Thread: GIS Build in Queenstown New Zealand

I got the sides and bulkheads/transom glue-up done a couple of days ago and the bottom on yesterday. Amazing how much quicker progress is when you stick to the plans and don't get sidetracked!

I followed a somewhat different sequence in the side and bulkhead glue-up as I was working on my own. (I could have asked my wife to help, but I'd have to tidy up the garage before she'd go in there) Not saying it's a better way, just it worked for me and for doing it solo.

Following the dry fit, I loosened off the cord holding the stem together at gunwale level, then undid the screws holding bulkheads 1 and 2 in place and eased them out. I put glue on the sides, eased the bulkheads back in place, replaced the screws, then glued the stem piece, pulled the bow together again and got the stem screwed up.

I then unscrewed the transom, and bulkheads three and four, and loosened the cords at the back till they could come out. I could glue in BH 3, then BH4 then the transom, pulling in the back with the cords as I went.

Allignment: I found a line stretched from the middle of the top of the seat cleat on the transom up to the stem useful for aligning the boat so the glue set with everything straight and level. I found if the bulkheads and transom were all level, and midpoints of all bulkheads were aligned to the midline, the boat was also square - diagonals from the aft end of the butt straps to the opposite transom corner matched to within a millimeter or so. at this point.

I can now confirm it's possible to build a Goat on your own - I managed the turnovers prior to putting the bottom on, and again after the bottom is glued up, on my own. I hung a couple of slings with karabiners from the rafters and had two separate rope slings ready to go around the boat and through each karabiner, once susended I could get the sawhorses out of the way, turn the boat over, replace the sawhorsed and lower the boat back down onto them.

I have more pictures in my camera, just not with me at this moment. I'll post some in the next day or so.

Ian

Oh, by the way, this is my 'bench saw':
Attachment 160292
It's a skill saw with a thin kerf blade in it, screwed to the bottom of a 2x8ft piece of MDF with a couple of stiffners along the bottom of each side. I can clamp a long fence to it for ripping and do a good job of the long 5 metre strips of the chine logs and gunwales. It wouldn't get past the workplace safety people with no safety fence, and it won't do more than 50mm thickness, but apart from that it's done all the bits I need.

Turn it over and you could ride it down the street!

Ha, have we by any chance been watching too much belt sander drag racing?

YouTube - Belt Sander Races at AWFS Fair 2007

Build is progressing:
Attachment 162686
As can be seen, I've deviated from the plans in the internal layout. Bulkhead 3 is 150mm further back than standard, and there is an extra bulkhead towards the front of the centerboard. Both are from 4mm ply. The centre seat will be 800mm from front to back, and enclose a big buoyancy/gear storage compartment in the middle of the boat. I'll put sea kayak style flush waterproof hatches in the top of the seats on each side, which will create 260 litres of extra dry storage and buoyancy. It should add only a couple of kilos to the overall weight, but enhance the cruising capability and ability to recover from a swamping without so much water sloshing around and destabilizing the boat. I'm planning watermaat style drainage tubes at the back, plus the option to tie in some fabric covered polystyrene slabs in the bottom at the back. Aim is to have 'sail away' capability following a capsize, and 'keep going' capability following shipping a big green wave over the bow, even with camping gear on board. More pictures of this concept soon.

Attachment 162687
Attachment 162688
I've made a compact 'trolley' for wheeling the boat around from some Pine, Kwila and Paulownia, and borrowed the wheels from the littlest ones buggy:
Attachment 162689
What is my Papa doing with my buggy wheels?!
Attachment 162690

Ian

This is my idea regarding near self bailing capability in the GIS:
Attachment 162701
Wider boxed in central seat, some foam slabs tied down in the front and back floor spaces. Drainage tubes towards the transom, any water above the level of the foam buoyancy will drain out. If the boat is level, water left will all be confined to the centreline of the boat where it will contribute to (or at least not detract from) stability. A bit of a heel on as you sail away and there shouldn't be much more than a few cups left in the boat.

Ian

Hi Ian

You can safely have the tubes exiting the transom as low as possible, ie. sitting on top of the chine log.

Originally Posted by woodeneye

Hi Ian

You can safely have the tubes exiting the transom as low as possible, ie. sitting on top of the chine log.

Yes, exiting as low as possible at the transom, (and as close to the corner as possible I think). However, if the tubes are to have any slope downwards towards the back, the holes in bulkhead four end up at least 100 mm above the floor.

Attachment 162704

I figured out exactly where they should go to give some slope, and for that slope to increase as the boat heels so if the leeward side of the transom is immersed, water doesn't come in, but any thoughts on ideal placement are appreciated.

Ian

Personally, I think you have the tube placement optimised.

Howdy,

As the information flows with the boat going to sailing trials we will finally know the answers. I will add it to the plans as a sidebox suggestion.

MIK

I meant to acknowlege the source of a couple of pictures I copied and modified to illustrate various things I am doing as Clint Chase Boat Builder's website. (gisbuoyancy.pdf and drainage tubes side view.pdf)

Thanks, Clint for allowing use in this way.

Progress continues on various side tracks - I am making (hopefully) waterproof hatches for the top of the front and rear buoyancy compartments and the two compartments either side of the centreboard. Construction details as soon as I know it will work.

Ian

Cool! Pics and text will be great!

MIK

Originally Posted by Boatmik

Cool! Pics and text will be great!

MIK

Yes, sorry for the delay, have been devoting available time to building and keeping the family happy, not much chance to tidy up photos, but I have been documenting as I go, so will post pictures as I can.

Drainage tubes are in place through the rear tank:
Attachment 165742
Aim is to have got the angles right so water goes out but not in! They angle outwards to exit close to the transom corners, and when the boat is level, have about 20 mm downward slope from BH 4 to the transom.
Drainage tube entry through BH 4:
Attachment 165743
Drainage tube exit through transom corner:
Attachment 165744
Because of the outward angle, the slope will increase as the boat heels, so water should drain out, not in as the transom corner goes under. Also visible is the framing that supports the rear seat top. Two stringers as there is a hatch in the middle of the seat top. I couldn't resist doing these as I beams: 8 x 25 Paulownia on edge with 12 x 8 mm hardwood on the bottom. Engineering efficiency/max stiffness for weight at the expense of extra build effort. These stringers in combination with the framing around the hatch are stiff enough without the vertical struts Mik specifies to help support the seat tops. Aim is to have the seat tops, including the hatch covers strong enough to be stood on.

The drainage tubes are fibreglass tubing with an ID of 32 mm, epoxied in place. I filleted the join with epoxy glue, waited till it had started to go off, then added a thicker fillet of fairing compound. BH 4 is only 4 mm ply, so I added vertical strips of 6mm ply to reinforce where the tubes go through BH 4 before making the holes for the tubes.

Next were the seat tops, each with a hatch in the top. I'll post more on the construction of these soon, I have more picture and a document with diagrams/ instructions is underway.
Attachment 165745

Below are my middle seat/buoyancy/storage compartments. The seat is 800 mm front to back, and creates a storage area either side of the centreboard. You can see one hatch closed and one open. The lip around the edges of the opening will have rubber seal around it, and the hatches will be held down with bungees from the inside. Similar system is used in some wooden sea kayak hatches, I think there is some info on the CLC website, I'll link to it when I get the chance.

These two central storage areas have a combined volume of about 260 litres of storage/buoyancy. One aspect of their function determined the size of the hatches in the seat tops:
Attachment 165746
Hannes Lindemann followed the same theory on his Atlantic crossing - why use water ballast when you can use beer ballast?

The first two layers of the gunwales are now on:
Attachment 165747
Next will be a hardwood layer on the outside. The hardwood you see is only 4mm thick on top of Paulownia, so the structure will be very light but tough and strong.

Ian

Here is a PDF document with info on how I am doing my seat top hatches. Quite a large document at 6 and a bit MB.

Wooden Hatches in Seat Tops

They're still work in progress, I'll post more/ create a separate thread once they have had some on/in the water testing.

Ian