PDQ 39 Catamaran... SOLD

Sold

2009-11-19T18:05:00.000-08:00

The sale of Pacifica was completed on November 17, 2009. Congratulation to the new owner Alex!

Kathy and David will continue their adventures in Central and South America aboard LightSpeed a Chris White designed Atlantic 42 sailing catamaran. For the latest on the adventure see www.DKsail.com

Hull extension parts available

2009-11-17T07:57:00.000-08:00

Interested in a PDQ 36/39? Hull Extension parts available.

Includes:

(2) Hull parts

(2) deck parts

Install video on youtube

Email for the current price.

Install you self of have it done in a week or two out of the water.

Build to your specs or mine... delivery in 2-3 weeks from time of order.

Shipping within USA around $300

Email for more info and specifications sheet.

PDQ39cat@gmail.com

Two set delivered to PDQ owners thus far... a great value for an extra 3'

87 more pictures

2009-07-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

Pacifica for Sale www.PDQ36.blogspot.com

900 nautical mile Below decks Autopilot update

2008-11-14T06:31:00.001-08:00

After 900 nautical miles plus from Mystic, CT to Florida mostly offshore in winds up to 32 knots and significant wave height nine feet. However, the majority of the offshore sailing found us in winds of 10-20 knots and seas three to five feet.

The new autopilot drove 99.9% of the trip offshore and performed flawlessly even in the gusty and surfing conditions where boat speed could increase from 7 knots to 14 knots in seconds. We found response level 1 on the Raymarine 6002 control head was sufficient under most conditions and was desirable as it ignored repetitive movements thereby minimizing power use. Once things got into the twenty knot true wind speed range and the seas had time to build up we used response levels 2 and 3 for superior course keeping.

Hull Extensions complete and Tested

2008-11-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

Extensions make it very easy to get in and out of the dinghy.

Several hundred blue water miles in a variety of ocean conditions have put the extensions to the test without issue. We are absolutly delighted with the results.

PDQ 36/39 sea trials

2008-11-09T05:36:00.001-08:00

Sea trials of hull extensions

2008-11-02T16:05:00.001-08:00

Under Power 2.5 knots
Under Power 6 knots
Under sail 6 knots
Under power 7.8 knots

Autopilot custom mounting bracket

2008-10-30T16:21:00.000-07:00

AP linear drive is mounted in the port rudder post compartment. Mounting brakcet is in the forward inboard corner.
Close up of bracket
bracket attached to Raymarine Linear Drive Type 1

Hand rails for sterns

2008-10-30T16:09:00.000-07:00

Hand rails for the sterns are back from the Stainless shop and sitting in place for this photo. Tomorrow I'll get them bolted on.

Close up of new hand rail ends

The bottom 4" or so of the hand rail was cut off and a new bolting tab was welded on (left end).

Hand rail in place but, not bolted.

Back in the water

2008-10-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

At the dock the hull extensions make it so much eaiser to get on and off the boat.

Day 50 Launch Day

2008-10-27T21:56:00.000-07:00

At the dock looking good
Just launched.
Underway
Clean wake

Day 50 Extension Details

2008-10-27T18:46:00.001-07:00

Non-Skid and polished edge at starboard stern corner.
Starboard chain plate exits hull extension exits cleanly through a slot cut into deck. Caulking keeps things sealed up. No modifications to standing rigging were necessary other than removing the chain plate during the install and building up a 1" solid fiberglass pad to provide better spacing away from the hull. Chain plate bolts are 3"+ long so the chain plates are definitely attached to plenty of hull!!!Clean transition from new deck to existing deck and hull

Day 50 Ready to Launch

2008-10-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

Day 49 Engine control cables

2008-10-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

Replacing the engine control cables has been a job long over due. Cables are 10' for starboard motor and 14' for the port side. I used Teleflex 33C Supreme control cables as these cables have very low friction and can also bend a tighter radius than others. The tight radius comes into play when the motor is tilted up. I worked as much grease into the ends of the cables as possible to prevent corrosion and once every thing was hooked up I tested the motors using a flush adaptor that allows the engines to be run out of the water. It was pretty easy to get every thing synchronised and once I was done the engines were warm so I changed the oil.

SSB rigging insulator install

2008-10-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

We just installed a Icom 710 SSB radio, AT-130 tuner and a substantial grounding system (see older posts for more details). The final step of the project is to connect the Tuner to a isolated rigging wire. We selected the upper shroud on the starboard side as it's long and conveniently located to the tuner. The rigging on Pacifia is 9/32" on the back stays, lowers and baby stay and 5/16" on the upper shrouds (Not sure about the fore stay). We purchased a Sta-Lok swageless rigging insulator for the job and installed it about 4' below the upper tang on the starboard upper shroud. The shroud is attached with a swaged "T" and after removing the rubber plug the fitting can be turned ninety degrees for removal. It's easy! I hoisted Kathy aloft and she had no problem removing the wire so we could install the insulator at deck level.

View from the top.
Kathy holds the upper section of the wire with the newly installed insulator.
Sta-Lok 5/16" swageless insulator with wire installed on one side.

Auto pilot install

2008-10-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

I'm working on the install of a Raymarine Type 1 linear drive, 6002 control head and S1G course computer.

Project Goals for a robust AP system that can:

Be connected to the port rudder post.
Act as a backup steering system in the event of primary steering system failure or starboard rudder damage/failure.
Reliably keep course in the variable conditions found in blue water passage making.

I am finding the rudder post compartment is nearly too small to house a Type 1 drive unit and will require a custom mounting bracket to achieve the correct mid-stroke dimension.

Here is my preliminary design sketch:

Raymarine Type 1 Linear Drive for boats up to 20,000lbs

Edson Tiller Arm that is adaptable to a variety of rudder post sizes.

Day 47 Wating for Splash

2008-10-24T14:29:00.001-07:00

We should have gone in the water today. Unfortunately, the travel lift had a flat tire and thus the launch is scheduled for Monday. Worked on the Autopilot install and had a part fabricated at a local machine shop. It's tough to make the Raymarine type one (short) linear drive fit in the port steering compartment but, I did find a solution. I'll post pictures and drawings sometime soon.

Day 46 Waxing and painting

2008-10-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

Kathy added another coat of bottom paint and waxed the sterns so we are ready to float again. The boat is lookng beautiful.

I installed the swim ladder using some 1/4" x 3" x 4" aluminum backing plates. Once the swim ladder was in place I added a piece of 1/2" Stainless Steel rub strake across the end of the port transom where the swim ladder comes in contact with the hull to alvieate the problem of bottom paint be worn thin where the ladder touches the hull.

Glass tabbing went in today as added insurance for a secure hull to deck joint. The tabs measured 3" x 6" and were 18 oz Biaxial fiberglass backed with 3/4 oz fiberglass mat. I placed tabs on the stern, port, starboard and forward end of each of the extensions to secure the decks.

The extensions are very stiff as evidenced by my 200+ pounds jumping up and down on the swim ladder and getting the whole boat to shake as one.

Day 45 Bottom paint is on

2008-10-22T13:09:00.001-07:00

Auto Pilot

2008-10-21T20:29:00.000-07:00

One of the next projects is an upgraded autopilot system.

We are going with a below decks system mounted to act on the port rudder shaft. The idea is to create a robust auto pilot system that also enable redundant steering capabilities. Such that if either rudder is damaged and fouled the connection rod can be removed to allow independent steering with either the standard wheel and cables on starboard or the auto pilot on port.

The drive motor is a Raymarine Linear drive type 1 (short) which will mount in the port steering compartment and act on a 12" arm attached to to the rudder post. The control head is a 6002 and the brain a type 1 with built in rate gyro connected to a flux gate compass and NEMA 0183 in and out for a fully integrated system with the GPS plotter and navigation laptop.

Hatch replacement

2008-10-21T20:02:00.000-07:00

As if I didn't have enough projects going we decided to replace a few of our Bomar 2020 hatches that had cracks by the latches. Don't ask me how they got cracked it how we bought the boat. Anyway, Kathy ordered some 1/4"x 2' x 4' Acrylic sheets online and I cut out some new acrylic with a laminate trimmer (router with special bit) using the old acrylic for a template. It was very simple to make the new parts. The hard part of the project is cleaning out the old frames. Kathy did an excellent job prepping the frames and I enjoyed the fun of caulking them back in place with some special sealant by GE called Silicon Ultra glaze which was also ordered online. The look great!

Materials and Tools (incomplete JTD)

2008-10-21T19:01:00.001-07:00

Boat Pro	Poly resin – 3 gallons	95.4
Boat Pro	Paint spraying	127.2
Boat Pro	Layup mold	95.4
Defender	Biaxial tape	59.53
Defender	Gloves	5.13
Defender	Access hatch – 2 ea	129.3
Defender	West Systems 206 – 1 qt	22.47
Defender	West Systems 205 – 1 qt	22.47
Defender	West systems 105 resin -1qt	19.45
Defender	Inspection port – 2 ea	21.18
Defender	Organic Vapor face mask filter	24.27
Defender	West Systems 105 resin – 1 gallon	79.49
Defender	Mas Epoxy Gelcoat pigment kit	26.5
Defender	International Micron Extra bottom paint 2- gal	409.56
Defender	West Systems 105 resin – 1 gallon	79.49
Defender	West Systems colloidal Silica	9.53
Defender	West Systems hardener 205	32.85
Defender	West Systems 105 resin – 1 gallon	79.49
Defender	West Systems pumps	12.71
Defender	West Systems HOW TO DVD	23.31
Defender	West Sytems low density filler	30.73
Defender	vapor resperator	22.25
Goodwill		0
Goodwill	Work Clothes	44.49
Goodwill	Work Clothes	16.99
Harbor Freight tools	paint brushes – Chip 1” - 5 ea	3.6
Harbor Freight tools	Air filter / Water separator	20.13
Harbor Freight tools	Air hose 3' w/ regulator	8.47
Harbor Freight tools	7” Polisher variable speed	37.09
Harbor Freight tools	Grinder 4 inch	18.01
Harbor Freight tools	Grinder disk 40 grit – 4 ea	5.24
Harbor Freight tools	Air compressor 21 gallon	169.59
Harbor Freight tools	25' air hose	10.59
Harbor Freight tools	Polishing bonnet for 7” polisher	2.43
Harbor Freight tools	Rags	5.29
Harbor Freight tools	Blue tape 3/4”	0.63
Harbor Freight tools	Jig saw blade for metal 5 pack	5.29
Harbor Freight tools	Spray gun 1.8mm 20oz gravity feed –2ea	31.78
Harbor Freight tools	Air hose fittings	8.47
Harbor Freight tools	Spray gun – touch up	10.59
Home Depot	Shop vac extension hose	15.36
Home Depot	Saw horses	52.97
Home Depot	Wet/ Dry shop vac	31.77
Home Depot	3 “ chip brush – 10EA	8.71
Home Depot	2” CHIP brush – 10 ea	10.39
Home Depot	Ear muffs – Sound protecting	19.05
Home Depot	Air hose – 50'	13.76
Home Depot	Gloves	31.74
Home Depot	shop vac filter	15.01
Home Depot	6' ladder	41.34
Home Depot	Misc	9.17
Home Depot	Misc	2.11
Home Depot	roller covers	7.39
Home Depot	Jig saw blades	12.69
Home Depot	Small clamps – 4 ea	16.83
Home Depot	torpedo level	4.22
Home Depot	Steel square	5.27
Home Depot	Paint tray – 2 ea	6.3
Home Depot	Self tapping screws	5.28
Home Depot	3 piece chisel kit	19.97
Home Depot	Mason string	2.94
Home Depot	Tape measure 16'	13.75
Home Depot	Coping saw blades	3.17
Home Depot	Coping saw	16.4
Home Depot	1” chip brush-- 5 ea	4.19
Home Depot	4' strait edge metal	8.98
Home Depot	2' level	6.88
Home Depot	Razor blades	3.14
Home Depot	Surform plane	15.36
Home Depot	Shop towels	6.33
Home Depot	6' hose	11.9
Home Depot	5” sanding disks 60 grit	10.57
Home Depot	paint bucket metal	4.65
Home Depot	5” sanding disks 80 grit	10.57
Home Depot	5” sanding disks 150 grit	10.57
Home Depot	5” sanding disks 220 grit	10.49
Home Depot	Jig saw	73.14
Home Depot	5” Random orbit sander	74.17
Home Depot	Angle-izer	17.98
Home Depot	Kevlar shears scissors	16.93
Home Depot	Scraper	6.33
Home Depot	Putty knife	4.75
Home Depot	Masking tape	7.39
Home Depot	Razor knife	0.93
Home Depot	Masking tape	7.39
Home Depot	Roller covers 9” - 2 ea	7.36
Job Lot	Roller frame 3”	1.79
LBI	18 oz biaxial 0x90 with .75 oz mat 5 yds	60.95
LBI	Mixing buckets	8.27
LBI	Carbon fiber 9.3 oz – 2yds	28.09
LBI	4” 9 oz fiber glass tape – 5yds	10.97
LBI	Mixing pots	3.6
LBI	paint strianers	1.59
LBI	17 oz biaxial 45x45 w .75 oz mat 5 yds	55.07
LBI	Gloves	8.48
LBI	roller frame 9”	2.6
LBI	Mold release wax	21.15
LBI	Verikleen dewaxing cleaner	5.25
LBI	Misc	7.37
LBI	3/8” foam core	102.71
LBI	Roller frame 3”	2.17
LBI
LBI	304 Tooling gelcoat 1 qt	29.47
LBI	302 poly resin	21.78
LBI	Wet film thickness gauge	4.35
LBI	Peel Ply 3 yds	25.16
LBI	702 10oz Glass Microspheres	25.44
LBI	360 PVA 1 qt	12.56
LBI	.75 oz fiberglass mat 5 yds	15
LBI	Demolding wedge	6.15
LBI	301 poly resin 4 gallons	116.6
LBI	304 tooling gelcoat 1 qt	29.47
LBI	1.5 oz fiberglass mat 10 yds	36.78
LBI	MEKP dispenser	5.78
LBI	Demolding wedge	4.03
LBI	Roller 3/4” x 3”	10.02
LBI	800 Grit paper –7ea	4.45
LBI	3” roller frame	2.17
LBI	400Grit paper – 7ea	4.45
LBI	Vinyester Resin – 1 gal	45.9
LBI	Modeling clay	4.03
LBI	Wax additive	12.14
LBI	Vinyester Resin – 3 gal	137.69
LBI	6” 9oz x 10 yds fiberglass tape	21.68
LBI	.75 oz fiberglass mat—3 yds	12.19
LBI	600Grit paper – 7 ea	4.45
LBI	Gloves box of 100 – 2 ea	16.96
LBI	5” resin or putty spreader	3.18
LBI	9” roller frame	2.6
LBI	Roller cover – solvent resistant –2 ea	10.28
LBI	Paint tray liner –2ea	1.87
LBI	6” resin or putty spreader	3.6
LBI	Gelcoat LBI 308-G – 1 Gallon	61.75
LBI	Gelocat 308-Q –1 quart	24.8
LBI	Gloves box of 100 ea	8.48
LBI	Jig saw blade for fiberglass	2.76
LBI	Polymeric Non-skid compound	7.95
LBI	1.5 oz fiberglass mat 10 yds	36.78
Lowes	Laminate 4x8 white	43.48
Marine Consignment Mystic	Cabo-sil	5.62
Marine Consignment Mystic	Cabosil	5.3
Ring's End Lumber	Foam & Saw	64.66
Ring's End Lumber	Hand saw	23.84
Seaport Marine	Haul out and blocking	537.44
True Value	Misc fasteners	1.54
True Value	Impact Driver	18.01
True Value	bLUE TARP	19.08
True Value	1-1/2” chip brush - 5 ea	5.25
True Value	roller cover 3/8 nap	3.17
True Value	Respirator	41.56
True Value	9” roller frame	9
True Value	Organic Vapor face mask filter	14.83
True Value	Acetone -- 1 ea	23.31
True Value	Blue tapr 8x10	9
True Value	Blue tarp 10x12	16.95
True Value	Treaded rod 1/4” x 36”	7.94
Walmart	Blue tape	6.02
Walmart	Laquer thinner – 1 gallon	16.3
Walmart	Acetone – 1 gallon	16.3
Walmart	Rags	4.05
Walmart	Small Scale	10.05
Walmart	Shelter	63.43
Walmart	Duct tape	3.47
Walmart	Toolbox	7.25
Walmart	50' extension cord	8.95
West Marine	Screws for deck hatch and inspeciton port	3.82
West Marine	4” 9 oz fiber glass tape – 5yds	16.95
West Marine	Silicon Caulk – Deck hatch sealant	15.89
West Marine	3” & 4” bolts, nuts and washers for chainplates	33.75
West Marine	Epoxy hardener	42.69

TOTAL (includes 6% CT tax) $4693.60

*Excludes: Haulout, Storage, Shop rental, Labor.

Day 44 Spraying gelcoat

2008-10-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

All my research had me nervous about spraying gelcoat. The fiberglass guys at the boat yard both had differnt approaches and on the internet there were all sorts of formulas. The concern is thinning the gelcoat so it will flow through a gravity feed spray gun. Thinning is absolutly required based on my tests. Temperature is also a major factor and what works at 72 degrees may not work at all with temps in the 50's.

To color match and blend the gelcoat to the existing hull I used a 1.8mm gravity fed spray gun with a 20oz hopper. Temperatures were in the mid-50's so I warmed the gelcoat and spray gun to about 72 degrees. As things cooled off very quickly I also thinned the gelcoat with 8% acetone by volume and 2% MEKP (catlyst) by volume. The cold temps acted fast and the flow rate was very low. As usual I used 40PSI (open trigger) on the spray gun. The gelcoat layed down pretty smooth with a light orange peel texture which was easily sanded smooth with 400 grit and progressively finer papers. In warmer weather I would use less acetone.

For the non-skid I used gelcoat thickened with cabosil and with the temps in the 50's had no problem getting the gel to "peak up" creating a nice non-skid surface. I've used non-waxed gelcoat to ensure good bonds with over coating. To cure gelcoat you need an absence of air so PVA (Poly Vinyl Alc0hol) air barrier thinned with some water and applied with a spray bottle to block out the air for a tack free cure.

Day 44 Almost complete

2008-10-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

Non skid is on. The part is covered with PVA to assist in the cure of the gelcoat thus, the temporary light green tinge. (Click on the picture to enlarge). Holes are for swim ladder and slot is for chain plate.

Day 43 More sanding

2008-10-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

Today I wet sanded the port hull down to 800 grit paper. Wet sanding works great and goes surprisingly fast. For the flat surfaces I used a small sanding block and for all the curves and corners it was just lots of finger sanding. The port hull is now ready for the application of the nonskid stippled gelcoat. I plan to thicken the gelcoat with cabosil until the gelcoat will "peak" when rolled. Basicly, the gelcoat will be thick enough to stand up in a "peak" when I roll it on. I prefer the idea of stippled gelcoat to traction additives (i.e. sand) However, the jury is still out.

On the starboard hull I faired and applied a couple of coats of gelcoat with my spray gun. Gelcoat is notoriously difficult to spray so I was very pleased with my results. Here is what I used.

LBI 308 gelcoat (no wax)

8% acetone to thin

2% MEKP catalyst

40PSI on the spray gun (This is the pressure with the trigger wide open)

1.8MM gravity feed spray gun (cost $14.95 and I've used it many times with a quick acetone wash when I'm done). Note: I used a very expensive gelcoat cup gun to spray the gelcoat into the female mold which is 100% necessary as thining is not allowed on the initial gelcoat)

I applied two four ounce batches of gelcoat allowing about 5 minutes between batches to allow the acetone to flash off. The goal was to apply sufficient thickness to the hull to deck joint to facilitate sanding with out "burning" through the gelcoat.

I color matched the gelcoat in a one quart can... a difficult process for the uninitiated.

Day 42 Sanding gelcoat

2008-10-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

More final sanding on the port hull today and fairing on the starboard hull.

Day 41 Sanding gelcoat

2008-10-18T19:09:00.001-07:00

Can't wait to get the bottom paint on. One of the previous owners painted the antifoul paint up about 5"-6" higher than necesary. I considered sanding off the extra paint and adding a boot stripe. However, I think I'll wait to do that at the next haulout. In the interim it makes my life a little easier since the majority of my hull extension will recive bottom paint and not requiring extra sanding and buffing. The grey area between the new blue bottom paint and the white gelcoat is a epoxy barrier coat.
Close up shows the nice radius on the side of the extension and the seamless transition from old to new. Lots more sanding to go but it's really starting to take shape. Next steps include applying non skid to the deck area to match that used on the steps. I plan to leave a 3/4" polished edge at the perimeter. The non skid additive is Polymeric and goes into suspension in the gelcoat so it may be brushed, rolled or sprayed. The first layer of gelcoat will include the LBI 40/60 course compound and then an additional layer of gelcoat will lock in the compound and reduce the abrasiveness to bare feet.

Day 40 Gelcoat of seams

2008-10-17T20:09:00.000-07:00

I routered a 1/2" radius on the edges of the deck to match other found around the boat. Using a router was a quick and easy way to make an otherwise tiring and tedious job quick and almost painless. The fiberglass dust is always annoying but, this far into the project I'm getting used to the fiberglass itch and fiberglass dust in the eyes.
I spent over an hour trying to match the gelcoat color. After about twenty test smears the color looked pretty good.
Gelcoat was rolled on in three consecutive batches/coats. Since I rolled the gelcoat on I'll have to sand it smooth so sufficient gelcoat thickness was essential to avoid sanding through thus the three coats.
Gel coat is on! I used faring compound to creat fillets between the old hull and new and carefully sanded the joints. I have lots of wet sanding in my future to make things pretty.
If you think the color is off in this photo you would be seeing the PVA coating I sprayed on after the final coat of gelcoat was applied. The PVA is a air barrier that allows the gelcoat to cure in the absence of air. I used a spray bottle with a 60/40 ratio of PVA to water as the sprayer wouldn't mist the 100% PVA without thinning it with some water first. The PVA is green to the whole part has a temporay green tint. The PVA will ge srubbed off tomorrow with warm water and a brush so I can start sanding.

Day 39 Long Range WIFI

2008-10-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

We just installed a WIFI system on board consisitng of two major components:

External router by Deliberant. Model # CPE 2-N with 500mw output.

The CPE 2-N is radio enclosed in a weather tight box with a Ethernet cable connection and a type N antenna connection. The device is powered over Ethernet (POE) thus you can mount it where ever and just run RJ45 Cat 5 wire (Ethernet cable) . In our case the intent is to mount this device at the mast head with a 8dbi antenna directly connected to the CPE 2-N. A direct connection eliminates any potential for signal loss in antenna cables. The Ethernet cable can be very long. Not sure on the exact length but, I believe it's 300 feet so plenty long for my friends.

Component two is a wireless router such as the linksys WRT54G which handles the distribution of Internet via WIFI to the users aboard the boat. So far our system is working really good with many networks "visible" for potential connection. The wireless router allows multiple users to connect via their laptops without any wires. In our case this is a huge improvement as we were always fighting over who wanted to use the Internet.

For more info read up at: http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_on_a_Boat

Day 39 HIGH tide

2008-10-16T18:51:00.001-07:00

A full moon and a weather system moving through the area made for an extra high tide that hampered progress. To combat the tide we worked on our shopping list.

Day 38 Painting and details

2008-10-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

Kathy applies the second coat of International Micron Extra with Biolux. Two full coats plus an extra coat waterline and leading and trailing edges of keels and rudders takes about (3) three gallons of anti fouling paint.
Swim ladder in it's new location on the port hull
Fairing is getting closer to done.

Starboard extension just needs fairing, gel coat and bottom paint.

Day 38 Hull to deck joint

2008-10-16T18:36:00.001-07:00

Clamping the cleat into a bed of bonding compound.
Excess bonding compound is smoothed into a nice big fillet.
Cleat is glassed to hull with numerous layers of 1.5 oz fiberglass mat. Resin is tinted with a touch of white gel coat for a cleaner looking finish.
Chain plate in positron. Access hole will receive a water tight inspection port. Access hole is not entirely necessary and could be glassed over once the deck is complete and the chain plate bolted up tight. I'm thinking it might be possible to store fishing rods or spear guns inside the aft watertight compartment so I'll be installing a port.

Day 38 Shopping and Fairing

2008-10-15T19:25:00.001-07:00

I made yet another run for supplies today to LBI and Defender. Along the way the car battery decided to die so another small delay.

Back at the boat I managed to get some work done fairing the port hull joint and added some fiberglass tape to the Port hull joint. I also trial fit the swim ladder and drilled mounting holes. I be using some 3" x 4" x 1/4 aluminum plates for backing on the swim ladder. When I fit up the ladder I dropped in the bolts and then tested it out to see if the hull extension would flex in anyway. I'm glad to report nothing moved even a fraction with my 200lbs bouncing on the ladder.

I also experimented with some gel coat to touch up the edges of the hull to deck joint. I brushed on some gel coat but ended up sanding it back off and will try another test tomorrow. Getting the color to match will be yet another significant task when it comes time to blend in the transitions between the new extension and existing 10 year old hull.

Day 37 Starboard deck is on

2008-10-15T04:20:00.000-07:00

Starboard deck is on with hardware trial fit. I began the fairing process on the port hull and it's really starting to take shape. Now it's time to begin faring of the joints and edges.

At the end of the work day I began work on my other project the car with a broken alternator and dead battery.

I have the Acura service manual so removing the left front drive shaft to access the alternator wasn't too bad. I'd had to borrowed a hug breaker bar to loosen the old bolts and at one point was jumping on the end of the bar to try to loosen the spindle nut. I was happy to finish the job in two and a half hours.

Day 36 Fitting Starboard deck and hardware

2008-10-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

Today was a repeat of day 35 except I worked on the starboard hull. The best and worst part of this project is you get to do everything twice. The second time is always a little better and faster but, you have to do everything twice! Plenty of hours so far on this project!!!

Update on the new car we just bought. It was a great deal until we drove it the second time and the alternator went out. No big deal we're happy to spend a few bucks to fix it. It's just an alternator that you have to remove the front drive shaft to replace. Just take off the tire, remove the brakes, suspension and drive shaft and THEN you can get the alternator OUT to replace it. Then just pop the front end of the car back together and in maybe 4-6 hours you are done. Just what I need a half day spent fiddling with a car while my nice weather slips away. At least we bought the car right so as long as it lasts another week or two we are set.

Day 35 Port deck is installed

2008-10-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

A number of heavy wood blocks from the boat yard hold the deck in place while the bonding compound cures. A little bonding compound was left over so I filled a portion of the hull extension to hull joint in preparation for fairing the joint and ultimately new gelcoat.
Deck in place and chain plate is slipped into it's slot to ensure a perfect fit. The chain plate will be removed while the deck joint is perfected, non-skid is gelcoated on and every thing is polished up. At the end the chain plate will be bolted up tight and then some sealant will fill the tiny gap around it's penetration through the new deck.
This picture was take on the starboard side to show the thickness of the build up for the chain plate base. The build up is of Epoxy and 17 or 18 oz biaxial cloth backed with 3/4 oz mat.

Day 35 Hole is patcfhed in stern and access port installed

2008-10-12T18:20:00.001-07:00

This photo shows the new access port and the raised area the chain plate will be bolted to.

Access port is watertight including a sealing o-ring. This photo also shows the bolt holes for the chain plate. The holes are very near the original locations. Due to the many many layers I've added to the hull at the chain plate location the laminate is now over 2" thick at this location. In fact the three inch 3/8" SS bolts I just purchased are not quite long enough!

Day 35 Installing deck cleats

2008-10-12T18:09:00.001-07:00

Surface area was needed to achieve a good connection between the deck and hull. Cleats were installed to provide the needed bonding area. Note: Once the deck is in place glass tabbing will be installed on the interior to ensure a very strong and permanent connection.

3/4" Marine grade plywood is bonded to hull to provide bonding surface for deck.
Cleats are then glassed with several layers of 1.5 oz fiberglass mat.
Laying on the mat with a 3" roller. I tinted the lay up resin with gelcoat for a cleaner look. I used about 2 oz of gelcoat to 6 oz of resin.
Once the resin began to cure but, was still plastic rough edges can easily be trimmed with a razor blade knife.
Cleats glassed in place and ready to receive the deck. Note: If you can work fast and add additional layers of glass or bonding compound before the resin is totally cured you can obtain a primary bond between the layers of materials. Once you stop and let the resin cure then you need to sand the surface so additional layers can have something to adhere this is called a secondary bond and is not as strong. Throughout the project I've utilized primary bonds as much as possible such as today when installing the deck.

Day 35 Dry fitting starboard deck and hardware

2008-10-12T18:03:00.001-07:00

Deck is marked and cut for new hatch and chain plate.
Deck in place. Note: Chain plate was spaced away from hull to allow room to make a nice joint from existing hull to new deck.
Hatch was located on the forward end of the extension to leave room for the fold up swim ladder to stow. Swim ladder to be mounted on stern of extension.
Top View
Hatch is dry fit

Day 34 Deck and chain plate details

2008-10-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

My intention is to mount the chain plate in it's original location with a slight modificaiton to space about 3/4" aft on a solid laminate of glass/epoxy. The additional space will allow an easier detail at the hull extension deck to existing deck joint.

I also committed to adding a access hatch to hull extension deck by the purchase of some deck hatches with an internal opening of 10" x 12". Perhaps, we'll use the new space to store our snorkel gear.

The hatch will be mounted on the forward end of the hull extension to allow the swim ladder to fold up and lay on the deck without interference with the hatch. The swim ladder will mount on the stern of of the port hull.

The addition of the larger hatch in lieu of smaller ones I was considering will aid in the installation of the deck. The access afforded by the hatch will allow some internal glass tabbign of the hull to deck joint for added strength.

Day 34 New car

2008-10-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

After 32 days out of the water without a car we bought a car from a fellow cruiser. It will be great to run errands including going to Boston to take our USCG exam in the next few weeks.

I also spent quite a few hours glassing the Starboard hull extension to the boat and also made a run to Defender.com for some hatches to install in the hull extensions.

Day 33 Goofing off

2008-10-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

We'll I spent most of the day goofing off on the internet.

Then I made the final connections for the Icom 710 SSB and Pactor modem and tested it all out. Everything seemed to work perfect including a data connection to a Sailmail station.

Day 32 SSB radio install

2008-10-10T06:04:00.000-07:00

I took a break from the hull extensions for a day to install a new Icom-710 SSB radio, AT-130 tuner and the counterpoise grounding system.

I bought my radio from Don Melcher of HF Radio On Board. This is the second SSB package I purchased from Don and the package he put together really makes it easy to get the radio set up. The previous radio was a Icom M-802 supposedly the latest greatest but, from what I know understand the Icom-710 should perform better due to some differences in filters. This means that I may get faster concertinas when using the pactor modem. With the old radio I connected with speeds up to 3200 baud and once 3600.

Grounding plate is installed on starboard hull.
Grounding plate was located here as it was easily accessible to the interior of my starboard side cabinet where the tuner was to be located. It was also easy to run the 4" copper foil forward and aft from this location in a concealed chase that houses the bilge pump hose.
Connecting the coper foil to the grounding plate bolts (progress picture)
Tuner is installed out of the way on the underside of the starboard cabinet ceiling therby retaining the cabinet space.
Radio is front and center in the salon. Since we use the radio frequently it made sense to have it close to where we spend our time and use our computers... in the salon.

Day 31 we have TWO hull extensions in place!!!

2008-10-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

I am definitely seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Today I popped the part from the mold, trimmed excess glass off the part, fit the part to the boat with glass tabbing and build the starboard hull extension deck. A gratifying day to see the fruition of my labor.

Day 31 Fitting Starboard hull extension

2008-10-08T16:08:00.001-07:00

A major mile stone was achieved today by getting the second hull fit up to the boat.

Extension is temporarily braced and screwed to hull while glass tabbing sets up.
A few scraps of wood were used to hold allignment while the glass sets up
View from above. Note that I finished the inside of this part with white tinted gelcoat for a more finished look.

Day 31 removing part from mold and trimming

2008-10-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

Removing the starboard hull extension from the mold
Part easily pops free.
Trimming the edges
Part is ready to be fit to boat.

Day 31 laying up the starboard deck

2008-10-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

Using a roller to remove air bubbles. I'm laying up the starboard deck. The 16oz of gelcoat was sprayed onto a waxed sheet of Formica. Next two layers of 1.5 oz fiberglass mat then a layer of 18 oz biaxial backed with 3/4 oz mat. Then three layers of 1.5 oz fiberglass mat around the perimeter then the 3/8" Nida core material is bonded with LBI 345 bondlite compound then a fillet of bonding compound around the edges of the core then 1.5 oz fiberglass mat then two layers of 6 oz finishing cloth. This part was laid up heavier than the first piece around the edges to facilitate rounding off the corners at the hull to deck joint.
Close up of some 0x90 degree 18 oz Biaxial fiberglass backed with 3/4 oz fiber glass mat.

Day 30 Starboard hull extension part complete

2008-10-07T21:30:00.001-07:00

Starboard hull extension is nearing completion in mold. Note the extra layer of 18 oz biaxial glass near the end of the part. Additional thickness at the hull extension to hull joint is desirable so I've added extra glass.
Work bench seem to get more cluttered as I collect all the necessary items to build the plug, mold and parts.
Starboard hull extension is complete. I've slightly modified the layout of core material. I also added a bit of white gelcoat to the layup resin for a more finished look. The deck will include an access port so the nice white gelcoat interior is just a simple touch since I have extra gelcoat leftover.

Day 30 Port hull extension

2008-10-07T21:28:00.000-07:00

Deck is not yet final cut or installed... just setting loose on top of extension. Notice the sexy curves of the extension.
Extension flow well with existing hull lines.
Joint to hull extension is still rough but will be faired out and gel coated before barrier coat and bottom paint.

It will be a shame to sand this shinny white gelcoat with 80 grit paper in preparation for barrier coats and bottom paint.

Day 30 Port extension looking good

2008-10-07T21:24:00.000-07:00

A great day for pictures with bright sunlight. These shots show the fairness of the extension and how it flows with the existing hull.
Deck is not yet secured it's still just a bit over sized and sitting loose on top of the extension.

Edges of deck will be rounded, polished and interior section of deck will be stippled non-skid gelcoat.

Day 30 port extension

2008-10-07T21:23:00.000-07:00

deck in place

Day 30 Fitting port deck

2008-10-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

Deck is rough trimmed in shop

Over sized deck is trimmed to scribed for cutting in shop.
Basic fit up is accomplished with grinder.
Trimmed again in shop

Still a bit oversize until bonding is complete then final grinding and sanding for perfect fit.

Day 29 Lots of glass

2008-10-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Today I layed up the port deck, starboard hull and glassed the seam on the port hull extension.

This photo shows a few layers of 9 oz Biaxial tape applied to exterior of hull to hull extension joint. On the interior there are at least 6 layers of 17 or 18 oz Biaxial cloth backed with 3/4 oz mat. The joint strength is critical so West Systems Epoxy is used as it's bonding strength is superior.

The hull extension is very solid. With the addition of the tape added today and the deck that's soon to be added the entire assembly will be VERY strong. I have no concerns about bouncing off a dock or heavy breaking seas damaging the extensions.

Steering Quadrant Upgrade

2008-10-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

Before Upgrade the small aluminum tube was severely corroded and cracked due to poor design and dissimilar metals.
Spacer tube as steel, bolt was stainless and mixed with sea water the aluminum had no chance being the least noble metal. Luckily, I caught the problem before a steering failure resulted.

Improved connecting point incorporates a large aluminum block that allows elimination of the steel spacer tube and provides significant surface area to achieve a solid weld.
Close up of the revised connection point.

Day 29 Laying up Port deck

2008-10-06T19:24:00.001-07:00

Port part is complete and once cured ready to be fit to hull extension.
6 oz finishing cloth provides a professional looking part. Too bad no one will ever see this since it's on the inside.
Core material is backed with 1.5 fiberglass mat and 6 oz finishing cloth.
1.5 oz Fiberglass mat is partially wet out. Note the 3" roller works great for the wet out process.

Core is bonded in place and fillet is completed.

Day 29 Laying up Port deck

2008-10-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

Core material is pressed into place and more bonding compound is used to create fillets.
LBI 345 Bonding compound is mixed and applied to back of core material.
Gelcoat is sprayed on waxed Formica table. Two layers of 1.5 fiberglass mat and one layer of 18 oz biaxial cloth.

Day 28 Wet cold and raining

2008-10-05T18:16:00.001-07:00

It was in the low 40'2 today here in Mystic, CT. It was also raining so my motivation was low to try to spray gelcoat in such low temps. I spent my day on odd jobs around the boat like rebedding the kitchen sink and fixing a leak in the drain. I also installed out bulkhead mounted heater a Dickenson 12,000 BTU LPG model. The remainder of the day was spent surfing the net for a good refrigerating solution. The existing refrigerator door is detailed poorly and thus leaks lots of energy and creates lots of condensation. A possible solution is to find a nice refrigerator door and then rebuild the box with more substantial insulation.

Day 27 Misc & Cockpit floor refinish

2008-10-05T05:13:00.001-07:00

I built a layup table today to use for the deck of the hull extension. I'll be laying up the part on a piece of Formica laminate and using a core material to exceptional stiffness. I also waxed the starboard plug six times and added glass to the port hull extension.

We also removed the cockpit deck to refinish the walking surface with a non-skid coating. The cockpit floor lifts right out. Our floor had some color variations that made it appear dirty and it was a bit slick when wet so the project was easily justifiable. Kathy is heading up this job and spent most of the day sanding off the old stippled gelcoat.

Day 27

2008-10-05T05:04:00.001-07:00

18 oz biaxial glass is epoxied in place with West Systems epoxy.
The next day the rough edges are sanded off in preparation for more 18 oz biaxial backed with 3/4 oz mat. In total there are six layers of 17 oz or 18oz biaxial fiberglass each backed with 3/4 oz mat. This might now be the strongest section of the boat based on the thickness of the laminates and the use of epoxy resin.
Outside of hull extension to hull joint is ground out to make room for several layers of 17 oz biaxial that will "tape" the joint.
Bonding filler LBI 345 is used to fill the small gaps. Then additional grinding will be necessary to create more space for the glass tape.

Day 26 Starboard mold is complete

2008-10-03T18:13:00.001-07:00

Popping the plug out of the starboard female mold
Starboard Mold
Epoxying the Port hull extension to the hull using 18 oz biaxial cloth. I laid two layers one each of 0x90 degrees and 45x45 degrees. Before laying the glass I roughed up both sides with 40 grit paper on my grinder.
Each piece was cut, fit and labeled before the epoxy was mixed

Each alternating piece of biaxial was 45x45 and 0x90 the next layer was the opposite. Since the weather is cooling off a heat lamp is helping the epoxy cure over night. I used 105 resin and 206 (slow) hardener to ensure I'd have enough work time to lay up the glass, roll out air bubbles and excess resin.

Day 25 Building the starboard female mold

2008-10-02T17:22:00.001-07:00

Male starboard plug is faired and waxed
Plug is glued to table and modeling clay fillet is formed
Close up of fillet. A little mold release wax applied with a finger tip to the modeling clay smooths out the rough edges shown in this picture.
Tooling gel coat is applied to 18-20mil thickness. Since it was a little cooler today the gel coat was a little thick although, with the gel coat cup gun the application is never really smooth.
Kathy didn't like the shark white bottom paint and wants to repaint the bottom blue. She came out to the shop and got the sander and vacuum and proceeded to sand most of the boat bottom in three hours or less. I love this girl!

Day 24 Chain plate detail thoughts

2008-10-01T19:27:00.000-07:00

The potential relocation of the backstay chain plates has been a point of concern from the inception of the project. Many ideas have been considered including fabricating composite carbon fiber chain plates, relocating the existing chain plates to the inboard side on the second step with substantial internal fiberglass reinforcing run to the existing location, fabrication of new chain plates, fabrication of substantial internal metal chain plates that would allow the the chain plate to move to the second step but, be internally attached to the original location, etc... All of these ideas are workable but, slightly complicated.

Today's thought is to locate the chain plate in the existing location on a built up a 1/2"-3/4" tapered lamination of glass to:

1). Better align the load path of the chain plate as it is off by several degrees.

2). Create more space between the plate and hull as to better access the cotter pin and allow a clean exit from the deck of the transom extension. And room to caulk around the opening.

Since the attachment of the chain plate would be inaccessible inside the hull extension a access hatch would be installed to allow inspection and future service.

An added bonus of utilizing the existing chain plate location would be the addition of mechanical fastening of the hull extension via through bolting.

Day 24

2008-10-01T19:22:00.001-07:00

I decided another coat of fourseal primer was necessary to get the plug perfect. The remainder of the day was spent applying for a TWIC card and picking up some fiberglass supplies. The TWIC card is aTransportaion Worker Identification Card and required for all USCG license holders effective April 2009. Since our USCG applications have been submitted and the turn around time on the TWIC card is upto 8 weeks we decided to go ahead an apply.

Day 23 fairing the starboard plug

2008-09-30T17:38:00.000-07:00

The starboard plug is faired and painted with a coat of fourseal primer. Tomorrow I will sand down to 800 grit and wax the plug in preparation for building the starboard female mold.

Day 22 Building the port plug

2008-09-29T17:27:00.001-07:00

Since the transoms angle slightly in on the boat it was necessary to make two plugs one for both port and starboard. I made the port male plug first then once I had the port female mold and the final part completed to my satisfaction it was time to build the pug for the starboard side. I chose to modify the port plug by changing the angle of the transom.
Here you can see the tapered wedge of foam that replaces the last three inches of the plug. I also utilized a plywood template to ensure that the shape would be absolutly symetrical between two hulls. The ply wood is glued to the plug and used as a guide while I refair the mold.
A close up of the new section that is partially covered with fairing compound.
The work shop and remnants of the large orange foam block. I easily cut down the basic shape with a hand saw then glued the foam together with fairing compound.
Mixing a batch of fairing compound. 1" of cream hardener (blue) to a golf ball sized blob of fairing compound. Working time is around 5 minutes and the mixture is sandable is about twenty minutes. Again, using the polyester / MEKP products really speed things up and provide few breaks from the dirty sweaty job of long boarding.

Ouch- Three stiches later (Day 21)

2008-09-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

A little accidental bump from my 4" grinder spinning 40 grit paper earned my three stitches. The grinder ground my middle finger knuckle skin off before I even noticed it had happened.

Before. You could see the bright white freshly ground tendon.

After. Stitched and glued. The doctor was great and gave me lessons on suturing although, I must admit it made me sweat a bit!

Day 21 Trial fit up of port extension

2008-09-29T06:20:00.001-07:00

Day 21 trial fit up

2008-09-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

Day 21 The first part comes off the mold

2008-09-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

part just out of mold
Ready to trim off the rough egdes
Part cleaned up and now temporary flanges are attached to aid in fitting part to boat.

Day 21 (JTD) Job to Date costs

2008-09-28T05:54:00.001-07:00

Job to date costs for materials & tools $3243.28*

*Excludes:

$486 for haulout

$400 estimate for storage and work shop rental

$$$$ for 100+ hours of my labor

Day 20 other stuff

2008-09-27T17:19:00.001-07:00

Cutting up the plug to adapt it to the starboard hull so a mold can be built to produce parts
Make shift table set up with a piece of formica for tearing the fiberglass mat into usable size pieces.
A piece of 1.5 oz fiberglass cloth. Note: all factory edges have been removed.

Day 20 building the first part in the female mold

2008-09-27T17:17:00.001-07:00

Part is completly laminated and ready to be placed in curing oven overnight.

Day 20 Building the first part

2008-09-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

Waxing the female mold for the sixth time. After the wax hazes and you buff the mold then you need to wait at least 30 minutes before the next coat.
Mixing the gelcoat
Spraying the gelcoat on to the mold to a thickness of 18-20 mils. We shot two coats with a break between coats to allow the first coat to "flash off" to let the styrene evaporate to avoid air bubbles. A fan was used to aid the evaporation of styrene.
Glass was laid up then foam stringers and ribs were bonded to the hull.
Glass tape was cut to fit each section then glass in place.

Day 19- Stormy weather

2008-09-26T16:50:00.001-07:00

A huge rain storm today mostly flooded out my indoor workshop. Fortunately, a PDQ 36 owner keenly interested in the project stopped by today and checked out progress. Thus, I was able to spend much of the stormy wet day talking about the project and how the parts could be installed.

The visiting PDQ 36 owner was very much interested in having a few parts molded for immediately delivery (i.e in the next two days). It was encouraging to find another PDQ 36 owner who understood the deficiency of the PDQ 36 and how the hull extension project would be profoundly beneficial. However, as much as I wanted to help out my fellow PDQ 36 owner I was the time to build parts for other PDQ was not yet quite right as:

I needed to First finish my project before I can entertain helping others extend their boats. It's simple: It's going to be COLD here in CT and I need to stay focused so my boat can be ready to sail South to warmer climes soon!

The Starboard plug and mold are NOT yet completed.

I want to test my design in earnest by sailing and motoring the boat in a variety of conditions before I offer hull extension part to other PDQ 36 owners.

Evaluate and obtain feedback on the valuation of the parts I may produce for other owners.

Day 18-19 are days off

2008-09-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

I'll be taking today and tomorrow (Wed-Thurs) off from the hull extension project to make a trip to Boston to apply for my USCG Captains license.

Dave

Day 17 test fitting plug on starboard hull

2008-09-23T17:14:00.001-07:00

Test fitting the plug on the starboard hull to determine if another mold is necessary or the port mold can be adapted to work on the starboard side.

Day 17 completed mold

2008-09-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

Day 17 removing the plug from the mold

2008-09-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

Wedges to break plug free
Plug pops free with little damage.
Mold with plug and rough edges awaiting the dirty task of grinding

Grinding the rough egdes off the mold was not fun and I'm still itchy!

Project Overview

2008-09-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

Project:

Extending the transoms of a PDQ 36 sailing catamaran.

Problem/Solution:

The boat is stern heavy and the trailing edge of the transom is submerged causing considerable drag while underway. I believe it's possible to extend the hulls and achieve a much cleaner water flow and thus better sailing performance.

The building process overview:

1) Build a "plug" or a full size mock up of the desired finished part.

2) Build a female mold off the male plug.

3) Use the female mold to form the final part.

4) Install part on boat.

5) Relocate back stay chain plates

6) Make it all pretty.

Motivation for the project:

1) Improve the sailing performance of my boat as we plan to sail it many thousands of miles.

2) Test my aptitude and interests in working with fiberglass on a small scale before I embark on a bigger project such as building an entire boat.

Day 16 Building the female mold

2008-09-22T16:09:00.001-07:00

Foam core to be used as stiffeners is trial fit
Core is bonded to mold with LBI 345 bond-a-lite a glass reinforced bonding compound. The 345 comes in a gallon can and you mix it with a blue tinted catalyst to form a creamy putty which was applied liberally to the back of the foam core stiffeners.
Stiffeners in place and covered with three layers of 1.5 oz fiberglass mat. Some 8 oz cloth would have been faster and prettier for the final layup but, its nice and strong and whats on the inside is all that counts.
Finally the layup of the female mold is complete. I used:

Two gallons plus of LBI 301 resin

Two layers of 18 oz biaxial backed with 3/4 oz mat.

Three layers of 1.5 oz cloth on the stiffeners.

Three layers of 1.5 oz cloth on the mold

Three layers of 3/4 oz cloth on the mold to back the gelcoat.

Lots of extra bits and pieces to reinforce the flange and corners at the transom end.

Day 16 building the female mold

2008-09-22T15:58:00.001-07:00

Rolling the dry edges of cloth with resin and trying to get out the bigger air bubbles.
Next the hard roller is used to remove air bubbles the one I'm using is a 3/4" X 3" aluminum roller. Removing air bubbles from the first several layers of 3/4 oz mat that back the gel coat is essential to a good female mold.
Several layers of 3/4 oz and 1.5 oz mat latter I used about 1 gallon of resin and it time for lunch.
After lunch I sanded the mold with 80 grit to knock of high spots and then refined my cut out pieces of biaxial cloth.
Again, I tried to idiot proof my work by labeling the parts as shown here in a trial fit up of the 18 oz biaxial cloth. Once you have buckets of resin catalysed you have to hustle so a little preparation make things much easier under pressure. I also made construction marks on the cloth to show center and at the turn from the plug to the table.

Day 16 Building the female mold

2008-09-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

Male plug is ready to be gelcoated. I was a little nervous as this was my first time shooting gelcoat and my friend Rich was not around to coach me.
Gelcoat is sprayed in two coats no, make that 2-1/2 coats as I found a few spots that I thought needed a little more. Good lighting is key to seeing the coverage. I used LBI 304 tooling gelcoat and shot two 8 oz coats then a 4 oz touch up. The tooling gelcoat is more robust and is bright orange to aid in seeing air bubbles.
I made a little cheat sheet on the work bench so I wouldn't have to think about the correct amount of catalyst for various size batches of resin. I was using a 2% catalyst to resin ratio and found batches of up to 24 oz in a half gallon bucket were just about right. The weather was a little cooler today in the upper 60's if it were hotter I would go for smaller batches.
Rolling resin on to some fiberglass mat. A three inch roller with 3/8" nap is about perfect. Be sure the roller is chemical resistant.

TRICK: Wet out the middle of the mat leaving the very edge fibers dry. By doing this the edges don't roll over when you lay the wet mat down. Then just hit the dryer edges with your roller.
Laying on the fiberglass mat.

Day 15 a twelve hour Sunday

2008-09-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

I finished repairing the plug this morning after a coat of Fourseal primer and then lots of sanding down to 800 grit paper on a small flexible sanding block. Then I put on five coats of mold release wax waiting a minimum of thirty minutes between coats allowing the wax to set. I also painted the layup table with Fourseal and sanded it to a 400 grit finish and then waxed several times. The table will form the flange so I wanted it nice and smooth and waxed to ensure a the mold will come off clean and pretty. Once the plug was waxed I secured it to the table with some bonding compound and a few sheet rock screws. Lastly, I rolled out some modeling clay to use to form a fillet between the table and plug. The fillet will give a nice radius to the edge of the mold to the flange. If you recall this was the problem area last go around that I spent a extra three days to resolve.

I also prepared for the new mold by tearing up several yards of 3/4 oz fiberglass mat and 1.5 oz fiberglass fabric. Yes, you do tear the pieces as you don't want hard factory edges on the initial layers of glass that back the gelcoat. I also cutout several pieces of 18 oz biaxial glass inpreparation for the layup tomorrow.

In between letting things dry I practiced with a gelcoat cup gun to get a feel of this unusual spray gun.

Plug is on left side of picture. As you can see it's looking pretty nice. 7" varriable speed polisher
1.5 oz fiberglass mat. Factory edge on right side is bad for initial lay up on gelcoat so the cloth should be torn and the factory egde torn off.
Rolling out the modeling clay used to form a fillet between plug and table.
Shapping the clay fillet with a wooden mixing stick. Wiping the shaped fillet with wax really made it easy to achieve a final smooth finish.
Clay fillet in place and being formed.

Day 14 Practice painting

2008-09-21T08:59:00.001-07:00

Practice painting with the new spray gun
Work bench with all the materials.
Pacifica on the hard on the last day of summer

Day 14 Setting up shop & sanding

2008-09-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

The mold did not come out perfect so I decided to build another. Actually, the mold would definitely produce nice parts but, the flange was warped and didn't look pretty. The problem was with the laminating table top that we wrapped in shrink wrap. The laminating resin reacted with the plastic shrink wrap and wrinkled creating a ugly edge. Since I'm building the mold in such a way as to produce 10+ parts it needs to look good it's a simple mater of pride.

The plug which is very fragile needed to be patched up a bit and refaired which provided an opportunity to make some minor imporvements. It will then be repainted with Fourseal primer and sanded to 800 grit, rewaxed and then another mold will be built. Hopefull, this mold will meet my expectations and the project can move forward.

The build shop needed more tools to move to the next level of commitment and thus I purchased a number of items:

Air Compressor with 21 gallon tank.

Air hoses

Air filter and regulator

Blow nozzle

HPLV spray gun with 1.8mm tip- 2 ea

7" sander/polisher with variable speed motor 200rpm - 3700rpm

4" angle grinder with 40 grit sanding wheels for grinding glass

Buffing pads for 7" polisher

Gloves - 100 pair

Respirator replacement cartridges (organic vapor) - 4 ea

From LBIfiberglass.com

304 Tooling gelcoat - 1qt

301 Resin - 4 gallons

Day 13 - Buying more tools

2008-09-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

I feel very confident in the outcome of the project so I spent the day buying some more tools and supplies and setting up my work space a little better.

Day 12 Building the mold

2008-09-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

The plug was sanded progressivley down to 800 grit and then waxed with mold release wax.

The plug is ready to go.
Spraying on the tooling gel coat. The gel-coat is a special tooling type 304 from LBIfiberglass.com
We used a gelcoat cup gun to spray out the part with the air preasure around 40psi and the part took about 16oz of gel to achieve the recommended 20 mils of thickness.
Laying on 3/4 oz glass once the gelcoat started to gel. Then layers of 1.5 oz glass followed.

Day 11- Port side plug is nearly ready to build a mold.

2008-09-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

Flag coat of paint on plug in preparation for long boarding. The flag coat is sanded off with a 24" x 2" flexible long board. Remaining dark spots indicate low spots to be filled. Using a flag coat is essential to making things perfect.
Flexible long board and some 120 grit paper. Later I used the same board with 400 grit.

It's starting to look like a real plug.

Applying a couple of coats of Fourseal Primer which is an excellent finish for plugs. The product is two part so you can get to sanding right away. Available at LBIfiberglass.com for $105 per gallon. Ouch! My friend Rich a fiberglass professional is doing the spraying to ensure this step is flawless.

NOTE: Lacquer Thinner eats the blue foam.

Rich making it look pretty

Day 10 - Epoxy vs Polyester for building a plug

2008-09-16T20:38:00.001-07:00

Epoxy is a superior to Ester based resins in many ways but, none that apply to building a plug or mold. Over time polyester based products have been refined to make sanding easier and cure times shorter for increased productivity. Epoxy is SLOW curing to sandable and requires you mix all of your own additives into the resin which is time consuming. The last nine days I've wasted untold hours waiting for epoxy to cure.

Literally, my polyester fairing compound can be sanded in twenty minutes vs 4-5 hours if I cure the epoxy in an oven.

Day 10 More work on refining the plug

2008-09-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

Another $324 spent at LBIfiberglass.com
A bigger access hole in the transom
Better filler that kicks in minutes instead of hours.
Painting a flag coat on the plug to find the high and low spots.

Day 9 Fairing and prep of hulls

2008-09-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Re-fairing the compound curves on the plug is very time consuming with all the precision sanding with a long board and then by hand. Then additional coats of filler need to be spread and then the wait time for the cure of the filler so the fairing process can continue.

While I was waiting for filler to cure I worked on preparing the hulls to receive the extensions.

First, all anti-foul paint must be removed and then in select locations the gel-coat. In my case I have several coats of anti-foul paint then under that I have an epoxy barrier coat and then gel-coat. Lots of sanding with 60 grit paper and my 5" random orbit sander. I used maybe 15+ sanding disks to take off all the paint and gel-coat and spent 4+ hours on the task.

By the end of the day I have the plug looking pretty good and begin shrink wrapping so I can pop off a skin and/or build a mold.

Here on some prep pictures

Inside of hull will be taped to transom thus, gel coat must be removed. Note: Access hole will be patched.
Starboard hull is partially prepared but, at least one back stay needs to stay connnected at a time.
Anti-foul paint removed to recieve fairing in of hull extensions.
Plug getting shrink wrapped so I can lay up some glass tomorrow.

Day 8 - Reworking the plug

2008-09-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

After sleeping on the result of the trial fit up of a skin on day 7 I decided the shape was not perfect enough. There was a slight bulge on the port side that I could have lived with but, wanted to correct. One observation that PDQ owners should be aware of is that the hull is not perfect from the factory. There all sorts of dips and humps that one gets very familiar with when trying to project the lines of the hull aft. When it's time to fair in the new extensions I'll undoubtedly be doing some additional work on the hulls near the extensions fixing things up.

In regard to laying a PDQ 36 up for the winter I would definitely avoid using jack stands near the stern as over time they can deform the solid laminate hull. On my boat I'll be fairing in a depression of nearly 1/4" deep and the size of a standard jack stand pad just forward of the stern. I've also notice the boat shakes less when supported by the bridge deck vs keel blocks and jack stands fore and aft under the hulls.

I bolted the plug back to the boat and began the arduous task of long boarding. I was using several boards.

48" x 3" x 1/2 with 36 grit paper. The board is a home made flexible plywood board with kerfs cut every 1/2" through most of the plys.

A 3M flexible long board about 30" x 4" with 80 grit paper.

A 3M rigid long board about 30" x 4" with 80 grit paper.

I took quite a bit of material of the plug and sanding through the fairing compound was plenty of work. Once through the fairing compound the underlying foam sanded easily which was problematic as to get all the harder material off over sanding occurred to less dense foam.

It was plenty of arm burning work but, one of those situations where it's either pay now or pay a bunch more later when the sanding would be through fiberglass and epoxy and much more difficult.

So I'm back to fairing the reshaped plug to correct over sanding and refair the compound curve at the sides. Since the Epoxy takes so long to cure the fairing process burns lots of time at a point where I have little else to work on.

Flexible 3M long board
Plywood at stern is to distribute the compression load of the though bolt so I could tighten the plug very securely to the hull.

Day 7 First look at hull shape on boat

2008-09-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

As a trial I fit up a skin formed on the plug. Looks pretty good. Back in the shop I sanded the outside smooth and roughed up the inside. Then rolled on a coat of epoxy to fill in the fabric print. I laid up a second skin for the port hull.
Todays plan is to build the remainder of the extension from the hull skin inward.

Day 6 Laying glass on the plug

2008-09-12T14:53:00.001-07:00

So I shrink wrapped the plug using the shrink wrap as the bond break between plug and glass. I'm not sure if I'll use the layup I created today with two layers of 18oz biaxial for a female mold or perhaps for the outer skin of the hull. I'm interested in taking the skin off the mold and doing a trial fit up on the starboard hull as the plug was built off the port hull. I'm concerned the hulls may not be symmetrical and this will help me understand if I need to begin work on a second plug for the starboard side. It was a little tough to get the 18oz 45x45 biaxial to lay down on the compound curves. I decided to lay the 45x45 as the second layer using the tacky resin from the first layer to help hold the glass in place.

Day 6 laying up a test part

2008-09-12T11:31:00.001-07:00

18oz biaxial 0x90 180z with 3/4oz mat in place and wet out. I belive I used 30oz of resin with a fair amount of waste in drips on the floor.
Biaxial glass is cut to fit

Enclosure with heat lamp to speed cure as the temps are in the 60's today

Shrink wrappng plug - A test of a new idea

2008-09-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

wrapping the plug in shrink wrap material. The idea is to see if the shrink wrap will work well as a release fabric allowing faster construction of parts.

Plug shrink wrapped and ready to test with a layer of glass and fabric.

Day 6 Testing materials

2008-09-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

Testing out a sample of glass to see how it or if it bonds to shrink wrap material
The test sample use Biaxial 0 x 90 degree fabric
Biaxial 45 x 45 dgree orientaitn with 3/4 oz matt backing

Day 5 Fairing

2008-09-12T11:11:00.000-07:00

Filler ready for another sand
Long boards with 8o grit paper are essential to gettting a fair surface
Pen marks show where additional filler is needed
Ink from pen shows though filler so maybe next time I will use differnt colored ink for each later to avoid confusion.

Day 4 new shop for a new shape

2008-09-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

So I decided to get serious and get some inside space here at the Seaport Marine Boat Yard. The space is a little rough, but it has power and a roof. I set up my work space and believe it will be a huge efficiency to have a weather independent work space moving forward.

Adding fairing compound to fair the new shape
More fairing compound
New workshop replaces outdoor tent in boat yard.
A make shift oven to speed the cure of epoxy fairing. I've subsequently built a better oven and will replace my heat gun with a thermostat regulated heater.
Late night picture of the shop where I just added a coat of fairing compound.

Materials purchased today to build the mold:

(Kathy rode a bike 10miles round trip to pick up these materials. Yes, on a bike up and over many hills)

LBIFiberglass.com

LBI 702 Fairing compound- 2 10oz bags (spreads easy and sands easy).

PVA Mold release - LBI 360Q - 1 quart.

Tooling Gel coat - LBI 304Q - 1 quart

3/4 oz fiberglass mat - LBI 7550 - 5 yds

1.5 oz fiberglass mat - LBI1550 - 10 yds

Laminating resin Polyester - LBI 302 - 2 qt

Laminate gauge

MEKP dispenser

Day 3 redesign radius

2008-09-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

It was a bit of a rough day. Severe thunderstorms were forecast so I took down my temporary shelter to avoid a big mess if the winds were gusty. While I was waiting out the storm I had some time to evaluate progress and decided I was not happy with the transitions from the side to the bottom of the hull.

I built a template of the hull shape at the transom out of 1/4" ply and proceeded to remodel the plug.

I made saw cuts and used my template as a gauge to remove the additional material. It was rough as the fairing compound had to be removed and this was not a pretty process.
By the time it was dark I had roughed out the new shape and applied a batch of filler to begin to smooth things out again.

I supsose this is all part of the learning process. Next time I would evaluate my raw foam shape before proceeding to the fairing compound.