Another Maine Starchief

[oldhaven]

Supposed to keep going until this afternoon. I started up the wood stove just now.

 

[oldhaven]

double post deleted.

 

[dozerII]

I hear ya on the Damn weather, more snow in the last two days than we have had all winter I have shoveled between 12 and 14 inches off the deck since it started, and it's still coming down.

 

[FrankenCub]

I think I should keep my complaints about my weather to myself, at least I'm not getting your :smow:

Making good progress, Oldhaven I have some rectangular aluminum like you used to raise your deck, as much as I don't want to I may end up doing the same if I can't find a tank soon. You think there's any chance of those strips loosening up over time being hollow ?

 

[StarTed]

Your mention of Buffalo flies brings to mind a float trip down the Missouri river in Montana. Vanilla mixed with water worked quite well for them as a repellent as I recall. I'm not sure that mosquitoes might not be attracted by it however.

You need a break. You're putting me to shame with your progress on your boat

 

[oldhaven]

I think I should keep my complaints about my weather to myself, at least I'm not getting your :smow:
Making good progress, Oldhaven I have some rectangular aluminum like you used to raise your deck, as much as I don't want to I may end up doing the same if I can't find a tank soon. You think there's any chance of those strips loosening up over time being hollow ?

We ended up with 5 or 6 inches, but it should be gone by tomorrow night. I had been hoping to use the wood cookstove a few more times before I clean it up for the summer, but had not wanted the snowstorm with it.

I used 3/4 by 1-1/2 by 1/8 wall rectangular tube, so it is pretty solid. I had to get long reach rivets(1 inch+ grip range) to go through the riser and the rib, and worried about using just one so I added an extra one at each end. It is very solid, though you can probably verify from your SC that after 50 years there are a lot of loose and broken rivets in these boats. My logic was that tying the ribs together will increase the inter-rib rigidity by distributing stress and reducing flex as a secondary advantage to raising deck height. Just like the original fastening method, I would guess that keeping a solid and not rotten deck and sidewalIs will keep things from working and fretting. I even had the thought that the riser would be a good place to fasten the bottom end of the hull stiffeners some have added, decreasing the number of through hull rivets required. I will probably not do this.

 

[oldhaven]

Your mention of Buffalo flies brings to mind a float trip down the Missouri river in Montana. Vanilla mixed with water worked quite well for them as a repellent as I recall. I'm not sure that mosquitoes might not be attracted by it however.

You need a break. You're putting me to shame with your progress on your boat

There used to be something that was called "Old Woodsman's Fly Dope". I think they still make it in a watered down FDA formula, but I found a bottle with the original formula in the cabin when we bought it in '82. Oh Man, did it smell strong and bad. Not socially acceptable at church. People recommend Avon Skin So Soft too, but I don't like smelling like a brothel out in the woods and always think the animals must be laughing at me, and if you stop at a bar for a drink, you never know what might happen. DEET works, but I worry about my internals turning to mush in my later years. I'll try the vanilla, but will probably attract little kids looking for a cookie.

Thanks ST, I have set a goal to have the engine on and running in May, since it is now in storage at the service dealership that will install it. I hope to get it in the water shortly thereafter, though the boat will be far from done. I hope this is realistic. This keeps me driving on.

Ron

 

[MARUSS]

Looking great Ron.
How thick is the Coosa board decking?
I'm glad I didn't get any of the snow, being a couple hours south of you kept it warm enough but we got real heavy rain today. The black flies have been out here for a couple of weeks now they suck literally.

 

[laurentide]

Ron, I know you explained it earlier in this thread, but are you building a chase for the forward tank fill extrusion and hose? Or modifying the bunks?

You're cruising, everything looks great. And yeah, the snow sucked today. The real spring is mere days away.

 

[oldhaven]

Looking great Ron.
How thick is the Coosa board decking?

3/4 Bluewater 20. Not as stiff as 3/4 plywood, but about equivalent to 5/8 ply. I have to epoxy the top surface and that will stiffen it a bit.

 

[oldhaven]

Ron, I know you explained it earlier in this thread, but are you building a chase for the forward tank fill extrusion and hose? Or modifying the bunks?

You're cruising, everything looks great. And yeah, the snow sucked today. The real spring is mere days away.

Hi again Andy. I am modifying he bunk supports a bit for tank clearance and will keep the floor forward of the door as low as possible to cover the fill, tank sender, and vent, but will definitely have to make access more difficult. The fill will go through the port storage area and out the gunwale next to the cabin. The foot well will be smaller but I will use the cabin more for covered storage than over nighting. Our days of camping in a cramped hot space are gone. We will be on deck under canvas if that happens.

Just took the dogs out for the nightly chores and it was like February out there. Crunchy snow and stomping off boots before coming in.

Ron

 

[oldhaven]

I hear ya on the Damn weather, more snow in the last two days than we have had all winter I have shoveled between 12 and 14 inches off the deck since it started, and it's still coming down.

Yeah, this is not normal. but unless it happens every year, just a bother for now.

Ron

 

[FrankenCub]

We ended up with 5 or 6 inches, but it should be gone by tomorrow night. I had been hoping to use the wood cookstove a few more times before I clean it up for the summer, but had not wanted the snowstorm with it.

I used 3/4 by 1-1/2 by 1/8 wall rectangular tube, so it is pretty solid. I had to get long reach rivets(1 inch+ grip range) to go through the riser and the rib, and worried about using just one so I added an extra one at each end. It is very solid, though you can probably verify from your SC that after 50 years there are a lot of loose and broken rivets in these boats. My logic was that tying the ribs together will increase the inter-rib rigidity by distributing stress and reducing flex as a secondary advantage to raising deck height. Just like the original fastening method, I would guess that keeping a solid and not rotten deck and sidewalIs will keep things from working and fretting. I even had the thought that the riser would be a good place to fasten the bottom end of the hull stiffeners some have added, decreasing the number of through hull rivets required. I will probably not do this.

I'm glad I'm as south from you as I am lol. Last thing I want to see is snow, only had 2" at the most this winter. Even sold my snowmobile with no care to ever buy another one. Not worth the money we spend on them with winters like we had this year.

I think my tubing is the same dimensions, don't remember where I picked it up but figured I'd use it eventually. I seen you are using two rivets per rib end, good idea when bridging them all with the tubing. I guess you are correct there, all the ribs effectively connected together will spread any stresses to minimize any movements. Will make it easier to rivet the deck down too. I like the idea. If I have to raise the deck I will be borrowing your idea

 

[laurentide]

Hi again Andy. I am modifying he bunk supports a bit for tank clearance and will keep the floor forward of the door as low as possible to cover the fill, tank sender, and vent, but will definitely have to make access more difficult. The fill will go through the port storage area and out the gunwale next to the cabin. The foot well will be smaller but I will use the cabin more for covered storage than over nighting. Our days of camping in a cramped hot space are gone. We will be on deck under canvas if that happens.

OK, that should work out well. Agreed on the camping part, too. I'm having a mooring (cockpit) cover made this spring so I don't have to wrestle with a tarp when the boat's in the yard, but it will also function as a tent should I want to sleep on the deck. But I'd much rather sleep in a tent on shore if we go up to the islands.

Looks like a week of sunshine is on tap for us.

 

[oldhaven]

I look forward to seeing your mooring cover, since I plan something like that. I have an ill fitting partial one that you can see in the first of my thread, but it has been cut down by the immediately previous owner and is now too short. Will you just add on to your "solarium", or do another complete cover eliminating the clear vinyl? Oh, and will it have a built in or add on well/motor cover for storage? Your maker did a great job, and since my boat is just like yours, I might ask her to do another at a distance rather than have somebody here start from scratch. I will at least use a picture of yours to describe what I want. Starcraft also did some great camper covers for the Holiday/Jupiter type hulls in the 60's and 70's, with lots of room inside.

Ron

 

[laurentide]

I look forward to seeing your mooring cover, since I plan something like that. I have an ill fitting partial one that you can see in the first of my thread, but it has been cut down by the immediately previous owner and is now too short. Will you just add on to your "solarium", or do another complete cover eliminating the clear vinyl? Oh, and will it have a built in or add on well/motor cover for storage? Your maker did a great job, and since my boat is just like yours, I might ask her to do another at a distance rather than have somebody here start from scratch. I will at least use a picture of yours to describe what I want. Starcraft also did some great camper covers for the Holiday/Jupiter type hulls in the 60's and 70's, with lots of room inside.

Ron

I'm just adding on to my enclosure. The splashwell will be open to the weather, not ideal but it shouldn't hurt anything. It's kind of a minor ordeal to put the tarp over the boat due to canvas disassembly, so this way I can just put the cockpit cover on and be ready to go for the next trip.

I bought a generic Bimini initially and would recommend getting a full custom enclosure. It will be tighter and better fitting than what I have, and have better visibility as a result. Aubrey did a great job with what I gave her to work with, but if I did it again I'd have her do the whole thing.

Next year will be rear drop curtains so I can heat the helm area. The heater with three sides is OK until air temp is in the 30's, a fully enclosed space will be really nice early and late season.

 

[oldhaven]

The brown truck brought some peace of mind today. Now I've got to safely transfer the axle to the trailer. Lots of blocking and jackstands.

 

[Watermann]

Oh boy trailer work! My favorite...

Looks like a nice new galvanized 3500 :Lb'r with new wheels and tires too boot, that should be perfect!

 

[oldhaven]

Yeah, exactly. The tires were checked and worn, the rims looked bad, the axle was not galvanized and completely rusted on a galvanized trailer, and the hubs flung all the grease into the inside of the wheels when I towed it back 100 miles from up north last fall. I was glad I made it with no mishaps. It just did not seem worth it to try and salvage that. I will keep the best rim and tire for a spare, but the rest goes to recycle, or better yet, free to craigslist. I will be putting into saltwater occasionally, and galvanized is the way to go there.

Ron

 

[laurentide]

Ron, do you have a fresh water lake on your way home from the salt? I know some aluminum boat owners will pull the plug and dip the whole boat and trailer in fresh water on the way home...easy way to rinse the bilge if there are any seeping rivets (there likely will be a couple).