Feb and part of March update daggerboard and holder, windvane mount

once again lots has been happening, the daggerboard and holders were constructed using pieces of G11 /FR4 epoxy plate and lots of layers of Quadriaxial 650gm glass , these are super strong and fit like a glove, and are currently painted, the windvane mount  and tower has been constructed and painted and lots of other fiddly things have been completed, dyneema splicing, mast work etc etc, but that is for another update.

thin carpeting glued to inside of fin holder

glued in carpeting

G11 / FR4 epoxy glass laminate ready for glueing 

bigger fillets and lots of 650gm quadriaxial glass

ply gussets added that were also glassed over see above pic

the daggerboard mounts are super strong, so I made
large tops to the daggerboards that can double as a step

the wood strips on the trailing edge is to protect the trailing edge from any bungee abrasion

windvane turret strengthening

the daggerboards and windvane mount was designed so that the daggerboards can be cleated to the windvane mount

held on with 2x10mm bolts and 4x 6mm wichard stainless steel eye bolts,into the previously strengthened transom so more than equal to the specced 4x 10mm bolts

made the extra washboards for sailing when you dont want the hatch closed

fairleads

Ventilator upstand, it has a o ring screw close cover inside the boat 

ventilator baffle

 The Keel

The keel was professionally welded and Zinc Coated By Joao and Vera from Serralharia Central Horta - two of the most caring, organized, professionals, they even took photos of the whole process, which I forgot to ask them to do.

Thank you!

Working on all the small details, watertight seals, deck layout, and Hard Dodger version 3.0 or 4.0 but most probably version 4.9.7.3. and making dyneema things - update from the last weeks

First up the hard dodger has gone through its last upgrade and suprisingly there was only a small amount of waste from the previous designs. It has evolved to be a hatch garage, with built in laminated handholds on the back edge, a mini Imoca (haha) type "piano" (haha) where reefing lines come back to the cockpit, 4 extra cleats and I have added 2 extra handholds to make it easier to always have a handhold in reach when going forward( there was a spot ehere there was a handhold lacking on the centreline. It will also be the forward edge of the fold away soft dodger made from sunbrella canvas (if I can source it), with a stainless frame that folds forward to the aft edge of the hard dodger. I am waiting on the stainless folding dodger hinges to be shipped.These will mount to the tabs of the hard dodger that touch the cockpit seats and will also hold the sides of the hard dodger to the cockpit seats. The front of the dodger will be held to the deck with a 10mm stainless u bolt for fastening tethers to, and also some other fasteners.  A lot of thought has gone into this dodger so I hope it fulfills all the multifunctions I have assigned it. Time will tell.

the previous version functioned well as a dodger and hatch garage, but it always worried me that there was a lot of windage and the dodger part was not fulfilling its full potential.

 so here are the pics of the Mega-function version 4.9.7.3

working out sheeting angles and placement of the 3d sheet lead system

front 3/4 view

Side view

FR4 and quadriaxial glass has arrived

I have started on the dyneema splicing -  first 2 of the final 6 done,
each low friction ring has a double locked brummel eye splice to make the loop, lots of soft shackles to be made as well. By the time the synthetic rigging gets made I will be a master dyneema splicer

all mast parts are finished

all the watertight hatches have had gaskets and fastenings added

and the windvane self steering is in progress, and lots of other things that I have forgotten about have also been finished, all for another update