Jersey Girl

Aug. 10, 2017. It's time to start adding the partial bulkheads, four on each side. Unlike the full-beam (beam is the nautical term for width) bulkheads installed earlier, these shorties do not transect the central space between the two longitudinal frames in the area where the cabin will be. That's because we are keeping that space unobstructed to serve as an aisle so we can move about inside. But before I glue and screw these partial bulkheads in place I have to make sure they are square. In this case, I have decided to make the first partial bulkhead toward the aft end of the cabin 35 inches forward of the previously installed aft cabin full bulkhead. It's pretty easy to screw it into place at the inboard end, but it flops around, back and forth. How do I make sure that when the epoxy cures the assembly will be square to the frame? I put two pencil marks 35 inches apart on a scrap stick of wood (by now I have plenty of those) and temporarily screw it to the aft cabin bulk head and the new partial bulkhead. If the previously glued bulkhead is square (and it is), this partial bulkhead will be square when the glue sets. Boatbuilding, if nothing else, is an exercise in problem solving.

Quitting time, Aug. 10, 2017 -- That's it for today. The mosquitoes are having a feast, and I'm about due for a transfusion. I am four partial bulkheads away from a complete frame for the hull. I'll have to do a little planing to bevel around the bow and stern. At the joints where the pieces of wood intersect, I will have to lay in a "fillet" of thickened epoxy, and reinforce each joint with a strip of fiberglass tape. I hope to be ready to start sheathing the hull next week.

Houseboat update, Sunday, May 19, 2019 -- Suddenly, it's summer in northern New Jersey, the sun is shining, and I have a chance to get back to work on Jersey Girl. Today, I installed the four forward cabin bulkhead posts. The fore deck entry will go between the two center posts. On the left side of the picture, you're looking at where the helm will be, and on the right will be a seat for a passenger, facing forward or in toward the center, depending on his or her preference. More tomorrow, if weather permits.

Houseboat update, Tuesday, May 21, 2019 -- just a little more fitting and below-deck prep work, and the floor of the recessed forward deck should be ready to be glued and screwed into place, maybe tomorrow. The other thing I did today was work on the two main longitudinal roof beams, which will run from the aft cabin bulkhead to the forward cabin bulkhead. I may be able to install them tomorrow as well. We'll see.

Houseboat update, Wednesday, June 5, 2019 -- Fitting Jersey Girl's first window frame. Now is thee time to make small adjustments, to make certain that all will appear shipshape as Jersey Girl takes final form. I know the 24-inch windows will require 24 1/4 inches clearance between each two framing timbers, and the timbers have to be perfectly vertical to avoid problems later on. This sequence shows the steps I'm taking to fit the first one. Initially, I can see just by eyeballing, that the piece is not truly vertical. So I cut a notch in the sheer frame of the hull seat the bottom of the window frame a little to the outboard side. When I can see that it's vertical, I check the top and see that it's a little too long, so I take it to the miter saw and cut the top at the correct angle to the right length. Now, it fits perfectly. I'll take this frame down, and use it tomorrow as a template to mark and cut five more, so I can fit them without all the adjustments I'm making for the first one.