The custom build continues; A photo update.

[Fortunate One]

Well. we're getting down to the last push before she goes to the tower manufacturer.

We've received the rod holders and the no bolt base and pedestal for the fighting chair, we were hooked up by Nimrod, or Paul from Universal Marine, thanks for everything that you've done for us especially hooking me up with that almost new fighting chair at such a discount. Can't thank you enough for that one.

But even though it is a beauty of a chair, we decided to customize it a little with a few more coats of varnish and replacing the side fabric with a fabric that matches the helm deck cushions.

Here's a picture of the just arrived pedestal and no-bolt rod holders.

The rod holders will compliment the holders in the chair.

The chair is ready for the last coat of varnish.

The "X's" on the gunnels mark the spot where the holders will be installed.




No-bolt holders, I have 6 of them going into the gunnels. Three on each side.



No-bolt pedestal. It's going to look slick against that teak.

I'm sure the crew will polish it even more before it goes in.

They've set up their own polishing wheel and have been polishing everything that gets installed.



Well in order to install the rudders they had to roll her ass end out of the shed. Here's some shots of that process.

Yes boys and girls, those rudders are stainless steel.

It's good to see her moved from the tight confines of the shed.













I wasn't too happy with the finish and the welding that was done on the wind screen so we sent it to Diversified Finishing and had them re-do the areas I wasn't happy with. Once again Industry Standard fell below my standard.

So the welds were dressed and the finish was redone to a perfect finish. I decided to have it finished to match the finish on the dodger.

This thing came out sweet.



The cabin steps are ready to be installed. I can't described how pleased I am with them.



So Bob and Jim have been hammering away at the electrical system. It's to the point where the battery chargers are charging the batteries.

Nice wiring job, I must say.



The wires just strung across at just the battery charging wires run temporarily.




The transom door has been hung so the gal doing the gold leaf can get her lettering drawn.



Ah, the fish cleaning/bait freezer area not has the false filp up door front installer as well as the folding side door panel installed.

This was a flash of brilliance on my part.

How can you construct a fishing boat with no regard for a place to clean fish.

A corian top will be installed over the bait freezer top.

[mac86]

Exciting stuff!!!
Once again, nothing but the best fabrication and finishing work.
Really awesome.

[Otoro]

Really beautiful work! You may have answered this question on one of the 39 previous pages... ...... but who designed the hull? That stern looks really flat... basically no deadrise at all. What was the thought process behind that design?

Good luck with the rest of the build.

[Fortunate One]

Otoro,

The funny thing about transom deadrise is many people equate low transom deadrise to a boat that pounds. The odd thing about that is it all equates back to the late 60's thirty one foot Bertrams that were made and run in races running in sloppy head seas from Miami to Bermuda.

The truth of the matter is that transom deadrise although on a smaller craft with lighter weight can make a difference in how a boat runs is not the end all be all in boat performance otherwise you’d see more deadrise built into a lot of boats.

What's important is deadrise at entry and degree of deadrise amidships while running.

This vessel has a 63 degree entry, knife like.

The projected bow rise is 2 to 3 degrees so the working part of the boat stays in the water. Amidships she's 23 degrees with a keel, lifting strakes and a serious reverse chine.

I'd say about halfway aft between amidships and the transom she flattens out at the stern pretty dramatically and this is done so when on drift in the canyons she's not pitching all over the place. That and her reverse chine should make her pretty stable when it’s blowing and we’re on drift.

I’ve seen boats with a lot of deadrise pitch so violently while on drift that the cockpit becomes un-fishable.

The design is well thought out design. It was put in use by Rybovich and a small company out of Massachusetts that called Brownell years back. Even Emil Rybovich who was a close friend of old man Brownell once told him that his boats were better than the boats that Rybovich was building.

We've modified the design slightly to work with the HP and torque that's available now.

We've consulted with a naval architect that has worked with many custom builders in the northeast. He's designed boats for everyone from the US navy to one off builders and local production boat companies.

What hasn't happened with this boat like many other light weight production boats is the center of gravity was placed as low as it can go. In addition to that the bottom structure was built to strong that if she jumps a wave she's going to land so solid that she's not going to know she went off a top.

Another thing that wasn't important to me was making her as light as possible. She's going to be heavy and strong. There was some lightweight materials incorporated into the hull but when it comes down to grunt I don't believe there has ever been a boat built so strong and with so much bottom end as this. Even her stem is over 1' deep and about 4" wide. The knee below the stem is over 2'deep. Her keel is Purpleheart lumber, as strong and as dense as it gets.

It's all a compromise. But the consensus is for the size and weight she's going to come in at a 10 degree deadrise at the transom wouldn't help her while running into a head or beam sea.

The only thing I’m concerned with is how she’ll handle in a following sea. Will she track straight and through a following sea or will she be squirly.

The architect said she’s going to track just fine.

I guess I have to trust him since he’s done work for Directors shipyard and many others.

In addition to that I don't think many of the pictures posted really give a good feel for her bottom. If you were to ask a few guys who've seen her in person they'd be able to tell you that although the transom is relatively flat, the rest of her is very agressive.

[brokensheer]

What material have you used to make the drawer slides in the picture above,, Thanks

[Fortunate One]

What material have you used to make the drawer slides in the picture above,, Thanks

That's a hardwood that's been epoxied and painted. The dots that you see in each one are spring loaded detents.

The draws are made from starboard with each one containing 2 notches for the detents to engage. One when fully closed and one when the draw is pulled out forward.

[Nimrod]

Absolutely beautiful and coming along nicely. Won’t be long now. Glad to hear you and Dave are happy with all of the Release goodies.

[rabcoman]

Absolutely beautiful.

[Fortunate One]

Knowing that the wind screen was being installed I just had to go to the shed last night.

The wind screen was trial fit again and the imperfections that the manufacture included free of charge have been corrected.

The reason I went with a wind screen in lieu of plastic is it gives me the ability to use windshield wipers when it gets snotty out. Plus it's a much better application here in New England.








For Otoro,

Here are a couple of pictures of her bottom. She has a wicked reverse chine and spray rail. I'm confident there's enough "V" in her bottom that she's going to be a good working hull.






The dry risers are making their way into the engine room once again. They were trial fit once, the mechanic needed to have a couple of parts made but they are now poised to get installed permanent like.

They're going to eat up a lot of room but I can still get by them and to the systems if and when I need to.




So more varnishing has taken place. Looking at the first photo in this post you can see the toe rail has had another coat applied, as well as the storage locker installed in the companion way and at the door frames as well as the hull.







Getting glass like on the interior.

[SteveK]

Hey Mike,

That last photo is drop dead beautiful. I was just thinking however that when the electronics are all hooked up and in place at the helm, you will really be itching to drop her in the water for a run out of the bay. By the time everthing comes together, it will be spring and she'll be good to go!

That will be a nice comfy cockpit to tend the rods and watch the Milky Way next summer in Veatch!

SteveK