Rudder Sink-Weight Installed

Sink-Weight. Sounds a bit awkward to me but maybe that's just because it's a term I haven't seen or heard very often. I found the term in an online item about adding weight to a foil and that author cited Jim Michalik's use of the term. So, there it is: Sink-weight and, awkward or not, it is very descriptive.

At any rate, I have installed a 10# sink-weight in Gardens' rudder blade. The weight was poured in a mold and, once cooled, epoxied into a cavity cut into the blade. Two things I didn't like about pouring molten lead directly into the cavity: the possibility of burning/scorching/charring the wood; and, the unknown affect of that much heat on the epoxy holding the blade together (it is an epoxy lamination). Photo shows the dry fit of the sink-weight.

The other component of the rudder assembly, the rudder stock (or head) is being varnished - at least partially for now. The spacers/packers have been glued to one cheek and what will be the interior surfaces are being varnished before assembly (getting to those surfaces once the head is assembled will be terribly inconvenient). Not sure what I'll do for maintenance but I'll figure that out when the time comes.

Centerboard and Rudder

The centerboard has evolved from a large laminated block of wood into a foil waiting for the addition of a sink-weight before finishing work begins.

The rudder blade blank has been shaped into a foil and could be finished (sanded, primed and painted) as it sits. However, I plan to add a sink-weight to the blade (eliminating the downhaul), so there is some work to be done. I made a sink-weight but the form I used (don't really like the idea of pouring molten lead into the blade itself) didn't hold its shape very well and I need to redo the lumpy weight that resulted.

The rudder stock/head is being assembled. The pivot holes have been drilled oversize, filled with thickened epoxy and drilled to size. The spacers/packers have been glued (but not yet screwed) to one of the cheeks. The interior surfaces will be finished before gluing (and screwing) the second cheek into place. After that, I will finish the outside surfaces.

I am considering finishing the mahogany stock/head with varnish only. I may coat the exposed interior surfaces with epoxy before varnishing but I am not convinced this is necessary.

Even though these bits and pieces take time, I am encouraged with the recent progress.

Rudder Assembly Progress

The rudder blade and the four parts of the rudder stock have been cut to shape.

The rudder stock packers/spacers:

The blade and rudder stock cheeks/sides:

Rudder stock "dry fit":

There remains a good bit of work: sanding, fitting, filling & redrilling the pivot holes, aligning and fitting the rudder stock, giving the blade a foil shape, adding a sink-weight, painting, varnishing and assembling.

Woodcarving with a Grinder

Well, way back in March of last year, I began shaping Gardens' centerboard using hand planes (a block plane and a No. 5 jack plane).

Sometime after getting one side roughed out, I was distracted by other boat-building activities and never finished up with the centerboard. Today is too humid to do any epoxy work so, looking around for something to do, I decided to continue work on the centerboard. But this time, instead of using my planes, I used the 4" grinder... Grinding the lands for the planks gave me the confidence to do a little wood carving with the grinder. The sawdust produced with the grinder is not as elegant as the shavings created with the planes, but the work progresses much more quickly.

Half of the board is shaped and the other half is nearly done. I'll use the ROS with 60, 80 and 120grit paper to finish shaping the board. Then I'll create a cavity for a lead sink-weight, epoxy and cover the entire board with fiberglass cloth before prepping it for painting. Still a bunch to do but making progress.

A First For Me... Amine Blush

Working on bits and pieces, I began coating the cheeks for the rudder stock and the anchor well deck with epoxy.

The anchor well deck received two coats without any issues but the third coat had an oily/waxy film after the epoxy cured. So did the first coat on the rudder stock cheeks. I was surprised. This is the first time I've experienced this amine blush phenomenon in the eight years I've been using epoxy. Yeah, I know, "...even when you can't see it, it is there..." but, honestly, I've never experienced it before. I've never washed epoxy coatings with warm water before applying the next coat and I've never had a failure...

From what I've read, the likely culprit was this week's hot and humid conditions (although I have used the same resin and hardener in similar conditions without issue). I'll need to mind conditions a bit more closely than in the past. Still no success in finding a trailer...

Busy Summer

Nearly three months without an entry - or much boat work for that matter! But, it has been a busy summer: traveling (Colorado, three trips to Cleveland, Traverse City and Les Cheneaux Islands on Michigan's UP), biking (three long charity rides - 50, 80 and 145 miles plus almost daily riding), sailing (Dickerson Lake, Grand Haven Pirate Fest, Les Cheneaux Islands), milling lumber from downed trees on the property and planning a wedding . Huh, doesn't sound like all that much… but it has been a busy summer!

I have begun shopping for a trailer. Currently there are not many decent used trailers for sale in Western Michigan but that could change. On the other hand, I like the idea of a new trailer - I get to create (or prevent) my own troubles with lights and bearings… However, talks with two trailer dealers were less than satisfying ("We don't do sailboat trailers." "Okay, think of it as a 17' fishing boat." "Yeah, but we don't do sailboat trailers.") I am waiting on a reply from a marina up north that sells and services powerboats, sailboat AND trailers. If they can help me, it will be worthwhile to drive four hours (round trip) to get a new trailer. I'd like to get a trailer as soon as possible so we can move Gardens from the shop in Fenwick to its new home at the Farm. There are alternatives to moving the project other than a boat trailer but I think a boat trailer is my first choice. As for actual boat work, I am fabricating the rudder stock and shaping the blade. The spars are nearly done - and I have the hardware to outfit the main yard so that could happen soon. The important thing here is, work on Gardens is resuming.

Realizations

There are many elements of the build under way at the same time - maybe I'm multi-tasking?

Prepping the interior for the cockpit decking and seat tops, fitting the king plank, spars, varnishing, shaping foils, working on the rudder head - and more… But then I came to a realization:

Maybe it's time to flip the boat? I mean, adding the decking and seat tops will do nothing but add weight. The shop space is already quite tight and a lighter hull will be (should be?) easier to turn - and it will have to be turned twice (once now and again when the bottom is done).

So, yes, I think it is time to roll the hull to work on the bottom. I just need to figure out how to turn the boat over safely: How much help do I need? How will the building platform need to be modified? Is there enough ceiling clearance to lift the hull mechanically and roll it "in place?" What is the bottom going to look like (how much work have I left myself)?

I have some time to figure out the answers to those questions - the earliest opportunity to roll the boat will be mid-June (traveling a bit this week, family events the first week of June - you know, life).

No boat work until next week but then the spars, varnishing, shaping foils, working on the rudder head - and more - will keep me busy while I figure out the hows of turning the hull.

Another recent realization is that Gardens isn't going to launch this summer. Too much to do, too little time - and there's no point in rushing the work. I'll just have to sail Karen Ann this summer.