The shed roof is now complete, and should be leak-free for much longer than the time needed to build the Tiki 26. For this mild climate, this is the ideal place to build: plenty of ventilation to avoid buildup of dust, a dirt floor so that epoxy spills are no big deal, and strong enough rafters to hoist the hulls up for turning and moving. While I don't have enough width inside to assemble the boat with the crossbeams, there is enough room to build both hulls at the same time, and it will be a simple matter to wheel them outside for assembly, painting, fitout and rigging.
5 comments:
Hi Scott,
Your shed looks good with its new roof. I like working/living in buildings with metal roofs. You always know when the rain starts. With a dirt floor how will you keep the panels clean when you are starting out? I guess a big sheet of plastic or a tarp will do the job. It will be great to see you start assembling the hulls.
Thomas
Hi Thomas,
I hope the dirt floor won't be a problem. I have a long bench already built along one outside wall of the shed that is long enough for the work of joining the hull panels with butt blocks and then wiring the two sides together. I hope to get that part completed on the bench, then lift the wired together hullsides from the bench to support cradles, which I can then block up high enough to be well clear of the dirt floor. I'll have to tear this bench down after wiring together the second hull so I'll have room to set it up and open it out.
Scott - a 10x30 foot roll of plastic will do the trick for keeping your hull sides clean otherwise tack down a tarp the way they do in the boatyards when you get hauled out over dirt/gravel. FYI on hull 1 I set it in cradles when I was pushing in the bulkheads. On Hull 2 I did this too but also added a couple of looped straps around the hull. These made getting the bulkheads in easier as I could actually get inside the hull to work. It was faster and better. How ever you go about it, we each must find our own path..... Looking forward to pictures of progress. - Thomas
Scott , was wondering what your going to put in your bow and stern compartments,Jim
jimmyboy,
If you mean the compartments in the extreme ends, foreward and aft of the watertight bulkheads, I intend to leave them empty. Some people have filled these areas with foam, but according to Scott Brown, who has surveyed many Wharrams as a broker, this has been one of the main causes of rot in Wharram hulls. I think it's best to leave them empty or use some kind of removable floatation like air bags or sealed empty water bottles. These boats have plenty of separation between compartments, and would be hard to sink without holing practically every one of these.
Post a Comment