Baby Got Back - Prepping the Transom

Over the last few days, I've managed to firmly and permanently secure most of the sole to the floors and cleats in order to prepare for the cockpit decking.  I say "most" because I'm about 80% done and stuck.  When I first shaped the planks that would become the sole, I started portside and worked my way inside, then out to starboard.  That meant by the time I got to the starboard planks, I was fairly well versed in the machinations of floorboard fitting.  (Aside from sanding fillets, this was the least fun part of the project thus far.)

Fast forward six months:  I began installing the sole on the starboard side first, only because my step ladder was on that side.  Most pieces slid in easily and the pre-drilled holes securely held their shapes.  I was dutifully impressed with my work because there no were squeaks and, for the most part, everything lined up well, even the lift outs which I built a little blind.  As I started prepping the planks for the last three outboard slats portside, things didn't seem quite as good.  There was a raised area where there shouldn't be and one board wouldn't stay screwed down as the pilot hole was too big for the screw.

Scratching my head, I wondered what the heck happened.  How did starboard go down so well and port did not?  And then I realized that the portside planks were the ones I did first.  They were part of the initial learning curve, and suffered for it.  I'll need to pull them out, reshape some, varnish others, and fill the current pilot holes with epoxy before trying again.  The joys of boatbuilding.

Rather than do that, I took a pause and prepared for the Super Bowl.  While the game was a bust, these were a hit, courtesy of a friend's wife, a professional baker.

These were seriously good.

I contributed these: blueberry pecan banana quick bread.

These were a hit, too.

And all the while, tried to avoid looking outside. Yes, that's about 18 inches of snow on my patio.

I don't know why I even have the window shades up.

Work got the best of me over the last couple days, but I did find time tonight with my wife at a work outing.  She's at a Minnesota Wild hockey game, luxury box seats.  She doesn't even like hockey.  How's that for fair?

With the plank-work set aside for now, the first thing I had to do was empty the transom of its assorted junk.  Thirty minutes later, I finally ran the aft wiring through the vinyl tubing.  The tubing will act as a conduit and protect the wires from any water that weasels its way into the transom. Supposedly, this will work in watery environments from -40 to 140 degrees. I then lathered on enough silicon to create a lifeform, then secured it with a stainless steel band.

I also decided tonight that I will add a bilge pump back here. I see no reason why not: it's the wettest reported area in the boat, and anything I can do to keep water away from the thru-hull and the wires will go a long way towards the life of the build. I'll put the same one in I have in the cabin and run it out through the same hole in the footwell side. I didn't plan to put one here from the outset so I don't have a proper hotwire. I think I can use the green one I'd set aside for the horn as the hotwire as both the horn and the bilge pump should be 'always on.' That could be fun in the marina if I get a short in this circuit.

Wires run through the conduit. It was a bear to get this through but eventually did it.

Close up of thru-hull at BH-8. The left is the bilge pump drain. I'll be putting another bilge pump back here.

I pulled the battery from the bedroom and tested the wires as they ran from the forward locker to the transom. All of the wires work, I'm pleased to report. However, as I was taking this photo, I realized a mistake.  I needed to pull one of the speaker wires through about 3 feet more than the other to reach the far speaker. With all the friction in there, these wires aren't going anywhere, so I'll need to make a couple butt joints and wire the speaker the hard way. No fun.

I then routed through small vinyl tubes which will carry wires aft from the cabin. To do so, I drilled a path through the corners of bulkheads 7 and 8. These will run just under the support cleats and will each carry one wire. The tube acts as a mini conduit for protection and allows me to seal up the drilled holes yet still have access to run a new wire if necessary. Practically, I can now run wires to and from the cabin without messing with the wires under the sole. The plan is these will power the cabin LED strip lights mounted underneath, but can be used for anything.  With the cabin deck down and the tubes secured up against the cleat, they're not noticeable.

Small hole drilled at corner of bulkhead 7 to support the vinyl tubing. This will be filled with epoxy. The wires are test wires and will be removed.

The tubing runs along the cleat now but will be secured against it soon. I haven't decided how long a LED strip I want to run back here.

Another hole at the corner of bulkhead 8 into the laz area. This will allow me to run wires easily fore-and-aft if necessary.

Soon I'll be building the speaker boxes and installing the bus bars. Little random globs of epoxy need to go where the wood got exposed here and there, and I need to finalize the planks on the sole before securing it down. The upside is everything looks really good as I'm taking my time through this part of the build. Once the decking goes down, that's it. I'll be too preoccupied with the portlights to care..