Chainplates now laminated with carbon fiber and cut

The laminating went well a week or so ago and I have finally plucked up the courage make the centre cut to create the two required parts. I simply used my jig saw with a blade for cutting metal and you can see the results above and below.


You can clearly see that the G10 thimble has been well seated in the putty and that I have the required thickness of wrapping tight around them.

I will wait to cut the slots for the deadeye hardware until I am more clear about those details.

Starboard side inner float half stored for the winter

This done, I plan to plank the next float half over the Christmas holiday break.

Starting the carbon fiber chain plate

The design calls for 1 inch of epoxy putty that joins the foam core with the G10 fiberglass tube. I constructed a simple mold and mixed the putty (all micro balloons this time) so that it would still pour and carefully filled it up so that there would be no voids.


I am pretty happy with the result. Next, I need to wrap it with the unidirectional carbon fiber and then cut it into the two required parts.

Float storage hutch in the back yard

Before too much snow arrives I thought it appropriate to build the shelter for the floats in the back yard. Here it is, all 21 feet in length, ready for the heavy duty plastic sheeting. Next summer this structure will become a hot house so that the epoxy gets the beneficial extra heat treatment.