Look how the top two pictures lined up...like I planned it...but I didn't.
I can now throw away that piece of wood I spent a couple hours on.
(This picture looks like it was taken in the 70's. Whooo...dude)
(As a side note I have not purchased this chain as of yet.) This will get the weight of the chain out of the bow and farther back and lower which will help with the way Nellie Jo sails. I still had to make a "floor" for the original chain locker as that is where the rope for the "day" anchor will go. This will be some chain and a butt load of rope. (I think "butt load" is a nautical term meaning a lot of rope. Correct me if I am wrong, I found it on Wikileaks and they only put true stuff in there.) Where was I... Oh, so I am measuring up for a floor in the "rope" locker and cutting it out of cardboard. It takes a while but I get it done. I test fit this piece of cardboard at least a dozen times. I finally cut it out of plywood and oh shoot what is that....more space? Ah crap! What.. why didn't I see that before? What I saw was the space from the "rope" locker bulkhead to the bottom of the new rope locker floor. Hmmm...I could use that space! So I scrap all my nicely cut cardboard and plywood and start again.
Nice try now do it again!
This time I make a piece that will go from the bottom of the rope locker bulkhead to the hull. As you can see from the picture I drilled holes in it to allow water to flow and air. I want lots of airflow so the chain and rope can dry out and not allow mold to grow. Another benefit of this piece is it will act as a support for the chain pipe that is running down below the rope locker bulkhead
Whats left to finish this project? Test the new piece of wood for fit. Drill some holes in it. Coat it with epoxy, Then install it. Remove the temped in place pipe, bond the plywood that the toilet flange mounts to the hull.(Yes it is a toilet flange) screw and bond the toilet flange to the wood. Glue up all the pipe, get some fresh air. Mount the chain hawser hole thingy on deck. Cut a new opening on the port side of the bowsprit for the rope to go down into the chain locker. Put the rope in the chain locker BUT remenber to tie the end off to the samson post. (The last one is very important...I can see me letting the anchor go and the rope speeds out of the chain locker and the end speeds out also over the side into the depths! "Oh Honey I don't want to anchor, lets find a marina.") Install the anchor in the bow roller and see if I need chocks for it. (I bet I do.) etc, etc, etc....you get the idea. I have to go, I'm tired just thinking about all this.
PS. I went to the boat last night (12-19-12) and test fit the "new" wood pieces for the chain and rope lockers. They fit fine so I will epoxy them at home. I'll post pictures when I am done.
This is good stuff. I'm considering making the same mod to Sundowner. Can you show some photos of where that pipe runs to in your boat? Like where the chain will actually lie in the boat.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
tate
Tate,
ReplyDeleteI'll get a better picture next time at at the boat in a few days.
The pipe ends at the bottom "v" of the hull down below where the lower bobstay fitting is. (The one that is glassed into the boat.) By ends I don't mean the pipe is laying on the "v" it is as high as I could get it. The pipe runs straight down from the deck turns aft a little above the v-berth height on a 45 degree angle and goes under the starboard side samson post. I did have to trim my starboard side samson post off right where the hole is drilled to tie the anchor rode off to. I cut the samsom post in order to keep the pipe as high as possible. I hope this makes sense. I'll shoot you a picture as soon as I get it.
James