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A restoration tale (with pics)

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    It BeeMee wrote: »
    Until it floats, you could call it "dnme without" :D:D


    Hoah! There - e -is! :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Day 45

    All work and no play makes Jack....em.......well...I guess it makes him a worker who doesn't play a whole lot. Last night I decided to go and visit my sister who lives up in Killybegs. It would also give me an opportunity to get back to my old Donegal stomping ground, meet my old neighbours and relive my balmy sunny days swimming off Creevy Pier on the way home.

    So up to Killybegs on Friday night, nice nosh in Harvey’s point with old friends. We shot that breeze sideways and annoyed the piano player with outrageous requests such as “Theme from Taxi?” – “I’m sorry sir, I’m afraid he doesn’t know that one”. Best food ever ??? well it certainly was a contender, all five courses, but there was a certain Christmas dinner cooked around 2007 by another relative in law that remains salient. Ahhhh food…food food food!

    This morning, after a hearty big f’off fry up cooked by sis, we headed down to Killybegs to have a look round the pier; call into Mooney’s and then head out for a quick spin on the boat. Mooney’s have all the hardware, chandlery, rope, paint etc in stock so it’s a good place to go if you want to get a feel for kit you are planning to buy. Being able to handle chandlery, fixtures, fittings, cleats of varying materials, sizes etc. Seeing bilge pumps, every bolt imaginable. They have massive stock levels of hardware for pleasure, commercial and industrial vessels. Ah Yeah, a fascinating place – and a bit of a toy shop to me.

    Anyheeew onto their boat which is a cat. Twin hull, both hulls house twin berths but it could be classed as a sixer because of the sheer size of the bridge also. Each hull mirrors the other housing cabins, twin beds, heads, showers etc. The bridge is pure heaven as I can pretty much stand up in it. She is well kit out with electronics. Twin inboard diesels, one in each hull, she is also a sail boat. Infact we steamed out but sailed back in at a beautiful relaxing 2-3knots. Gives you time to breathe, make cappuccino’s and laze about on deck chatting under the bimini. The bridge sits central between hulls. It’s massive. You could sit 8 people comfortable to dinner in it. The galley is more or less the same size as a Dublin apartment kitchen, full size oven, full size fridge etc. There is a really cool trampoline between both bows that allows you to sunbathe on the water. She has beautiful profiles all over, both hulls have swim platform steps aft, a dingy / outboard tender hang there also. The bridge opens out to a very spacious deck with surround seating, tables etc all under a bimini. I’m a bit jealous of my sister to be honest. Not because of the boat, but because of the state of her gelcoat compared to mine. :D

    After a morning on the water out of Killybegs, I left them at lunchtime, where I carried on back down through my old South Donegal haunts and they set sail for Mullaghmore for the night. Nice way to spend an August Saturday evening I think you’ll agree.

    So not really a restioration update today, but rather an excursion for a bit of fun. All in aid of poor old jack. BTW, just back home and in the past hour or so, as I write, the tv is on. No matter what I do, what I press, what channel I set etc, I cannot get anything apart from the X factory thing. It won't even let me turn the tv off Sweet jesus pray for us!!!


    1. For any viewers of Fr Ted, look at it there ;)
    Img_7312.jpg


    2. Helm heaven
    Img_7165.jpg


    3. Some nice kit on bridge, she's also fully radar'd up
    Img_7228.jpg


    4. Roast chicken tonight
    Img_7234.jpg


    5. Galley ho
    Img_7235.jpg


    6. Dining area
    Img_7236.jpg


    7. Now that's what you call a switch panel
    Img_7237.jpg


    8. Of course once you're on board, it's tricky yo photograph it without wide angle lenses
    Img_7279.jpg


    9.
    Img_7278.jpg


    10.
    Img_7276.jpg


    11.
    Img_7273.jpg


    continued in part b.....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Day 45 (part b, continued from part a)


    13. Under half sail on the way back into Killybegs, passing Rotten Island (that's where the light house lives)
    Img_7262.jpg


    14. Starboard aft steps, other side also includes a SS boarding ladder.
    Img_7271.jpg


    14a. Massive deck
    Img_7189.jpg


    14b. Ensuite heads mirrored on each hull. I did shoot the berths but can't find a photo of em for love nor money.
    Img_7171.jpg


    ......and just to finish off, with one or two tourist snapshots form my journey home. God; you know...I hope you enjoy reading this post as much as I did making it!

    15. Welcome to Killybegs
    Img_7253.jpg


    16. Killybegs in the sunshine (ish). All boats in for ther season, all quotas reached.
    Img_7255.jpg


    17. That's what I'm talkin bout Willis! Yeah! Dam right!
    IMG_7178a.jpg


    18. On the way home, my beloved Creevy pier. I probably spent a good 1000 hours in that water right there, jumping in off that breaker wall, swimming, snorkelling, boating. When not in the water, then just sitting, watching - whether it be calm midsummer sunsets or dark wild storms. Summer days, children playing, picnics, b-b-q's, labradors etc. I love this place.
    Img_7357.jpg


    19. Old Ballyshannon pier, once one of the busiest ports in the northern hemisphere aparently (100's of years back)
    Img_7368.jpg


    20. And of course 'herself' on the way home. And look at the gift of light I got. I'm not one for stopping the car on busy roads to take photos, and I have more than enough shots of Ben Bulben, but that light just appeared in a blast as I approached Grange. I had to stop.
    IMG_7396a.jpg


  • Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,820 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    That catamaran: WANT! Man, what a lovely boat.

    I have a dream of building something like a DH550 some day:

    sailboat-cruising-catamaran-207962.jpg

    Hopefully it won't end up like this one:

    spice_wreckage_-_guadeloupe_scale.jpg

    :eek:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,167 ✭✭✭TopTec


    View2-7645647.jpeg


    This any good to you dnme? :D:D:D

    TT


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22 Donald Draper


    Hello, A friend of mine sent me this link and after spending as most enjoyable few hours reading about your progress I decided to sign up so I could congratulate you the amazing work you have done. Truly inspirational. Keep up the good the work and looking forward to your continuing success.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Day 46

    Forgive the dour tone of this post. I’m not in the best of form tonight. As you read on you’ll see why. My next door neighbours, John and Mary own a chainsaw. I was on the brink of borrowing it today. I really mean that! I ended up so angry, so annoyed and came to many negative conclusions about this whole “side show” that is, me and my boat. What the fcuk am I doing? Spending hours working on a piece of scrap plastic that is beyond it, and then spending 2+ hours at night telling a small few people about it? I hate the boat, I hate that boat. I HATE THAT BOAT!

    Day started as per usual, grey! After lunch I went back to work on the bow patch repair that I wrote about a few days ago. I sanded down the patches on the outside of the hull and a quick run of the sander over the csm inside just to remove any sharp splinters.

    Back on the outside, right beside my repair, there is an area where the gelcoat is clustered with small circular cracks. I have noticed it before and often wondered what I would do with it. While I was there working at that particular location of the hull, I decided to address this issue. The plan I came up with was to gouge out as many of the cracks as my patience could manage, then vacuum, scrub and wipe with acetone, then fill with Hempel. As I gouged out the cracks, I realised that they were deep and often hid further internal contamination and cracking. But I kept at it with a dremmel and a small burring bit. It was precisely akin to dentistry.

    I probably spent two dam hours there painstakingly tracing the tool along hairline cracks. Some of the gelcoat crumbled and fell off between these cracks. Not good! I concluded that simple filler would be insufficient here. I decided to go full-on epoxy and the plan I came up with was . . . (a) paint the surface stubbing clear epoxy into the cracks and crevices; (b) thicken the epoxy slightly and add whitener, then paint in a coat of this; (c) turn the remaining epoxy into paste and fill. Dealing with the viscosity in stages means that I am guaranteeing that each crevice will be completely filled and will also aid good surface bonding.

    It was about 4pm. I hopped up into the boat with a cup of coffee. I walked through into the cabin and sat down. As I started to work – reaching across to the opposite seat, I felt my old cervical vertigo friend kick in again. If I turn my head or go from lying to sitting up, I get dizzy. As this latest bout hit me, I started to see strange stuff. I noticed a tree passing by the cabin door. Then I saw my house passing by the window. Not left to right, but rather top to bottom. The house appeared to be sinking. I felt my head go very light and my feet go heavy. After a series of heavy thuds and rebounds, I realised that I was in trouble. I crawled out along the hull side and sat in the grass. I looked back at the boat and saw this.
    171762.jpg

    I have my neighbour John Paul to thank. He happened to be out on the road passing by, about 10 minutes later and helped me get the boat re-chocced. It took a while and we both put stupid strain on our backs even with trolley jacks and pallets.

    Before I took the above photos, I made a very calm cool rational decision to pop into John’s next door and borrow his chainsaw. I was going to alter the boat….ever so slightly! Perhaps snip off the bow, then gently run that beautiful whirring TCT chain along the keel. Maybe cut a nice X in the transom. Gotta cut off the cabin but let’s do so in an artistic way. I know, I’ll cut the word ‘fcuk’ into the cabin skin. Then I can turn the saw on those beautiful front windows. Ah yes, lets alter them a little, nothing major just swing the chain saw violently as I gently hum and eventually sing ‘rockabye baby’.

    The chocs I am using are rotting. They are soaked from three months of rain, and constantly sitting on wet ground. I spent an hour tonight re-enforcing them but my hearts just not in it now. I’m weary. I hate that boat so much! I have no idea if there is any damage as a result of the collapse. I had a quick look and can't see much, I'm kinda past caring tonight to be honest.


    1. Bow patch repairs sanded down. A combination of further sanding and filling will fair this.
    171764.jpg



    2. You can see the cluster of circular cracks in the hull. The repair as described above is illustrated here.
    171761.jpg



    3. Cluster cracks repair continued. See description above.
    171763.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭gardoyle27


    :eek: jesus christ!!!!!! sorry to here that buddy, maybe taking your neighbour up on use of his shed would be the way to go, no worries about weather and rot! take it easy for a few days ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,167 ✭✭✭TopTec


    Gawd dnme, I read that with my Gob open.... horrified. Of all the posts you have written late evenings - this is one I didn't expect. I could easily extend my sympathy, there, there dnme...... but I suspect that is not what you need.

    Gardoyle has it right. I reckon the way to go is to stablise the little bitch, and then turn your back on her for a few days. Take a break, visit some other ladies.

    You watch - it will be a few days but she will start singing to you again, promising future pleasures as long as you lavish attention on her. You can return to her renewed, determined to finish what you started.

    Having said all that, I, and I suspect most of your avid readers, feel nothing but empathy for you - what a cow she is!!

    TT


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,182 ✭✭✭alexlyons


    Don't sweat, good and bad days happen. This is one of those iconic days of the restoration, much more so than all the hours of sanding which fall into a blur. This won't be forgotten about and will make you more proud when she's finished.

    now you know to keep checking her. It gets difficult at times, same with all projects, but a phrase somewhat suited to this project "when there's no wind; row"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 519 ✭✭✭harry21


    oscarBravo wrote: »

    Hopefully it won't end up like this one:

    spice_wreckage_-_guadeloupe_scale.jpg

    :eek:

    It's all oscar bravo's fault for posting the above!!! He started it.
    He should be banned from this thread now ;).

    On a serious note, look at the positives
    • nobody was seriously hurt,
    • no damage to boat,
    • you talked to you neighbours today, and
    • you now have a great 'one day when I was restoring my boat' story
    Really nice job on the hull repair, easy to see where 2 hours of dremel work goes! Also great job on the posting, croping and combining pictures etc. before you post..... we do appreciate it....

    Actually, I think the boat was just trying to get out on the water itself!!:P


  • Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,820 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    harry21 wrote: »
    It's all oscar bravo's fault for posting the above!!! He started it.
    He should be banned from this thread now ;).
    :(

    I had a slightly disheartening evening on my own boat project, the hole in the side panel is going to be a tougher repair than I'd hoped. I also have to repair the joint between the bottom panel and the midship seat riser.

    But, dude: hang in there. I've said it before, Fergal has said it before - rocky patches go with the territory. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

    Take time out, clear your head. You'll look back someday and laugh, so why wait? Laugh now.




    I can't believe I mentioned rocks!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭Slig


    for some reason that stupid wedding song with the lyrics "rock the boat" keeps going round my head:p, but seriously, if anything like that happens again just give me a call and I'll see about organising a forklift (or an appropriatly large chainsaw) much better than doing your back in.

    dont worry too much about structural damage, if it cant take a little roll then you'd be in trouble on rough water anyway, better to find out now (but prefferably not while in the boat). If its any consolation I think I've found some mahogony panels in the "commune" that could be used for a new door or hatch cover, something you could work on outside of the boat and get you away from the fibre glassing for a while.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 6,337 Mod ✭✭✭✭fergal.b


    "Worse things happen at sea" Keep the faith and your boat will be restored, or is it keep the boat and your faith will be restored.:)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Slig wrote: »
    for some reason that stupid wedding song with the lyrics "rock the boat" keeps going round my head:p, but seriously, if anything like that happens again just give me a call and I'll see about organising a forklift (or an appropriatly large chainsaw) much better than doing your back in.

    dont worry too much about structural damage, if it cant take a little roll then you'd be in trouble on rough water anyway, better to find out now (but prefferably not while in the boat). If its any consolation I think I've found some mahogony panels in the "commune" that could be used for a new door or hatch cover, something you could work on outside of the boat and get you away from the fibre glassing for a while.

    Slig, if you can ever deliver on that forklift, I need to move the boat, needs to be straightened and moved up the paddock after yesterdays events. I'd be very grateful.


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  • Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,820 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    When I saw you'd posted again, I held my breath when I clicked on the thread...!



    No chainsaw pics, whew.

    My repair job is coming on nicely. It's always the way: bad days, good days.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    oscarBravo wrote: »
    When I saw you'd posted again, I held my breath when I clicked on the thread...! No chainsaw pics, whew.

    No oscar, mind you I have been checking out Aldi's specials this coming Thursday!! The cun..eh..I mean boat; seems unharmed. Infact I was impressed at the absolute strength of it after it fell. Not a scratch afaics. All the comments coming in after my post were a bit of an aa meeting.:rolleyes: Lots of positive little wisdoms. Yeah! - they're helpful :cool: (I know, I know, and I'm grateful to all who replied)

    Spent the day rebuilding my work table. The legs and upper tabletop laminate are in bits from all the wet. So they are now replaced, re-enforced and slapped with coats of fence preservative. Just got in before the rain, the forecast is berrr-oooooo-tal!

    In the mean time I need cheering up, so I'll Soprano up into the wee small hours ands leave you with this gem



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,268 ✭✭✭✭Sleepy


    It's taken me 3 sittings just to get through this thread dnme and have to say, it's one of my favourites on boards.ie to date.

    The fact the boat took it's tumble in it's stride is a testament to the quality of the work you've done on her to-date so don't get disheartened by it: try think of it as part of the Quality Assurance phase ;)

    As someone who can only dream about such a project I've nothing to offer but encouragement: keep her going and consider firing a treatment and sample chapter to a couple of publishers. Something tells me there's a book in this.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Slig,

    Cancel that request for a forklift, I managed to straighten and move the boat tonight using the car, a trolley jack and a 12ft beam. She's back up out of that hole now, straight and a bit closer to the house:rolleyes:.

    Many thanks for the offer all the same.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Day 47

    This is not an update. It's merely a post to satisfy the do-gooders and various law enforcement agencies that the boat is indeed still alive. I have received many communique's expressing concern as to its welfare, especially considering Aldi's special offer coming up tomorrow.

    I can assure you all the boat is fine. Absolutely fine! Infact the boat is resting. I'd go so far as to say it's experiencing a new found piece. Nah there's no need for any photos ........ you trust me don't you?

    Meanwhile somewhere in dnme's brain (mouthed in a very stressed hoarse whisper)........ DIE!!! KILL!!! KILL!!! REDRUM! REDRUM! REDRUM! ....... HI HONEY I'M HOME!!!......DIE!!! DIE!!! DIE!!! RRRRREEEEEDDDDD RRRUUUUMMMMMM!!!


    Neeahh...the boats fine:rolleyes:

    ...

    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    Oh alright goddamit. But I draw the line at photographing the dam boat holding up the cover of today's Irish Times:D



    1. Look at it there:cool: Photo taken 20:00, August 24th 2011. Also note the work I have done on my table. New legs jointed into the table top, braced and preserved. Table is rock solid now. Legs sitting on grp pieces cut from the seat access panel cutouts.
    171972.jpg


    2. Straightened up and pulled about 10ft forward.
    171974.jpg


    3. Tucked in for the night. MoFo!
    171975.jpg


    4. Couldn't let you go without this. Dreaming of the day, even in a rain storm.
    171976.jpg


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  • Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭gardoyle27


    looking good mate, just for yer own sake compare these to photo's
    152681.jpg
    171974.jpg

    thats some gooooood work my friend!!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    gardoyle27 wrote: »
    looking good mate, just for yer own sake compare these to photo's
    152681.jpg
    171974.jpg

    thats some gooooood work my friend!!!


    neayesssssss! basically it's taken 4 months to do a bit of sanding. But I appreciate your effort:cool:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    ......and while we're at it

    Now that the nights are drawing in and I find myself twiddling my thumbs more and more, I have decided to throw together a boating top ten (you knew this was coming)....

    It's not easy. I challenge you to pun up boating jargon. I was going to extend the terms of reference to include fish but for now I think it best to remain focussed:cool:. So, here's my top ten, but it's always open to new chart entries. Come on, throw one or two into the hat.......you know you want to.

    More than a 'keeling' - Boston
    'Keels' Like Heaven - Fiction Factory
    Don't stop me 'bow' - Queen
    Where is the lifering I gave to Nancy Spain - Unknown
    Love me 'fender' - Elvis Presley
    Riders on the Stern - The Doors
    'Transom' Prison Blues - Johnny Cash (well I'd like to see you find a better match)
    My Girl 'Bilge' - Jim Stafford:
    'Starboard' - David Bowie
    'Hull'o - Lionel Richie


  • Registered Users Posts: 748 ✭✭✭It BeeMee


    Bilge over Troubled Waters - Simon & Garfunkel
    Lets Hear it for the Buoy - Deniece Williams
    Keeling me Softly - Roberta Flack


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    It BeeMee wrote: »
    Bilge over Troubled Waters - Simon & Garfunkel
    Lets Hear it for the Buoy - Deniece Williams
    Keeling me Softly - Roberta Flack
    :D:D:D

    Hoahhh There e is :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4 NewHope


    " Plimsoll Line " by The Electric Light Orchestra
    " The Anchor Song " Björk :confused:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,539 ✭✭✭jimmmy


    "Banana Republic" - a Boom Town Rats original sung by the talented Lads of Leisire

    "Sailing" by Rod Stewart

    "Dont forget your epoxy if you want to go to work" by Christy Moore


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,268 ✭✭✭✭Sleepy


    No need for puns:

    'Sail Away' - David Gray
    'Sailing' - Rod Stewart
    'Rock the Boat' - The Hues Corporation (had to look up the band on that one!)
    'Sloop John B' - The Beach Boys
    'The Voyage ' - Christie Moore
    'Drifting' - Jimi Hendrix
    'Into the Mystic' - Van Morrison

    Not sure if Otis Redding's 'Dock of the Bay' counts as it's more about the dock than the ships but worth a bonus point, surely? :p


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 6,337 Mod ✭✭✭✭fergal.b




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,539 ✭✭✭jimmmy


    How about writing a song, a song for the times that are in it ?

    " there I was, with nothing to do all day
    I though of fixing a boat, to go out on the bay
    No use complaining about the rain,
    The IMF and the dole, they are all a pain"


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4 NewHope


    KEMAS- row row row your boat - //www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB31YummgAI


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    neyessssss! I'm not so sure! What in gods name have I started?:D

    @Sleepy, I think the pun might be the point, as therein lies the humour. :D
    @Fergal, Who and what is that? and what is it singing? Is it a man in drag? :D:D
    @jimmmy and @Newhope, I trust you both have day jobs?:D:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,539 ✭✭✭jimmmy


    dnme wrote: »
    @jimmmy and @Newhope, I trust you both have day jobs?
    I do not know about Newhope, but I normally do work, I'm just on a few days holidays at the moment.


    dnme wrote: »
    neyessssss! I'm not so sure! What in gods name have I started?:D

    I've got a theme song for the upcoming tv documentary / book / whatever. For some reason Christry Moores "Ordinary Man" springs to mind.
    I'm an ordinary man, nothing special nothing grand
    I've had to refurbish the boat that I own
    I never asked for a lot, I was happy with what I got
    Enough to keep my car and my home

    Now they say that times are hard and the wind has dealt my cards
    They say there's not enough luck to go around
    And when the wind did blow, the boat over did go
    Tonight i'm going to cut this vessel down
    And I'll tear it d-o-w-n

    I never missed a day nor went on strike for better pay
    For twenty weeks best I could
    Now with a coffee and a mouse, it seems so easy to forget
    Loyalty through the bad times and through good

    And so condemned I stand just an ordinary man
    Like thousands beside me in the queue
    I watch my darling dog, trying to make the best of life
    And God knows what Aldi is going to do
    No more epoxy from outside the state
    I will have no boat for a mate
    And as long as I live, I never will forgive
    The wind that stripped me of my dignity and pride, it stripped mebare
    it stripped me bare, it stripped me bare



    Keep up the good work, the boat will be worth it when its finished. Leave that chainsaw you were talking about with your neighbours.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    jimmmy wrote: »
    dnme wrote: »
    neyessssss! I'm not so sure! What in gods name have I started?:D
    [ /QUOTE]

    I've got a theme song for the upcoming tv documentary / book / whatever. For some reason Christry Moores "Ordinary Man" springs to mind.
    I'm an ordinary man, nothing special nothing grand
    I've had to refurbish the boat that I own
    I never asked for a lot, I was happy with what I got
    Enough to keep my car and my home

    Now they say that times are hard and the wind has dealt my cards
    They say there's not enough luck to go around
    And when the wind did blow, the boat over did go
    Tonight i'm going to cut this vessel down
    And I'll tear it d-o-w-n

    I never missed a day nor went on strike for better pay
    For twenty weeks best I could
    Now with a coffee and a mouse, it seems so easy to forget
    Loyalty through the bad times and through good

    And so condemned I stand just an ordinary man
    Like thousands beside me in the queue
    I watch my darling dog, trying to make the best of life
    And God knows what Aldi is going to do
    No more epoxy from outside the state
    I will have no boat for a mate
    And as long as I live, I never will forgive
    The wind that stripped me of my dignity and pride, it stripped mebare
    it stripped me bare, it stripped me bare

    Keep up the good work, the boat will be worth it when its finished. Leave that chainsaw you were talking about with your neighbours.

    :D:D:D


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,142 ✭✭✭ISAW


    ValerieR wrote: »
    LOL - it does sound very much like ours. He's a black lab-collie X and his name is Casper (a real ghost !!! :p)

    p1090863-mod_400x300_9cee10cd6993fe8af3ae997e4c6cf660.jpg

    I hope the day is as nice and sunny up there as it is promised here.

    ValerieR

    I think it is very cruel to be forcing this dog to carry the top of an outboard motor round the place. I don't care what "special harness" you had made to help him carry it! The cruelty to animals people should hear of this.
    :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    This thread has gone to the dogs.:D Aaaaaannnnyway, I am working away on the money boat ands will post an update in a few days time. Hope to combine a few images and video.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Again rain halts play.
    Absolute bitch of a night out. Only one thing for it....
    172351.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Day 48

    Summer is gone; It’s a thing of the past, a distant grey damp memory. I am acutely aware of this as I struggle to get out to the boat every day. It is a constant battle against heavy showers, high winds and rapidly diminishing daylight. It’s getting to the stage now where there is almost no window of opportunity to do any significant work after tea. I am desperately dependant on September giving me some ray of hope. I need a few dry days, not to mention warmer temperatures.

    I’m working on the seating inside the cabin. I had always envisaged this being a simple job. Cut out access panels, then add new batons that doubled up as seat / lid support flanges. Well it turns out it’s a massive, difficult and complex job. I have a knack for doing things the wrong or at least the hard way, and I fear I may have struck again when it comes to these damn seats.

    The seating in the cabin has a corrugated finish on the top. I hate it, always did. It’s a nightmare to sand, strip and clean and it looks awful. So I decided to bite the bullet with it. I grinded down the corrugated surface, using the edge of “the bitch” to get into the grooves and the belt sander to remove some of the high spots. That left me with a weakened version of what was already there, stripped of all paint and gelcoat. I then mixed up a few batches of clotted cream and proceeded to fill out the old corrugation. Some of you may think this is a waste of epoxy and you may well be right but I can’t think of another way to preserve these seats and get them flat. I have also spent some time repairing old damage in the seating structure, using small pieces of woven roving glassed in on the inside and filling with clotted cream on the outside.

    Now to deal with the seat access panels. Firstly it occurs to me that I may have cut them too big but that’s another story. After cutting out the panels, I was left with old baton profiles underneath that needed to be gouged out carefully thus not damaging the seat. This proved to be one of the most dangerous jobs I have ever done. I cut out all the old stuff using the bitch, in many cases single handed and often blind, kinda hoping for the best. It would often bite into baton timber making it kick violently. I’m way too blaze with that thing. Anyway, old batons are out.

    Onward to make new batons. The plan is to cut out plywood surround batons in single pieces. These will support the old seat and provide me a 20mm lip which will support new seat lids. The plywood is measured to butt up to other existing batons under the seating. Once cut, I rounded over the inner edge with a router as this is where arms and limbs will be when in use. I then cut out some pieces of woven roving tape, wetted out all mating surfaces and glassed the tape to the baton using a staple gun to hold it on the underside and the outer edge. Then it was a matter of turning the ply assembly over, adding thin ply shims to act as standoffs and lining the surface with a bed of heavy thick clotted cream packed with glass strands. This is then offered up in under the seat access panel and held in place with pinch clamps.

    I have to tell you, all the above jobs are really tricky. I am covered in epoxy as is most of my gear. I have spent hours struggling to get in underneath those seats in seriously restricted access, trying to wetout glass cloth and trying to get it to stick upwards. It’s awful work, usually in rain and cold. It’s so cold that any epoxy I am using is not cured fully next day, still tacky and soft to the sander.
    So as you can see, I am doing these seats the hard way. In my head, when I visualised this before cutting the panels out, it all seemed so simple. Turns out, it’s very tricky and using a lot of valuable epoxy. Am I crazy, am I doing this all wrong, tell me if you think so, or if there is a more obvious or better way to do this.


    1. Video sets the scene




    2. Grinding and sanding the old corrugated grp.
    Image3.jpg



    3. After cutting out the access panels, I needed to gouge out the old batons with the grinder. Dangerous stuff!!! I’m lucky to have both hands tonight, I swear to god.
    Image2.jpg



    4. Repairing all the small damage areas in the seating. Then starting to fill the old corrugated profile with clotted cream.
    Image4.jpg



    5. After curing overnight, the old corrugated profile is filled and more or less flattened. I have also fillited the edge of the seat grp to add strength and stability.
    Img_7589.jpg



    6. Making plywood surround batons. These will sit underneath the seat protruding inwards creating a lip to support seat lids. The lids will be varnish finished 3mm ply with a layer of glass underneath.
    Image1.jpg



    7. Glassing in the plywood baton. I glass and staple 2 pieces of woven roving tape all round the underside. Then flip over, staple on standoff shims, add a bed of clotted cream. And then the fun starts. Getting down in under that seat, in the tightest spaces, hardly any access, trying to get cloth to stay up, epoxy everywhere, on everything. Cold, wet, miserable.
    Image5.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 125 ✭✭Jack_regan


    dnme wrote: »
    Day 48

    6. Making plywood surround batons. These will sit underneath the seat protruding inwards creating a lip to support seat lids. The lids will be varnish finished 3mm ply with a layer of glass underneath.
    Image1.jpg


    Glad to see you back hard at it!

    Looks good, what would you think of fixing (glue/screw) some more battens underneath the plywood batten you have already added and using the centre off cut of the 12mm plywood as part of the lid construction. i.e. glue the centre off cut of 12mm ply to the 3mm lid. It might strengthen everything up a bit. I'd say if you just lipped the four corners of the existing plywood batten with some 2 by 1 or whatever you have to hand, then the centre off cut of plywood would sit down nicely onto them, it might be necessary to support it in the middle also.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Jack_regan wrote: »
    dnme wrote: »
    Glad to see you back hard at it!

    Looks good, what would you think of fixing (glue/screw) some more battens underneath the plywood batten you have already added and using the centre off cut of the 12mm plywood as part of the lid construction. i.e. glue the centre off cut of 12mm ply to the 3mm lid. It might strengthen everything up a bit. I'd say if you just lipped the four corners of the existing plywood batten with some 2 by 1 or whatever you have to hand, then the centre off cut of plywood would sit down nicely onto them, it might be necessary to support it in the middle also.

    Good points Jack, thanks for the reply btw, tonight's post took ages (like nearly 3 hours).

    I think the lid will be pretty strong, it'll be 3mm ply with a layer of woven roving epoxied to the underside. It will be like a piece of heavy plastic, almost no bend in it at all, you would not believe the strength of epoxy/glass. If it sits too low into my recess, I'll just laminate another piece of 3mm ply to it. Bear in mind, all this will be covered by cushions when it comes to people sitting/sleeping etc.

    Now about the extra batons / corner supports underneath. You may well be right here. Tomorrow (when it's cured up) I'll know how it looks feels with regard to weight. I had to leave it this evening as I was destroyed in epoxy and was soaked, miserable.

    So, this seat assembly is the first one, a trial run. I'll learn from it and apply the lessons to the rest. But jesus what a bitch of a job. Way to complicated and epoxy thirsty I reckon. I've probably done this all wrong and am annoying the experts / purists. I'm a total novice. That's one of the main reasons for this thread...............help and advice.

    Glad you're reading, nice to hear from you.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Day 49 - A practical demonstration in Darwinism.

    I was gonna take a break from posting because the work in this update is pretty much samo samo but I feel the need to communicate, to be part of a group again, that and the fact that the past two days were gloriously mild and calm. Yesterday, I tackled the starboard cabin seat. Yeah! I learned from my mistakes the previous day on the port seat and therefore yesterday’s job went very smoothly……..you’d think so wouldn’t ya!.

    I spent yesterday over-engineering a seat support. I came up with cross battons, partial batons, joinery, clotted cream, clear epoxy, screws, bolts….jesus, you name it. The result was a mess. Every joint or screw I drove, called to me…..”undo me and use epoxy aswell, undo me! undo me”. Like an innocent naive puppy dog, I heeded those calls. I spent ages measuring timber, cutting, then over cutting and scrapping. Every time I added a new piece it affected the rest of the assembly. I offered up the assembly using a bed of clotted cream, but of course I forgot to use that same epoxy mix on the batons. This I discovered an hour into the cure up, everything had to come out, extra tacky, half way cured. Panicking, trying to mix up new batches of the mix. Then trying to wet out pieces of cloth, leave them to tack up and apply them at a later stage. At one stage I started crying, seriously! I lost it. I could not handle any more mistakes. I could not handle any more sticking to things. I looked down at my beloved tools, had them for years…now all covered in epoxy. Cordless drill, ‘the bitch’, hammer, screwdrivers etc etc. I picked up my toolbox and flung it out across the paddock. It bounced spinning violently launching 100 tools in 100 different directions. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted two walkers who had just passed by. Yes they did look back. I am gonna have to learn to calm down…people are starting to talk. As of today, I am still finding tools in the paddock.

    The above paragraph is not designed to tell you what I did, it’s just there to give you an idea of how I usually get myself into a right kerfuffle. There aint nothing slick about me or the way I do stuff. I believe the trade term is ‘fcukwit’, often prefixed with the word ‘complete’. Yesterday was painful. I made so many mistakes, I had epoxy everywhere, on everything. All my hair got covered in it. It was bad, so much so that I actually threw some acetone on my hair last night……..yeah I know!! Of course like I said, a ‘complete f’wit’. Last night I spent an age trying to untangle my hair, trying to remove balls of tack. The result was a significant loss of hair!! Something I can ill afford these days. The bit I have left will now surely die after it’s wash in “Acetone”, by Loreal…..because I’m worth it.

    This morning, I awoke with the sun. I decided to try a new approach to life. Slow down, take your time. Enjoy the day and plan sh1t!!! Yes try and plan…there’s a good lad. As I was throwing back the curtains, there up in the field was old John (next door) with their new pup Prince. Some of you may remember my referring to said pup some weeks back in a video. Anyheeew, John was moving cattle, and there was Prince beside him, for all the world looking like a fully fledged and fully trained cattle dog. He was turning cattle, nipping at their hoofs, barking, and more importantly knowing when to back off and sit low. It was an incredible sight, and what makes it more so is the fact that Prince has had no training whatsoever. Everything he knows and all his instincts are purely hardwired. There ya go you creationists…..living proof of evolution right there. Anyway…onto the boat.

    Today I started on the bow seat access panel. This one is tricky ‘cos I have no access underneath the way I did with both side seats. Also, the aperture is too big, again thanks to me! So the support assembly will have to be made in two parts, then placed in under the cutout. Then joined, epoxied and presented up to the underside for glue up. So in light of my new found profound outlook on life, I spent today taking my time, engineering a nice cut out that slots in nicely to the old existing batons in under there, and that is ready to screw together once in place. In other words….it took me an entire day to cut two pieces of plywood. But it was a glorious day, I spent it entirely out in the sun, doing a bit on the boat. Helping John move cattle. Mowing the grass. Me and Honey heading to Boyle for ‘supplies’. Yea – I had an epoxy free day.


    1. One take, come on....gimmie some credit.



    2. Prince, evolution, neural networks already hardwired. Amazing to watch this.
    Img_6897.jpg


    3. Nothing is simple with this bow seat, even trying to get a template made out of cardboard was tricky. No underside access you see…
    Img_7619.jpg


    4. Careful now
    Img_7620.jpg


    5. Had a delivery of supplies today and wanted to show you this. This is a bucket of colloidal silica. The stuff is so light, it's almost not there. This entire bucket weighs 0.25kg or 250 grams.
    Img_7623.jpg


    6. Due to the shape of the bow seat aperture and Pythagoras, this final seat assembly will have to be done in two parts.
    Img_7624.jpg


    7. Doing some dry test fits for support batons.
    Img_7630.jpg


    8. A dry test fit.
    Img_7632.jpg


    9. After a few trims here and there, we have an assembly that fits beautifully. Tomorrow I will once again return to the living hell that is - working with epoxy in tight spaces and against gravity.
    Img_7633.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,182 ✭✭✭alexlyons


    .25kg is 250 grams... :P

    sorry, i hate people like me :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    alexlyons wrote: »
    .25kg is 250 grams... :P

    sorry, i hate people like me :D

    tap...tap...tap...
    So, did ya enjoy the post?? What did ya think? interesting? boring? could you have lived without it? did it add anything to your day?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,182 ✭✭✭alexlyons


    dnme wrote: »

    tap...tap...tap...
    So, did ya enjoy the post?? What did ya think? interesting? boring? could you have lived without it? did it add anything to your day?

    A post by you on this thread always adds something to my day!

    Was interesting alright, certainly felt for you when you threw the toolbox across the paddock!

    Trying to come up with a way for you to get the epoxy off some of the more important tools...

    On a side not, I'll be joining you in the making stuff end of things, converting the shed to my woodwork "room". So I get to do manly things with wood and big power tools!!!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    alexlyons wrote: »
    A post by you on this thread always adds something to my day!

    Was interesting alright, certainly felt for you when you threw the toolbox across the paddock!

    Trying to come up with a way for you to get the epoxy off some of the more important tools...

    On a side not, I'll be joining you in the making stuff end of things, converting the shed to my woodwork "room". So I get to do manly things with wood and big power tools!!!!


    I bathed my cordless drill in acetone last night. Today, it's a dodgy colour, all the numbers are gone from the torque gauge and for a while I could not get into reverse (switch glued up). But it'll do.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    Folks, a quick note, please please please don't take this the wrong way. If you do happen to read my upjdates (and this applies to the full"day" updates only, would you mind hitting the thanks button.

    I'll tell ya why, as far as I can tell, just two people read my Day 48 update cos that's all that hit the button. I'm sure more read it but the fact that people don't consider the post worthy of a thanks, makes me feel like I'm "talkling to no one there", or at worst - I worry that people didn't feel the post was worth a mouse click.

    My day update posts, take, on average, 1.5 hours to do. I have to download and choose photos, resize them and often collage them. I then have tp upload them to photobucket. Then I have to edit video - this is a painful task. Then I have to upload video to youtube...very slow. Then I have to sit down and actually write the post. Then proof read it, then embed the photos and vids and finally post.

    A thanks sure would be appreciated, but only if you genuinely liked the post.


  • Registered Users Posts: 219 ✭✭ScabbyLeg


    I thought ya hated the thanks button :p

    But really, still reading the updates here with great enthusiasm. It must be class to feel things moving along - I know it probably seems slow, but each move you make you learn from your previous step and it really shows. I mean those plywood cutouts for Pythagoras' Bench look fcukin perfect! It's astonishing and each update makes me want to get hands on with some sort of project of my own.

    My only selfish worry is what's gonna happen when Winter kicks in and we're going to have to wait for Season 2 Episode 1 :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭dnme


    ScabbyLeg wrote: »
    I thought ya hated the thanks button :p

    you believed that tripe? :D
    I do hate the thanks button but only when it's abused on forums, by sycophants, bullies etc. and I HATE do-gooders...

    But it's a great feedback tool, and that's why I update this thread. If there's no feedback, then there's no point.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 31 big zeb


    always enjoy your posts dnme, especially when you,ve just had a wobbly seeing somebody having a worse day then me cheers me up no end, it brings the sadist in me:D I'll keep an eye out on lidl for a cheap metal detector for ya to help you find the rest of those tools;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭thehippychippy


    Hi dnme, haven't been logged on here for a while but I check your post everyday to see how your getting on and your doing great Skipper, church work as my old man would say!!! Starting back at my own boat this weekend after a great day on a friends barge on the canal, nothing like a bit of jealousy to get ya going!!! On a side note, where's the thanks button? Im reading this and typing it on my phone and only use the lap top bout once a week so haven't seen the button yet. But Thank You for your posts dnme, it's great to see you bring that old girl back to life.


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