No Raised Deck

I've decided to scrap my idea mentioned in the recent post about the raised deck modification. I think this modification could work and could be made to look good, but I've decided the slight gain in interior room would not be worth the extra complications in construction. Every change to a design has implications beyond the immediate modification, and a change such as this would involve other areas of the boat that may delay the final completion and may have an adverse effect on performance. If I were building two Tiki 26s side by side, I would like to try this modification on one of them and see how it works out. As it is, I just want to get the hulls built and decked and get sailing as soon as possible.

To make up for the three-inch height increase of the bunks, I am simply raising the cabin tops by a corresponding amount, actually four and a half inches, keeping the same angles and lines. This will give adequate sitting headroom in most of the cabin area. The only change in shape will be the cabin roof, to which I might add a slight camber similar to that of the new Tiki 8M design. I also plan to make the companionway hatch smaller so that it does not occupy the entire forward part of the cabin roof when in the open position. In this space forward I plan to fit an additional hatch in each cabin, for better ventilation. For these I may use standard manufactured deck hatches that can be adjusted at a varying angles and have insect screens incorporated.

I've been busy today fitting deck beams and making the deck stringers, as well as adding the upper bulkhead sections on to the existing bulkheads where I had left them off while pondering the deck modification. Things will move forward quickly now with the first hull now that this issue is resoved and all I have to do is build. The mast is also coming along. I'm working on making and fitting all the various bits that go in the crane and foot, as well as channels for wiring conduits inside. No new photos to post today, but I'll have some later this week.