1182 ......'Twice Shy'

that weird color change from another angle & using the light
(notice how dark the other hull's deck is in the background)

really hard to describe how the shift in your position and the light reflecting changes the decks appearance so much....

At first I was really pi$$ed at the darkness of the wood and was almost at the point where I had the primer out and was ready to color the mains green as they were..... but having walked past it 20 odd times a day I've found I actually love the effect, it constantly catches your eye. Others that have seen it have all asked how I got it to do that.....
<img src="<>/crazy.gif" alt="crazy" title="crazy" height="15" width="15" />

Tramp is back....

I had the stitching re-done, a small tear repaired, and the old under-tramp lacing eyelets replaced...... I also had the number of those eyelets doubled, this should let me get the tramp really tight now
<img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

At the Easter regatta @ Lake Bolac the rear traveller track came slightly loose in the +25knot

breeze

, I never bothered to worry about it too much at the time figuring I'd deal with it later when I had the time.

So having a bit up my sleeve I removed the track and found one stress fracture right at the point where the moving track met the immovable track.....
took it to my straight table and just as I started clamping it down I noticed I now had 2 traveller tracks
<img src="<>/shocked.gif" alt="shocked" title="shocked" height="15" width="15" />
out with the tig and bingo its a go-er again
(beautiful alloy in this bar, some of the nicest alloy to tig-weld ever <img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" /> )
( NB: note the color change in the main deck again..... <img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" /> )

The big surprise was the level of corrosion between the track and the rear beam, both have been anodised and there's remnants of a an unknown compound that looks like it was added as a sealer
The corrosion has eaten its way under the anodising on the beam but hasn't touched the track at all, the other odd thing is the fixing screws (stainless) haven't been effected and neither has the area around the screw-hole, it seems largely between the fixing screw points where the corrosion has occurred.
pics to come on that <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

Some silicans have acid in them and eat away the alloy, so that's why its a must to use marine sealants, not the normal all clear or bathroom stuff, not good for marine

Duralac! All metal bits that join on my boat have Duralac between them. IMO you can never have too much... wonderful stuff.

this is the corrosion, its mainly in the center area of the track (~400mm either side), cant find any residue from silicone or other products although there is a rubber type 'plug' where the screws were fitted, its not silicone and feels much more like sikaflex/urthane compound.
just seems odd its only around the center area of the track and not a sign of it anywhere else
<img src="<>/crazy.gif" alt="crazy" title="crazy" height="15" width="15" />

weird huh !!! <img src="<>/crazy.gif" alt="crazy" title="crazy" height="15" width="15" />

Tramp is back on now and is very tight all ready and I haven't even tensioned it up as yet.
I had to soak the tramp in a 60lit drum of hot water to get it to soften up enough to fit it to the boat, even then it took me just under 2hours to get it all into place, I'll leave the cord tensioning until mid summer, it will be one of those 40degree hot days to string it in any tighter
<img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

the learning curve continued...... <img src="<>/blush.gif" alt="blush" title="blush" height="15" width="15" />

I had the

TreadGrip

on the boat before the main deck replacement and re-painting of the fore decks, but I actually had it on the deck and the hull as well.....40mm on each so to speak.
The stuff was good on the hull but not such a brilliant idea on the decks, I also didn't take it past the rear beam and only a couple of foot past the front beam.

This time I have only applied it to the hulls side and I've gone from the transom to around the mid point of the fore deck.

I didn't run the

TreadGrip

right to the top edge either but instead dropped it down ~5mm, this way the exposed edge will hopefully be less likely to be scuffed off by the trap harness's harsh fabric..... well that's the plan anyway <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

I also narrowed down the strip of

TreadGrip

from 40mm down to 35mm.... huge weight savings right there

I'll be replacing the beam bolts next (when the order arrives or if I have to steal them from Karp) & hopefully there will be some 1 1/4

monel rivets in the bag too for the traveller bar to rear beam fixing.

Not in the above pic.... the front hatches are now in and the

TreadGrip" is dry and masking tape removed.....

Re-paint the front beam is coming up soon enough
<img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" />

about the only crappy looking part of the boat is the front beam, years of stone chips, general wear n tear, and undoutably some abuse thrown in....
its time for a clean up <img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" />

and, from this thread Beams discussion , I decided to radius the front beam, & I now know this is something that will be the first job thats happening to Karps new beams

Certainly a much user friendly finish and looks much better too, although the weight savings isn't anything to brag about <img src="<>/sick.gif" alt="sick" title="sick" height="15" width="15" />

60grit flap-disc on a 4" grinder, took all of 15mins to do the beam whilst on the boat AND with newly painted decks laying too close for comfort, once the basic shape was done I hit it with 120grit paper on the block and then 180 grit paper. the hand sanding took about the same time as the basic shaping with the grinder.
I'll block back the primer tomorrow morning and with any luck the arctic blast we're currently experiencing will have largely passed enough for the color to be applied......

color is >>>>>>>>> got any blacker, I want it to match my skull and cross-bones

<img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

add some Jet Black acrylic paint .....

remove the masking tape and paper.....

and your have pure sex..... <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

all that's left to do is re-string the tramp and kicker straps, refit the trap shock cord, and then its onto that pesky traveller beam (still waiting on bolts and rivets <img src="<>/mad.gif" alt="mad" title="mad" height="15" width="15" /> )

right..... where was I ..... <img src="<>/crazy.gif" alt="crazy" title="crazy" height="15" width="15" />

oh yeah.... the rear beam <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

As you can see in the pic the traveller track is raised at the ends to clear the bolts that hold the beam to the actual hull, simple enough I guess but other than the looks it does have one major drawback
The main sheet constantly gets hooked in the gap between the traveller rail and the beam
<img src="<>/mad.gif" alt="mad" title="mad" height="15" width="15" />

What I want is this.....

the rail flush on the beam
<img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />
just gotta trim a few things up, change the beam bolts around and then put it all together
<img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" />

the new rear beam bolt and 'washer' on the left with the old long bolt and alloy bar on the right

the nuts tig welded to a plate and slipped up the tube, bolt then screwed into place

the plie of removed stainless & alloy bits from the rear bean setup and traveller so far....

none of this stuff is going back in
(obviously the pop-rivet and drill bit on the left are not included)
<img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

the rear beam is now bolted back up and I've started working out the mods for the traveller beam....
<img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

Why the nuts inside beam, why not in hull, and bolt head in beam, the flusher you are in beam you can use the space to a spare tiller. How are you mounting on the traveler track? Hope not rivets, they don't last.

The beam is well and truly siliconed in place from way back when it was probably first assembled, so splitting the beam away from the hull really was going to be a major PITA..... and I couldn't see why I needed to disturb it.

That meant I couldn't feed the bolt through the beam and then down the hole that easily.... went with the easy option of bolt up through the timber and thread and nut in the beam.
If in the future I have to drop the beams of then yes I'd put the bolt head inside the alloy beam as you've suggested
<img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

As for the traveller track.....
I have a couple of attachment ideas

option 1
The old self tappers stainless screws held quite well over the years but they created a corrosion issue, sure that took ~30years to corrode the anodising away and a slight pitting around the screw hole so it would be safe to say that the screws would last another 10years of trouble free work.... maybe <img src="<>/confused.gif" alt="confused" title="confused" height="15" width="15" />

option 2
rivets....
<img src="<>/shocked.gif" alt="shocked" title="shocked" height="15" width="15" />

option 3
tig weld it
<img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

then the grey matter started grumbling around and I ended up with a combination that will do for the time being (read I'm low on argon gas and don't have enough left for that amount or tig work <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" /> )

So I dragged out the trusty old riveter, looked long n hard at the 30mm grip rivets I have, had a gander at the countersunk hole in the track and decided I know exactly why the rivets come loose....

lathe time <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

Obviously, one needs countersunk pop-rivets if one is going to put them in a countersunk hole because if you use pan head rivets in a countersunk hole then its only the very outer part of the rivet head that is gripping, the actual throat of the rivet is doing diddly-squat and its the throat that does the work and its there where the max strength of a rivet exists !

meanwhile back at the lathe.....
an anvil and a drift has been machined up to suit the pop-rivet, the anvil will form the underside of the pan head into a countersunk shape while the drift will be the forcing point and will also flatten the pan head out flat .....

and hey presto (actually 40mins later), countersunk 30mm pop-rivets are being fitted
<img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />
I've also put a stainless countersunk nut n bolt assembly at each end for the shock loading factor on that wild gybe <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

The track has also been rounded off on each end so its now not only sheet snaring free but far more wetsuit friendly aswell

If or when the rivets begin to loosen up then I'll just save time.... clamp it down and tig it in place
<img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" />

why not the option of drill and tap 5mm metal threads? I have used pop rivets in the past and have torn the whole track off and that was MK1,. I hate to see 2 up cos that's a lot of force.
Self tapers should not be used in metal or in the marine trade. They are not reliable. the heads break off and when you want to take them out the will break and you have to drill the out making a bigger hole. I deal with this crap everyday day.

It would be way better, cheaper and quicker to just bolt them down with a nut and washer on the inside of the beam. I did two Mozzy traveller tracks a couple of years ago and they took about 30 minutes once I had the spanner taped at the right angle on the stick.

It is an over kill for nuts in beam but for extra safety

couple of reasons....

1/ don't have the countersunk 'bolts' on hand

2/ don't have a 'tap' that small, the smallest taps I have is 8mm or 5/16th Whitworth.... = overkill <img src="<>/eek.gif" alt="eek" title="eek" height="15" width="15" />

agree on the self tappers, the odd one is after all the years the track has been screwed to beam only 3 have broken.... the 3 that actually bent and subsequently cracked the track.
All the other self tappers were in good condition and came out without any major dramas or effort although there is some corrosion of the alloy adjacent to the holes in the beam.

At the moment as far as the rivets go, I'm happy to do the try it and see how she goes. And as I've said I think most of the issues with the rivets is a pan head in a countersunk hole..... time will tell
<img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

Jurassic Karp has that exact system...... and when I looked at it I thought .....
wow !!! someone had a heap of time and perseverance to play with, ... that's gunna be bytch to replace <img src="<>/shocked.gif" alt="shocked" title="shocked" height="15" width="15" /> <img src="<>/mad.gif" alt="mad" title="mad" height="15" width="15" /> <img src="<>/shocked.gif" alt="shocked" title="shocked" height="15" width="15" />

and with a new front and rear beam sitting there all wrapped in plastic awaiting to be setup, I guess I'll find out just how ugly a job it might be
<img src="<>/sick.gif" alt="sick" title="sick" height="15" width="15" />

first job => uninstall the track from the old beam
2nd job => fit track to new beam

I hope your right..... 30 mins each way sounds good
<img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

end result....

Seems everything is shipshape and ready to go tomorrow <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

better do a final check..... <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

Ever have one of those days when no matter what or how you do something it gets fugly in around 2.3 billiseconds, yep I was having one
<img src="<>/cry.gif" alt="cry" title="cry" height="15" width="15" />

First up
the boat is NOT a work bench, but apparently son number 2 thinks otherwise, and there is junk everywhere from his last ellevenity billion projects.....
mutter mutter mutter <img src="<>/mad.gif" alt="mad" title="mad" height="15" width="15" />
2 hours wasted cleaning up after him <img src="<>/frown.gif" alt="frown" title="frown" height="15" width="15" />

Next was to check the gear in the sail box, all that stuff I'd put in there shortly after the sail box was constructed, and promptly forgotten all about
<img src="<>/blush.gif" alt="blush" title="blush" height="15" width="15" />

1st up was the traveller rope, don't remember why or how it ended up in there .....ahhhh yeah... its shot and needs replacing, kewl, I can do that !!!
IF I COULD FIND THE SPARE ROPE I HAD..... <img src="<>/mad.gif" alt="mad" title="mad" height="15" width="15" /> ...
20mins later and son number 4 comes in the shed with the now not so new rope

eies did neebs it poor da ubby-ouse wadder

What else did you need for the cubby-house ladder ??
errrr, bats orl

so the now mud covered rope gets washed and the myriad of 4yearolds knots are un-done and its finally fitted
<img src="<>/tired.gif" alt="tired" title="tired" height="15" width="15" />

Next was the rudder's and cases....
oh yeah, that crack that I'd completely forgotten all about, and the fibreglass hold down rods that are shattered.
mmmm my usual trick of slipping some heat shrink tube over it goes straight out the door.... Son 1 has helped himself to my supply for his amp install in his car...
better glass in some new rods then, thankfully I'd hidden them well so it was going to be an easy fix
<img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />
Right about then I started thinking (dangerous thing to do at the last minute I've since been reminded), if I cut that off, change that, tig that to that & that bit to those bits, pop em in the lathe, and rivet the left one on the right side and the right side onto the left.... 5hours later and I have an entirely new rudder lock down system
<img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />
and the new rods have also been resined in, tomorrow we test it <img src="<>/crazy.gif" alt="crazy" title="crazy" height="15" width="15" />
mental note to self -> take the tools you might need to fine tune it -> if it works <img src="<>/laugh.gif" alt="laugh" title="laugh" height="15" width="15" /> IE: zip-ties and grey tape if it doesn't <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

ok, better have a look at the cracked rudder....
and an hour later its been fixed and the resin has started to cure nicely (yep one HOT mix = running out of time here fast)

sweet
jut one more quick check

ummm where's the ockey-cord for the trap ????
& more importantly, why isn't it where I put it <img src="<>/eek.gif" alt="eek" title="eek" height="15" width="15" />

more time spent (wasted) on searching for nothing, its not here !
anger management time => one STRONG coffee (and watch a bit of Bathurst car racing.... except the TV decides that for reasons known only to it that the channel the racing is on has a bad signal and the picture that is there is pixilated and constantly freezing.... commentary is good tho, if only I could see what they are talking about
<img src="<>/mad.gif" alt="mad" title="mad" height="15" width="15" />

As it turns out the break was just what I needed and on my stroll back to the shed I spot the ockey-cord... not where I would have put it and certainly NOT there when I went for a coffee
&
its now in 2 pieces <img src="<>/mad.gif" alt="mad" title="mad" height="15" width="15" />
Son 3 wanders in and asks if I'd found the cordy stuff , yep he's guilty as
<img src="<>/smirk.gif" alt="smirk" title="smirk" height="15" width="15" />

Hunt through Karp's spares box and sadly I'm cutting up Karps new ocky-cord, atleast son 3 didn't loose the plastic snap hooks, and so now we have a trap again.

Right... the final final over it final check <img src="<>/mad.gif" alt="mad" title="mad" height="15" width="15" />

in 12 hours time we'll be on the water

hopefully

<img src="<>/blush.gif" alt="blush" title="blush" height="15" width="15" />

& I'll do some pics later
<img src="<>/tired.gif" alt="tired" title="tired" height="15" width="15" />

Hey presto <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

As you can see I've made a LOT of changes over the old system I had <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

rudder locked down....

and with the rudder up

The best part is they now self release when they are put under a reasonable load, a screaming broard reach wasn't enough to 'pop' the release yesterday but each time I came into the beach and as soon as the bottom lurked near the bottom they popped out instantly
I had every intention of this mod way back when I'd finished the first trial set that did a heavy half season workout, they did lock down well and wold come up to just past 45degrees which was usually enough to send the seaweed off down and away .... Problem was, as I found the hard way, the seaweed clumps that built up on the centre board and then get released by the crew would smash into the rudder with such force it often just shattered the fibreglass rods, then as you grabbed the lockdown to release it so the weed cold be freed yo got stabbed y the shards of splintered glass
<img src="<>/cry.gif" alt="cry" title="cry" height="15" width="15" />
so a better system HAD to happen
<img src="<>/cool.gif" alt="cool" title="cool" height="15" width="15" />

and for the really observant, something major is missing in one of the pics

<img src="<>/smirk.gif" alt="smirk" title="smirk" height="15" width="15" />

During the 3rd race I may have hit the Loch Ness Monster....
Around the mark, out on the trap, reef the main in a bit ....
and suddenly the boat stops dead (I kept goin tho = OUCH !!)
collected the shroud and god only knows what else as I flew around the deck, various bruises and bits of blood from unknown boat parts
then just as sudden as it happened we were going again...

then the stb rudder ) 'pops'
<img src="<>/crazy.gif" alt="crazy" title="crazy" height="15" width="15" />

lay off the main and the wind, let the traveller right off....

pull the stb centreboard ..... nothing wrong there... arm into the water and 'feel' the case slot... all good <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />

better just check the port side....

port centreboard <img src="<>/eek.gif" alt="eek" title="eek" height="15" width="15" />

afternoon tea time and I now have time (and land) to do a full check.....
other than the centreboard..... everything is sweet

Well it is fixed.... or should I say.... was !!! <img src="<>/shocked.gif" alt="shocked" title="shocked" height="15" width="15" />

Final sprint race for the day..... one leg to do....& I'm catchin Al <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />
and for no reason at all the stb rudder lets go

I think whats happened is I've struck some submerged object and the port centreboard has copped it big time, as I've done the 2.5 barrel twists in the pike position on the trap the boat has moved to the lee and that hidden object has pinged the stb rudder, the full failure was going to happen and as it was I atleast got another 1 and a half races out of it <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

So....

who's got a spare pair they are willing to donate
<img src="<>/blush.gif" alt="blush" title="blush" height="15" width="15" />