Turning Paper into Progress.

On Tuesday I was talking with the owner of the 38' Northern Bay, I was trying to get a final explanation on what to build for the center console. He had sent various pictures of other consoles all slightly different so I had an idea of what to make just not a real clear idea. I tried to stress that the center console was the last thing to build on the fly bridge and that the lack of information was holding up the project. The owner promised me that he would work on his idea and finalize it by today. As you can see by the sketch to the left, he was true to his word. Again I have to thank the internet for the swift delivery of ideas and information. With the plans in hand I decided to mock up a console out of 1/4" plywood. Its a lot easier to take 30 min to make a crude model than finish building something and have to make huge changes. Plus it gives me the ability to make some changes that I think are necessary for aesthetics or functionality.

I made the quick console with a couple of changes (taller forward section and adding a drop section at the back) and sent a photo (5 actually) to Georgia. After seeing his drawing full scale on the boat we decided to bring the wheel back a little further and to angle the sides of the box in (maybe you can see the black line on the right side of the plywood). The owner also made a good point that the part of the console that hangs over the back needed to be big enough to accept the control handle that would be a shift/throttle two-in-one. Back to the internet for the size of the control handle confirmed his suspicions that the area need to be larger if it was going to work. Other than that he was very happy with the look of the box and I started to make the actual console (final product not pictured). Tons of parentheses tonight. Not sure why. The console WILL be built and glassed by the end of the day Thursday, unless I can think of a reason why this console won't work.

SHOP NEWS SHOP NEWS SHOP NEWS

36' Calvin = The owner made the trip from RI yesterday. He was pleased with progress, we went over details for the rest of the project and started to think about completion dates. Today the aft stringers were installed and the bottoms of the lobster tanks were fit and fiberglassed. The holes in the stern deck were filled and fiberglassed and the outside box was removed.

38' Northern Bay = Fly bridge console and little else.

Clay = We sent him across the driveway to help on a repair job, I think its a grinding and glassing job.

Welding shop = Finished cage number 1 and installed it on the "across the driveway" project. Aluminum Plate to make the bait box arrived today with stainless steel flat bar that needs to be drilled. John is getting very busy, I'll have to get him organized in the morning (order of job importance the layout of the tray for the 36' Calvin)

Suggestions for the final posts are rolling in, most are good ideas but they all require more work than I'm willing to put in. I have nothing special planned, although it would be awesome to announce a boat sale in the final post. Keep your fingers crossed. Fisherman's forum in Rockland this weekend so I expect to get a lot of visitors at the shop in the next couple of days. I almost forgot to mention the best part of my day.....someone called the shop to tell me how great the blog is. I know its great, thanks for the support Missouri.

More First Light

42' Wesmac.

On the hook

Clark Island Tank.

At the dock.

Thanks for the pictures Chad, I'll mail them back or drop them off next time I'm in Hull.

How to install a hatch.

This post was started yesterday but was never finished. Only 4 posts left, I haven't ever been this excited. Today we installed a recessed Bomar hatch in the deck of the 36' Calvin. If you would like to know how to install your own hatch please continue to read. Links to product sites are highlighted in blue.

First you want to select a hatch that you like Freeman and Bomar are the most popular. Both will leak if not properly adjusted when installed but Freeman has a better locking system in my opinion. Alright now you have your hatch and location selected, cut a hole big enough to accept the hatch so the outside flange sits flat on the deck. Take a wide tipped marker and trace the hatch, an find a router with a sharp plunge style bit. Measure the thickness of the flange and add 1/16" to set your router (example: if the flange is 3/8" set the router at 7/16") Use the router to chase your marker line on the deck, make sure to remove all the marker, this extra space will be needed for the fiberglass. If the hatch falls into the hole without any more griding you should feel proud, if not grind the tight areas until the hatch fits easily into the hole. Once the routed flange area is completed round the top edge of the deck so the fiberglass can wrap over the edge. After the hole in the deck is completed wax the bottom side of the hatch ring and get prepared to fiberglass. Two or three layers of 1.5 oz Matt around the cutout should be enough depending on the level of finish. Next drop the waxed hatch ring into the wet fiberglass and use c-clamps to tighten the ring into place. After the fiberglass is completely dried pop the ring out and smooth all of the raw areas. If the hatch now can drop in and out without forcing it, get a tube of 5200 and install the hatch using 2" stainless steel screws. Nice job, glad I could help.

SHOP NEWS SHOP NEWS SHOP NEWS.

Snowed all day on Monday. Everyone was at work except Dan Jr. We glassed some of the deck down and the tanks into place on the 36' Calvin. I sanded most of the day on the 38' Northern Bay. John welded up half a cage (pictured) the other half will be done tomorrow, then he has to make two more cages. The next repair job arrived on Saturday and is sitting outside, we will try to move boats around if the weather ever improves. Its going to hover around 20 degrees all week so the boat might not get inside until next week. Awesome looking cage, anyone that needs one please contact the shop before the cage prices increase.

The old photos have been a huge hit on the web. I should have started using them as post fodder 15 posts ago, there would have been a lot less typing (and less pressure). Boat historians are working on the complete list of Clark Island vessels, and my crew of followers are sending in photos. The entire collection of boats will be online for public viewing in early 2015. These "how to" posts are easy. If have suggestions for another task you need to be guided through, leave it in the comment box.

5 more blog visits to 700, call your neighbors and get them involved.

This isn't the post, just more pics

Thanks for the pic finn.

Future home of the new shop.

Tour Boat for Captain Nick

Frank drilling pvc rail in the old shop.

Dan and I working outside

Frank and I on launch day.

46' Novi, first boat in new building

Company car.

I'll get a post up tonight of what we did today, this does not count toward the 30 in 30.

Sunday Scanning Project.

I like how the scanner makes the photos look grainy like they were taken 50 years ago. The truth is that the photos were in a shopping bag full of pics and most of them where covered with dust. The next couple of weeks I'm going to try to add as many of our old boats to the site. This photo has to be from 1993 (?), I'm the kid in the gray sweatshirt on the right. Looking through the pics and scanning them in took long enough. The effort in this post was in getting the photos onto the computer. Post over. Do you feel cheated? Enjoy the pics if you have any questions or comments send them along.