Building a Stir Ven – 22ft Timber Day Sailor Camp Cruiser

[jalmberg]

Wow. Nice build. She's looking great!

[Darce]

How about hotwiring your foam blank and then using lost foam to cast the keel?

Check out how airo modellers [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU-cFqImR6Y"]make their wings[/ame]

[AndrewPatrol]

Mike already has the centreboard

[Darce]

Mike already has the centreboard

Clint (and others) don't

[AndrewPatrol]

good point, sorry

[Rand]

Over the last few weeks I've been working on laying a laid deck. Teak is out of my price range so I'm using a timber called Vitex which is often referred to as poor mans Teak! Not being a snob I can live with that.

It's characteristics are very similar to teak - oily, nice close tight grain, hard wearing, no knots etc. The colour varies from greyish to a light salmon colour.

I bought my Vitex from Matthews Timber and had it milled by Baker and Davies to 6mm thick x 30mm wide strips it came in 3 metre lengths. The thinness of the strips is to minimise weight and movement, also makes bending them really easy.

Everything has been glued down with epoxy. As the timber is quiet oily you have to give it a good wipe with Acetone just before you apply the epoxy.

Here are some pics of what I've been doing.











I have a couple of question that I'd like to canvas opinion on. Once the deck is down, the gaps between the strips will be filled with Sikaflex. My question is should I bother masking tape the decks before Sikaflexing, or just slop it in wait for it to go hard then sand the whole show back?

Secondly once it's done that age old question to oil or not to oil? Should be done soon, I'd like here what people have to say.

Thanks
Mike

[Darce]

Fabulous job you're doing there. Not familiar with this Vitex, you must have some offcuts you could trial the Sika with?

[AndrewPatrol]

That looks fantastic Mike, I'm B*&*&^ envious of your commitment to a laid deck. I dont reckon I'd have the patience, but geez it looks good. You've certainly kicked-on since I saw your boat.
I reckon Darce is on to it - some test pieces are the way to go

Keep it up

Andrew

[CCBB]

That is a good idea by Darce to trial with Sika on a piece of ply with a few strips. My experience suggests it would be very tough to get good results without doing the long process of taping...it is part of the pain of a laid deck. That said, you could prob. do it with graphite and epoxy without taping, but I have not tired that technique. I know it is used more often with today's flexible epoxies.

[robhosailor]

WOW!!! Beautiful! Respect!!!

[Rand]

Here is an update on progress post laying the deck.

Firstly I'm avoiding doing the sikaflex on the deck for a minute, mostly because it will be messy and boring and I wanted to do some woodwork. So I've laid the cockpit sole planking. I've done other stuff as well which you can read about on my blog if your interested.

The cockpit sole is made from planks of Oregon that will be finished with a decking oil. As usual what looked simple on the plans was a little more complicated in practice, anyway 150 stainless steel screws later it was all done. Quiet novel to have an actual floor to walk on. Shame I'm going to pull it all apart again to do the final painting and oiling – ahh well that seems to be boat building.













On to the Helm seat next.

Cheers
Mike

[AndrewPatrol]

Hi Mike, cockpit sole looks nearly as good as deck. One product that sounds pretty good to me for oiling all that wood, is easy to maintain and has a good reputation is Deks Olje.
A question if I may - do you have any plans for hiking straps or floor battens for foot grip when healed? You must be planning the launch by now? Let me know when and where, would love to see you afloat and powering up that main/spinaker rig. Should be pretty speccy in a breeze.

[Rand]

Hi Andrew that's the stuff I intend to use, I think you have to put about a million coats on though!

Yes dreams of sailing are getting closer now, few of my least favourite jobs to overcome before then but there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

No hiking straps. At about 1 ton this boat is intended to handle like a light keelboat not really a dinghy so I'll just make the crew sit on the rail! or put a reef in and take it easy.

I shall let you know when and where the launch will be, probably towards the end of winter.

Cheers
Mike

[olbassy]

Great to see and share your excellent project Mike......and great to be able to know that an honest days diligent work......always presents a beautiful job!
All my very best for your eventual launch.
Top site!...

[Darce]

I'll second the Deks Olje, fabulous stuff.