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Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:13 pm
by OrangeQuest
Looking really good!

Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:29 pm
by mhd
Progress. I've more-or-less finished the work for the centreboard lifting purchase mechanism. I just need some spacers and a non-threaded bolt to hold the sheave in the middle of the plates, as specified in the plans. Then once the centreboard is glassed over to its final thickness (2 layers 9oz biaxial), I'll drill out holes to bolt through the cheeks, and also drill the CB pivot hole shown in the lower left corner (pivot is a 1/2" bolt). The steel cheeks are made from 316L stainless, 1/8" thick.

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The inside of both sides of the centreboard case are glassed now also (one layer of 9 oz biaxial). As the above photo shows, I've also bought wood to make the rest of the case. I just cut that to fit this afternoon.

Yesterday I tapped my first ever bolt thread in the bottom plate as specified in the plans (3/8") - the sheave bolt tightens up on this once it is all in place and fitted. It will be interesting to do a dry run totest it out before it is all sealed into place. No rush for that though - it looks completely robust and I'm happy with it.

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One other thing I've been thinking about. A sea-water inlet pipe at the bottom of the CB case (aftwards). Run a 1/2 inch ID braided pipe up the short edge and diagonal inside of the CB case (aft-side). This could be run into a groove routed out to fit, and then lead that pipe through a hole in the top of the CB case, via watertight grommet, or similar, then to the sink, via a filter. The idea would be to then have a manual pump (Whale flipper pump) at the sink to have easy access to sea-water for rinsing/soaking dishes, hopefully cutting down on using fresh water when cruising.

Any thoughts? Is this a good/bad idea? Anyone else got a similar inlet? I can't see any big negatives, even if it doesn't get used much. And better to have any water inlet up through the inside of the CB and sealed through the top of the CB case than cutting a hole through a further hole in the hull maybe????

I'll post more photos as I progress on the rest of the build.

Cheers,

Mick

Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 4:08 pm
by rick berrey
There was or is a build on the web for a Serpentaire 701 , I think it was a modified Super Serpentaire ( 6.95 ) , it had some good ideas. Some add on,s like a head , and a raised hatch area with windows . the raised hatch option , if Jacques would bless it , might give you the added storage space you want .

Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 5:47 pm
by mhd
rick berrey wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 4:08 pm There was or is a build on the web for a Serpentaire 701 , I think it was a modified Super Serpentaire ( 6.95 ) , it had some good ideas. Some add on,s like a head , and a raised hatch area with windows . the raised hatch option , if Jacques would bless it , might give you the added storage space you want .
Hi Rick,

Interesting, thanks! Is this it???

http://4mm4.free.fr/

That is super-helpful. I'm not 100% sure, but from the side plan view at the bottom of the homepage, it looks like they've done exactly as I was planning to do with the extended deck. It appears they've. extended the cabin back to the next aftwards bulkhead and decked over to extend the cabin entirely, shortening the cockpit - the cockpit on the above page looks almost exactly the same proportions as on my paper model, (cockpit approx 25% of linear length of the boat). Yes, I was thiniking of only extending port/starboard sides, but apart from the raised cabin, it looks like what I am likely to build - just extend the deck aftwards.

I'm not keen on the raised central cabin. I'm certain that it will have a negative impact on the stability curve, and I be happier with the flush deck as Jacques designed. Cleaner lines and safer. That said, I did also think about a very low proifle 6"/15cm high slanted viewing window (polycarbonate) just in front of the current (flush) hatch but haven't made a final decision yet. It would be just big/high/wide enough to poke your head in to at eye level and look over the bow without going out of the cabin, or opening the hatch. Will see if I still think it is a good idea when the rest of the hull is built - I'd really like to keep the deck clean if possible.

I just know I'm going to spend a lot of time looking over that website in the next year or two. I'm enjoying the build up to now. Learning as I go.

Thanks again,

Cheers,

Mick

Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 7:52 pm
by rick berrey
Nope , that's not the one , but a good build . There must have a Serpentaire 701 design after the Super Serpentaire , and not a mod off the Super . I will surf the web some and see if i can find it .

Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 7:04 pm
by mhd
Keel is glassed inside and out now...I'm happy with how it turned out. I'll put it to one side now, and sand it down prior to attaching it to the hull when that gets built. Once attached, inside and out, it will get another full layer of biaxial prior to fairing.

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I also laminated the rudder from three layers of ply (3x 3/8") - next I need to laminate the rudder cheeks onto the top (!) section and then shape it.

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You can also see I've started glassing over the centreboard...plans call for two layers of 9oz biaxial on each side. Still a way to go with that.

I've cut pieces of mahogany for a tiller and will laminate those also, in the next few days, along with steel for the rudder attachment.

Cheers,

Mick

Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:38 pm
by mhd
Spent some quality time today with the electric plane and belt sander.

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Got rained off just before I finished, but I have something approaching an actual rudder now...

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Also did another layer of glass on one side of the centreboard - just one more to go. Tiller is laminated too. I hope to have the final shape of the rudder finished by tomorrow and will then work on the tiller attachment.

Mick

Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:35 pm
by OrangeQuest
Everything is looking very good!

Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:42 pm
by mhd
OrangeQuest wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:35 pm Everything is looking very good!
Thanks - I appreciate the feedback! Sadly the rate-of-build is going to have to start slowing down soon. Once the rudder/keel/tiller/CB/CBcase are finished I'll have a bit of a break. I'm not going to buy the ply for the hull until early 2023. I'll be gone on a work trip for one/two months then, probably in March so I'm not sure whether to buy the ply before or after that trip. The hull will be started as soon as I can once I'm back. Looking forward to it very much though.

Cheers,

Mick

Re: VG23 New Build

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:10 pm
by mhd
Measured the keel volume to get some idea of how full the keel will be with lead ballast, once the boat is complete...

Volume of keel (once centreboard fitted) is approx 73 litres. It will actually be slightly less due to tape+epoxy and keel frames, etc.

Based on pure lead, the ballast called for on the plans will fill a minimum of 60% of the final keel volume.

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I'll weigh the lead before it is poured, just to be certain, and just in case what I am supplied with is not pure. I've not made an allowance for the sump called for in the plans, but there should still be plenty of room.

I also finished shaping up the rudder proir to glassing, and sanded the centreboard (still one layer of glass to go) and case. Once all is finished I'll put them all together for a test of the centreboard lifting mechanism.

Cheers,

Mick