Finnish fishing boat overhaul [Splashed 2017]

[Red Herring]

Thanks Mike! Couldn't find your thread Gm, but I hope they turned out good!

After a five week working break I'm back at the proverbial grind. Going to glass the last two layers on the portside mold tomorrow after I finish sanding, and start working on the "shelf" for the fridge after that. I bought a fridge that's just a bit too big, which means I'll have to cut and modify the cabinet for a good fit.

 

[Red Herring]

Fridge tray halfway done, still need to figure out something for the front rubber feet. I guess the weight can't just rest on the mounting flange?

 

[Red Herring]

I used the piece I had to cut away as a sort of mold and left it underneath.

 

[redneck joe]

Hey red. I don t have anything to add just looking good.

 

[Red Herring]

Thanks! I kind of knew what's going to happen, I'll have to glass some beams for the fridge front. Knew it'll end up that way, but I'm seriously trying to avoid more glasswork and looking for shortcuts wherever I can

 

[Mikeopsycho]

Let's see some photos of the fridge. Mine is very small, but it just rests on a small base area and is mainly supported by the four screw through the front flange, which just go into 3/4" (19mm) plywood.

 

[Red Herring]

This one! It isn't big either, so maybe it could work with just the two rear feet "touching ground"...

 

[redneck joe]

Thanks! I kind of knew what's going to happen, I'll have to glass some beams for the fridge front. Knew it'll end up that way, but I'm seriously trying to avoid more glasswork and looking for shortcuts wherever I can

You? Shortcuts????? Thats a hoot....

 

[Mikeopsycho]

Nice looking fridge. I'm betting it'd be fine with the just rear feet resting on something solid and the flange screws keeping it in place, that's probably how it's designed to be installed. You can likely get installation instructions on-line.

 

[Red Herring]

True, and to be honest it was mainly chosen because of the looks. It sure wasn't ease of installation...

I've got all the documents, and they all clearly state on nr one of the installation list that the fridge needs to stand on the rubber feet. It just doesn't state the number of feet.

It's pointless to speculate though, I ended up glassing those beams today anyway. They'll add rigidity yada yada

 

[Red Herring]

I wonder if you can build a boat too rigid? I've got a feeling this boat will be...unforgiving when the bow drops.

Since basically everything I've glassed this far is somehow connected to each other with big overlaps and surplus amounts of glass. It's practically one huge chunk of irregular fiberglass floating on water.

 

[GWPSR]

... It's practically one huge chunk of irregular fiberglass floating on water.

So much better than an irregular lump of aluminum sitting on the bottom ...

 

[Red Herring]

I found some good reading when I started researching the subject. I know some manufacturers build floating cabin tops etc just because of this "too rigid" thing. Mainly to keep the ride smoother and less noisy. But in these slower tractor-boats more rigid seems to translate directly into structural strength. Interesting stuff.

 

[Red Herring]

Another thing I started thinking of today. I've been building most of the boat with the idea that unwaxed resin does not have to be sanded when adding new layers of glass even after some time has passed. I've heard it's hard to tell the difference between waxed vs unwaxed but that it's clear after wiping with acetone.

However, some guys that repair boats at my build site claim that it'll need to be sanded smooth every time time has passed. I'm thinking they don't really know what they're talking about since the point with unwaxed resin seems crazy if you'd still need to sand it?

Even the company that sell me the resin seem to be confused with this, claiming that unwaxed resin has some wax in it and that it'll need to be sanded? I've just done thorough acetone wipes and I sure as hell hope it'll be enough.

 

[Mark72233]

I will give you my opinion based on my limited experience. I have used nothing but unwaxed resin. Some of it has been done months ago that I have recently added a rope locker onto the deck and the only thing I did was on the deck I had put down Bilge Kote so I grinded it a little here and there and than I wiped it down with Acetone. The side of the hull and the forward bulk head had no paint so I just wiped it down with Acetone before adding plywood walls and attached with CSM and its as strong as can be and the resin and CSM attached perfectly on everything just as strong as if it was clean fiberglass.

 

[Red Herring]

That's my experience as well, everything I've done this far is rock solid. Just got reaaally nervous if I've missed something and the whole thing will delaminate in the first storm I guess it ought to be ok, nothing I can do about it now. Saves a -lot- of time not having to sand between hardened coats, chemical bond I can/have to live without in some parts anyway.

 

[Red Herring]

I learnt not to work in a hurry today when I went to check out the fridge beams I mentioned earlier, suffice to say I'll have to redo them tomorrow. Nothing was even or straight, I really wonder how I managed that...

My track record with glassing beams is not good, I can't seem to make them right the first time.

 

[redneck joe]

Need. More. Beer.

 

[kcassells]

More Beer ...Ya!

 

[Red Herring]

We've had some great weather the last week. Spent a few days fishing at my girlfriends summer cabin and had temperatures around +20c all the time, really rare in these parts.

Had to build a jig for the beams, now it should work!