Sunday, November 01, 2015

Engine foundations capped and glassed

With temperatures in the high 50s for the day and creeping into the 60s for the next week, I made it my goal to get the 1/2" G10 caps epoxied atop the engine foundations and covered in glass.

I began by water washing the previous round of fiberglass. I then trimmed the rough edges where fiberglass ran off the foundations and gave everything a quick sanding before cleaning up and wiping the surfaces with acetone. Once that was done I cut the 3" wide 1/2" G10 strips to length, sanded all surfaces with 60 grit, beveled the top edges, and trimmed a corner off of each to fit the angle of the hull. I then applied a thin layer of neat epoxy to the foundations before setting both strips in a bed of thickened epoxy, making sure that epoxy oozed out of the edges. I temporarily screwed both strips to the foundations while the epoxy gelled and used a scraper to form the excess epoxy into a sort of fillet that provided a smooth transition between the foundation and the G10 strips.

I cut several pieces of biaxial cloth and plain woven cloth while the epoxy partially cured, then removed the screws and covered both strips and the front edges of the foundations with biaxial and a final layer of cloth to give it a smoother finish.


While the epoxy cured, I decided it was time to get the engine back aboard so I can eventually set it in place and install the stern tube. Additionally, I'd like to have the engine in place while I create the engine box to ensure that everything is going to fit. My rough measurements suggest it will, but I'd like to be sure about the sloping forward edge of the engine compartment, so that means having the engine positioned first.

Although the little Westerbeke 20B Two only weighs about 225, it's a heavy little booger. I used a little trailer and my riding mower to get the engine from the garage to the boat, then rigged a come along to the boat shed (after adding additional support to the structure) and hoisted the thing aboard, setting it back atop its wheeled cart for the time being. Once the beds are cured, sanded and painted, I'll set the engine in place and begin constructing the engine box and setting the stern tube.




2 comments:

Adventures of Salacia said...

Looks like you are humming right along! I made a small bit of progress hope to write about this week.

Unknown said...

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