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

 NMEA connections and the low power interior lights

Just some futher pictures from the last few weeks

all the NMEA connections are contained in a water resistant box, I have made access to all the wiring as super accessible as possible to enable troubleshooting and any needed repairs to be carried out quickly and simply, the fuse box has a flip open door that allows easy access to all fuses and connections  and the AIS GPS Chartplotter and VHF-GPS interface Electronics connections are all in the grey plastic box.

I have opted to go with stand alone AIS as it offers better redundancy than an all in one unit -IMHO

and here is my DIY low power 60mA  -  0.06A  lighting system inside the boat
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 I am very happy with it -  there is a red version and a white version, that can be switched between each other using a ON OFF ON toggle switch - on the power/fuse box.

I also have a really bright LED dome light  on its own toggle switch for the main cabin as an option,though this uses significantly more power, and there is also another option of medium power draw lights in the bow cargo compartment and under the cockpit seats - and of course also a backup headtorch

and here is Toblerone in all his wide angle beauty

  

 The Zenbivy bed, 

a genius sleeping system, that is like sleeping in a bed

I like to select products that are very smart and are challenging the norms, are good value, use quality materials and are great to colab with.

This is a sleeping system designed for camping and the outdoors but there is another application where I think it excels.

Zenbivy manufacture a genius sleep system that is perfect IMHO for boats

it is warm, draft free, eliminates constriction, the synthetic fill is good in case it gets wet,(also available in Down filling) it is comfortable and most like sleeping in a bed and not a bag, and it has features that enable you to get out of it in an instant, when you need to check something, reset a sail, check an ais alarm or anchor drag alarm etc.

The quality is phenomenal, the idea is brilliant, the company is innovative and I hope that more sailors get to experience this superb piece of kit.

Here is a link to my youtube video on the zenbivy bed and please take the time to look on youtube  - there are more videos that showcase this ingenious product,

please click to view below

and please visit them at www.zenbivy.eu

the sheet with a quilted hood fitted onto an inflatable mattress

super soft super quality

It has its own stuff sack to store it away when needed