Ibis Construction Journal

Exterior Paintwork Completed

2008-12-22T20:48:00.009-05:00

All paint-work complete—hatches, skylights and portlights installed

I used the large (deeper) portlights in the aft cabin sides

A deck hatch to the cargo bay (port side)

A deck skylight over the master cabin double berth (stbd side)—lens is 3/8” smoked Acrylic

View of the bow showing mooring bitt (from a pressure-treated 6x6), deck-pipes (from 2” PVC pipe & caps), forepeak hatch and deck skylight (over the huge foc’s’le berth)

The finished cockpit, with pedestal for compass and engine controls; lazarette hatch aft—cockpit seats access huge lockers

Forward cabin sliding hatch—tracks are 1/8” x 1 ½” aluminum

Work Resumes: Fall & Winter '08

2008-12-16T20:19:00.013-05:00

On return to Florida in late October, 2008, I began prep work for all exterior paint work. There are no photos of this, as pictures of sanding and priming and more sanding, ad infinitum, is not really viewable material. The work was extremely tedious and went on for many weeks… and the results were less than spectacular.

I used several kinds of epoxy primer: Nauticoat; Dupont; Sherwin Williams; and Awlquik (Awlgrip). The finish coats, in sequence, were as follows: Boot top—Dupont Ful-Thane sun yellow; Topsides and bulwarks—Dupont 2.1HG Industrial Imron (White tinted with Case Power Tan to make Hatteras white); Cabin sides, coamings, cockpit and all perimeters—2 parts white to 1 part Case Power Tan; Decks & hatches—Nauticoat Polyurethane White tinted with Case Power Tan with flattening agent. The decks were non-skidded using Sherwin Williams re-coatable primer and medium-grade sand prior to final polyurethane coating. All paint was sprayed using a siphon-feed external-mix gun, except the non-skid areas, which were rolled.

The hull paint is finished—prepping the cabins

A hatch with perimeter masked off, receiving non-skid coatings

After the paint work was finished, I made the handrails, using hole-saw, table saw and hand-held jig saw. After the hand-holes are cut, the perimeters are routed. Finally the planks are ripped in half on the table saw to yield two handrails. I fastened the handrails from inside the coachroofs to avoid violating the rail exteriors (requiring bungs) and because it is stronger where foam-cores are involved.

Making handrails from teak plank stock

The finished rails are soaked with several coats of Watco Danish oil

Next I installed the Lewmar portlights and skylights. I like the Lewmar Roll-Stop skylights because they don’t require hatch-adjusters, they are low-profile, and moderately priced. Also, they can be opened and closed from inside or outside, with locks to secure them when leaving the boat—including a setting which allows some air-flow even when locked. I used two different size portlights, the large ones having to be special ordered.

A Lewmar Roll-Stop Low-Profile Skylight—note built-up mounting base

Hatches, Skylights and Summer Cover

2008-05-25T08:08:00.009-04:00

Trimming the edges of a Hatch using the table saw with a notched fence

Hatches covered with Xynole-polyester cloth & epoxy; Skylight Frames hanging in rear

Master Cabin Skylight - 3/8" smoked acrylic sheet over wood frame

Foredeck showing Skylight & Hatch; Bowsprit slides under gate between Bulwarks forward - notches are for anchor chain leads to rollers

Bulwarks are primed, Sliding Hatches in place, Cockpit Binnacle for compass in place

May 23, 2008 - IBIS is buttoned up for the brutal Florida summer. Cover is shrink-wrapped, the tent is dismantled, tool trailer is packed. Ready to head for Maine! Will return to complete IBIS in November

Cabin Soles, Interior Trim, Misc.

2008-05-01T07:43:00.001-04:00

Aft Cabin Companionway Steps (top two remove for engine access)

Aft Cabin Sole laminated directly over the hull bottom using 1/4" mahogany and ash. Countertops are laminated ash; Centerboard Trunk Caps are ash

Interior Trim, Door Jambs, and companionway jambs & thresholds ready for varnish (ash & black cherry milled from my own trees)

End of an ash Door Jamb notched for a 5/8" bulkhead

Joint of Companionway Jamb to Threshold

Custom-modified Aqualift Muffler

Foremast Tabernacle ready for fabric/epoxy. Step is solid w/ Ply Cap; Sides are full dimension 2x8 waterfront-quality pressure-treated yellow pine; Sides are 3/4" plywood

Installing the Bulwarks

2008-04-30T07:40:00.009-04:00

Bulwark components are long-scarfed from marine-quality pressure-treated 2x4's

Using a 1/2" Drill Motor with a 3/8" square-drive and socket to install 1/4" x 5" hot-dipped-galvanized lag bolts 18" on center. Care must be taken not to break the bolts: tighten snug only; tighten further by hand using a rachet wrench. All bulwark components are "dry-fit" before glue. Bolts are left 1/2" up; bulwark layer is lifted with a prybar (see photo), glue is inserted with a 3" putty knife; lags are tightened.

Bulwark first layer on

Clamps are used to roll the bulwark in amidships to make it nearly verical. The bulwarks roll out in the ends to match topsides flare

Dry fitting the second Bulwark layer while torturing it into place. I broke this one at a scarf joint pulling the aft end in. Clamps align and torture

Using a flat bar to open the glue joint between layers.

3/4" Bungs are installed using lots of epoxy to cover and seal the bolt heads. Bungs are cut using a 7/8" hole saw in the drill press.

Coachroof Construction

2008-04-24T07:25:00.001-04:00

Coachroof Beams being varnished prior to installation; note routed mortises for Skylight Carlins

Coachroof Beam-ends showing rabbets for 3mm headliners & 3/4" polyurethane foam core

Aft Hatch Coaming with handle mortised into Coachroof Beam

Aft Coachroof in frame

Fwd. Cabin Coachroof in frame

Fabric/epoxy covering Houses (ends covered first)

Skylight Frame

All exterior fabric/epoxy work completed; Cockpit Pedestal in place (for compass & engine controls)

Sheathing the Decks

2008-04-12T22:40:00.004-04:00

Fabric/epoxy covering Decks

Decks covered; portlights cut out

Foredeck, Cabin Trunk Sides

2008-03-16T22:30:00.006-04:00

Foredeck showing Hatches above Vee-Berth & Forepeak Locker; Mooring Post; Foremast Tabernacle to left

Deck Frame above Vee-Berth showing Hatch/Skylight Frame

Using Template and router w/ 1/2" Flute Bit to mortise Coachroof Beam ends in Cabin Trunk sides

Cabin Trunk corner showing laminated Corner Post detail (with toes)

Galley, Pumps, Settee

2008-03-10T22:10:00.003-04:00

Galley detail: Drawer-Bank, aperture for Gimbaled-Stove, Sink; Centerboard Trunk, Settee to right

Water Pump above port side Water Tank, in Cargo Hold under center Bridge Deck

Water Manifold under Galley Sink; Pump just on other side of Bulkhead

Aft Cabin: Settee to left, Companionway center, Refrig. Cabinet to right

Modified Aqualift Muffler under Cockpit Well

Side Deck Frame, Cabin Trunks, Cockpit

2008-03-10T21:57:00.006-04:00

Deck in frame, looking aft on starboard side

Cabin Trunks roughed in; Cockpit Coamings started

Cockpit Detail, Seat Lockers port & starboard, Lazerette Hatch aft

Cabin Interior Structures

2008-02-24T21:11:00.001-05:00

Main Mast Tabernacle forks over C B Trunk & interfaces Cabin End

Double Berth in Master Cabin; Frames for attaching Ceiling Planking

Book Shelves in Master Cabin; Bulkheads painted w/ TileClad epoxy

Foc's'le Vee-Berth showing Access Panels & Foremast Tabernacle

Ash Deck Beams above Vee-Berth and Forepeak Locker

Fwd Cabin showing Head/Shower Compartment; Companionway to left

Building the Intregal Tanks

2008-02-24T20:56:00.001-05:00

Tank Baffles covered w/ Xynole-polyester fabric & epoxy

Intregal Water Tank Baffles installed (150 gallons, port & starboard)

Tank Lid installed, tanks coated w/ epoxy potable-water tank-coating

Waste Holding Tank complete, showing toilet ring for Sealand Traveler

Forward Cabin Companionway over Holding Tank; C B trunk left

Finished starboard side Water Tank under center Bridge Deck; C B Trunk to right, Master Cabin double berth covers tank

Refrigerator Liner in place for casting 2 lb polyurethane foam insulation

Installing the Ballast

2008-02-14T20:43:00.000-05:00

Ballast being inserted in Box Keel forward

Ballast in Box Keel adjacent to Centerboard Trunk

Cockpit Framing, Engine Compartment & Cabin Bulkheads

2008-02-11T21:35:00.007-05:00

View from Cockpit - Eng. Comp. at bottom; Aft Cabin above; C B trunk

Engine Compartment showing aperture into Box Keel; Shaft Log at right

Athwartships Bulkheads in place, ready for Cabin Trunk Logs (notches)

Cockpit & Aft Cabin, fore & aft Bulkheads in

Cabin Ends in place; Trunk Carlins in place

Cockpit frame showing Seat Lockers, Lazarette Deck Beams & Hatch Coamings

Turning the Hull

2008-01-13T21:28:00.006-05:00

Primed Hull outside for turning

Sweet Hull!

Turning the Hull with Gantry & Square Wheels (Bill Smith at right)

Right-side up, back in the tent

Keel Construction

2007-12-27T21:50:00.002-05:00

Keel under construction 01

Keel under construction 02

Keel rough-construction finished

Keel showing wood Cove Moldings made to save epoxy filleting material

Finished Gripe-to-Stem joint; Stem is thru bolted to Apron

Planking the Hull

2007-12-17T21:58:00.004-05:00

First layer of Bottom Planking on & trimmed, ready for Topsides Planking

Stem & Gripe detail; Planking complete

Stern Post detail, thru-bolted to Inner Post

Building the Frame

2007-12-07T21:47:00.005-05:00

Bow in frame

Stern in frame

Longitudinals in place: Keel Plank, Chine Logs and Sheer Clamp

Chine Log joint at a Bulkhead

Setting Up: The Building Tent and Strongback

2007-12-04T21:20:00.000-05:00

The Tent - Dec 1st

Epoxy Work Station

Strongback and Bulkheads

Structural Bulkheads in Place