It was time to glass in a new backing plate for the bobstay after removing and discarding the original aluminum plate last year during the destruction phase. This is another one of those weird Cape Doryisms--bronze bobstay fitting, SS bolts, and an aluminum backing pate. I don't understand that why they did that. Nonetheless, I started out with final sanding on the backing plate for the bobstay fitting that I cut from some G-10 yesterday. I used my Bosch Jigsaw and a carbide tipped blade. The carbide blade is critical. G-10 is very hard stuff as I had learned when I cut the backing plates for the through-hulls last summer. I cut the backing plate 17 inches long and about 2 1/2" wide. To fit into the narrow part of the stem of the boat I had to cut a bevel on each side.
Beveled edges on the bobstay backing plate.
G-10 Bobstay backing plate glassed in.
I cleaned up the edges with the bench top sander, and then used a sanding block with some 60 grit to scuff it up on both sides. I rechecked the fit. I also sanded the stem area with some 40 grit, vacuumed, and did a thorough acetone wash down. Next, I mixed up a bunch of epoxy and thickened it to peanut butter consistency with colloidal silica and some 404 High Density filler that I am trying to use up. I toweled it into the stem area and on the backing plate and pressed it into position. I cleaned up the excess with a plastic squared off stir stick.
Next, I drilled the holes yesterday after installing a new G-10 backing plate a couple of days ago. I moved it about 13 inches lower on the stem than it was originally installed. This was necessary to get a better angle on the new longer bowsprit. I got all the hardware together but found it was difficult to get the bolts to go in. Not sure why since I didn't have any trouble with it yesterday when I did a quick test fit. So, I just kept at it and with a little tapping the bolts finally went in. I went up in the boat and installed the washers and nuts and used a ratchet to tighten the nuts down to make sure everything fit properly. Then I climbed back out of the boat and got the camera to take a picture. As soon as I looked through the view-finder I noticed it looked funny. The thing was on upside down!! A very professional job. Well that explained why the bolts were hard to install. So, I had to go back up into the boat, take off the nuts and washers, and then reassemble. This is not the final install though. After the boat is painted I will make the final install with caulk and bronze, vice the original SS bolts.
The 1/2" X 4" silicon bronze bolts for the bobstay fitting arrived today These will replace the stainless steel ones that originally fastened the bobstay fitting to the stem of the boat. When possible, I'd like to keep bronze with bronze. It was hard to find bolts with shoulders that I could buy individually. Others I found had to be purchased in a box of 25 or something like that. What would I do with 25 1/2" bronze bolts? . . . and they are not inexpensive. Each bolt will have a washer, lock washer, and two nuts. These are also the extra heavy duty nuts.
Installing the Gammon Iron
The gammon iron arrived yesterday. PTF did a nice job. Looks just like the pattern I mailed in early March. I wasted no time getting started. The fairing has to be complete, before I can paint the boat. It looks kind of big sitting out on the end of the boat all by itself but it will blend end once the 4-5" high bulwarks are installed. Here is the sequence I followed (pictures posted in the photo-gallery below):
First, I checked the fit of the gammon iron. I want the bowsprit to follow the sheerline of the boat. That means it needs to tilt up about 4 degrees--the same angle as the last 6 feet or so of the deck as it runs up to the stem. The old plank style platform rose at about 1 degree. I never liked the way the original bowsprit "stuck out" nearly horizontal to the water while the sheer swept up. Did not look pleasing to me. Of course the new sprit is longer than the original by about 2 1/2' for a total of about 42 inches forward of the stem. Of course the real advantage to this gammon iron is the sprit will not be bolted to the deck so the chance of rot should be greatly reduced. But, I digress . . . .
Second, I heavily waxed the bottom and edges of the gammon iron with paste wax to serve as a release agent.
Third, I sanded off the old primer with 40 grit on and RO sander where the fairing needed to take place so the new epoxy could adhere to the older epoxy laminate and previous fairing, vice hooking on to primer. The heavy grit will improve the mechanical bond of the new fairing.
Fourth, I mixed up two batches of West Epoxy heavily loaded with 404 High Density Filler. I added small amounts of 407 silica to improve its ability not to sag. The 404 fillers are mineral based and according to West Systems serve as a better "heat-sink" than straight 406 and reduce the likelihood excessive exothermic heat that could damage the epoxy. As Tim Lackey pointed out to me, the bronze itself would also help dissipate the heat. Once I mixed up the thickened epoxy I spread it out on a fairing board to reduce the heat build up and give it a little more pot life.
Fifth, I trowled it on to the deck and stem of the boat.
Sixth, I pressed the gammon iron down onto the bow and braced it into position with a purpose built 2x4 braced between the center post on the boat shed that separates the two "barn doors" and the gammon iron to hold it in position.
Seventh, I spent about 20 minutes fairing in the epoxy "squeeze-out" and another 20 minutes wiping up epoxy dribbles and smears with an acetone soaked rag.
Once I was satisfied the gammon iron would stay in place, I ran some errands. This evening I took my dead blow and tapped on the gammon iron kind of gently testing to see if it would come loose. It popped right off. There are two small voids. Overall, I am very satisfied with this first step. Tomorrow, I'll wash off the amine blush and continue fairing probably switching to 407 micro balloon.
After working on the gammon iron I applied pipe-dope to the two scupper sea cocks that had been just lightly screwed together. I also cut the scupper hose to fit between the cockpit scupper drains and the tail pieces on the seacocks. I ran out of time so I'll continue to work on them tomorrow.
Image:
11 May 11 I was able to work on several projects today. I am pressing to get the boat ready to paint. The summer heat will be here in a few more weeks and that will complicate the painting.
This morning wiped off the release wax with a rag soaked with Interlux 202. I used the two rag system: one rag soaked with 202 to wipe across the wax and a dry rag to wipe it up. Interlux 202 is very strong stuff with naphtha and other nasty chemicals so I wore my full face respirator. Next, I scrubbed the whole faired surface with water and a 3M medium maroon scrub pad and wiped it dry with paper towel. Then, I applied two coats of thickened epoxy as part of the fairing to support the gammon iron. I used West Epoxy with 407 and a little 406 stirred in to make it non-sagging. I think it is starting to look like it belongs there. As I mentioned yesterday, the bulwarks will make all the difference in the world. I applied the first coat and about and hour later, when it was firm but not hard I applied the second coat to fill in some of the dips and hollows. After it cured later in the day I repeated the water and scrub pad wipe down and then sanded the whole thing. It will require a little more work but with luck it will be finished tomorrow afternoon.
