Jersey Girl

Houseboat update, Monday, June 17, 2019. The rain it cometh. Again. Good for the flowers, good for the reservoirs, and the long run, I suppose, good for us all. Jersey Girl is pretty well cocooned, I think, but we'll have to wait and see. Because the most vulnerable section right now is the forward deck area, I have decided to take care of that before attacking the roof. Today, before the rain started, I shaped four forward-facing railing posts, which was pretty complicated because of how they have to be cut around hull framing and the rake of the bow panel. Tomorrow, weather permitting, I will cut decorative chamfers and dadoes for the rails, sand them, then seal them with two coats of epoxy. Perhaps I will install them on Wednesday, if I get a weather break.

Houseboat update, Sunday, June 23, 2019 -- First of all, to anyone who ever was or is a mother, and anyone who ever had a mother, happy Mothers Day! Now back to Jersey Girl -- today she gets her forward deck rail posts. Here are two views, one from the outside looking in and one from the stern, looking forward. The extraneous lengths of scrap wood are temporary braces, to make certain they stay absolutely plumb relative to the hull as the glue hardens. Now, on to a few cleanup details before I start building the forward deck seating and hatch covers. There are two openings between forward bilge compartments that I'd like to fill before topside construction makes it difficult to get to them.

Houseboat update, Thursday, June 27, 2019 -- It's about time to start closing up these six forward deck compartments, and if I do it creatively and competently, they will provide water-resistant storage space for all manner of things, like a potable water tank, an anchor and line, ballast (if I need it), deck cushions and life jackets. The way I plan to do it, in three half-inch layers, the covering structure will add even more rigidity to an already exceptionally stiff hull. The middle layer will incorporate water-block and drainage channels to divert water away from the hatch openings and direct it overboard via a network of scuppers and piped drains. The top layer will be comprised of six separate hinged hatch covers, which will have nesting water dams on the underside, to surround the built-up dams around the hatch openings in the bottom layer. The exposed top surface of the hinged cover will serve as comfortable seating. If I need to, I will augment the seal on both sides with rubber weather stripping. Am I absolutely certain it will all work as intended? Hell, no! But like so many other things in this boat -- as in life -- It's worth a try.

Houseboat update, Tuesday, July 2, 2019 -- I'm still figuring out water management for Jersey Girl's forward deck. Here you can see how I hope to persuade water to stay out of the under-deck storage compartments. I've created a series if channels around each hatch opening, and scuppers to let water follow gravity to either the outside or into the footwell, where it will find its way out through drains connected by pipes to through-hulls. The raised curbs will be topped with rubber seals, and the hinged lid will rest on those, serving as seating when closed.

Houseboat update, Saturday, July 6, 2019 -- Jersey Girl's front porch now has a nice place to sit on the starboard side. But wait, there's more! Under that hinged seating are three storage compartments. A similar arrangement on the port side will offer three more compartments. With the addition of one of the forward-looking windows affording a nice view over the deck, Jersey Girl is taking on a nice home-y feel.