Thread: Another OZ MK2 PDRacer build in Sydney "Wood Duck"

Wark, wark, honk, honk ;).

Hi MIK,

I was wondering who was going to start page 200: it's highly appropriate that you were the one!


I'll give the ToC some thought over the next little while and send it to you once done. It's likely to be done before the repairs to the boat are!

Cheers,
Alex.

Obviously a ToC would be helpful the lazy readers like myself. I have been using the "Search this post" function, but it spews numerous options which all take time to sort through. If I managed to create the longest post in history I would add something like this (obvuously underline is a hyperlink)...

Construction
Plywood sides: Main reference page Update 1 page
Transom: Layout page Adding pintles Painting
...Sails....
Trailer...

Tools& Hardware
Sanding tools
Router
....
Problem Solving
Epoxy Issue 1: Issue on side deck Issue on spar
Epoxy Issue 2:
Epoxy Issue 3:
Epoxy Issue 4:
Varish Issue1:
Repairing Issue: Front Deck
Repairing Issue: Smashed side into oblivion

Sanding count
Hull sanded back to wood X times
Spars sanded back to wood Y times
Number of elbows I have worn out: Z

Psycological Analysis
What I have learnt from reading this thread: Reader 1's opinion Reader 2's opinion Reader 3's opinion Reader 4's opinion Reader 5's opinion Reader 6's opinion Reader 7's opinion ...


That last 2 sections were a joke.

I think a ToC would easily work as a first post because you're photo journal of each stage of production is compact into 1-2 postings. No biggie though.

I continue to check all my steps by this post, so again its a great resource for all us amateurs!

MIK ? Alex?

Maybe you two could come up with a DVD to go along with the OZRacer manual, showing these steps needed to get a Prime Finish on the hull, along with the building pics, needed to help us "Begining Builders" Just come over this entire forum...

Stephen
From VT, USA

It's like an abridged Hamlet, Alex!

MIK

Originally Posted by topbarhive

MIK ? Alex?

Maybe you two could come up with a DVD to go along with the OZRacer manual, showing these steps needed to get a Prime Finish on the hull, along with the building pics, needed to help us "Begining Builders" Just come over this entire forum...

Stephen
From VT, USA

I ment to say COPY over the entire forum for the DVD...

Need to preview, need to preview, need to preview...


Stephen
VT, USA

Something like that would be Excellent Stephen.

I don't know if it is possible without a back breaking amount of work.

I do have one building set that goes most of the way through and a good range of photos about the RV version (formerly the Mk3)

Here is a pic of both by Rick Landreville



Building the OzRacer Mk2 Simple plywood sailboat - photos on flickr

And Rick's building of the OzRacerRV Even simpler plywood sailboat - the mast step is different in the final plan - just a simple plank form.

MIK

Still nuffin' - I've put the boat on hold until I can get enthused about it again. Things like root canal therapy under general anaesthetic plus prior associated unwellness hasn't helped. I've also changed over to multifocal glasses and that's been a real showstopper for a lot of things while I get used to them. In fact, I need to wear my old reading glasses to read the computer screen...

Practicing and a little bit of metalworking and sorting out/tidying (apart from tooth-related time-outs) have been occupying what time I might spend on the boat at the moment.

I have, however, worked out that I can scrunch things up on one of the kayak sheets so I will actually have plenty of spare plywood - it's just a matter of measuring out and cutting, which I seem to want to avoid doing a lot. The daughter having become the opposite of interested in sailing hasn't helped much, either.

More anon, when I've got the, er, "mojo" back.

Well, still haven't got the enthusiasm or the space to fix the boat up yet. The workswamp is a depressing and miserable (cold, damp, cluttered, dangerous) space to be in at the moment so I avoid going in there unless I really need something, like a tool or some electronics parts.

I've been happily working away at the CNC enclosure and its innards: I can do this in warmth and comfort in the house proper.

Hopefully I can get over my aversion to doing anything on the boat, but it's not looking good. Maybe when Spring gets here...

Slowly slowly. And if nothing's done by December/Jan ... I'll give you a hand if you can handle my slapdash ways!

MIK

Alex (and all), I have just finished sanding my OzRacer hull bottom with 150 grit sandpaper. All the holes are filled and I have a slight curve on most edges except the transom. I believe I am ready to epoxy the bottom. It'll be the usual wet on wet 3 coats and I will use fibreglass over the bottom as a preventative against serious rock damage.

Before I start, I was just wondering what you recommend as a professional amateur OzRacer builder, how you prepared the hull before epoxy? I expect to vacuum it then use a tack cloth over all surfaces. This is basically what I did for my spars. What would you recommend additionally for preparing epoxied surfaces before painting and also before varnishing?

Tack cloth is not so good before epoxy. The "tackiness" is usually because there is a small amount of varnish or something in the cloth.

If the varnish contaminates the surface it reduces the bond of the epoxy - because the epoxy will stick to the varnish rather than to the wood. Also some chance of the epoxy not going on smooth.

So best just to vacuum. The epoxy - three coats wet on wet will hide any dust well.

The glass only needs to be very light. Any glass adds lots of weight even though people on the net say "it is not much". We have found that 2oz (70gsm) cloth gives plenty of protection even up to bigger boats.

But always it makes it much harder to lift. 10lbs is not much ... but if you have 65 + 10 and you want to move it by yourself ... it is difficult.

It is quite hard to damage the plywood on the bottom anyhow. Most boats are OK without any glass other than the glass tape.

Particularly if the bottom 6mm plywood is made of five veneer layers. It is much stronger than 6mm thick ply made of 3 layers.

Just some thinking ... don't take it too seriously except for the tack rag part and that light glass (if it is available) does as good a job as heavier glass.

Best wishes
Michael

What they all said ;). The weather is showing signs of warming up a bit - well, it was last time I was up and about, which was almost a week ago now... The Other Boss brought home a Nasty Cold From School(TM), and it finally got me, whinge whinge, bleat bleat.

More of the whinging and bleating - the workshop rapidly became unusable during all the water at the beginning of the year, and this was unhappily followed by a viciously cold winter - for Sydney. Or this neck of the woods, anyway. I've been staying up in the warm, working on the CNC box and assiduously practicing (I know no longer sound or look the way I did when playing, whenever it was :) - or was until taken ill.

And NUFFIN are bin dun at all on the boat. It glares savagely at me every time I go down to the shop to get a tool, so I don't hang about very long. There is little incentive to in any case since the place is still too frigid for comfort (and heating it is not an option).

While lying in bed I did a bit of browsing on the net, prompted by meeting someone who owns a Bolger Micro and had mentioned Roger Keye's example in Adelaide (supposedly the first of the type to be built in Oz), which is no doubt familiar to some persons on this forum. I rather like the look of the Long Micro, myself - but know that either of them are realistically a long way out of my reach, along with such boats as the Goat, the Gannet, canoes/kayaks, etc. :(.

If the workshop warms up sufficiently to start thinking about using epoxy without having a fit, soon, I may get the patching done to the 'Duck, although it won't look pretty.

Cheers from the alex, to anyone who may chance to read this...

I hope you find the motivation Alex. Who knows, a couple of warm days, throw the doors and windows to the workshop open, take a deep breath .......... Well something like that .

We're heading into Autumn here, so we're slowly getting everything ready for winter. This morning was 2°c.

Here's hoping you get your boat fixed so you can get back out and have some fun.

Cheers, Kev.

I'm still regularly scanning all your posts as pictorial guides for my build, Alex. So when I put a serious hole in my boat, you know I'll need your guide on hole repairs! I trust you find the time and energy to regroup and rebuild.

Mark