Hull 126 Bristol Channel Cutter

The stakes were high

2010-10-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

One night the salon hosted a card school and as you can see the stakes were high.

The interior

2010-10-29T12:24:00.000-07:00

I have to build some fiddles behind the seat, and I had fitted a small CO detector for safety. Although we do not has LPG on board it is a wwise precaution. The speakers are BOSE and the stereo comes with a remote, this seems excessive but hey it came with it.

Bill care fully selected most of the wood on board and the colors and grains are lovely. We used Pettits satin varnish for just about everything except the table which was finished in gloss.

Two taps here, one for pressure system hot and cold, the other to a foot pump, cold only and also can be diverted for salt water.

It had struck me that there were no pictures of the finished interior. Actually it is not quite finished, are boats ever finished one might ask. Well a few cupboard doors to be fitted and a few things just to make it feel like home. I asked someone how long it took to get the inside a yacht organised and they said 3 years.

The sole is teak and is oiled to try and provide a less slippy surface when it is wet.

The salon table fits on a removable pedestal, I liked this feature which means after undoing a couple of bolts it can put out of the way as necessary. It seems to be a well engineered solution. Although I do like some of the other arrangements on other BCC's.

I quite like how the slightly different colors of the woods work together, and when the hatch is closed with the Alpen glow lights on there is a nice warm tone. The blue I feel works well with the accent of the cushions.

Somes Sound

2010-10-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

We had a delightful sail with the wind behind us and shortly after had to return to NE hbr where my wife had to leave to attend to her mother who had become sick. It was sad to see her go, and it left me single handed however I had by this time worked out most of the new boat wrinkles and it was going to be just fine.

Cranberries from the top

2010-10-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

Nice view over the Cranberry islands, this cliff has an eagle's nest on it much to the delight of the boat tours. It dutifully takes off for a fly past on command and then sits on its eyrie majestically surveying its domain.

Ah the site of a near disaster. We had just come down to the beach after our walk and were about to get in the dinghy. When someone came rushing over to tell us that this big power boat was drifting across the bay to our BCC. Panic! We both leapt (loose term given our age and ability) into the dinghy and yours truly didn't quite make it................. the spare leg and I fell backwards into the water whereupon I was suspended upside down with my leg brace tangled into the rowlock. Foot caught under the thwart and bleeding nicely. It probably looked quite funny from the shore.

Anyway after I unhooked myself we "sped" off to the boat where this nice old lady was trying to fend off. They had hooked our anchor and as they pulled in with their winch they just worked their way up our chain until they arrived at the top. Both well into their eigthies and somewhat baffled by what had happened. We disengaged and I suspect all was ok until I realised that the camera and my cell phone was in my pocket........................

so thats the end of the photographs from me

Friendships easily made

2010-10-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

On the way round to Valley cove we came across a fleet of Friendship Sloops, what fun they were having. One flew by us under full sail and was well handled.

We must have counted a dozen at least, they just appearred out of nowhere.

Lurking in the bay, is another BCC can you spot it?

2010-10-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

Just near Asticou there are some gardens which are quite lovely and well worth the hike up the hill.

Can't think why they call this a smoke bush, I tried to camouflage with my red cap but I was captured on film.

Met this great guy with a BCC, a Canadian one, he was refitting it! Thoroughly delighted with it and claimed that it had changed his life. EEk powerful boats. We had a great chat and compared and contrasted.

and then ZEN

2010-10-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

Asticou Gardens - what a delight. The Zen garden of course is meant to look like the sea! Topical for yachties if course.

The rest is magnificently laid out out and beautifully maintained, we thought about supper at the hotel, but when we discovered about the price we decided the boat would be better food.

Actually NE hbr was a little oasis away from the hustle of Bar Harbour, they would have a jazz band playing every Thurs and free drinks! The locals were so friendly.

We went to Bar Harbour about 20 years ago and it was perfectly delightful. Sadly its a bit frantic now and the outlet mentality that surrounds it has spoiled much of its charm. MDI is still quite lovely, creaking a bit at the joints from all the people, however their bus service (free) was superb and so convenient.

Some like it hot

2010-10-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

I think we walked up Penobscot mountain in the hottest day of the year, it was also high humidity. Well worth it, but we didn't do much for the rest fo the day.

So we made it up to North East Habr and it was quite the ride.

We started out from Stonington in fine weather, then it really closed in, fog as they say like pea soup. Thank goodness for Raymarine and the chart plotter as it would not have been much fun with out it.

We had to make the pass just south of Bass Harbour, it is quite tight and there was bit of a current flowing there, of course the fog horn is in your ear and the bell on the buoys seem to all get together to fool you.

Its interesting looking back on the track and see that when we reached the first bell, we almost went 360 degrees until we finally settled our course thru the pass. We were dead on but the fog was some thick. The fog cleared a little and there was the light house almost within hands reach. Trust the instuments and then we were thru.

We had an interesting ride up between the islands on the way to Mount Desert Island, although it was foggy there was still wind with a following sea. The water shallows quite quickly here and the waves pitched up, the ferry came up our tail and told us to hurry up!

We were quite pleased to tie up in NE Hbr after an interesting day.

Stonington

2010-10-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

We had been told that Stonington was more of industrial fishing marine repair centre. However we were also advised that it was very down east in flavor and we were presently surprised by the place. The folks were very friendly offering rides wherever, most graciously. There was a great buzz at the dock and impromptu drinks were the order of the day.

We had a lovely evening at the theatre there, the show was most professional and played to a packed house. Strangely it was about fishing.........................Bert Dow deep fisherman.

Much evidence of stone quarrying, must be something to do with the name. Huge history of granite going to New York and Washington etc. I believe that the industry is experiencing some resurgence.

Met this fella John Valentine there. An Aussie who lives and works near Alice Springs, and then sails off to the deep blue yonder periodically and goes walkabout. Lots of great stories about his adventures and I suspect he will show up on the rock here sometime soon.

From a different time...

2010-10-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

A picture that could be from decades ago. We did note that many of the people on the islands had old vehicles that they kept and for the most part were well maintained. Really quite quaint.

The pic opposite thru the trees shows the BCC at rest in the bay.

The post office was a small garden shed on the main street.

What a gem-Isle Au-Haut!

2010-10-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

The weather was picture perfect and we waited for the turning of the tide so as we could move thru the pass to moor at the town.

Didn't touch bottom and tied on to a red mooring ball. A small bottle was attached to leave $20 in. It was very cozy in the gut just off the town wharf.

Apparently the island was male only until 1939 I believe.Populated mostly in the summer by academic types from the NE US.

There was a beautiful library there which was like an Alladins cave, and we spent a great morning browsing.

We did discover that there was Contra dancing the night before, but no notice to let folks know what was going on, this was a pity as my wife teaches dancing and this would have been a great oppoutunity.

Pictures from inside the church on the island and it was very well maintained and a beautiful building.

The church was hiding up this beautiful walkway and smacks of history.

We're sailing

2010-10-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

Its is always interesting when you sail a new boat, you start to see what happens when. There were a number of observations that I made.

The first was that the boat just tracked so well. I had heard this from others but when I discovered exactly how to balance the sails, the rest was easy. Of particular note was reducing the main one reef (normally) and the boat set back on a more level keel and off she went. The action improved remarkably, we lost a little bit of speed but the comfort level was so much better.

I had fitted a windvane and had fully intended using it but to be honest except for sailing off the wind it really wasn't needed. As usual everywhere we went the wind was usually in our face. The boat seemed just to find her way and I could comfortably move off the helm down below and do some things in the knowlege that all would be ok upstairs.

One of the other observations I had was that the boat was very clean in the water, whilst we were out in no more than 25 knots, we never really had green water in our faces, in short the sea action was great.

There were times when we a carpet of lobster buoys as far as the eye could see, and when we first went out these were a great source of anxiety, however towards the end we were quite comfortable sailing right thru them. We still were a bit concerned whilst motoring and I suspect that was prudent.

I seem to remember that the top speed we experienced was almost 8 knots and the boat was handling well at that speed, mostly on close haul to close reach we would be around 5 knots, with the speed increasing as we moved aroound off the wind. Running was slow it seemed compared to reaching and I think is quite normal. In particular the sea action while we were running was so pleasant and the speed was surprising even with just the yankee up.

Blessing of the fleet in North Haven

2010-09-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

There is always the fly past at the end, and what a racket.

Each of these boats sounded just like a tractor trailer. Its quite alarming when the fog rolls in as you can hear them like a swarm of angry bees, but you just don't know where they are coming from.

Hospitality Plus

2010-09-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

Its Maine you can tell that easily cos there are lobsters (and pots) everywhere. You just can't get away from them. Some of them are edible too.

So we were moored at Pulpit Harbour, once we got the kinks out of the chain!

A trip to the store and a chance meeting with Noreen O'Connor and a car was left for us at the dock so as we could go to a concert that night. Keys in the ignition, and then of course drinks after the concert. What kindness! The concert was fabulous. We were invited into several homes most graciously.

Must get a sail cover

2010-09-07T11:26:00.000-07:00

Wow

2010-09-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

Off to Pulpit Harbour

2010-09-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

What a great day, and an even better sunset.

So there you have it.

I t had been an exciting couple of weeks getting the launch organised. Of course there are always many things to be done. Just getting away from work in Newfoundland and travelling for 3 days to Camden was quite an undertaking, but things were becoming real, and even more so as we sat at anchor in Pulpit harbour. Our good friends from Camden (actually guardian angels if the truth be know) Doug and Dale Bruce, came over in their Tayana to wish us well in our travels. Most kind folks and they had had been of great assistance with the days before the launch. It was time to kick back a bit and chill out.

Can you believe this, its taken a while

2010-09-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

Its been along day, but resting confortably

2010-09-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

Thats My Girl

2010-09-07T11:00:00.001-07:00

Wait a minute

2010-09-07T10:57:00.001-07:00

Lets do this properly

The Launch

2010-09-07T10:55:00.001-07:00

thar she blows

2010-01-06T16:57:00.000-08:00

a virgin BCC off to storage, I really like the lines.

The cocoon opens and a beautiful butterfly emerges

2010-01-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

There are a few items to fit after its trip to storage for the winter, and of course the rigging in the spring.

"The time has come" the walrus said

2010-01-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

"to think of many things, of sailing ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings"

Lewis Carol I think.

So Bill has informed me that the boat leaves the workshop early next week and will make its way into storage. Its hard to believe the time has come. I have been advised that there still are a few things to tidy up here and there, likely there will always be.

Of course the whole project has been a marvellous roller coaster, closely matched by the ride on the back of the Canadian dollar, which has recovered from a 30 cent margin. It sits about 95 cents to the US now and I can live with that.

I have had ever so much assistance from so many folks during the build, and its been a lot of work. I told the shipwright Bill Bucholtz of Apache boatworks that I don't think I could have done this without him. I toyed with the idea, however the climate and the logistics to build a boat here in Newfoundland is just not favourable. Whats more, whilst I am broke, I am still married! When Joshua Slocum was asked how much money it took to build a boat he replied "as much as you have"

A good friend of mine told me it would take two years at which I scoffed, I have had to eat my words. Mercifully Bill is a patient man and has managed to occupy himself when the money ran out.

Just reading a book right now about this curious love affair that some people have about boats, it is quite irrational and even rational folks get bitten by the bug, the far away look in their eyes and the compulsion to proceed despite many good sense reasons to cut and run.

Given a few years I am sure the psychiatrists will have a name for it, no doubt medication will arrive shortly after to treat the condition. May I suggest "the banana boat syndrome", hows your husband " oh he's gone bananas on his boat". People will knowingly nod their head and ask whether he has been taking his meds, and then wonder about the prognosis. My suspicion is that the condition is likely uncurable...............

Well the boat will be stored until late spring, at which time, if all the stars align, we shall get the boat commissioned, and then hopefully sail into the sunset so stay tuned.....

I have asked Bill to send me a last lot of photographs, before it settles in Camden for the winter, I shall be delighted to share these with everyone as they become available.

We need some wind now

2010-01-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

The folks at Caphorn, are the most agreeable folks you could ever expect to do business with. They are good to their word and the product appears to be just great. Heard so much about how well it functions however never used one so anxious to test it out I hope the learning curve is not too steep.

Jaws

2010-01-02T17:31:00.000-08:00

I think that having the scuttle open like this is great, I hope to spend many a night feeling a cool breeze blow thru.

Pulpit falls into its rightful place

2010-01-02T17:28:00.000-08:00

I was really pleased with the metal work and the fit was just splendid.

Main Hatch

2010-01-02T17:20:00.000-08:00

The main hatch is completed.

The compass is a Suunto, and is lit by an LED.

Raymarine tridata to starboard and the ST 60 wind gauge.

Bill built some nice coamings to break any water coming across the Salon roof, they will also serve to locate the dodger. I plan having the ability to stretch the dodger roof to the boom gallows and then later when all the bills settle down maybe go to a full enclosure.

Winch handle is tucked nicely in for easy access.

Lifelines and gate come together

2010-01-02T17:19:00.000-08:00

Before and afters of the head locker

2010-01-02T17:10:00.000-08:00

It looks pretty rough at this point, and then
rather than a drawer which would be a poor use of space, a cupboard works better

The work is just drop dead beautiful, this is one of the Alpenglow lights we fitted, expensive but takes about .33 of an amp to run and it even looks good. The light is not that piercing white that gives you a headaches but more of a color corrected light.

Bulwark sheet bracket is movable

2010-01-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

This bracket holds the block for the jib sheet and we have yet to fully settle on its position. Once we have the boat sailing it can be secured finally such that it forms the optimum angle for the sail shape. Can't wait!

Galley Nears Completion

2010-01-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

All the little jobs are now coming together, the to do list is melting away, it all takes a lot of time. The detail is very good and Bill uses these little brass tubes to access the catch for the drawers. I feel that using drawers here was a great idea, and allows access to the back of these difficult spaces. A hatch would have been another way to go, but bending over to reach the inner aspects next to hot stove would certainy be courting disaster.
The drawers can be segmented for separation and another added bonus is that the counter is waterproof.

The fold up shelf fits beautifully and is held in place with a spring catch cleverly placed at one end.

Drawers under fabrication.

Now at least I can get on board

2010-01-02T16:34:00.000-08:00

It is always useful to have a more dignified way of getting on board, climbing up the rudder and thru the windvane may be possible for the young 'uns, however the ladder seems like a better alternative. It collapse nicely for storage and can be moved as needed. I think that some kind of rescue equipment will be likely to facilitate rescues, man overboard and the like.

Nav station starts to look great

2009-11-19T07:50:00.000-08:00

from left to right is the 12 volt outlet, then 120 outlet, and then the Sat radio with the speaker for the VHF above and to the side is the control panel for the inverter and then of course is the control for the VHF handset. Space under for a computer or charts to slide away and also air venting at the deck. Very neatly and compactly arranged and the face panel hinges down for access. Not a bit of space wasted.

Raymarine E series

2009-11-19T07:46:00.000-08:00

is tucked nicely into the space above the hanging locker. Bill feels it can come down a bit and let it fit further back. Visibility from the cockpit and the nav station is excellent, the supporting bracket is simple and effective.

Shore power receptacle

2009-11-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

placed in the cockpit well, we have an inverter on board as well. It is a small boat but with the advent of some of these sophisticated electronics it would have seemed a pity not to have the boat with 120 on board. Even if just to allow one to stay connected on the net. It does introduce all kinds of other factors like stray galvanic activity. This can be a major problem when in a marina. Dave put a galvanic isolator on board and hopefully this will assist. There is also provision made for a solar charger which can keep the batteries topped up even when one is away from the baot and still eliminate the need for shore power connection.

Everywhere I look

2009-11-19T07:31:00.000-08:00

there are details and the stamp of a professional. Look at the boomkin, thru bolted and then plugged. As strong as a house.

Windlass

2009-11-19T07:15:00.001-08:00

I found this baby at Traditional Marine in Annapolis Nova Scotia. John and Anna Edelmann run the company and what pleasant folks they are. The store is filled with all kinds of marine stuff, pity I didn't have more time to peruse but that is the way. Spent a while just chatting to them and of we had to have a cup of tea............ typical Maritime hospitality!

The gypsy for the windlass was slightly over size from the manufacturer, so we had a mismatch, anyway they gave me the whole thing to take to Bill in Camden to see what was to be done. No need to pay for it if it didn't work just send it back!

I explained the situation to Bill when I got to the boat shed and before I had finished breakfast the following day he had the problem fixed on the lathe. I keep on challenging him and he just sort of always fixes things with no fuss. I suspect there isn't anything he can't do but I will keep trying.............

I had actually decided against buying a bronze windlass as they were just too expensive and what with the Canadian dollar doing its nose dive. Well of course ABI is pretty well gone and even if I wanted one I couldn't get one now, so it was great to find this one at a price I could afford. I think it belongs on the foredeck of a BCC, especially mine.

Just Back

2009-11-19T06:49:00.001-08:00

Just had a lightening trip down to Maine to see the boatbuilder and see what has been happening. Its always a bit of a pressure cooker getting time off work and loads of driving. The boat shed is of course an interesting place with many of the local characters "floating in" to see whats going on. Bills is obviously highly respected and his work is impeccable.. Always time for a chat, exchanging info and indeed one of the guys was installing a Cape Horn windvane exactly like mine. Great chat and great camaraderie.

The panel is fully wired and what a dandy job Dave has done, his work is so neat and he is really pleased with it and so am I. Recent additions are switches for two electric bilge pumps both of which are directly wired to the batteries. One comes from the head and the other from the aft bilge, this one has an alarm connected as an early warning system. Expensive these alarms so one should be enough which is of course at the deepest bilge point.

There are three switches just above the bilge pumps and these are the battery mains for house engine and then a connector which will allow both to come on stream in case of problems.

I think Dave has put a lot of thought into how it all goes together so that an electrical neophyte like me can interpret problems at a later date. Batteries are installed too, three AGMs as the house for about 320 Ah. They should accept a fast charge either from the shore charger source or from the high output alternator, coupled with the Ample Power V3 and all temp controlled at the battery.

The challenge is to get the system balanced, generally the batts will be charged to 85% (from the engine) and should not be discharged to more than about 50%. If the batts are constantly discharged below 50% then the cycle life of the batts is very poor.

The alt can charge realistically at about 100Ah so with a bit of luck it will take about 1 1/2 hours to charge maybe every second day (with luck) depending on usage, it will be interesting to see what happens in real life.

There is always stuff to consider, eg I bought a sat antennae to use for weather and also it can be coupled into the E series Raymarine and then fed out to the radio for sat radio. Sadly the down side is that the E series has to be on for the radio to be on. So much for reducing the power consumption. I ran into the same issues with other Raymarine add ons to the E series in that you would need a back up gen set running all the time just to keeps the electrons flowing to the toys. Ah well one lives and learns.

I think that the back of the boat will soon be looking like a Christmas tree with all the antennae.

Rope Rack

2009-11-02T13:09:00.003-08:00

nice touch, keeps all the mooring lines organised a well placed piece of ss pipe.

The mushroom vents are...............

2009-11-02T12:55:00.001-08:00

tucked in well behind the laz. They are low prolfile so I am hoping that they do not snag anything.

The panel is now wired

2009-11-02T12:50:00.002-08:00

I have a lot of trouble making sense of all this, so Dave the sparks very kindly has labelled everything. Very neat as it should be, the supporting panel folds down so as everything is readily accessible.

The batteries are now installed too, and Bill is working on the bilge pumps.

2009-11-02T12:44:00.000-08:00

I really liked the finish on the skylight, and the metal work just puts the icing on the cake.

In the distance you can see the new cowl vent installed next to the bowsprit. It is of course detachable and I have a metal cover plate to seal it up.

at the top end

2009-10-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

Tridata and wind instruments

2009-10-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

these instruments will be set into the bulkhead on the aft end of the salon. The nice thing here is that the bulkhead has been shimmed out on the inside so no wires will be evident, makes a very neat finish.

A lick of varnish

2009-10-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

and she will be quite perfect

SCUTTLE IN PLACE

2009-10-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

There is a lot happening now, the scuttle has found its way on deck and its new home. I ordered the upholstery about two weeks ago, a nice rich blue which I think will look very sharp. Bill is heavily committed on the main hatch and I am starting to get the Electronics organised.

I bought a C120 for my Xmas last year, and the GPS to go with it all from Raymarine. The stereo I ordered last week and its open ended for Sirius Sat Radio. Bose speakers will likely find a slot in the forward bulkhead, one on each side.

Mushrooms spring up in the fall

2009-10-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

Proposed spot for the low profile mushroom vent, I hope that tucking it in here will not create any issues with the multitude of tackle in this area.
These items came from the UK and the price was right, I'll let you know about the quality later.............

And at the blunt end....

2009-10-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

the boomkin gets fitted, nicely mated against the aft end 0f the coamings.

The boomkin stays connected but not yet tightened.

The dink gets some work

2009-10-09T15:58:00.000-07:00

A dyer dhow gets a bit of work. Its second hand but Bill tells me its good and certainly looking at all the fittings and the way its put together it will be just fine. The plan is to put it over the scuttle hatch, which will protect it from breaking waves, it should set down quite nicely and Bill skilfully remodelled the bow to allow it to lie nicely on the foredeck.

A bit of perspective.

2009-10-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

A buddy of mine was down in Maine recently and he snapped a few shots for me. He wasn't allowed on board cos some of the varnish was wet. Quite rightly there has been a lot of painstaking effort gone into it to produce the rich mellow depth of color.

At the pointy end.........

2009-10-09T15:36:00.000-07:00

The bow sprit emerges from the saw dust and looks great. You can see clearly the 2nd bow roller in place to support the anchor. This, I hope will save me doing a dance on the widow maker when the hook decides to run amok.

The cranse iron fits well and the various stays are fitted. The nice thing about the bowsprit is that it moves all the forces forward and enhances windward performance. Of course the pulpit can now be fitted and we already checked that, so more stuff coming together, however it almost seems that the closer you get to completion the more things there are to do.

More and more details

2009-10-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

The laz hinges are made so as the hatch can be opened and removed whilst the tiller is in operation. Nothing worse than coming into a mooring and the stuff you need is in the hatch and the only way to get it is to remove the tiller so as you can access the locker. So many things to think about and of course there will be so many I have missed. Nevermind when we get sailing we shall soon discover the mistakes. At least the BCC forum has lots of suggestions and advice.

Hardware shelf starts to empty and arrive on the boat

2009-10-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

A sure sign of progress is the movement off the shelf and onto the boat. Hawse holes are fitted now that the final varnish is completed. The masking tape is disappearing fast and the finish comes together.

The port LED is fitted. Orca green and a very low amperage.

Lexan washboard for the scuttle

2009-10-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

A bit of lexan will allow some light into this area which is always nice.

One small step...

2009-10-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

It would be a pity to have the bulwarks spoiled by big boots etc, so we decided to place a rub rail right where the gate to the lifelines will go.

A bit of very nice mill work appears

2009-09-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Ready for the varnish and installation

Porthole in place

2009-09-25T17:36:00.000-07:00

the first port hole is placed !

Fresh air at last

2009-09-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

I was glad we picked up the dorades before ABI disappeared, the deck is starting to look a little bit more complete. Bill did a nice job of fitting the handrail from inside the salon roof. Managed to keep everything well flush, something I shall appreciate greatly. The height is 6' 1" and that is excatly my height.

Electrics breaker panel fitted

2009-09-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

Seems like a lot of wire awaiting connection. We have DC panel on top and AC down under a couple of battery switches and a couple of bilge pump switches underneath.

Looking good

2009-09-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

It seems that all the work done on the head door is worth it when it it is fitted. I feel it looks very sharp and when there is a bit of light the stain glass will start to show. There is a nice feeling of design coming together now with Bills clever use of wood, and nice architecture.

Wind 'er up

2009-07-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

Lewmar windlass on the foredeck, for 5/16ths chain. It also has a manual recovery system which can be used with a reg winch handle. On small luxury for a man with a bad back.

Gallows brackets

2009-07-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

Actually it is hard to get a sense of the size here, let me tell its substantial gear, this houses the wood of the gallows and attaches to the support pipe which in inch and a quarter. We may consider hanging a child sswing on this later cuz it could take it. Everything aboit these boats and their hardware is so substantial.

His Master's voice

2009-07-06T16:32:00.000-07:00

Speak to me baby, cowl vents for the salon, two there and one up for'ard, trying to find a couple of mushroom vents for aft but the forest is bare. Davey and Co have them for a cool Prince's ransom.

Stanchions, winches and some beautiful woodwork

2009-07-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

Lewmar 30 ST provisionally located against the wood wash boards that Bill so beautifully crafted by laminating over a curved frame. The stanchions are placed now with nicely angled individually against the bulwarks to provide bracing. The metal had to be reduced on one aspect to allow them to sit "nicely", quite a lot of work.

The top pic shows the detail of the woodwork which gives the wood a nice slope which will clear water well yet give a nice backrest. Wow!

A bit of sanding should do it.

2009-07-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

The bread board is a bit tight in its slot over the sink, needs a wee trim and of course a finger hole. Its Andaman Padauk, mahogany and maple.

Alpenglow lights all ready for installation.

2009-07-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

This is the line up from Alpenglow. The small swivel lights are for the bunks and the salon, the fluorescent are for the galley area, the nav stn and the head. They come with two intensities and red for night (Led's). They are made with mahog and will match nicely with the existing wood and they have a reputation for no/little radio interference.

Anchor stowage Bracket

2009-07-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

We did a mock up in plywood and it was well worth it cuz it fits like a glove on the bowsprit, we have two plastic rollers ready to go, stay posted for when its fitted, I think you will like it.

Electrical goodies

2009-07-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

The battery monitor registers temp overun.

It works in conjunction with the battery charger, and controls runaway. The SAR v3 on the left controls the field voltage in the alternator, small changes in this can optimise the charging process of the engine both in terms of speed, current and voltage.

Sitting at the back is a LINK 20 which is used to let you know what is happening with the batteries. The really good guys don't need these tools but if you are like me any assitance is a good idea. They have a good reputation.

Alongside are the bilge pumps and the battery switches and solenoids. These solenoids allow the engine battery to get it fair share of the charge without the danger of discharge when the charging process stops. Whats is so good about these is that they don't take a lot of power to do it. there is a lot of stuff goin on with the electrics, the plan is to set it up well from the start. That means optimising the charging process and then setting up good devices that will register battery state. This is easy on the batteries and should preserve them cuz they just hate steep deep discharges so likely when one has no idea what's happening.

True charge 40

2009-07-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

Its the old design ( at a great cost) and comes with a history of excellent reliability. Fan for cooling and lots of settings for different kinds of batteries and the ability to charge more than one battery at a time.

Xantrex 1800 Inverter

2009-07-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

The xantrex line get a very good name, and I hope the stuff holds up. The face panel can be removed and placed on the electrical area where it can be readily seen. It is clearly well thought out.

One delrin Fid

2009-07-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

She is already to go!

Its a not easy being green

2009-07-03T17:06:00.001-07:00

Bill had abit of green paint lying around and it was exactly the same color as the trim just below the bulwarks. I think it looks really sharp, that is the paint and the sprit. It is just a beautiful piece of Doug fir, the cranse iron fits nicely, in the distance the newly fabricated anchor roller bracket sits astride the wood. Beyond that is the fid.

A pulpit fit to preach on

2009-07-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

I had the metalwork fabricated in Lunenburg, at a small machine shop by the most agreeable guys under the sun and the cost was most reasonable.

What's more it fitted perfectly, locating nicely in the cranse iron and setting well on the sprit.

I was delighted with it, moreover if it didn't fit it was gonna be a pain to fix.

Head comes together

2009-07-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

You can see how she is coming along, the mast base is visible in the salon with a spaghetti mess of wires awaiting their connections. The panel arrived over the weekend and is Paneltronics with AC and DC sections all beautifully labelled and has LED lights.

Head grate

2009-07-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

The head grate requires a little trim off the edge but will do the job nicely, a bige pump sits under this and is responsible for emptying the shower sump.

Grate fits beautifully

2009-07-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

the grates for the cockpit fell into place nicely, and they will get a coat of oil, Watco I believe. They are cedar, nice and light and do so well in the wet, hopefully it will be dry feet.

Metal work is on its way

2009-06-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

Well I spoke to the metalworker yesterday and the anchor roller for the bow sprit is made and I can pick up next week. The bow pulpit is also ready and in good time, as me 'n the first mate are off to Camden to peruse the progress on the boat. There are a bunch of things we will be taking with us including the grate for the head and the cockpit, the bread board, battery charger and inverter. It will be great to get down there and see what is going on, we shall spend the weekend in the area and we are quite looking forward to it. As I said before sadly the boat ain't going to be on the water, as it really won't be completed until the fall. One thing for sure I'll be taking lots of pix so stay tuned.

Tridata

2009-06-05T14:48:00.001-07:00

I have tracked down some good prices and some good instrument for the speed depth and temp measurements. Blue Heron Marine supply a DST 800 which is compatible with the Raymarine Tridata. It comes in plastic/nylon and bronze etc It comes with a valve which stops a lot of water intrusion when the paddle wheel is removed for cleaning. There is also a plug available which is nice.

The connection seems simple and can networked later if necessary.

Lighting

2009-06-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

I have bought a number of Alpenglow lights for the boat. It seems that the LED lights have come a long way lately, the original problems were the expense and also the fact that light was very "white" and stark.

I have swivel LEDs for the sleeping bunks which are very low amperage. They are titanium "bronze" and I think they will look very sharp. The Salon will have a 9 watt Fluorescent and there will also be one in the Galley area which will have LED red night light. The fluorescents get the name for low radio interference and excellent life and reliability.

In the head there will also be a 9 watt light which will be waterproof. Over the nav station there will be a 9 watt fluorescent also which will have a red LED feature. The canadian dollar is now at 92 cents which has allowed me to purchase a few items.

No pics yet but will post them in the near future.

The Plan

2009-06-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

for those not familiar with the BCC 28 here is the plan, it probably helps visualize what the photos are about.

Where's the key

2009-06-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

Its starting to look like ignition, Bill went the extra mile as usual and set the control panel into the bulkhead, saves on skinned knees.

Bring on the napkins

2009-06-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

clever spot for the silverware, at hand for the table and a great use of the space

double berth nears completion

2009-06-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

Looks as if we may have a place to sleep, nice big berth, have to work in the mattress thing now.

Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink!

2009-05-31T18:53:00.000-07:00

starting to sound like an ancient mariner,
there is the deck fill.

Xantrex charger and inverter

2009-05-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

40 Amp charger has been delivered and also an 1800 watt inverter. Thought long and hard about the inverter, but decided in the end that there will never be a better time to put it in. Xantrex have a great reputation, I need to get a battery temp sensor though. I bought a link 20 battery monitor just recently as I had discovered they were stopping production. The pieces are coming together quite well and Dave the electrics man will be let loose soon to do his thing. The one thing I haven't yet sorted out is the transducer for the speed log and depth. This has to integrate with a Raymarine plotter, wind speed and direction. There are always issues with this stuff, it seems to me that nothing is simple.

I already have a raymarine radar bought and had asked Forespar to fit the mount on the mast, so I am hoping that will go smoothly, wait and see.

Tucked nicely into the quarter berth

2009-05-31T18:41:00.000-07:00

Close to the battery and close to hand.............all we need now are the CQR and a bit of chain. Good news is that the canadian dollar is up, yeah.

More sparks

2009-05-31T18:37:00.000-07:00

Big heavy cables to the Lewmar windlass, thought about the classic ABI, but alas it was too expensive and still requires muscle power, and what with the bad back................ may regret it but wait and see what happens.

You gotta have sole

2009-05-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

galley sole has gone in and there is the lever for the foot pump, helps to conserve water when you have to pump it by hand at least that is the theory.

Slot for the frying pan, nicely finished.

An aweful lot of work...

2009-05-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

the finished result is fabulous but what a lot of work goes into it. I plan to be taking the door down to Maine at the end of June and can't wait firstly to see if it fits and the secondly to see how it looks.

Full of surprises

2009-05-31T18:20:00.000-07:00

Bill is about twenty steps ahead of me, he wondered whether I would like this detail, its for ventilation behind the yellow cedar. Quite elegant and even more functional.

Labour of love

2009-05-31T18:18:00.000-07:00

hanging out to dry.........

At least we know where we are going

2009-05-31T18:16:00.000-07:00

Suunto compass, my Xmas present from my girls, it even has an LED to cut down on power consumption.

Beautiful Blocks

2009-05-31T18:11:00.000-07:00

This is where the mainsheet will be secured, we were lucky to get these padeyes as the co has closed their doors. Even more fortunate to get the blocks, they are harken inside with lignum vitae on the outside. Quite pretty.

Anchor stowage

2009-05-31T18:06:00.000-07:00

I have this terrible thought that one day I shall have to play chicken with a CQR on the bowsprit. Consequently I am making a cradle for the anchor on the bowsprit. Without the cradle I suspect the anchor might win. So I asked Bill to rough up a real life model and we shall see what the metal worker has to say............

DECK BOXES NEAR COMPLETION

2009-05-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

I put a small lip on the base where the cover fits over and I hope this will keep things a bit drier inside.

THERE THEY ARE IN ALL THEIR GLORY AHEM! They have taken a while to make but I am quite pleased with them. As you can see I have kept the paduk panel "motif" going thru out the boat. First appearring in the table, then the head door and now in the deck boxes. If Bill will let me I plan to include in the wash boards. I didn't varnish the outside as I do not have the varnish that the rest of the boat was completed with, so rather than mix it up....

Ben Ericksen has been a big help giving me a profile for the tops, so that they would follow the coach roof contour, they are likely too tall so they can be easily cut down on the table saw, and I have yet to glue the teak "shoe" on the base. Teak is a lot more resistant to rot than Mahog and as the deck is likely to wet a lot, why not let some teak sit in the puddle rather than the mahog.

I was trying to make the boxes as big as possible so as they can be used for heavy storage really in the center of the boat, hinges etc are not available in this neck of the woods, I plan to have the hinge to the outside and the catch towards the midline.

RUDDER COMPLETION

2009-04-23T17:02:00.001-07:00

The cheeks get rivetted on to the rudder itself, what a great looking piece of work.

A nice view of the hull shape

2009-04-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

I really like the lines of the boat, and this view really lets you see how they flow.

Stanchions wait patiently some have got tired of waiting and decided to lie down.

2009-04-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

Stanchions lie in wait, beautifully cast however the base will need to be modified under neath so that they will follow the contour of the deck. Another small issue which will involve some lateral thinking. In addition there seems to be no fitting to allow a connection to the bulwarks, which of will provide all kinds of better stability.