Kembali

I began installing various deck hardware components, including cleats, chocks, and the anchor pulpit. The main horn cleats, fore and aft, as well as the anchor pulpit, are through-bolted on the deck. They are bedded with 3M 4200 marine silicone sealant. The chocks are screwed into the sheer clamp and bedded with Dolphinite.

CLC supplies a 1/4" thick Aluminum centerboard blank, cut to shape, with a pre-drilled pivot hole. The build manual lays out how the tapers should be done to give the centerboard the proper hydrodynamics. The only problem was I had no clue how to work the aluminum. I tried to find a machine shop to do it, but it was too small a job and had too long a lead time. I ended up doing it myself with a cheap angle grinder (which died), a shinto rasp (an amazing tool), files, and a random orbital sander. I took the surface to 600 grit to make it nice and smooth. Elapsed time on the job was about 6 hours, spread over two days.

The CLC build manual says the centerboard should slide into place from above. Either I did something wrong in construction, or they were dreaming. There was no way it was going in from above. I thought about what to do for a long time. Early in the build, I had friends over for flipping parties, but at this stage of the build it was a very different flip. The hull now weighed 500-600 lbs, and it would have to be carried out of the build space and rolled very carefully. I didn't like that option, so I built gantries to lift the boat and slide the centerboard in from underneath the hull. I also figured gantries would be a good way to get the boat on and off its trailer as needed. The gantries were built with construction-grade lumber from Home Despot and fitted with chain hoists and webbing from Harbor Freight. In the end, they were a success. At this point I had no idea if the boat would float but it definitely could fly!