Into practice

Last vacation day was invested in boat projects. I have a few of those after the last trip... Just no more vacation days. Evenings and weekends will do just fine. Nothing like messing around in boats... Especially if your own ship gets made better.

Storage, short term and medium term needs some attention. No more lose items and things lying around in the boat while sailing. For that i need an easily accessible space with hatch opening.

A larger hole aft was sawed out around the existing round inspection hole. The hole gives access to a wet locker. It does not get good use because of the poor current access. The twist lid is a pain to open quickly and close. And it is just not easy to find what you need inside through a small hole. 

The new rectangular hatch has a single lever which closes it over a rubber sealed strong frame. 

What I am happy about was the quality of workmanship around the existing round hole. No voids.  No water could get through that hole. If the lid was twisted closed...

5200 was probably used. Butyl tape is used these days. 

In the background the rectangular new unit can be seen with the cut doublers.

Epoxy is drying on all the bare plywood pieces.

The second scope is the jib sheet setup. Specifically the clam cleats. Under tension these are stuck and require me moving inwards and using two hands to release sheet. Not good in an emergency. It has happened a.few times already but after last sail that's it. I watched how Steve (the Englishman sailing ARWEN) and others have their sheets setup and decided the following would be simpler and safer:

What you see is the dry fitted inside of the port seat. The sheet runs along the outside of the coaming and then bends inwards through a single block, through a hole in the coaming straight to the helmsman's position:

The sheet makes less bends like this. To be cleated the sheet needs to be pushed down into the clam cleat. To release sheet an easy pull suffices.

As mentioned before, the ss universal joint for the tiller extension has been purchased. The extension needs to be a nice piece of wood... 

Also the Hobie Bob unit has been ordered. This particular one sits on the mast, with the top inserted, and strapped down. Seems to me that this will be quite sturdy and easily handled. I will shamelessly remove the Hobie brand from it though.

More progress to follow.