Reflections...

Now and again, when I feel things aren't progressing, I remind myself that not long ago, the boat looked like that:

An empty shelter

Now, it looks like this:

There is a boat in there

 

 There are times where proper boat joints are the easiest to make and use. Reminds me I am after all a proper boat builder!

 

 

 

 

We are now mid September. The weather will  soon be too cold for the epoxy to work as it should. That means that I won't be able to fibreglass the cabin top as I had planned. The shelter I use has been up nearly two years and was not designed to stay up that long in all weather. It is now leaking quite a lot when it rains. Therefore, I am now planning to  use aluminium sheets to cover the top of the cabin. I have made a couple of samples, one being a piece of aluminium glued to a piece of 1/2" ply with gorilla glue.  It does not look like its going to move. So I think this is what I am going to do.

 

Unusual covering for a boat of course, but I can see many advantages. Pretty bombproof weather wise. No more expensive than glass fibre and epoxy. I can use gorilla glue down to 4 degrees so that gives me an extended building period. There will no need for painting. Not now or at any time. Aluminum is very corrosion resistant. I know aluminium and wood expand and contract at different rates, But our summers never get that hot anyway, and a good part of this roof will be covered with solar panels in any case.

 

Sample aluminium border. The batten underneath will still need glass to protect it.
 

I'd like to introduce my constant boat building companion, best apprentice! and best friend. This is Jack our English Bull Terrier. Full of patience, particularly if I have biscuits in my pocket!