Operating on a 12Volt system means that you need to minimise power wherever possible. It is something that we should all do anyway, even if not on a boat.
Providing adequate lighting within the boat to perform normal daily functions is a necessity. Using a less than ideal lighting solution is ok for short term, however longer term requires proper solution.
Different areas within the boat have different lighting requirements, and hence the solution in one area may differ from another. As an example the type of lighting used in the galley would be bright and general "flood" style of lighting, while in the sleeping cabin areas, directional reading lights might be needed.
The lights used in the past have been based on incandescent lamps, and typically around 10-20W in power consumption, and just flooded the light everywhere. Today we have more power efficient lamps based around LED technology. The smaller physical size of the LED lamps has also resulted in smaller lights. The reduced size means that lamps can now be located in places, that previously, weren’t feasible.
The main advantage to 12Volt dwellers is the reduced power consumed by the LED lamps to deliver similar of better light coverage. Moor or Less came fitted with house hold halogen lamps to light the interior areas. These are not very suitable for boats for two reasons. Firstly they consume too much power, and they are inefficient at using the power they consume. Halogen lamps operate at very high temperatures, that temperature is created by using power, it is a bi-product of creating the light, and there is a power consumption penalty for its generation. The second reason that they are not suitable for boats is the narrow beam. They are designed to be mounted in a ceiling several metres above the area to be lit. On a boat, that ceiling height isn't available. If the lights are mounted in the cabin liner, then they have a small area of light below, if mounted on the walls, like they were in Moor or Less, they were blinding if you glanced at or even near the lamp.
You may have guessed that I am not a fan of the halogen lamp on boats.
Efficiency is what it is all about, so selecting the correct LED based lamp for the boat comes down to the area it is to be used, and any features needed (eg: being able to turn or direct the beam).
Main Saloon
In the main saloon of Moor or Less, I didn't wish to change too much of the wood paneling, so decided to simply change the halogen lamps with softer flooding 3W LED lamps. The layout of the lamps in the main saloon had a Halogen lamp mounted at 45 degrees in three of the corners. With the Halogen lamps, the area would be lit with just one lamp on, however it created many shadow areas. The LED solution means that having 2 or 3 lamps on, the room has a bright feeling, and all the shadowed areas aren't present. Having all 3 LED lamps on, still draws less than half the power of a single halogen lamp.
V-Berth
The forward area of the saloon is the V-berth area, where there previously was no lighting installed. For most part, the lighting from the saloon would illuminate the V-berth, however, when the privacy curtain is closed, additional lighting is needed. The area is not large, and as it will be primarily for sleeping, reading lights would be needed for those evenings while relaxing in bed with a good book. Small directional 1W LED lamps are used. The lamps are mounted on the forward facing side of the bulkheads on either side of the boat. These can then be directed to allow reading a book while lying down, or with both lamps on, light the entire V-berth area.
Galley
Above the galley area, facing aft, there was previously a halogen lamp which was replaced with a 3W soft glow LED lamp. The lamp is mounted at an angle, and is in such a position to enable seeing what is being cooked, and light the passageway to the aft cabin.
Passageway
While the passageway itself was well lit from the galley when it was on, it didn't provide adequate lighting to see into the two large ice boxes which were in the passageway. To help locate items in the ice boxes easily, I have installed two small 1W LED lamps directly above each of the icebox openings. These not only lit the internals of the icebox, but also were an alternate lighting source for the passageway.
Aft Cabin
The aft cabin needed two different types of lighting, one for lighting the cabin itself, while other lighting was required for reading. Above the double berth, on the aft facing bulkhead, small 1W LED lamps are installed. They are similar to those used in the V-berth. These lamps can be directed to the best position for reading, and provide ample light. On the aft bulkhead, a 3W LED flooding lamp is mounted.
Head
In the head, there was again no lighting installed. As the head area is mostly white fiberglass, which reflects light well, a small 3W LED lamp was mounted on the wall near the wash basin.
Engine Compartment
Engine compartment is often overlooked when lighting is installed, however having in the past tried to work on a problem with the engine, while at the same time juggle a torch, I determined that engine areas must be lit with good lighting systems. To do this, I installed two 3W LED flooding style lamps, one on either side. They light up the compartment brilliantly, and are even an advantage when working on the engine during the day.
Night Vision
Having sailed many nighttime passages, the appreciation of red lighting in the cabin cannot be explained. It is amazing how effective just one the red light down below is when doing a night passage, it seems like daytime after coming down off watch. The challenge is to locate the light so that you don’t accidently look into too often, otherwise it will impair your night vision. I enjoy night sailing, and intend to do many night passages when cruising, so effective red lighting was needed.
To minimise the chance of looking straight at the light, using the reflective qualities of the interior funiture seemed like a good trick. Bouncing the light off the white fiberglass inside the saloon, provides enough light to se easily at night without destroying your night vision. A single 1W red LED lamp was installed on the side of the settee, just under the saloon table. The light reflected off the other side of the settee, and lit the saloon with that eerie red glow.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Bed Coverings
As bunks in boats never seem to be a "normal shape" the sheets and covers for the bunks typically need to be tailor made to suite.
This is especially true for a V-berth, as there is nowhere for the massive amount of excess sheet, blanket, or comforter to sit. Having it all piled up on your feet is uncomfortable. Solution: custom make the sheets and comforter.
As the V-berth was going to be my daughter's bunk, she had a vested interest in making sure that it was comfortable. Sarah was also keen to use her sewing skills with a sewing machine, so we set about making the custom comforter for the forward V-berth.
Sarah had already picked out the colour scheme for the interior of the boat. It was to be bright and happy. Her colour picks were for the settee cushions to be a mid blue, while scatter cushions, and bedding to be a bright gold colour.
Using a paper pattern of the V-berth, it was possible to mark out, and cut down to shape what would be the middle of the comforter. We started with a medium weight synthetic comforter for a double bed from IKEA, and decided to make the comforter 250mm wider on each side than the mattress. The V-berth on Moor or Less is actually not a normal V shape, at the head end, it has two parallel sides before beginning to tapper. The shape of the comforter will also have to follow this shape.
The cut or raw edges of the comforter were then sewn and a hem put on it. It was now time to make the cover using the gold material which Sarah had picked out.
The material wasn't wide enough to cover the cut down comforter. Pieces of material had to be added to both sides to obtain the width.
Once the cover had been sewn together and the comforter placed inside, job successfully completed. Sarah was then eager to try out the comforter, but that will have to wait. Need to make the fitted, and flat sheets for the V-berth next.
Since we now have the shape of the aft cabin bunk, the comforter and sheets for that bunk can be made.
This is especially true for a V-berth, as there is nowhere for the massive amount of excess sheet, blanket, or comforter to sit. Having it all piled up on your feet is uncomfortable. Solution: custom make the sheets and comforter.
As the V-berth was going to be my daughter's bunk, she had a vested interest in making sure that it was comfortable. Sarah was also keen to use her sewing skills with a sewing machine, so we set about making the custom comforter for the forward V-berth.
Sarah had already picked out the colour scheme for the interior of the boat. It was to be bright and happy. Her colour picks were for the settee cushions to be a mid blue, while scatter cushions, and bedding to be a bright gold colour.
Using a paper pattern of the V-berth, it was possible to mark out, and cut down to shape what would be the middle of the comforter. We started with a medium weight synthetic comforter for a double bed from IKEA, and decided to make the comforter 250mm wider on each side than the mattress. The V-berth on Moor or Less is actually not a normal V shape, at the head end, it has two parallel sides before beginning to tapper. The shape of the comforter will also have to follow this shape.
The cut or raw edges of the comforter were then sewn and a hem put on it. It was now time to make the cover using the gold material which Sarah had picked out.
The material wasn't wide enough to cover the cut down comforter. Pieces of material had to be added to both sides to obtain the width.
Once the cover had been sewn together and the comforter placed inside, job successfully completed. Sarah was then eager to try out the comforter, but that will have to wait. Need to make the fitted, and flat sheets for the V-berth next.
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| The finished V-berth comforter |
Changing the Aft Cabin Layout
The aft cabin of Moor or Less is not large and could best be described as "cossie". The original setup for the aft cabin had a rather unusual layout. Basically there was a "U" shaped bunk which allowed you to have two single bunks, one on either side, or a very narrow double bunk across the aft of the cabin.
Neither of these two bunk configurations appealed to me, so an alternate configuration was sort.
I decided that a double bunk running fore/aft was more suitable, however in order to have room to sit up in bead, the head of the bed would have to be forward, and the foot aft. This is less than desirable setup when sailing (head must always be aft), but upon thinking about it, the aft cabin would not be used during over night passage making anyway. The port saloon berth was the most suitable sea berth.
To make the double berth, much of the fiddle which had been put in place would need to be removed (and re-used later), and a platform built over what was previously standing area below the aft cabin hatch. Under the platform would be turned into the new storage area.
First step was to determine the actual bunk size. The bunk was not going to be a rectangle shape due to the curvature of the hull. The foot of one side would need to be cut away following the side of the hull. The head of the bunk is the standard width for a double bed, 1400mm, but was slightly shorter than a normal double bed at only 1770mm (normally 1830mm)
Making the Mattress
As the berth would hopefully be used for many nights, I wanted a firm mattress. It was off to Clarke Rubber who had a double mattress of medium density foam, which I tested on the shop floor, it felt perfect. Though the medium density foam is more expensive than the regular low density, the extra comfort will be worth the dollars.
Once back home, the job of cutting the mattress to size began. Having learnt the trick of cutting foam many years ago, this wasn't too much of a challenge. First step as the place the paper pattern on top of the foam, and tracing out the shape with a marking pen.
Next part is the "trick" cut along the pen line using an electric carving knife. The electric knife cuts the foam effortlessly, and gives a smooth straight finish.
The mattress came with a lightweight material cover, and while it is not high quality material, it will suffice as the initial cover. Using the paper pattern again, the shape was traced out, and material cut. A quick run along the cut edge with the sewing machine completed the cover.
Moving the Battery Switch
The platform which forms the top of the new storage enclosure needed to be built, however first, the original battery switch and power distribution point had to be moved. Part of the new compartment would be allocated for this purpose, with the new Battery switch mounted on the side of the compartment.
Moving the electrical panel to the side of the new storage switch involved the removing of the old setup, building the new storage compartment, then rebuilding the electrical panel. The original battery switch, while certainly capable of carrying large amount of current, required a spanner to operate, and couldn’t be done quickly. A more conventional setup was preferred using a rotary switch for two battery banks. As the new location of the electrical switch and junction was adjacent to the existing, the cabling just needed to be redirected slightly after removing the old electrical box.
Making the Bunk Base
The bulk of the bunk base is formed with the original "U" shaped structure.
The exiting timber fiddles required removal, and they were not going to come off easy. The fiddles had been glued and screwed into place, with the screws then covered over with bungs.
To remove with minimum effort and time, an electric coping saw was used. The piece of the fiddle which protruded above the height of the bunk base, I planned to re-use, so wanted them removed undamaged.
In order to support the top of the new storage compartment, some timber frames were fixed onto the exiting bunk base with screws and Epoxy, 12mm below the height of the bunk based so that the plywood lid would be flush.
Neither of these two bunk configurations appealed to me, so an alternate configuration was sort.
I decided that a double bunk running fore/aft was more suitable, however in order to have room to sit up in bead, the head of the bed would have to be forward, and the foot aft. This is less than desirable setup when sailing (head must always be aft), but upon thinking about it, the aft cabin would not be used during over night passage making anyway. The port saloon berth was the most suitable sea berth.
To make the double berth, much of the fiddle which had been put in place would need to be removed (and re-used later), and a platform built over what was previously standing area below the aft cabin hatch. Under the platform would be turned into the new storage area.
First step was to determine the actual bunk size. The bunk was not going to be a rectangle shape due to the curvature of the hull. The foot of one side would need to be cut away following the side of the hull. The head of the bunk is the standard width for a double bed, 1400mm, but was slightly shorter than a normal double bed at only 1770mm (normally 1830mm)
Making the Mattress
As the berth would hopefully be used for many nights, I wanted a firm mattress. It was off to Clarke Rubber who had a double mattress of medium density foam, which I tested on the shop floor, it felt perfect. Though the medium density foam is more expensive than the regular low density, the extra comfort will be worth the dollars.
Once back home, the job of cutting the mattress to size began. Having learnt the trick of cutting foam many years ago, this wasn't too much of a challenge. First step as the place the paper pattern on top of the foam, and tracing out the shape with a marking pen.
 |
| Marked out ready for cutting |
Next part is the "trick" cut along the pen line using an electric carving knife. The electric knife cuts the foam effortlessly, and gives a smooth straight finish.
The mattress came with a lightweight material cover, and while it is not high quality material, it will suffice as the initial cover. Using the paper pattern again, the shape was traced out, and material cut. A quick run along the cut edge with the sewing machine completed the cover.
Moving the Battery Switch
The platform which forms the top of the new storage enclosure needed to be built, however first, the original battery switch and power distribution point had to be moved. Part of the new compartment would be allocated for this purpose, with the new Battery switch mounted on the side of the compartment.
Moving the electrical panel to the side of the new storage switch involved the removing of the old setup, building the new storage compartment, then rebuilding the electrical panel. The original battery switch, while certainly capable of carrying large amount of current, required a spanner to operate, and couldn’t be done quickly. A more conventional setup was preferred using a rotary switch for two battery banks. As the new location of the electrical switch and junction was adjacent to the existing, the cabling just needed to be redirected slightly after removing the old electrical box.
Making the Bunk Base
The bulk of the bunk base is formed with the original "U" shaped structure.
The exiting timber fiddles required removal, and they were not going to come off easy. The fiddles had been glued and screwed into place, with the screws then covered over with bungs.
To remove with minimum effort and time, an electric coping saw was used. The piece of the fiddle which protruded above the height of the bunk base, I planned to re-use, so wanted them removed undamaged.
In order to support the top of the new storage compartment, some timber frames were fixed onto the exiting bunk base with screws and Epoxy, 12mm below the height of the bunk based so that the plywood lid would be flush.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Somewhere for Coffee Cup
On those cold mornings when you want to lay in bed and enjoy reading a book, with a hot cup of tea or coffee at hand while the wind and rain attack those who venture outside, a place is needed to rest the coffee cup.
This coffee stand needed to be within easy reach. The aft berth on Moor or Less will have the head of the berth forward (not planned to be used while sailing), the area next to the pillow, against the hull seemed like a good location for a small (very small) bedside table.
To make the top of the bedside cabinet a small piece of cabin sole ply with the teak and ask striped paneling has been used. Around the top of the table surface, a small fiddle is installed to stop items sliding off should there be a rolling anchorage. Access to the small cabinet below is through the hinged table top which tilts up, pivoting from the hull side of the hull.
I wanted the lid of the storage compartment to be slightly higher than the mattress of the bunk. Similar compartments were also needed on either side of the V-berth.
Measuring Up
Starting with the aft cabin, and Using a piece of cardboard for a template, the shape of the hull was traced and cut out.
The hull is moving outwards as you move forward, and not paralell to the berth. The top of he compartment will be in two parts and consist of a lifting rectangle piece hinged off a tappered piece which is attached to the hull.Using small stainless steel butt hinges to joing the two pieces of the compartment top, it will be neccessary to joint them by the hinges prior to attaching the fixed piece to the cabinet.
Installation
With the hull as one side of the cabinet, the bulkhead as another, and the bunk base as the bottom, leaving only two sides and the top to be created.. The two sides of the cabinet are made from maple 90mm x 12mm, and are sealed using interior vanish, as is the cabinet top.To attach the cabinet to the hull and bulkhead, small timber battens needed to be attached with Epoxy. The sides of the cabinets will be screwed onto these timber battens allowing it to be removed easily if required in the future.
Obtaining the profile of the vertical curve on the hull where the cabinet side attached to the hull was obtained by placing the partially constructed cabinet on the bunk next to where it is to be installed, and the profile "fished" onto the side of the cabinet. Once the profile has been cutout on the side of the cabinet, the locations of the battens could be marked and glued in place.Once the Epoxy had set, the cabinet was attached with s/s screws, and the inside of the cabinet lined with the synthetic felt. Contact Adhesive was used to bond the lining to the cabinet.
This coffee stand needed to be within easy reach. The aft berth on Moor or Less will have the head of the berth forward (not planned to be used while sailing), the area next to the pillow, against the hull seemed like a good location for a small (very small) bedside table.
To make the top of the bedside cabinet a small piece of cabin sole ply with the teak and ask striped paneling has been used. Around the top of the table surface, a small fiddle is installed to stop items sliding off should there be a rolling anchorage. Access to the small cabinet below is through the hinged table top which tilts up, pivoting from the hull side of the hull.
I wanted the lid of the storage compartment to be slightly higher than the mattress of the bunk. Similar compartments were also needed on either side of the V-berth.
Measuring Up
Starting with the aft cabin, and Using a piece of cardboard for a template, the shape of the hull was traced and cut out.
The hull is moving outwards as you move forward, and not paralell to the berth. The top of he compartment will be in two parts and consist of a lifting rectangle piece hinged off a tappered piece which is attached to the hull.Using small stainless steel butt hinges to joing the two pieces of the compartment top, it will be neccessary to joint them by the hinges prior to attaching the fixed piece to the cabinet.
Installation
With the hull as one side of the cabinet, the bulkhead as another, and the bunk base as the bottom, leaving only two sides and the top to be created.. The two sides of the cabinet are made from maple 90mm x 12mm, and are sealed using interior vanish, as is the cabinet top.To attach the cabinet to the hull and bulkhead, small timber battens needed to be attached with Epoxy. The sides of the cabinets will be screwed onto these timber battens allowing it to be removed easily if required in the future.
Obtaining the profile of the vertical curve on the hull where the cabinet side attached to the hull was obtained by placing the partially constructed cabinet on the bunk next to where it is to be installed, and the profile "fished" onto the side of the cabinet. Once the profile has been cutout on the side of the cabinet, the locations of the battens could be marked and glued in place.Once the Epoxy had set, the cabinet was attached with s/s screws, and the inside of the cabinet lined with the synthetic felt. Contact Adhesive was used to bond the lining to the cabinet.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Door to the Thrown Room
The head and shower area on Moor or Less is not what you would call over sized. Providing easier access the door to the head is a bi-fold door, with piano hinges used to secure the two halves of the door together as well as attaching the door to the door-jam.
The problem with the installation is that the piano hinges that were used were not stainless steel, resulting in two issues. The first issue is that in the marine environment, the piano hinges have corroded and seized. The second issue is the mess that corroding hinges leave on the floor of the head (piles of rust dust).
Hinge Replacement
The hinges would need to be replaced with stainless steel hinges. Using a Phillips head screw driver, I removed the 20 odd small screws attaching the door to the door-jam, to take back home to work on it. Once home, the two parts of the door were separated with the removal of the second corroded piano hinge.
Instead of using piano hinges I decided to replace the piano hinges with 4 x 25mm stainless steel butt hinges, both for the joining of the two halves of the door, and to attach to the door itself to the jam. After measuring out the locations of the hinges, I marked where the timber will need to be removed for the recess, and where the holes drilled for the screws.
Drilling 2mm pilot holes in the edge of the door for the screws was to prevent the timber splitting, as the door was only 20mm thick. Next came the chiseling of the timber, which was quite easy with my newly purchased and, and very sharp chisel. To secure the hinges to each door edge I used 3 x 20mm x 6 g stainless screws in each hinge.
The two door halves were quite stiff even though they were only 20mm thick. The alignment of the hinges with each other is important to ensure that the door isn't stressed when being opened, which may result in the splitting of the timber. A trick when installing small cabinet hinges is to fully open the hinge so that sits flat against the face of the door, and clamp it while tightening the screws.
Once all the hinges were installed on the door, it was ready for re-installation onto the boat.
Door Latch
There had never been a door latch installed on the door, and one would be needed when guests are onboard. The bi-fold door would fold back on itself, so the selected latch would need to be thin, else hit against the other half of the door.
Another challenge was to make sure that the portion of the latch which mounted on the door-jam didn't protrude too much, as it would catch on peoples clothing when entering/leaving the head. The alternate method was to install a low profile latch onto the door-jam, and mount the striker plate onto the edge of the door. This appeared to be a better option, so a low profile stainless steel toilet door latch was purchased, similar to those seen on public toilets with the indicator panel to show if it was vacant or occupied.
The problem with the installation is that the piano hinges that were used were not stainless steel, resulting in two issues. The first issue is that in the marine environment, the piano hinges have corroded and seized. The second issue is the mess that corroding hinges leave on the floor of the head (piles of rust dust).
Hinge Replacement
The hinges would need to be replaced with stainless steel hinges. Using a Phillips head screw driver, I removed the 20 odd small screws attaching the door to the door-jam, to take back home to work on it. Once home, the two parts of the door were separated with the removal of the second corroded piano hinge.
Instead of using piano hinges I decided to replace the piano hinges with 4 x 25mm stainless steel butt hinges, both for the joining of the two halves of the door, and to attach to the door itself to the jam. After measuring out the locations of the hinges, I marked where the timber will need to be removed for the recess, and where the holes drilled for the screws.
Drilling 2mm pilot holes in the edge of the door for the screws was to prevent the timber splitting, as the door was only 20mm thick. Next came the chiseling of the timber, which was quite easy with my newly purchased and, and very sharp chisel. To secure the hinges to each door edge I used 3 x 20mm x 6 g stainless screws in each hinge.
The two door halves were quite stiff even though they were only 20mm thick. The alignment of the hinges with each other is important to ensure that the door isn't stressed when being opened, which may result in the splitting of the timber. A trick when installing small cabinet hinges is to fully open the hinge so that sits flat against the face of the door, and clamp it while tightening the screws.
Once all the hinges were installed on the door, it was ready for re-installation onto the boat.
Door Latch
There had never been a door latch installed on the door, and one would be needed when guests are onboard. The bi-fold door would fold back on itself, so the selected latch would need to be thin, else hit against the other half of the door.
Another challenge was to make sure that the portion of the latch which mounted on the door-jam didn't protrude too much, as it would catch on peoples clothing when entering/leaving the head. The alternate method was to install a low profile latch onto the door-jam, and mount the striker plate onto the edge of the door. This appeared to be a better option, so a low profile stainless steel toilet door latch was purchased, similar to those seen on public toilets with the indicator panel to show if it was vacant or occupied.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Installation of the Deck Fittings
Layout
As the vessel had never been finished, one area which was outstanding (one of many) was the deck fittings. The vessel had only the hatches installed and a few bollards for attaching mooring lines. This means that all the sailing hardware had to be decided upon, purchased and then installed.
Winch Selection
There are several winch manufacturers to select from, but having used ARCO winches on my previous boats, and never had any problems with these beautifully engineered winches. The winch manufacturer selection process was easy.
The ARCO winches are also covered by a lifetime warrantee. A company with that much confidence in their product wins me over.
The next step was how many, where, and what type and size. Being a cruising vessel, I was determined to have a sail and rigging plan which was as straight forward as possible. A simplified sail plan will reduce the number of control lines, clutches and general clutter in and around the cockpit.
Self-tailing winches on the headsail sheets was a must, with two speed gearing of suitable ratio to enable a small statue person handle the full headsail. After looking at several similar size boats, I decided on decided on the ARCO 40 two speed self tailing winches. This size/type selection also lined up with that suggested size on the ARCO website.
To assist with short-handed sailing, having all the control lines coming into the cockpit area will mean that reefing and adjusting sails ccan be done without leaving the cockpit.
Two coach house winches will be needed for the sail control lines (reefing lines, outhaul, halyards, topping lift).
Self-tailing winches would free up a hand, which always seems a bonus when adjusting sails.
The coach house on either side of the companionway is not very wide. On an older 31 foot boat, the width of the cockpit is typically not exceptionally wide. With a dodger in place, the winch handle in a coach house mounted winch would not be able to complete a full circle. Using single speed winches would mean that the handle could be rotated backwards without load. The ARCO 30 single speed self tailing winches were selected as a balance between speed and mechanical advantage.
Rigging
The mast which came with the vessel was originally a mast from a racing Cole 31. The mast utilises wire/rope halyards, which I dislike with passion (having sliced hands open on several boats which had wire halyards in the past).
The wire/rope halyards will be replaced with 8mm Spectra rope. Using the Spectra means that I can still use the same exit slots in the mast (just replace the blocks), but more importantly, it will be possible to use standard rope winches/clutches/deck organizers.
The headsail will be on a furling system, and as it will be on the furler for the majority of time, will be cleated off at the mast. The main and MPS halyards will be returned to the cockpit, as will the two mainsail reefing lines, out haul, and spinnaker pole topping lift. This means a total of 6 control lines need to be returned to the coach house winches, 3 lines per side.
Rope Clutches & Deck Organizers
Triple Rutersgen rope clutches, (one on each side) will be placed in front of the coach house winches for the sail control lines. Between the mast and the rope clutches, the control lines will need to turn through an angle of approx 70 degrees after exiting the mast base. These deck mounted blocks are often called deck organizers, and will also be from the Rutersgen line of products.
Headsail Tracks & Cars
Again Rutersgen was selected for the headsail tracks and cars. Most of the Adams 31 CCs looked at have 3m sections of tracks, however only the back 1m section apprears to have ever been used. The headsail will be on a furler resulting in the foot and clew being high off the deck, it is pointless to carry the track forward of the mast even at 50% sail, so 2m sections were selected.
Storm sails should always have the sheets attached. Separate anchore points and blocks will be used for the storm jib.
Installation Begins
Once you have the fittings, there becomes an eagerness to install. A boat without deck hardware looks very bare, so as soon as possible the bits and pieces would be installed.
Many of the bolts fastening the deck hardware would be coming into the main saloon area, dome nuts would be needed. The dome nuts not only make them appear more presentable, but also safer (no sharp threads left exposed). Once the locations for the winches were determined and marked out, the holes were drilled, bolt lengths measured, and the appropriate fastenings purchased.
On my previous boats, I have had varying degrees of success with Sika-flex and silicon based sealants. After speaking with several shipwrights, I am convinced that the Selleys' Mastic is a better option, as it will re-seal if there is any movement.
The winches were the first to be installed, starting with the headsail sheet winches. The winches were mounted in the middle of the cockpit coaming to allow for the sheet to be fed from either forward or aft. Placing them in the centre also allows the helmsman to reach them by just reaching around from behind the wheel. This will be good for single handed tacking.
Placing ample sealant around each of the holes, and coating the bolt threads before inserting them through the holes will hopefully provide a good seal. The port winch was a one person job, as I could reach and turn the nuts on the bottom through the lazarette while at the same time hold the bolt heads from the top. With the starboard winch however I needed the assistance of another pair of hands.
Mounting the fittings on the coach house, either side of the companionway, it was possible to reach both the bolt heads and nuts at the same time, making the installation a one person job. The rope clutches for the sail control lines were installed quickly thanks to their design. The design provides for the base of clutch to be detached for mounting onto the surface. This design has the added benefit of allowing the rope clutch to be maintained in the future, without disrupting the sealant.
As the vessel had never been finished, one area which was outstanding (one of many) was the deck fittings. The vessel had only the hatches installed and a few bollards for attaching mooring lines. This means that all the sailing hardware had to be decided upon, purchased and then installed.
Winch Selection
There are several winch manufacturers to select from, but having used ARCO winches on my previous boats, and never had any problems with these beautifully engineered winches. The winch manufacturer selection process was easy.
The ARCO winches are also covered by a lifetime warrantee. A company with that much confidence in their product wins me over.
The next step was how many, where, and what type and size. Being a cruising vessel, I was determined to have a sail and rigging plan which was as straight forward as possible. A simplified sail plan will reduce the number of control lines, clutches and general clutter in and around the cockpit.
Self-tailing winches on the headsail sheets was a must, with two speed gearing of suitable ratio to enable a small statue person handle the full headsail. After looking at several similar size boats, I decided on decided on the ARCO 40 two speed self tailing winches. This size/type selection also lined up with that suggested size on the ARCO website.
To assist with short-handed sailing, having all the control lines coming into the cockpit area will mean that reefing and adjusting sails ccan be done without leaving the cockpit.
Two coach house winches will be needed for the sail control lines (reefing lines, outhaul, halyards, topping lift).
Self-tailing winches would free up a hand, which always seems a bonus when adjusting sails.
The coach house on either side of the companionway is not very wide. On an older 31 foot boat, the width of the cockpit is typically not exceptionally wide. With a dodger in place, the winch handle in a coach house mounted winch would not be able to complete a full circle. Using single speed winches would mean that the handle could be rotated backwards without load. The ARCO 30 single speed self tailing winches were selected as a balance between speed and mechanical advantage.
Rigging
The mast which came with the vessel was originally a mast from a racing Cole 31. The mast utilises wire/rope halyards, which I dislike with passion (having sliced hands open on several boats which had wire halyards in the past).
The wire/rope halyards will be replaced with 8mm Spectra rope. Using the Spectra means that I can still use the same exit slots in the mast (just replace the blocks), but more importantly, it will be possible to use standard rope winches/clutches/deck organizers.
The headsail will be on a furling system, and as it will be on the furler for the majority of time, will be cleated off at the mast. The main and MPS halyards will be returned to the cockpit, as will the two mainsail reefing lines, out haul, and spinnaker pole topping lift. This means a total of 6 control lines need to be returned to the coach house winches, 3 lines per side.
Rope Clutches & Deck Organizers
Triple Rutersgen rope clutches, (one on each side) will be placed in front of the coach house winches for the sail control lines. Between the mast and the rope clutches, the control lines will need to turn through an angle of approx 70 degrees after exiting the mast base. These deck mounted blocks are often called deck organizers, and will also be from the Rutersgen line of products.
Headsail Tracks & Cars
Again Rutersgen was selected for the headsail tracks and cars. Most of the Adams 31 CCs looked at have 3m sections of tracks, however only the back 1m section apprears to have ever been used. The headsail will be on a furler resulting in the foot and clew being high off the deck, it is pointless to carry the track forward of the mast even at 50% sail, so 2m sections were selected.
Storm sails should always have the sheets attached. Separate anchore points and blocks will be used for the storm jib.
Installation Begins
Once you have the fittings, there becomes an eagerness to install. A boat without deck hardware looks very bare, so as soon as possible the bits and pieces would be installed.
Many of the bolts fastening the deck hardware would be coming into the main saloon area, dome nuts would be needed. The dome nuts not only make them appear more presentable, but also safer (no sharp threads left exposed). Once the locations for the winches were determined and marked out, the holes were drilled, bolt lengths measured, and the appropriate fastenings purchased.
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| First winch base mounted on Starboard side |
On my previous boats, I have had varying degrees of success with Sika-flex and silicon based sealants. After speaking with several shipwrights, I am convinced that the Selleys' Mastic is a better option, as it will re-seal if there is any movement.
The winches were the first to be installed, starting with the headsail sheet winches. The winches were mounted in the middle of the cockpit coaming to allow for the sheet to be fed from either forward or aft. Placing them in the centre also allows the helmsman to reach them by just reaching around from behind the wheel. This will be good for single handed tacking.
Placing ample sealant around each of the holes, and coating the bolt threads before inserting them through the holes will hopefully provide a good seal. The port winch was a one person job, as I could reach and turn the nuts on the bottom through the lazarette while at the same time hold the bolt heads from the top. With the starboard winch however I needed the assistance of another pair of hands.
Mounting the fittings on the coach house, either side of the companionway, it was possible to reach both the bolt heads and nuts at the same time, making the installation a one person job. The rope clutches for the sail control lines were installed quickly thanks to their design. The design provides for the base of clutch to be detached for mounting onto the surface. This design has the added benefit of allowing the rope clutch to be maintained in the future, without disrupting the sealant.
Bench Top Creation
After having worked out what I wanted in the layout of the saloon, it was time to get started. Continuously looking at the design doesn't make it happen.
Firstly the table would need a support frame which will be attached to the cupboard under the table, and the mast compression post.
I wanted the support frame to be made of Stainless Steel, so would need an engineering shop to make it up for me. I put created a detailed drawing of what I was after and took it to an engineering factory near where I was living in Wanchai (HK). To give me confidence in my drawing, the guy in the factory seemed to understand what I wanted..... "seemed to" because he didn't speak English, and I can't speak Cantonese.
We agreed on a price, and I left 50% deposit, wrote my contact number on the drawing, walking away happy. While it was only a small job, I still expected it to take about 2 weeks, to my surprise the frame was ready two days later, and was exactly what I wanted.
Now with Confidence from the support frame experience, it was time to tackle getting the bench tops made.
The Plan
Step 1: Make full size paper patterns of the bench tops in the boat to make sure that the design works. (at least layout wise).
Step 2: Make detailed drawings from the paper patterns (these took me soooo long to do).
Step 3: Take the drawings to the kitchen place to get quotation and place order.
Step 4: Sit back and relax, it was going to take a couple of weeks for them to make it.
What Happened
Step 1 & 2 all went ahead as expected, however at Step 3 things changed. I presented the drawings to the sales assistant in the kitchen bench top shop in Wanchai (you can get everything, and I mean everything, in Wanchai), he asked me to select the colour I would like from the samples while he worked out a price. We had a similar language challenges as in the engineering place, but we could communicate ok, it adds to the fun of shopping. Shopping is not something I enjoy doing back home in Sydney, however in Hong Kong, it is fun.
He came back with price, this is where I could use the “standard phase” in Cantonese when haggling over price. The phrase is "Wha!" (it is a general purpose phase, however in this situation it roughly translates to "holy crap"). He responded with "ok ok" (I understood that part), and immediately dropped the price by 25%, while I thought the price was reasonable, I thought I would try and lower it further with the "old walk away trick"........ it didn't work. I had to repeat the exercise in the shop two doors down. This time I got a better price from the start, but still did the "Wha!" (part of the fun), and got a further drop in price. We agreed on the price and the order was placed, again with 50% deposit.
The order was again ready before I expected, only 4 days. I wanted it delivered to the office, where it could be stored until taken back to Sydney, where the boat is located. I received a phone call, saying that they would deliver it that morning. It would be at 11am and for me to meet them outside the building (silver van). I was on time, but no sign of them, the driver then rang me directly, and with broken English/Cantonese told me he was here, where was I... I was in front of the building, couldn't see him. I went to solicit help from the security guard at the entrance to the loading bay of the building so he could talk to the driver. The challenge was the guard didn't speak English either.... no worries, I called hte drivers number and simply handed over the phone to the security guard. The driver was already waiting at the loading dock, problem solved.
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| Gally benchtop, sallon table, and drop leaf on office floor |
I got out my paper patterns and laid them over the top of the finished bench tops, they were perfect. Language barriers are easily solved with pictures, hand gestures, and smiles.
The two main reasons for getting them made in Hong Kong was, firstly convenience (living in HK), and secondly was price. It is significantly cheaper to have things made in Hong Kong than in Sydney. It never ceases to amaze me that both processed food and fresh vegetables from Australia are much cheaper in Hong Kong than they are in Sydney. I had solid surface bench top made 20 years ago on a previous boat, and that was more than three times the price I had just paid.
Getting the bench tops and frames back to the boat would be done over time, each trip I would box up and item, and take it as check-in baggage. Doing it over several trips was not due to hitting weight limits (I have a 46kg allowance), but the challenge is handling the boxes at the airport. As I make regular trips, it wasn't too much of a problem spreading it out.
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