JEM Watercraft

Well let me give out a bit of advice to those newish builders.

Once you've read the instructions several times re read them and then find every single thread on this forum for your model of craft.

And only then progress.

I just wish I'd read Hairy's thread when he got to the deck of his south wind, even the 15 foot version the deck (whilst in half) is a complete pain in the bum (maybe 'cause I have no mates and have to work by myself). There is two substantial ens with a skinny side deck and it waves and wobbles (and if you're unlucky breaks ) but then I only glassed one side of the joints...

So not quite sure where I'm going with this bit so I'll think about it for a day or so...

Tor

So not quite sure where I'm going with this bit so I'll think about it for a day or so...

Wise words mate. When something goes wrong, think on it a while and the answer WILL COME

Been known to break a panel or two myownself from time to time. A real PITA but it can be fixed mate. I broke my deck in Okwata the same way. Probably in the same place, at the cockpit side. I put the deck on anyway and clamped a backing plate under the break. (will never be seen except by me)

I think the deck in two halves is a better option for we solo builders.

Tor wrote: even the 15 foot version the deck (whilst in half) is a complete pain in the bum (maybe 'cause I have no mates and have to work by myself). There is two substantial ens with a skinny side deck and it waves and wobbles (and if you're unlucky breaks ) but then I only glassed one side of the joints...

So not quite sure where I'm going with this bit so I'll think about it for a day or so...

Tor

I didn't break the deck on my South Wind, but it did slow me down trying to decide how to handle it.

It's a little chilly at the moment so progress is a little slow.

Just returned from sunny Queensland where boat building without heating is a real possibility, however not my line of work so I'll be staying down here for a while.







I've managed to glass the outside hull but I had to put the heaters on in the shed before we went to footy. the second coat went on a week later (pictures to follow).

Sept 6th is the optimistic launch date (Fathers day)...

Tor

It's a bit warmer...

It's actually 24 outside but the sheds well insulated, better than the house



As you can see I missed the launch on the 6th, w@^K got in the way a bit and it's just been too cold to do much.

We painted the inside, under the deck area and then the deck went on, first the back



then the front (using Hairy's patented tape technique but a lot less )



I should get a bit more time to do some more this week and hope to epoxy the deck and then use 6oz glass on the top (the underside is taped down the middle).

Tor

doesn't time fly

eventually got the glass on the deck. rather than the "specified" 2 inch overlap I overlapped the glass down to the first chine. I figured that where the edge was would be much easier to blend in



once cured excess glass was trimmed






leaving this bit in the middle

and a bit of tidying up

Tor

so I cut out the glass from the cockpit and then started work on the coming, yes well, this is my fun bit. I marked out one of the panels and did a quick dry fit. The curve didn't fit the cockpit the sides weren't parallel I was never going to cut out another to match

Having concluded that I'm a hack with the jisaw I considered marking a sheet of ply using the cockpit as a pattern


but before I cut I considered whether this would help with my ability to cut the side parallel mmmm.... no

however ply on it's edge will form a nice curve...

so




then stick a 10mm strip to the outside and a 14mm strip on the inside

lets wait for the epoxy to cure

Does this deviation from plan mark a significant point in my building life or just go to show I can't follow instructions...

Tor wrote:
Does this deviation from plan mark a significant point in my building life or just go to show I can't follow instructions...

It shows creativity and improvisation!

I feel your pain Tor.
I had loads of trouble with cutting long curves with a jigsaw and doubled our electric bill
running a blower heater for hours on end trying to cure epoxy.
Still got some bad amine blush though.
Looks like your doing a great job overcoming all of your troubles though.

P.S
I have a bit of an affinity for your builds as we named our firstborn Tor.

Hey Barnseye,

yes we're just coming out of winter and the difference the heat makes to the curing time is incredible, i'm not building through winter again, way too hard and expensive with the 'lecy bill. Unless I move up north.

Unfortunately Tor is something I picked up in the UK I used to be the "mentor" for new graduates who came into the labs where I worked. I hate to admit but a couple of the old boys were right when the said I was less of a mentor and more of a Tor-mentor. The Tor bit stuck and became my online altar ego, although I'm sure your Tor can probably be just as trying...

I found away around the parallel cuts or at least I think I have, watch this space.

Tor