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Child Item

Cruiser restoration and wheelchair adaption

fergal.b

So here she is my next little project

she is a Richardson Roving Gem that I hope to convert to take the wheelchair, I'm going to need all the help I can get with this so feel free to offer what you have :rolleyes: I'm going to try and get her moved to Skerries and see if I can pick up a trailer to back her into a driveway as it's too tight to have a crane lift her in. So let me know what you think or any ideas you have. I must be mad

After a bit of a power wash

Inside all stripped out now I have a blank canvas.

This is what she looked like back in the 70's at least the new TV won't take up as much room:)

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fergal.b

Back off.

[Deleted User]

Also took a few years off her (the boats) style!

How strong is the roof, if someone stands at the back edge etc?
I would always expect a boat's roof to have no problem taking the weight of several hefty men. It would worry me that someone could just step on to the roof to give a hand at a lock etc.

fergal.b

Tow wrote: »

Also took a few years off her (the boats) style!

How strong is the roof, if someone stands at the back edge etc?
I would always expect a boat's roof to have no problem taking the weight of several hefty men. It would worry me that someone could just step on to the roof to give a hand at a lock etc.

It's over half an inch thick and the door frame is taking all of the load, it takes my weight no problem but I might add in some ribs for those hefty lock keepers

[Deleted User]

fergal.b wrote: »

It's over half an inch thick.

Pre oil crisis fiberglass, done of this modern light weight stuff.

thereitisgone

Looks great, brilliant video

sogood

Looking good fergal, really brings her looks nearer to the 21st century. Keep it up!

fergal.b

Not very exciting this week just cutting out holes to take the 6x2 timbers that will hold the swim platform, the timbers will be fibreglassed to the sides and will run under the door frame so it will act as a counter balance and hold them down.

I removed all the stringers from the transom and sanded it flat so it would take the plywood.

The plywood was done in two sheets of 1/2 inch one at a time to make it easy for it to conform to the curve, I used screws and washers on the outside to pull it in tight as there was plenty of old screw holes.

That should be strong enough to stop any spreading of the doorway I might also cut some stainless steel plate to be sure to be sure.

VisionaryP

fergal.b wrote: »

That should be strong enough to stop any spreading of the doorway I might also cut some stainless steel plate to be sure to be sure.

Wow, that's some fantastic bonding right there.

copper12

Things are coming together Fergal
:pac:

fergal.b

Well thats the bottom sanded thank God

not all my own doing I got a lot of help from a young lad that lives across the road, they say kids these day's don't know the meaning of hard work and just want to sit at home with their TV and games well I think I found the exception to the rule in this young lad my faith in the next generation has been restored

. Thanks Simey

For the swim platform I wanted to do it in one sheet but it's very hard to get marine ply in anything bigger than 8x4 so I went with a 10x5 birch core phenolic resin trailer flooring it's smooth on one side and is non-slip on the other and as long as I encapsulate where it's been cut it should last for many years.

I also made a start on a weed box by cutting the boxes that held the gas bottles, may as well use up what I have

Daibheid

The "problem" with kids these days is not that they don't want to learn and do creative stuff but that they simply don't have access to the people who could act as role models , mentors, teachers, etc. Simey is lucky to get to see how to prepare and paint a hull properly and to see the satisfaction of how it'll look when done.
There are a lot of reasons kids don't get the opportunities to learn things to do with their hands and heads and the self confidence that comes with that. A lot of manufacturing is gone from the West and with it the skills and knowledge which, while shown in abundance in these threads, are generally becoming scarcer. There's also the risk of liability which cripples people with fear and makes it much safer not to even let someone watch while you're cutting, shaping, welding, spannering etc. But everyone misses out as there's also real satisfaction in sharing and teaching skills like that.
So good for you Fergal , you're getting some much needed help and this kid is learning and experiencing the satisfaction and skills he'd never have accessed sitting in front of a screen.
Btw your platform material should prove an excellent choice when you see what it'll withstand flooring a horse box with half a ton pounding horsepiss into it via steel shoes year after year!

Stheno

Excuse my ignorance but what's a weed box?

fergal.b

Stheno wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance but what's a weed box?

It's a sealed box/hatch inside the boat that you can open and remove any weeds or lobster pot ropes

that get wrapped up in the prop, with my large swim-platform it would be hard to reach the prop from the outside of the boat . It's not a box that I keep my weed in

sogood

A little bit off topic, but, many many years ago when I was still at school, I used to "work" part time with a carpenter/joiner who did a lot of general building work also. It was mostly holding this or that, mixing plaster, cleaning up etc. etc.

He did excellent work and was something of a perfectionist and I learned an awful lot from him, particularly a love of DIY and it encouraged me to "have a go" and start tackling little jobs around the family home.

Now, many years later, I've lost track of the number of "jobs" I've done, including a lot of salvage/recycling/restoration projects. I'd be lost without my sheds, my hobbies and the great sense of satisfaction from having "done it myself".

The confidence to tackle such jobs is priceless and I take my hat off to all such individuals and in particular to anyone who has the opportunity to pass on such an invaluable lesson. Well done fergal, on all fronts!

fergal.b

This week I put in some ply to take the floor stringers as there is not much down force in the door opening.

I'm using this handy little tool a lot it's a vitrex 10 1030 profile gauge used mainly for tiling.

You just push it down over the shape you want to copy and then just mark it out.

Most of the floor stringers done using 6 2x6.

Now I can set the swim platform, it's a big one

I'm also going to build a plate that will take a winch as Old's Cool will fit nicely under here to tow in when I find her

Think I'm going to need a few sandbags up front to balance this out

ted1

Will the platform affect the speed? Will the wake or rudder wash not be hitting off it?

fergal.b

ted1 wrote: »

Will the platform affect the speed? Will the wake or rudder wash not be hitting off it?

My top speed is about 7 knots :eek: so not much to be affecting

[Deleted User]

fergal.b wrote: »

Think I'm going to need a few sandbags up front to balance this out

Build some sort of frame to hold them in place. We took out one of the Tara Cruisers back when the boats were only a year or two old. The trim was way off to the port. I lifted up some of the forward bunks to find bags of gravel just plonked there, they had obviously shifted to one side.:eek:
Reminds me of what can happen when a car ferry gets a inch or two of water slopping around on its car deck.

sogood

That's some swim platform fergal! You could put a small swimming pool on it and make it a proper swim platform! Just kidding of course, as I understand the very particular needs involved in your refurb.

I was wondering about your sunken treasure. Any developments or plans to try to find/raise it?

Keep up the good work.

fergal.b

sogood wrote: »

That's some swim platform fergal! You could put a small swimming pool on it and make it a proper swim platform! Just kidding of course, as I understand the very particular needs involved in your refurb.

I was wondering about your sunken treasure. Any developments or plans to try to find/raise it?

Keep up the good work.

I'm landlocked at the moment so not much searching going on with me, the others are still keeping an eye out when they are in the area. This cruiser will be fitted with all the gear and there will also be mounting holes for a winch in the middle of the swim-platform and a hole to drop a cable down she can then be winched up under the platform and brought to shallow water to re-float

the platform will also be filled with foam for extra buoyancy and I will use an old inflatable or truck tubes to add a bit more and to protect Old's Cool from hitting it.

.

fergal.b

There is something not right about cutting a hole in a boat but I just cant put my finger on it

The hole was cut rectangular but as I cut it at an angle to hepl seal it and the different thickness it looks a bit off but should be fine. It was quite thick so I'm not too worried about loosing any strenght in the strut and rudder but I will build up a good bit of fiberglass around the box to be on the safe side.

14141791_10205120808698195_1367785615194235729_n.jpg?oh=4f6aa10108c68a95d789bd96a8176363&oe=5840870D

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Made up templates first and then copied them to the box.

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I will be putting a wooden rim around the inside and epoxeying some bolts to make a seal in the lid and where I cut out the hole in the hull, the top of the box is about 8 inches above the waterline hopefuly that will be enough.

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Cut out the plywood for the back deck just have to give it a few coats of epoxy and cut out a hatch.

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Looks like she got a right bang on the nose, I was going to leave the bow protector off but might just put it back after seeing this

14117862_10205120815938376_2281381502923740947_n.jpg?oh=b11ff2f7899cce7f78a4c86ddfee6a7a&oe=5855FEA0

sogood

So, what am I missing? You seem to be cutting out a hole in the hull and building it up on the inside, yes? But why?

fergal.b

sogood wrote: »

So, what am I missing? You seem to be cutting out a hole in the hull and building it up on the inside, yes? But why?

It's a weed hatch so I can untangle any weeds,rope.plastic bags or shopping trollies that get wrapped up in the prop

saves me having to swim under the boat, I'm getting too old for that crap

pedroeibar1

fergal.b wrote: »

Thi

Think I'm going to need a few sandbags up front to balance this out

Pity the sand has to go in the bow..... a sprinkling of a bit back there and you'd have your own private beach!:cool:

sogood

fergal.b wrote: »

It's a weed hatch so I can untangle any weeds,rope.plastic bags or shopping trollies that get wrapped up in the prop saves me having to swim under the boat, I'm getting too old for that crap

.

Yes, forgive me, just a senior moment on my part! I remember you discussing this further back in your post.

fergal.b

Or I could go bigger again and have my own mooring for Old's Cool,

fergal.b

A bit of rinoplastie

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Put in two deck drains the one on right will drain out on the left and the left will drain to the right so there will always be some where for the water to go if the boat is listing.

14264033_10205166855769343_7736528022141037729_n.jpg?oh=22f9f1b759a7ca34ee5f2dc74070a775&oe=58403DCF

14264033_10205166855769343_7736528022141037729_n.jpg?oh=22f9f1b759a7ca34ee5f2dc74070a775&oe=58403DCF

Here I covered the piecce I cut out with cling film and forced it down on some fiberglass I spread around the edge of the hole this will give it a much better fit when I make up the seal. I'm also fitting a pump and tilt switch in this compartment as this is where the hatch in the floor will drain and just incase something goes wrong with the weed hatch, it will also set of an alarm and light on the dash when the pump is running.

14202749_10205166856249355_7002668421527251016_n.jpg?oh=dfdb6f5636e5bb889c61af8082dd9d17&oe=583FE4EA

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A bit wet out today so I started wireing up the dash it's a bit boring as most of my info will be on the Garmin but it's nice to have the 4 in one as backup.

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pedroeibar1

Nice understated lights F, but wrong way round (port/starboard & all that....)

I know, it's ocd, it's just me and having to have things in the right order

fergal.b

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Nice understated lights F, but wrong way round (port/starboard & all that....) I know, it's ocd, it's just me and having to have things in the right order .

Your dead right I will swap them around

fergal.b

Whoo Look what I just won and €500 couldn't have come at a better time

:D:D:D

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