space and also the hole where the anchor chain will one day go.
Trev joined two pieces of foam together so that we can make another door. Used up leftover glued.
Wiped the bottom edge of BHD 6a and the floor with acetone and taped one side of the bulkhead. Taping done with a layer of 400 and a layer of 600 double bias. BHD 6, because it is a very important structural component of the boat this requires the tape to be wider. These layers are offset by 25mm from the centreline so 400 goes one way and the 600 goes the other way. We have a template we lay out on the floor the draw where the layers go so that we get them straight. 😄
We only got one side done. Across the bridgedeck is easy. It's down in the hulls that takes forever. Used up all the 200mm wide strips so had to cut a new lot for tomorrow. The glued boards for the door stuck to the surface of the bridgedeck piece that is on the floor still. When Trev tried to prize it off it cracked the foam. It was really stuck. Not a happy chappy. Eventually got it off and had to reglue it. This time with plastic underneath.
5/2/2025 - Taped the other side of BHD 6a. Other jobs needed doing today which required a trip to town.
6/2/2025 - Fibreglasses the sheet of foam that was glued together for a door. This will be the door to our cabin. Glued in BHD 3 and the divider wall that makes up the lockers between the two queen beds. Glued the stiffeners onto BHD 6a & taped them. Fibreglassed the other side of the door.
F=Frame. BHD = Bulkhead.
Starting from left to right
FRS - F7.5 - BHD7 - F6.5 - BHD6a - BHD6 - F5.5 - BHD 5 - F4.5 - BHD4 - F3.5 - BHD 3
F2.5 - BHD2 - F1.5 - BHD1 - F1.5 (but we call it 0.5)
7th to the 10th of February
Completion of Bulkheads 6 & 6a
7/2/2025 - Trev had an epiphany in the night on how to make up angles to put in the corners on top of BHDs 6 & 6a to glue the top too. He cut those out and then made a jig to fibreglass in the hull. This will allow us something to glue the BHD 6 too on the inside of the two bulkheads. It's too deep and narrow to get down in there to tape it in.
We fibreglassed one side using the jig. Cut pieces of foam to make the top of BHD 6/6a and glued those together.
We cut out the back of the shower as well. In the bathroom there will be a seat. The seat will have an access hatch in it to gain entry to the motor underneath. So this part frame is the back of the seat area.
9/2/2025 - Removed template - it worked a treat. Very happy with the result.
Gave it a trim. Set the jig up again for the other side. Taped it all & put peel ply on it so that the fibreglass doesn't stick to it. We set in the other hull and fibreglassed it. Cut pieces that needed to be joined to make long enough for the top section for BHDs 6/6a. Glued the joins. Later Fibreglassed those joins.
10/2/2025 - Had last Oncology appointment today - Cheering 🎉 To celebrate we came home and worked on the boat. 😄
Removed the jig and trimmed the fibreglass. The top piece that was glued & fibreglassed together yesterday, we glued the curved ends to that and set in place to let the curves harden. Made up a set of steps to make it easier to climb up the coved section. Poor knees were getting a bit raw.
11/2/2025 - Removed the top board off BHDs 6/6a ready to glue BHD 6 & fibreglass inside. Glued BHD 6 to the stiffeners and the fibreglassed sections in the hulls as well as to the deck. Coved inside each box section between the two bulkheads and fibreglassed (taped) the stiffeners to BHD 6.
12/2/2025 - Glued & fibreglassed the angles onto BHD 6a and glued the purchased angles pieces onto BH 6. Glued 2 of the corner angles.
Taped the outside of BHD 6.
13/2/25 - Fibreglassed the top of the angle pieces to the bulkheads with a narrow strip of fibreglass just wide enough to catch the foam on top of bulkheads and connect with the angles that were glued in previously. This just gives a bit more strength to the join and seals the foam edge of bulkheads.
14/2/2025 - Easy day with visitors coming. Trev only sanded the little strips of fibreglassing done yesterday.
16/2/2025 - Fibreglassed the last 2 curved pieces on BHD 6.
I'm going to skip a few things and finish off Bulkheads 6 & 6a and come back to the other works in the next video.
19/2/2025 - Trev ducked to town to pick up some flat metal pieces to fibreglass inside of BHD 6a and also inside of the top. This is for when we need to bolt attachment points to tie the tender.
20/2/2025 - Prepped those metal pieces and fibreglassed them in place. Made measurements to be able to locate those at a later date. Glued top on BHD 6/6a weighed it down with paint cans. Cut Uni Directional Fibreglass ready to do the multiple lay ups on the top.
21/2/2025 - Trev sanded the glued edges on BHDs 6/6a & Routed a curved edge ready to fibreglass.
23/2/2025 - Cut the curved section in the stiffener that was at each end. We seen that on the plans but didn't know what it meant until the designer noticed we hadn't done it.
25/2/2025 - Big lay-up on BHD6/6a. 7 layers in total - 1 layer of 600 Double bias 500mm wide, 6 layers of uni 450 wide varying lengths and peel ply.
26/2/2025 - Sanded bogged areas and ends and a bit of grinding on the corners of BHD 6/6a where there were a lot of layers.
27/2/2025 - Finished fibreglassing the top of BHDs 6/6a with 6 layers of Uni 300mm wide, 3 layers Uni 200mm wide and 1 layer of 400 Double Bias 600mm wide to cover everything & peel ply. JOB DONE
16/2/25 - Taped BHD's 2 & 3 in the queen bed area on one side and right across BHD 3
17/2/2025 - Taped the Locker between the two queen beds. Then played with the cabin roof top trying to align BHD 5, Frame 4.5 & BHD 4. Moved the boat across and back to line up with the cabin top.
19/2/2025 - Taped the other queen bed area and the hulls for BHDS 2 & 3.
Trev played more games lining up the boat with the cabin top.
20/2/2025 - Glued in BHD 5. Cut Keel Pieces and layed up foam to make more.
21/2/2025 - Measured and checked everything to glue in BHD4 & Frame 4.5 on both sides.
23/2/2025 - Taped in BHD 5 - hulls only - need to talk to designer before we do across the deck.
24/2/2025 - We talked to designer about extra layers of uni under the doorway into the cabin. We put 2 layers of uni and then taped with 2 layers of double bias on both sides.
Trev prepped the keel pieces - measuring and cutting to length and cutting holes (weep hole or limber hole) in the ones that require a passage through for any water/fuel leakages, to where a bilge pump will be located. He coated the hole cutouts with a thick mix of epoxy resin.
25/2/2025 - Routed the keel tops & prepped the last four that were fibreglassed.
Returned Acrow Props to our mate.
26/2/2025 - Prepped Keel pieces. Played with furniture locations.
27/2/2025 - Fibreglassed the tops of all the keel pieces.
28/2/2025 - WENT FISHING 🎣 with the Acrow Prop mate and he was the only one to catch a keeper.
2/3/2025 - Taped in BHD 4 & Frame 4.5 on starboard side.
Trev tidied up the keep pieces grinding and sanding off the ends.
3/3/2025 - Taped in BHD 4 & Frame on port side. Glued in Frame 3.5 on both sides.
Took Frame 2.5 & laid out on tables to route out foam and fill with thickened epoxy resin to stiffen.
4/3/2025 - Taped in Frame 3.5 on both sides. Cut more fibreglass & peel ply.
Glued in Frame 5.5 on both sides. Touched up the bog on Frame 2.5- Queen Bed Frame. Cut of a triangular piece which will be at the end of the bed. We want to make cupboards or drawers at the end and that part of the frame was not the right shape so cut it off.
5/3/2025 - Put in starboard side queen bed frame and sanded to get to fit properly in the hull. Cut off 25mm on the top to allow for 20mm extension to deck for the bed area. Routed corners that are like a doorway - without a door. Did that on both sides. Cut out hole on frame at the foot of the king single bed - routed out foam. Checked floor levels. Same on the bathroom side. Frame 6.5 ready to glue in as well on both sides. Trev used the laser to see if holes lined up for the propeller shaft while I vacuumed the work area.
7/3/2025 - Glued in Frames 2.5, 4.5 & 6.5 on both sides. Cut fibreglass and peel ply ready to tape them in.
9/3/2025 - Sanded all the glued in frames ready to fibreglass tomorrow.
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