Over the last few days Traci and I got all of the bunk supports filleted and taped.
The supports are now ready for the bunks...except for one minor detail: The keelbox. And since the keel is not done yet, neither is the keelbox. So I finally bit the bullet and started working on the keel...so that I can create the keel sleeve...so I can build the keel box...so I can install the aforementioned bunks. Seriously, if you builders are waiting on something like kit delivery, get started on the keel!
I used the Gougeon Bros. white paper on foil construction as a guide to fabricating the foils, with a few minor deviations.
Using the table saw I ripped lengths of cedar 2x10 to the desired thickness of the foil (~1.62" for a NACA0012 foil mius the thickness of a couple of layer of glass). After rotating them 90 degrees to get the grain running perpendicular to the foil chord and flipping every other one end-for-end, I laminated them together with thickened epoxy. Using a handheld electric plane I got the rough shape of the keel.
A few more passes with the plane evened out the "steps" shown above and the foil was really starting to take shape.
I've got a longboard on order, so I should be able to get the final shape faired and ready for carbon fiber reinforcement and glass sheathing later this week. Then more fairing to the get the final shape.
All in all, everything is coming along quite well.
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2 comments:
Jeff, You are flying along!! Keep up the good work!! I know the frustration of having work on a small part so that all the other pieces can fall into place. When you make the keel sleeve, layout all your layers of glass on a piece of plastic, add the epoxy to wet them out, then add another layer of plastic. Then take the whole deal and lay it over the keel and clamp along the trailing edge. I intentionally didn't seal the tailing edge so I could adjust the tightness of the case when installing it.
Keep on rolling. We'll be talking about race schedules before ya know it.
Kevin.
Hi Jeff,
Your boat looks terrific. Keep up the good work.
Ron Bowman
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