Thread: New Toy - Hybrid Ethel III

Originally Posted by b.o.a.t.

(Sometimes sailed Teal backwards too. It messes with onlookers' minds...)

That's twisted AJ - but I like it! It's the kind of thing I'd do if I had the imagination to think of it. 😃

Ethel looks great. Good to see you're getting out there.

A few pics showing what appears to be limited progress.
Most of the varnish looked like this due to spending last summer in the sun.
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Also the gun'ls were springing off at the stern.

Have re-varnished most of the fittings & etc. (Norglass - many coats).
Made some spacers for under the rowlock blocks to enable the oars to clear both the water and the coaming on the return stroke.
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Blocks all had a generous drink of BLO.
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Nearly finished sanding the deck.
The deck ply appears to be 8mm & Pete has cut relief slots in it to make it take the camber.
I suspect this is his final build & was using up some thicker stock. And copper nails.
Interesting mix of old and new techniques - pox and nails.
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The squared straight end of the mainmast looked somewhat cumbersome.
And heavy.
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Once I sanded it back, I realised it is made of solid meranti.
Not what I'd have thought first choice for mast timber.
No knots I suppose, and only about 10M² of sail on a 65mm stayed stick.
Tapered the top, & in the process took about 1/2 kg off it.
6 or 7 coats of varnish later it looks lovely & warm.
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Am making a mast step/tube for an 80mm stay-less ally mast just forward of the bowsprit heel socket.
The plans show that's where it should be. Eventually I'll plonk an OZRacer sail on that & see how it goes.
There's a bit of surgery required to access the front compartment to fit it.
After that, I'll seal the deck in pox & (probably) paint most of it cream, just the coaming and deck fittings clear finished.

At least, that's the plan as of today.
I now have an 8 week deadline before my sister comes from interstate to sail her...
But I don't want to cut any corners..

progressing.
A couple more pics of the almost sanded deck.
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Plan is to install a mast step/tube in front of the bowsprit socket, through these two holes...
I can get a head & 1 arm in through the deck hatch, or 1.5 arms and an eyeball.
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Maybe not an impossible task, but a <insert prefered epithet> difficult one !
Except maybe for a surgeon, which I ain't.

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Ahhhh, that's better. My eyeball will at least be able to see what my 1.5 arms are butchering...
With enough meat left of the bulkhead to take the stresses.

(12mm Hoop Pine marine ply in a 15 foot canoe... a Michael Storer design this most definitely is NOT !!)

Assembling mast step/tube/whatever...
All nicely square and round with about 2mm slop.
Another layer or two of pox plus paint will reduce that a bit.
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8 weeks isn't long in this business but it looks like you're making good progress so you should get there in time.

8 weeks is nightmarishly short given we have to rearrange the fire shed to accommodate an extra truck in about 6-7 weeks.
That includes earthworks to the concourse, finding homes for all the stuff that inhabits the 3rd truck bay, and building new
PPE racks for 30-odd fire-fighters.
Apparently, somewhere in there I'm also supposed to attend my paid employment..

WHat are you doing these days Bob ?

Ah, I didn't realise you were back in harness - thought you were still a gentleman of leisure. At least with all that going on you won't be bored .

My little transom sterned stripper still gets some use and I have loggged over 100 hours sinn her now. Other than that I haven't been up to much boat related stuff but do have plans for a SOT fishing kayak in paulownia and cedar. As soon as my son gets a floor in his shed I'll be able to clear mine out and get onto it. In the meantime I shall subsist on morsels from the forum.

Keep posting about Ethel - I reckon she's a beauty, and I suspect other people must be interested too despite the lack of replies.

G'day Bob
Leisure lasted only a couple of months, & barely even that.
Casual work at TAFE worked out at about 3-4 hrs prep for every (paid) hour in front of a class for about 2 terms, then a succession of short contracts until won a permanent pozzi last year. Just in time for down-sizing...

Closed in the box. There's a rat or summat in the ceiling so I might first use it to catch that.
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My meagre contribution to the art that is Ethel. A kaleidoscope...
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And I've just noticed a big drip of pox at the bottom where it should not be.
Must dash out & figure a way to mop it up... from 500mm away thru an 82mm hole.
Lucky I took the pic & posted it straight away !!

Well, the hole is made in the boat.
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And now that there is light inside the front compartment, I no longer think this boat has a solid fibreglass hull.
Inside the compartment smells of polyester resin, but here's the construction.
Either cold moulded, or diagonal strip in timber or foam. Any thoughts?
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I really should chase up the builder for a chat...
Anyhooo...
Mast box to attach to this bulkhead with a front partner and side bracing under the deck.
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The foot to be attached to the bulkhead. I was going to make a forward cross-brace as well, but have changed my mind.
Will step it in a big blob of goo where the inner stem tapers into the keelson.

I'm so pleased you found this boat. She is gorgeous, and a worthy project that I think you have been unknowingly working towards..i spent hours looking lovingly at the Campion Boats equivalent, but never got around to it. Have fun AJ, you deserve it.
rob

Thanks Rob
I see you've a new mistress as well! ;-)
Beachcomber is very different to either of Annie or the 540.
And somehow she just looks "right" for the Lakes.
I hope you're settling in there well.

Oh, & by way of interest, wandering past the cabinet/joinery shop at work the other month, I saw these.
Apparently, one of the lecturers on that side of the staff room runs night classes making a variety of instruments.
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cheers

The pattern of the nail holes does not appear to line up well with the strips that are visible and that implies they were holding down another layer (or more) over those strips. If so then that suggests cold moulding.

....and that's about the limit of my deductive reasoning.

Bob, that's about where I'm at.
Also thinking the line of nail holes might line up with strakes on a male mould.

Well, it's in now.
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Once the glue cures, I'll shape it then coat the whole deck in pox.
If I could just convince the roof to stop dripping on the sanded deck at random places & intervals...