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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    32
    Posts
    68

    Default Hartley Vixen 17 Build

    Hi Guys,

    1st time poster (in fact only just signed up as a member) but have been reading the forum for bits of information for a few years.

    Never really thought to have a build blog before, which is a little ironic as I always read them, but I thought I'd give it a go.

    Any who, a little back story here, usually work with sail boats, (high performance cats etc.) but after taking a 6m power boat on a fishing trip I decided my next project would be to build 4.5-6m trailerable power boat, after much deliberation I ordered a set of Hartley Vixen 17 plans, many reasons brought me to this; I have dreamed about building one of these since I was a little kid, I also started getting a pretty solid epoxy allergy (so I wasn't overly keen on a glass/ply composite build) I also hate working with glass/kevlar/carbon (like seriously does anyone actually enjoy going into the workshop to glass something up?!), working with hoop pine and AA- hoop pine ply is pretty bloody nice! I could go on and on here, but so far I've been having a great time working on it, and look forward to finishing it!

    The plan for the build so far, is to be 100%; clear hoop pine, with AA Marine Australian Hoop Pine Ply, fixed with epoxy (glued AND filleted, then the whole boat painted thrice with epoxy resin throughout). I have not yet finalised high-builds and paints etc yet, so I cannot comment on exactly what I will be using. The design has been somewhat modified (deck, boarding, console etc), yet retains the existing hull design.

    Just a heads up, I work 50-60 hours a week, so it's only part time, but I started a few weeks ago and have been making good progress nonetheless.

    Also do you have to host your images on another site? I'm not good with technology.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Adelaide - outer south
    Age
    67
    Posts
    935

    Default

    Hi there Vixen, welcome to the forum.

    There is no need to host photos externally. When you go to create a post just scroll down to Other Options and there is a section called Manage Attachments. You should be able to work through it following the screen prompts but if a little prompting is need there is an explanation in the section off the main forum index.

    This is a link to the thread: Uploading photos as attachments

    The last person I directed there thought it was confusing but I think that may be because it has some screen shots that look a bit fussy. If you concentrate on reading the typed text in the post and then refer to the screen shots it should be reasonably clear.

    Good luck with the build, hope it doesn't take too long.

    How are you managing the epoxy allergy? Is it just a case of better gloves to avoid direct contact?
    Cheers, Bob the labrat

    Measure once and.... the phone rings!

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eustis, FL, USA
    Posts
    2,270

    Default

    Switch epoxy resins and see if your reaction changes. Most that become sensitized are reacting to one of the ingredients in the hardener. In recent years, a number of formulators have made changes, which makes sensitivity issues less problematic. In fact, I'm testing a new formulation that's available and it's about as non-likely to cause a reaction as it gets. I'm not sure if it's available for overseas shipping yet, but I can check.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    32
    Posts
    68

    Default

    Managing the epoxy allergy sucks pretty bad, Nitrile gloves, sometimes and if i can a long-sleeve shirt or two and thick pants, but that is tough as it's been 40+ degrees for many of the days, I have been directed to try a few different epoxy's as apparently the ones I have been using are more common to react to.

    As for build duration, I'll be very disappointed if it took more than a year, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but I have been committing some serious hours and have met pretty much every single goal so far, so we'll see how it goes.

    I kept getting a little "failed to upload icon pop-up" when I tried putting pics up, I'll see what I can do now.

    IMG_4458.jpg
    IMG_4702.jpg
    IMG_4758.jpg
    IMG_4761.jpg
    IMG_4750.jpg

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    32
    Posts
    68

    Default

    Cutting all the frames etc.
    IMG_4760.jpg
    IMG_4808.jpg
    Working through glueing up all the frames & gussets.
    IMG_4864.jpg
    Working through the building stock, Lupo is unimpressed with all the time I am spending in the garage and not playing with him.
    IMG_4879.jpg
    Temp-setup the frames on the building stock.
    IMG_4886.jpg
    Cutting the pieces for the stem and rims.
    IMG_4890.jpg

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Adelaide - outer south
    Age
    67
    Posts
    935

    Default

    Good progress and looking very neat .

    You probably already know this but do be careful with the epoxy on those 40+ days - I've had a batch go up in smoke in those conditions and that was after dividing it into 2 parts. Very small batches is the way to go.

    The extreme hot weather has been fairly wide spread this year - which state are you in?
    Cheers, Bob the labrat

    Measure once and.... the phone rings!

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eustis, FL, USA
    Posts
    2,270

    Default

    One trick with epoxy on hot days, is to get it out of the mixing cup as quickly as you can, smearing it out in a big container or piece of board. Spread it out as a very thin sheet of goo, which can be scraped up on a plastic applicator or putty knife for application. If left in a mixing cup, it'll build heat quickly and kick off. If confined enough, it can catch a paper cup on fire.

    I use cake carriers for the big container, which I found at the local department store. They have flat bottoms and big round corners, so easy to clean. I also have several hunks of 1/4" plywood that have repeated coatings of straight goo on them. I use these as a mixing board when thickening up epoxy and they can be taken to the work once mixed. I use the big cake carrier for straight or slightly thickened epoxy and the boards for stiffer mixtures. This simple technique will save you from having a mix kickoff way too soon and also makes mixing fillers into it much easier.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    32
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    Default

    Thanks guys

    I always try to put in the maximum that I can, so every edge that is exposed and is not for glueing etc is routed with a rounded edge (I don't know If you can see from the pictures etc yet, and I'm a bit OCD with marking out and cutting so everything has been fitting 100% dead on, so that little time earlier is making it much faster now!

    As for where I live, in the centre of Perth WA.

    Yeah I have to mix smaller batches, but If I'm fast enough its all good, done a huge amount of glueing and filleting in the last couple weeks and haven't had trouble yet, Although I haven't used the cake idea yet, that will be on the cards soon though I think, as for spreading and controlling the thinkness of epoxy spread out I have been using "V-notch" screders, and after a bit of testing can get extremely consistent glue thicknesses (eg. 0.4mm 0.5mm 0.6mm etc.)

    IMG_4999.jpg

    Rims, stem and keelson dry-fitted.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eustis, FL, USA
    Posts
    2,270

    Default

    The idea behind spreading out the epoxy is to delay the onset of exotherm, which is what causes the goo to "cook", if it's masses in a cup. If the epoxy is mixed, then spread out into a thin sheet, the surface area slows the exotherm process, so you have more working time. In warm weather this is pretty important.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    32
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    Default

    Yeah, when I epoxy things, I always have a second person helping, and once the glues mixed item 1 is to empty that container ASAP, fortunately my helper is very good and we haven't had a problem yet, had a few close calls though!

    Making more good progress with shaping etc!

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    32
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    Default

    Progress on shaping the stem, keelson, rims and fitting the chines.

    IMG_5061.jpg

    IMG_5065.jpg

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Looking good, was wondering on FB how you were going with the project.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    32
    Posts
    68

    Default

    IMG_5149.jpg

    Cheer's Mate, Yeah I don't spend much time on Facebook, It's been a frustrating January, my helper is in Japan and has been for 4 weeks, and the shaping, planing and sanding when it's 40 degree's Celsius is ridiculous (cause in the Garage it is like 50 deg.).

    IMG_5151.JPG

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Mandurah, Western Australia
    Posts
    11

    Default

    Looking good although can not see the very fine detail.
    However at this stage do NOT forget limber holes for drainage all the way thru to the transom along each floor and topside stringer. Then work out how to get the last remaining damn dam puddles across to beside the hog and out the drain plugs.
    Don't ask how I know !

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    32
    Posts
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    Default

    Thanks Martin! Yeah, everything is setup to run through perfectly to two stern bungs (one either side of the keelson) The boat also (and I'm sure you can see so far from whats there, will have "compartments" set-up throughout the sub-floor, chase tubes will be run through to suit each section and to run services.

    These compartments will mostly be fully sealed expanding foam filled compartments, along with a section with built in slots for removable fuel tanks (up to 4 x 25L removable tanks, because I believe simplicity is key to great boat ownership!) along with a "ballast tank section" which will be semi-sealed under-floor space with a bladder on the centre-line near the centre of the boat for stability at rest, along with some insulated tanks (for kill tanks, or ice-box storage under floor) all fully sealed.

    Transom is on, made a slight re-design here, it'll be a smidgen heavier and a few more $$$ (but who cares about that for the right finished product and I know for a fact now the stern will handle any HP thrown at it), and will vastly improve load paths, and construction time was reduced from the complicated system in the design (which appeared to be to save weight and wood) I was much happier using some really high grade wood in a vastly more extended laminate. And a much improved "bilge well" under the boarding platform, that will perfectly suit all the bilge pumps etc.

    IMG_5206.jpg

    Did hours and hours of addition shaping, and got the skin panels fitting absolutely perfectly!

    You can also see here that the stringers (which are larger than the plans specify) have had the top edges routed with a smooth round edges, along with everything else that isn't a glueing face that has been routed too. These have also since been filleted with epoxy (although I will make sure everything is perfect and filleted up when she's up on her side and access is a bit easier!)

    IMG_5242.jpg

    Getting the first layers of the bottom skin on!

    Feels like a travesty to cover up all that work! But I am extremely happy how the skins have been going down! Seriously feels like all those hours fairing up the stringers, keelson and stem have paid off, because there isn't a single space of air I can find between any two glue surfaces! And the line where the sheets join along the keelson is dead straight and super fair!

    IMG_5211.jpg

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