Boom bail

I've been following a discussion on the A30 email list about bolts in the end of the boom that hold the sheet block and line.  The A30 list doesn't allow pictures to be attached so I figured this was a good way to get a pix out there.  I was at the boat yesterday and tried to figure out what the problem was and realized that some past owner had solved that problem on Slainte.   Apparently the boats came from the factory with the sheet block attached to the end of the boom with a thru bolt.  Over time that bolt will break.  Not good if you are sheeted in with 15kns of wind!  

This is the solution that a previous owner did.   It would be my recomendation for all who still have the bolt in the boom.

Note the holes where the end cap had been secured to the boom.  The big thru bolt takes care of that now.

Ladder in the boat

I got to the boat and put all the parts back together.  The motor cover supports also got a strip of the ocume ply so everything matches. The feet holding off the ladder need some felt pads so they don't scratch but other than that this project is done.

Spring starts tomorrow!!

 

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Extra feet/Varnish

The ladder that I found was not made for this boat.  It articulates in the middle which is a good thing as it will allow access to the motor.  The bad thing is it needs something to rest on so it doesn't fold up when you step on it.  I found a chunk of teak at Exotic lumber in Annapolis.  Very expensive teak.  10 bucks for a 1x4x1foot.  But it worked great.  I rounded the corners and fit it to the existing legs.  The existing legs were about 4 inches short.  I have a Kreg pocket hole maker.  Great tool.  It allowed me to attach the part without a scarf.  This is the first fit.  I'll test fit it on the boat then fine tune it before using thickened resin to make it permanent to the ladder.

 

One day you get snow, the next day you get 70 degrees.  I put two coats of varnish on.  I got one on in the morning and let it bake in the sun.  Got the second coat on around 3.  I'm going to try and get to the boat on Thursday to see if all this stuff fits.

 

 

 

Another ladder update

Finally, it's March!  I hope the weather starts to get better.  There is still ice on the bay but my creek is just about free.   I got the parts from Marinepartsdepot.com  Took about a month but it was worth it.  The parts that I used could have been had from West Marine.  They wanted $65 per hinge.   The online store had them for 15 bucks each and they were the same ones.  Along with the hinge I got two barrel bolts to hold the motor cover on.  They also offered free shipping and knocked another 20% off.

Good deal all around.

They also fit and did the job!

I also refinished the motor cover.  I skinned the original with 3 mil Ocume.   I'll varnish everything when I can get outside.

 

 

Ladder update

I got the ladder fitted to the opening.  Easier than I thought.  The underside of the lip is curved.  I made a template of that curve and fitted it to the ladder.  I cut the tip of the ladder to fit and it went in first time.  I have attachment points on order but the store I order them from is closed for winter break.  Guess that's what you do when you sell boat parts during the winter...

I'm also trying to refinish the cabin sole.  The teak is like iron.  I've gone thru two 60 grit belts on my favorite tool.  The belt sander.  Edges and corners get done with a multi tool.  Works great.  I'll keep hammering at this until I see better results.

Companian way ladder

I got the ladder stripped of all the accumulated gunk on it and it's looking good.  I temporally put it together just to see if just replacing the screws would suffice.  I had thought about using epoxy to glue it all back together but that would make any future refinishing almost impossible so I'm just going to do it like it was and that was screws.  Next step is to fit it in the boat.  I'm going to get some SS square U bolts and hope that will act as the upper pivot.  I'll have to manufacture some face plates to fit on the boat to accept the bolts.  More on that later.

It's later...  I made a test bracket using two small regular ubolts.  I could not find a small enough square bolt.  Smallest one was 2 inches.  I got the ladder rigged so the next step is to get over to the boat.  Weather is not cooperating right now so that may take some time.  The last pix shows the temp bracket.  If that works in the boat I'll make one from teak.

                                                   Ladder in the folded up position.

Winter projects

Ever since we got the boat I have not liked the ladder arrangement to get into or out of the cabin.  The current configuration is two steps attached to the front motor cover, then a peg that is attached to the ice box side.  You take two steps up then step on the motor cover, then the peg, then over the opening.  This works for those who know how to get in and out of a boat, but if you have guests on board this becomes problematic.  You have to explain how to get in and out of the cabin.  I'm going to fix that.


I was at Bacons in Annapolis the other day rummaging around their back room.  I found a folding companion way ladder.  Just the right size.  It's been around for a long time and it shows.  I'll take it apart and refinish the teak.  When it's done it will look like it came with the boat.

Right after I got the ladder I put it in the boat to see how it looks.  You can see the two folded up existing steps.

The last picture is the upper half completely stripped of varnish and all the other nasty stuff that was on it.  I used a combination of paint stripper and 60 grit sandpaper.  The lower half is on the work table.  I had planed to strip that section without taking it apart but it didn't work.   

The ladder is hinged. Both half's have 3 steps..  This is the top section.