Steve Sanford
Well-known member
As in Part 1, here is an abbreviated version of the process. The full show is at: http://stevenjaysanford.com/white-wing-2-man-scooter/
The next step was to flip the boat over and work on the bottom. After plugging the centerboard slot - with Yellow Pine and 'glassing inside and out - I attached a long skeg so she'll track well when towed. The skeg is set in 3M 5200 and bolted in place.
There was a fair amount of damage to repair with epoxy and 'glass reinforcements and then fairing compound.
The bottom is painted with red oxide primer - not real bottom paint. I chose the color because a) I had plenty in the shop and 2) it reminds me of all the work boats of my youth.
Rightside up once again, I treat all the wood with preservative. I paint the fore and aft air/floatation chambers in white - just in case I need to fix any problems there down the road - it will be much easier to see.
Deck plates close off the 2 air chambers. The interior is painted before the decking goes on - because access is easy.
Quarter-inch AC plywood is fastened with 3M 5200 and bronze boat nails - well-clamped beforehand.
Butt blocks join the fore and aft pieces of decking. Note the "fiddle" - instead of an actual shelf - to keep gloves and shells handy to the gunners.
Excitement runs high when the decks go on - and the imagined shapes become real.
Now for the chore of 'glassing. I used epoxy resin (US Composites) and 6-oz cloth. I primed with Interlux Pre-Kote Grey then put a coat of cheaper grey primer over that. We will put a better topcoat on after we've lived through Season 1. I had planned to "tiger-stripe" it but was struck by the classic look of "battleship grey" - again, a powerful image from my youth - and so kept it solid grey. As it turns out, Cap'n Kessler leaned the same way - and was relieved to see the lack of the "tiger" look. Still looks like a spaceship, though....
White-Wing, of course, sports a bow handle of a sleeping White-winged Scoter.
The "toe rail" to secure the lower edge of the canvas "cowling" is made from Azek - my first adventure with plastic lumber. It worked great but was softer than I realized. I countersunk for flathead screws - would use panheads instead.
The cowling keeps the wind and seas out of the cockpit, but also hides the heads of the gunners.
The "lap canvas" hides the rest of them - the shock cord held by thumb cleats allows it to move when the boys sit up to shoot. Note, too, that backrest and floorboard are padded with closed-cell foam - shop mat from Harbor Freight.
Here is the "fiddle" in action. Note how the headrest is kept in place by a cleat on the floorboard.
The foreward end of the floorboard keys into a cleat.
A single turn-button holds the floorboard down.
Here she is - pretty much ready for sea trials. Note deck cleat and fairlead for stern anchor.
Stay tuned....
SJS
The next step was to flip the boat over and work on the bottom. After plugging the centerboard slot - with Yellow Pine and 'glassing inside and out - I attached a long skeg so she'll track well when towed. The skeg is set in 3M 5200 and bolted in place.
There was a fair amount of damage to repair with epoxy and 'glass reinforcements and then fairing compound.
The bottom is painted with red oxide primer - not real bottom paint. I chose the color because a) I had plenty in the shop and 2) it reminds me of all the work boats of my youth.
Rightside up once again, I treat all the wood with preservative. I paint the fore and aft air/floatation chambers in white - just in case I need to fix any problems there down the road - it will be much easier to see.
Deck plates close off the 2 air chambers. The interior is painted before the decking goes on - because access is easy.
Quarter-inch AC plywood is fastened with 3M 5200 and bronze boat nails - well-clamped beforehand.
Butt blocks join the fore and aft pieces of decking. Note the "fiddle" - instead of an actual shelf - to keep gloves and shells handy to the gunners.
Excitement runs high when the decks go on - and the imagined shapes become real.
Now for the chore of 'glassing. I used epoxy resin (US Composites) and 6-oz cloth. I primed with Interlux Pre-Kote Grey then put a coat of cheaper grey primer over that. We will put a better topcoat on after we've lived through Season 1. I had planned to "tiger-stripe" it but was struck by the classic look of "battleship grey" - again, a powerful image from my youth - and so kept it solid grey. As it turns out, Cap'n Kessler leaned the same way - and was relieved to see the lack of the "tiger" look. Still looks like a spaceship, though....
White-Wing, of course, sports a bow handle of a sleeping White-winged Scoter.
The "toe rail" to secure the lower edge of the canvas "cowling" is made from Azek - my first adventure with plastic lumber. It worked great but was softer than I realized. I countersunk for flathead screws - would use panheads instead.
The cowling keeps the wind and seas out of the cockpit, but also hides the heads of the gunners.
The "lap canvas" hides the rest of them - the shock cord held by thumb cleats allows it to move when the boys sit up to shoot. Note, too, that backrest and floorboard are padded with closed-cell foam - shop mat from Harbor Freight.
Here is the "fiddle" in action. Note how the headrest is kept in place by a cleat on the floorboard.
The foreward end of the floorboard keys into a cleat.
A single turn-button holds the floorboard down.
Here she is - pretty much ready for sea trials. Note deck cleat and fairlead for stern anchor.
Stay tuned....
SJS
