Setting The Record Straight…

Before I get into describing today’s activities I wanted to make sure that everyone knows the truth about this project. Even though you will occasionally see photos of the four brothers on this blog I need to make it perfectly clear where the real talent lies.

I am more or less the idea guy and, for lack of a better word, the designer. You will see in the photos in today’s post that it is Donald that is bringing the incredible quality to this project.

More on this later.

Over the past few weeks I started making a table for the seating area in the cockpit. I thought it would be cool to make something unique and maybe a bit artsy.

I am using Douglas Fir veneer laid up on a 3/4″ Baltic Birch plywood.

The frame is solid rift cut white oak. Today I brushed it with a first coat of clear epoxy. My next post will give you a better idea of what I am trying to do.

We finally got around to finishing the panel in the bulkhead above the dining area.

I had to make a groove in the ceiling to feed the low voltage wiring from the bulkhead to where we will put the drivers for the LED lights.

Drilling a hole in the corner to feed the wires through the bulkhead I then used a straight bit on the trimmer to make a wide but shallow groove in the ceiling.

I temporarily screwed a straightedge to the 1/2″ plywood.

We glued the panel in place and held it there with some plywood strips.

Another thing we did today was work on the access panel to the grey water tank for the shower.

Here is where I talk about why this project is going to be such a success. Anyone that has done any construction work, whether it is for their home or for business, will understand what I am going to talk about.

There are two parts to cabinetmaking.

One is manufacturing and the other is installation. As difficult as it is to make a quality cabinet it is equally, if not at times more difficult, to install that cabinet. Multiply that level of difficulty by a factor of 10?…20?…when you are installing that cabinet on a boat.

For example take a flat panel. Easy to install right? Using a level it is relatively easy. A level is useless on a boat and only useful as a straightedge.

So how do you build a perfect wall on a boat?

You get Donald to do it.

You have to put some faith in the original construction of the boat but that can only take you so far.

We had laminate laid up on 3/4″ baltic birch…it is very stable and basically free of voids.

Here Donald is starting the installation of the wall for the second bedroom. Remember there is no such thing as level and plumb on a boat.

The wall panel changes direction before the door to the bedroom so he had to create a joint in the two sections.

The joint is seamless. You can only see it because the light reflects differently on it.

We put in more panels. By “we” I mean me helping Donald.

The joints are perfect.

It’s starting to look like a finished boat interior now.

Next week will be the panels for the interior of the second bedroom.

Until then…