Building The Vera Cruise

[mrintense]

Work has kept me busy this last week or so, so less time for the boat, but I am getting some work done. I still have not gotten the technique for polishing the paint down to where I am comfortable using it on the hull. The finish on the test panel is shiny but it is definitely not the type of shine I want on the boat. It may only need a wipe on clear coat which I will experiment with, but I think for now, I am going to focus on other things and leave the hull polishing alone.

I've been working on the window latches and getting the windows ready to install. I decided to make my latches from wood after returning the brass latches I bought (too big). Attachment of these latches is actually superior to what I was contemplating for the brass latches so I'm happy with that. Because I didn't think of it when making the widow frames, I have to install the latches on the frames in areas that will contact the window landings. This requires me to cut out a small section of the landing for each latch. I left a small lip on each cutout. This is not ideal, but it will have to do until some future point when I can come up with a better arrangement.

I also got the splashwell drain tubes installed and the transom re-varnished. I am waiting for some threaded inserts to complete the window latches and then I can install the window assemblies.

[Hercdrvr]

Window looks great, really great!
Matt B

[JimmY]

Nice idea on the window latches.

[DrBryanJ]

Looking great Carl, but I'm not understanding the window latches. Post a pic when your done, so I can wrap my head around them.

[mrintense]

Thanks Matt, Jimmy, anf Bryan.

Bryan the latch attaches to the window frame and hooks over the landing when the window is closed.

However, the window assemblies have some issues which have been accumulating and I am not really satisfied with them. THe issues are that the frames are kind of small which means that they are not all that strongly attached to one another. It also means that fasteners holding the two frame pieces together are crowding the same space that other parts of the assembly occupy. They are also the same thickness as the cabin sides which causes interference problems with the weatherstriping.

This causes the windows to be slightly sprung open when not latched. In itself, this is not much of a problem since the latches can easily hold them closed, but the springiness puts a bit of strain on the frame glue joints which I fear will eventually fail.

Other issues are that in order to put the latches on the frames, I had to make small cutouts in the landings in order to clear the latches when the windows close.

So, I am not going to let this slow me down in getting the boat launched. The windows will be installed for now and used as is, but I am starting to work out a new design to solve these problems. Sometime in the future when I have most of the other stuff finished on the boat, I will make new window assemblies and replace these.

[JimmY]

Hi Carl,

The latch design is freaking brilliant. It is so simple and elegant.

For your frame concern, maybe add an extra frame that sits outside of the cabin sides. It would cover the gap between the windows and the side, give you more thickness for strength, and give a little more interest on the cabin sides.

[mrintense]

Thanks Jimmy for the compliment on the latches. They are far simpler than my original plan of using brass latches. They attach to the window frame with a single screw into a threaded insert that has been epoxied into the window frame. Right now they loosen up every time the latch is turned, so I am going to lock tite the screws into the inserts. If that doesn't work, a little epoxy should do the trick.

Also, thanks for the idea for dealing with the window frames. This is actually similar to something I considered several years ago but which would have been clunkier and which I had abandoned for the current design.


To see how your idea might work, I went out and did some experimenting with the two windows I have mounted. I could glue some wood to the outside of the entire frame and shaped similar to the existing frame. This would strengthen the joints of the frames. The new piece would be wider than the original frame and overlap the gap , like you mentioned.

At the top edge where the hinges are, I could not overlap because it would interfere with the windows opening, but I can add material of the same thickness as the new piece on both sides of the upper gap to simulate the overlapping.

The experiment I performed tonight was exactly that and it seems to work.

Earlier today, I was considering new window frames that would be wider, making the see through portion slightly smaller, but that idea entails making all new window assemblies. Your idea is easier to do and I think I will give it a try first. If it doesn't work out, I can still make new windows later if needed.

Either way, I've been postponing getting the electrical and mechanical equipment into the boat while I worked on the windows and I am going to leave the windows as they currently are for now so I can get started on this other important stuff. The beauty of your idea is that I can add it later without having to remove the window assemblies.

[mrintense]

The windows are now installed. There are a few things I need to touch up and of course, I'll eventually need to make the modifications I mentioned in my last post. But they are done for now. Yay!

[Roberta]

Carl, that looks really nice!! One thing I would caution you about. Make sure to leave the fit a bit loose to ensure the ambient temperature doesn't contract or expand things so they won't get stuck. Also a prop rod to hold them open will be needed and maybe a strap to prevent wind from blowing them wide open.

Roberta

[chugalug]

Use lots of bungee cords. BIG BLACK ONES! Looking good ,Carl.

[mrintense]

Thanks Roberta and Tim,

I have a bit of trimming to do to improve the fit of the windows which should address any concerns about expansion from humidity. I am still mulling over how I want to support them. Given the lack of mounting area on the current frames (area that doesn't interfere with the landings), I am leaning towards simple support sticks which can be stored by the windows when not needed. I'd like to think about it more so that I can get different levels of opening with the same support sticks.

To address the issue of keeping them from blowing wide open, of course when closed, the latches will take care of that. But if they are partially open while underway or in windy conditions, I could go with the bungee cords, or straps, but I want to see if perhaps the hold open sticks can't be used for this as well. For now, they will remain latched closed as I need to stop procrastinating on electrical and mechanical to try and get her ready for the motor in the Spring.

Today I will be evaluating run paths for electrical wire, hydraulic steering hoses, throttle cables, and fuel lines. Also, since access to install the deck cleats will be somewhat limited once all those hoses, cables, and such are installed, I will be putting in the deck cleats first.

[mrintense]

First off, Merry Christmas everyone.

It's Christmas Eve, the weather has been great and I got 6 of the 8 deck cleats installed. The other two are on the foredeck which I had to do some under deck clean up and re-encapsulation on before I can install these remaining cleats.

I also started looking at the port motorwell side compartment where I will be mounting the battery charger and battery switch and Automatic Charging Relay. I had previously made a board for these items to mount to and then made some mounting blocks for the board which are attached to the inside of the compartment. The plan is to make it possible to easily remove the panel if necessary.

However, if you look at these two photos, specifically the mounting block photo, guess what I forgot to allow for when I made the block and mounted it to the sloping sides of the cabin wall!!

So I am going to have to take care of that first, before I can mount the electrical. Like Doug on SV Seeker says, boat builders make sure they learn everything by doing it twice.

[Roberta]

Merry Christmas, Carl, and all our friends on the forum. Carl, you will no doubt figure this out.

Roberta

[mrintense]

Today was spent tidying up some loose ends and preparing a pathway for the fuel line.

I received some new stainless steel thru hull fittings for the bilge pumps to replace the nylon ones I had originally purchased. In the spirit of having to do things twice to learn them better, I realized that although I had correctly matched the hose size to the fittings, I had not considered the cut out hole size which had been larger for the nylon fittings.

So first order of business was to make some reducers plugs, which fortunately will still be covered by the thru hull flange on the exterior of the boat. These have been epoxied into the hull.

Then I corrected the electrical switch panel mounting block shape error I found yesterday. This was actually glued on yesterday evening.

And then I started working on a plan to isolate the fuel line from the electrical battery switch compartment (which it needs to run through to get to the motor). I don't want to take any chances on fuel explosions. The plan is to have an enclosed passageway along the side and aft part of the battery switch panel compartment. The fuel line will be inside this passageway and dive into the lower compartment where another smaller passageway will direct it to the center lower motorwell compartment. From there onwards it can be exposed normally and run to the motor. This will be more clear after I get it done. But here is a template I started putting together to makes the passageway in the upper compartment.

Fuel line will come in from the right , turn 90 degrees across the back and then exit through a hole in the compartment floor near the left end of the passageway. The vertical piece at the top left of the picture is the transom wall.

[Milhouse]

Carl if you have not already read this be sure to read the USCG fuel system design requirements it has a lot of good info in it: https://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/As ... 002.01.pdf

If you have any fittings in the enclosed area they need to be able to be inspected per 183.554.

Also see 183.420 (c): in the electrical requirements for metallic lines shall be shielded if within 12" of a battery

https://safeafloat.com/wp-content/uploa ... l-4-14.pdf