Bay View

Another day, another trip. I'm off to Chicago for a bagpipe competition in about an hour, but am aiming to come back late Saturday (tomorrow) night. That means I'll miss the post-event festivities, but I've been away a lot lately, and I just want to be home with the wife and puppies and boat. Sort of in that order. I'll be at the Apostles on a charter next weekend so that's 3 weekends in a row I won't be home. It's nice to be busy but not this busy.

I did manage to do another bay in the meantime, and prepped another. Prepping is really what's taking all the time. Step one: pull out all the wires. Two: sand down the globs of epoxy that were the original tack welds. Three: mix up some new epoxy and lay it in carefully. It doesn't sound like a lot, but each nook and cranny takes 5-10 minutes and there are, I don't know, 100 nooks and crannies. The wood under the limber holes needs epoxy and a fillet. And that needs to cure. And then needs to be sanded. It's all a time suck, really, and I can't wait to get back to boatbuilding instead of this ongoing chemical romance. That of course doesn't include laying out the 'glass. The upside is I'm getting better at this so by the time I reach the bow, I'll be truly an expert.

One technique I've utilized with some success is to sand or chisel down the really big globs that were the tack welds, apply the fillet, and then pour in some mildly thickened epoxy. Some of the tack welds, because of the way I had to hang over the side panels and stretch into the boat are, let's say, imperfect. A fatty fillet goes over these which is then allowed to cure. After a couple hours, I'm able to poke around with some denatured alcohol to smooth the fillet. Even with that, inevitably, there are peaks and valleys in the fillet which also need to be sanded and chiseled down. The remaining fillet should be smooth as butter to provide a surface on which to lay the 'glass. In some areas, like around the keelson, they're not exactly butter.

Thinking back to high school science class, I remembered that water will seek its own level. This explains why it runs off the table and onto the floor and doesn't shoot to the ceiling. It's also the rationale behind cool new liquid telescope mirrors which are basically large vats of liquid mercury. What I did here was mix up and then pour some mildly thickened epoxy to smooth it out. The slightly thickened epoxy fills the gaps and valleys so that the end result is a smooth(er) surface on which to lay the 'glass. This is working pretty well, as the photos below demonstrate. Perhaps it goes without saying, but this won't work on vertical fillets, so please no angry emails when you tried this on the ceiling and epoxy'd your eyes shut.

Tack welds forward of floor 4. It's a mess.

Between 4 and 5, with slightly thickened epoxy used to smooth it out. This looked a lot like the one above.

I've also been busy getting the electronics as I'll soon need to build the dashboard, fish the wires, and build the speaker boxes. I want to do this before I put the floors down so that I know it'll fit and which floors I'll build to be lifts. I have my eye on a Lowrance fishfinder/GPS that's about to go on an incredible sale at the Marine store, so that means I'll be putting a hole in the hull - on purpose.

I also plan to run a couple speakers aft to the cockpit, in the side panel storage lockers. The smallest, reasonable value, waterproof speakers I could find are 4" Pyramids. The plan is to build a small speaker box in that side locker to act as a frame. I thought about installing the speakers right into the seatback frame, but I don't want to mess too much with a structural part of the boat. So if I need to pull these out or whatever, I'll have relatively easy access. This little panel will also have a 12v cigarette lighter (not for cigarettes) but as a power source for cockpit electronics. Finally, I want to run a LED strip in there for night sailing and cockpit lighting. Obviously, this will reduce the storage volume in that area, but the benefits far outweigh the costs.

Speakers for the install at the staging area. Also in view is a sushi kit.

The receiver itself is on backorder. Once I get that, I'll dummy up the electronics panel and see where that gets me. Few other times in this boat's life will it be this easy to install stuff, so I plan to take full advantage of that.

With that, I'm packed and off to Chicago.

The Opposite of Congress

Old joke, I know, but relevant. I'm making slow progress on the build and can actually see a very small, very dim light at the end of the 'glassing tunnel. Slowly, I'm pulling out the wires as I go, the very wires that I took so much care installing not that long ago. I'm working aft-forward, one bay at a time, and each bay is taking about a day. Even though the upcoming bays are smaller, they're not necessarily easier, as they have tricky corners and need a full fatty fillet before they can be 'glassed.

To make things easier, I cut away part of the craziness that is bulkhead 7 to apply the fillet, then cut the rest of it away once that fillet cured. This fillet, by the way, is highly visible in the cabin, and is the one I'll literally be resting my head against, so I wanted it to be as perfect as I could make it. Once that fillet cured, I cut the rest of bulkhead 7 away. Otherwise, there wasn't going to be an easy way to 'glass between bulkheads 7 and 8. I then measured out and cut the 'glass for this area. It turns out to be about 40x36.

Cutting away part of bulkhead 7 to make room for the side / bilge panel fillet.

Bulkhead 7 fully cut away and port 'glass gets sized up. Note the overlap on the keel and between floors 7 and 6 (forward).

Starboard side goes down after a couple hours break. It was still tacky to touch so went on nicely. Once again, overlapped the keelson and a few inches forward. I also threw down a strip of extra 'glass on the keelson for good measure for 3 layers on the keelson.

While the 'glass here went on without much of a problem, I found two problems at this stage of the build. The first is the cleats that were installed on the workbench a couple months ago are now completely in the way of a proper 'glassing job. Fiberglass needs to come up off the bilge panel (the lowest panel of the hull) and up a couple inches along the face of the floor board for strength. But with the cleat in the way, this isn't really possible. Chris mentioned this to me way back when but I didn't really fully appreciate the problem until my arms and legs were dangling in the hull trying to get that last half inch of 'glass to stick to the floor board side under the cleat.
 

'glass riding up the aft face of floor 7.

After epoxy at bulkhead 7. There's actually almost two full layers of 'glass here so while there's some bubbles, it should be pretty strong.

The second issue is that the floor boards themselves block easy access to the keelson/centerboard trunk joint. The manual doesn't call for the keelson to be epoxy'd, but this is in fact the base of the bilge. Meaning, it's going to be one of the wettest spots on the boat as water will collect down there. Another wet scenario is me spilling a can of coke or glass of wine. Or a beer, or maybe some scotch. I prefer McCallan 12; that's a good draw. Not a lot of peat and just the right amount of smoke... where was I... oh yeah, PocketShip doesn't have a bilge drain so water gets out of there either through evaporation, a bilge pump, or,  in the case of scotch, a straw. I'm not sure why the manual doesn't call for epoxy here but it sure could've used it.

Un-epoxied, un-filletted area between centerboard trunk and keelson. This could be bad news!

So, instead of applying and sanding epoxy to the keelson on a nice flat surface like a garage floor, I need to apply epoxy with my fingertips just to be sure water gremlins don't sneak between the keelson and the centerboard trunk. I haven't seen this problem mentioned in other blogs so I'm guessing I did something wrong.

Epoxy'd the area above. Will add a second layer after this cures a bit, then a small fillet on top.

For new builders out there, here's what I'd recommend: First, apply two coats of epoxy to the keelson before screwing it down onto the centerboard trunk. Sand this smooth like always. After screwing the keelson down, apply thin tack welds at the centerboard trunk/keelson joint. What you've done here is waterproof the keelson and the joint ahead of time vs. trying to do it once everything's already installed. Once that's cured, go ahead and wire as normal. I have to admit I'm a little concerned about the water down there so I plan to epoxy the whole keelson before continuing with the 'glass in the bays.

If one is feeling particularly industrious, apply the cleats after the floors get installed and 'glassed. It will take some measuring and beveling but it will save a lot of fiberglass headache later. More importantly, it will make a stronger joint. An easy way to make it, well, easier, would be to craft cardboard patterns from the actual floors so you can build the cleats to spec on the workbench for later installation. The larger bulkheads don't need full patterns, just the bottom 1/3 or so to make the cleat. Top side cleats like those found on bulkheads 1 and 2 can go on as instructed in the manual. It's really the cleats that serve as the support for the cabin sole that are trouble.

Once my grumbling was over, the 'glass here turned out OK. I'm a little worried about the way it's interacting with bulkhead 7 but not much I can do. Some of the issue is due to the limber holes that need to be drilled back out, so that will be fixed. Otherwise, I'm hoping that since the 'glass basically rides up the entire face twice, it'll retain some strength, but I'm aware of the bubbles at the base of it. The keelson itself and aft to bulkhead 8 are good, as is the rise up the side panels. It'll be plenty strong, just not perfect, and that's what I'm aiming for. It is cool, though, to see the keelson puzzle joint shine through here. I glued the keelson together at my front door and then it sat in the sun room for a couple weeks waiting for the right moment. It's now a permanent part of the boat.

Finished bay #2 (between bulkheads 7 and 8). Needs second coat, though.

So, two bays down and what feels like a million to go.

PocketShip for Sale

Now that my travels are done, at least until next week, I got back on the horse (helm?) and worked on the boat. In between bouts of sanding, I began thinking about Dave, the Father of the PocketShip blog. Dave built the first private PocketShip, So True, in a few months in 2009 and launched in the fall of that year. He had John C. Harris, CEO of CLC, as a reader and was an inspiration to dozens of builders and thousands of dreamers.

Skipper Dave and So True

Many of us who have built or are building PocketShip have read his blog end to end and over and around again. He's directly responsible for at least a dozen kit orders, I'm sure, though I doubt if CLC ever tossed him any royalties. His influential statement that, paraphrasing, you can't say you built a boat if you didn't cut the wood yourself sent the stock of plywood stock up and up. (Devil's Advocate: Where does such a corollary stop? If a kit doesn't count, do plans? Power tools? A slippery slope, that is.)

I recently learned that Dave is selling his PocketShip and that disturbs me on many levels. I've only just begun but I can appreciate the work that goes into building such a boat. My knuckles hurt from sanding epoxy and my spare bedroom is nearly full with standby materials. But it's the emotional journey that has affected me most. It's a thing in the garage that I tend to, care for, nurture, nuance, and coddle. So the idea of finishing a year or so from now and selling it made me all sorts of sad.

He's got good reasons: Winnipeg sucks for weather; he will live with his son in Australia; he prefers cooking to Captaining. Fair enough. But you have to wonder why go through all the trouble and expense and writing if you were just gonna go and sell it? As I said in the thread above, all things shall pass, though I never thought so soon. Clear skies and fair winds, Captain Dave.

With that, my emotional journey took a turn for the worse over the last few days. I've been dreading sanding down my fillets and tack welds. It just isn't fun and it's pushed the build out until 2015 at least. I finally sucked it up and got into it since getting back from DC. I figured I'd finish the transom, so I laid down the best fillets I could, then 'glassed the area. Although bulkheads 1-6 still have tack welds in them, and 7-8 have fillets, I'll have a 'glassed and finished transom. Mentally, for me, that works better than staring at a big project. It took about 2 hours to sand down the fillets so the 'glass could lay flat. I can't wait for the bow....

I took pictures throughout the process but didn't realize I didn't have a memory card in the camera, so everything I took went into the electronic ether. They were awesome shots of my frogtape, me peeling the frog tape, a dowel + 80 grit sandpaper, and some new stuff that arrived in the mail. Alas, before I realized what the world would be missing, I was ready to sand and lay out the 'glass.

Measured transom area for 'glass. Homemade fillet tools lie about.

Corner cured after some denatured alcohol applied.

Keelson fillets before sanding down.

Keelson fillets post-sanding.

The 'glass itself was cut 36x36, leaving extra for a full overlap of the keelson and then up all sides between 3-5 inches. I wasn't picky about how high this went, as long as it was up at least 3 inches.

All transom fillets sanded and waiting for 'glass.

It took about 25 pumps to fully wet out the area. Though that seems like a lot, it's a full 9 square feet of area that needs a little extra to ride up along the sides. Still, it took a lot of care and fingerwork to get every last bubble out and for the 'glass to lie flat against the fillets themselves. I understand that this can go a little easier if the 'glass is applied when the fillets are still wet. That makes sense, but unfortunately I don't have the luxury of being able to do that right now.

The second side (in this case, starboard) went down easier than the first, as always. I cut darts in each corner but also a couple about a foot apart along the transom and bulkhead 8. I found with the port 'glass that it wanted to wrinkle a bit. Cutting a couple extra darts helped ease out the wrinkles. This took about 20 pumps to wet out mostly because the middle area overlapping the keelson was still damp so I could use that to wet that area.

Port 'glass down; starboard laid out.

With my vertical wet work improving, I laid down a strip of 'glass at the side panel-transom joints. This was mostly because I mixed too much epoxy and it was either watch a few pumps harden in my Dixie cup or maybe I could actually use it for something. Whether or not it's needed, who knows, but the scenario of an engine pulling the boat in reverse and separating at this joint just got a little less likely. With that curing, I opened up some of the goodies I got while I was away this weekend.

Strip of 'glass at the transom-side panel joint. Can't hurt.

I opened this post with lamenting about Dave. Another astounding thing about his build is, because he was the first, he did not have the luxury of other people's learning curves. He pretty much built it as presented, whereas I completely stole (and will continue to steal) ideas from other builders. That's just the way these things work. To that end, I ordered the same bilge pump, solar panels, and controller that Sean did (Hi, Sean). I got the battery box idea from Jimmy V. I'm looking at bas relief art for the bow courtesy of the newest PocketShip in the fleet, in Wisconsin. Chris' propane motor is the likely winner. I'm not sure there's anything I can borrow from Pete's Tattoo because I'm just not that smart.

PowerUp-BSP-1012LSS. Two of them from Ecodirect.

Battery cables, solar controller, battery switch. Getting closer to putting this stuff in.

I hope I can present some ideas here that other people might want to try. I have some thoughts on a footrest grate that could double as a table while underway. There are some cabin thoughts that could work well for cruising. But those things are a long way off. For now, I have my transom curing and I'll continue to sand tomorrow. Small steps forward.

Winds of Change

A little known fact about this blog is that it actually started as I began the process to become a Foreign Service Officer three years ago. That process ended almost as soon as it began. I passed the written test but did not get past the Qualifications Evaluation Panel (the "QEP," or, what I did on my summer vacation) a couple months later. The exam can only be taken once per year and not passing during any stage means going right back to the beginning. In between attempts, I've simply gone on with my life, such as, I don't know, ordering $3,000 worth of wood and glue. They say that the Foreign Service should be a Plan B at best, and likely a Plan C, because 20,000 people start and only about 300 finish. That's a lot of disappointment.

The Black passport. It goes with everything.

However, I am pleased to report that I am one of the 300. I passed the Oral Assessment in DC last Friday to receive a Conditional Offer of Employment with the U.S. State Department, pending medical and security clearances (med/sec). I also scored high enough that it's very likely that if I pass med/sec I'll be invited pretty quickly. It's been a long haul though not necessarily an unpleasant one. I got two trips to DC out of it and learned more about myself and my country than I ever thought possible.

For anyone curious, here's what trying to get into the State Department looks like to date:

• October 2010 - Took FS exam #1. Passed.
• November 2010 - Submitted short essays for QEP.
• January 2011 - Did not pass QEP #1. End candidacy.
• October 2011 - Took FS exam #2. Passed.
• November 2011 - Submitted short essays for QEP.
• January 2012 - Passed QEP #2. Invited to take OA.
• June 2012 - Failed OA #1. End candidacy.
• October 2012 - Took FS exam #3. Passed.
• November 2012 - Submitted short essays for QEP.
• January 2013 - Passed QEP #3. Invited to OA.
• May 2013 - Passed OA #2. Begin security and medical clearance.

I've already been contacted by Diplomatic Security (DS) so it's just a matter of time before all my followers and heavy readers get a call from them, too. That's your warning to drop now. I guess that also means I should finish up the boat, because I can't take it with me (unless maybe I post to Ottowa or DC?) The only thing I know for sure, if I make it to post, is I'll serve anywhere in the world the U.S. has a mission. I'd like it to be somewhere near water, of course. Kolonia, Micronesia, is a leading candidate.

Kolonia, Micronesia. Just have to sail there first.

Baghdad is more likely. I hear the chicken wings are worth fighting for.

So, that's what I've been up the last few days. Yeah, there's been a little boatbuilding: I'm just about done pulling the wires out (more on that in a later post) and I've got some fillet tape down for the transom. But all this travel sure cuts into quality boat time. Winds of change are on the horizon. There's not much I can do about it. And I wouldn't have it any other way.