does cladding the mould ever end?

I know most of the other websites with male mould building show a bit of foam and next picture a lovely faired hull. For me, the transition from frame to a smooth faired hull ready for laminating has taken the best part of a week (working around work and family). However the end is in sight, and after lunch I will mix up another pot of resin/filler and put on the the last of the bottom of the boat and the two side panels that taper into the transom swing rudder. Then a couple of days to dry and I'll start the fairing.

Okay,

It's my first ever boat build and I have just learnt a couple of important lessons:

1. Peanut Butter consistency on Filler means super crunchy and not smooth - I had a few runs to clean up joining the bottom to the sides and spine
2. It takes more filler than you think to fill the chamfer and join the sides
3. It is really a 2 person job (for a beginner)
4. You can check the line up a million times, but once resin has been mixed nothing sits where it is supposed to (I now love my staple gun)

So, after an intense morning I have the two aft panels drying and one aft side as well as the two panels that hug the centrecase. I'll continue this afternoon with the next batch of panels (depending on how the weather is - rain in Adelaide in late November???). I've leant some lessons, and I'm much more confident with putting on the rest of the foam.

Laying foam is not as easy or as fun as it may seem. But we have the boat clad and will be glueing the bottoms to the sides (and all the other bits either tomorrow or Friday. It's kind of starting to look like a boat now, which is a good thing but we have a long way to go.

Foam is going on

We have started from the back, but the foam is going on tonight (taken a break to watch Top Gear - no not the crap Aussie version). Hope to have all the foam on before Sunday (as we're going to the Test Match, day 3, so I hope the game is still going).

So far so good, the boat is coming along nicely and Geoff has patiently answered all my stupid questions (no such thing as stupid questions, just stupid people).

Spine is in, ready for foam

Spine is in,  chines are faired and on, gunwales are attached - I'll get the foam on during the week so that we should be looking at fairing and sanding next weekend and laminating the following week. Fingers crossed.

The Spine has gone from 3 pieces to one, as the resin holding it together dries in my shed. 

It slotted together beautifully (although reading the post 'DC Designs' on Sailing Anarchy made me second guess the rocker - but then stuck with what  Geoff recommended....). The only real hassle was the $20 scales that would reset before we could add the hardener to the resin - FRUSTRATING.

We'll be dropping the spine into the mould tomorrow and then start cladding the mould with foam.

More Progress from Geoffs Workshop

Yes, we have a spine (or at least parts of a spine).

The rudder box, aft section of spine, centrecase have all been machined. All the rest of the parts e.g. rudder pivot, stiffeners, mast stump, forestay plates have been made.

The centrecases (building 2 boats) and end blocks received their final coat of epoxy today so assembly starts tomorrow.

One giant MECHARno set. 

Broken bones

I just got the email today that the designer, Geoff, has broken some bones in his foot - so there'll be a bit of a delay in getting the spine here. With the spine pre-fabricated with the centreboard cassetted, rudder slot (we're using a kick up stern mount rudder, forestay fitting, and mast stump the build should progress quickly once it arrives.

On the plus side, the Western Red Stringers (chines and gunwhales) are made up and ready to fit, and the mould is covered in packing tape. The delay will give me a bit more time to practice working with the resin and get an idea on pot life.

Get better soon Geoff.