Thank you for helping keep our boat afloat. See the 👍 button, please consider pressing it as you would be helping us out more than you know. Would you like to see more of Sailing with the James’s? Become a virtual crew member by becoming a patreon and get more of Sailing with the James's. You can check out what it’s all about here 👇come and join the fun. www.patreon.com/Sailingwiththejamess Want to do a one time donations? Buy us a coffee! ko-fi.com/sailingwiththejamess We hope to see you again next week ❤
My first thought was you can add more solar panels on those eye brows. But after you explain it to us, that will not be the case... Great work team! Enjoying each episodes.
Thank you Heidi 💜 She is looking amazing, and the refit isnt over yet, still more to come with the cockpit! Can't wait to get back out on the water and use all the new features 🙌💕 -Cait
Hahaha yes I didn't think of it that way until the other day when a mate said the more I play with the boat the more unique it looks. I never saw myself a unique person but it turns out I have quiet strong opinions on how I want the boat to be. I think it comes from having to do what I'm told on other people's boats for my entire career lol. -sam
Nice work on your back extension. You may want to add a few Fibreglass stirrups to bond the roof to itself over the ally framework. To be sure to be sure!.
Hey Walter! 👋 Thank you for the comment, we love seeing new faces around here! The support bracket on the mast side adds an excellent step to get onto the cabin roof top and the shade is amazing. We're not done with the refit yet, more transformations are coming! -Cait
Thank you so much Frank, the roof has completely transformed the cockpit, really really useable now - plus we are not done with the refit, still a bit more of a transformation to go! Hope you are doing well and staying safe in FL with the recent hurricanes 🌀 -Cait
Really like the eyebrows. Thinking the advantages outweigh the if any minimal disadvantages. Having the opening to vent think this will help give it a vent for air also. My first thought was wouldn’t it be so cool if you could lower one and give a wink😊. The videos are nicely edited thanks for sharing.
Hahaha we thought about having the ability lower them. Didn't think about the winking aspect though lol. It was just going to add a bit to much cost to the project so we didn't go that direction. -sam
Good idea and good job u might consider little loops underneath the pipe just so you could add shade material over the windows when at anchor and u can fold it up also on your other extension to so u can put up mosquito netting on the hang out area
Hey Purple Monkey Crazy!🐒 Thank you so much! Not a bad idea 😉 The refit isn't finished yet, there's a few more things happening to the cockpit area! We have gone with the white perforated film (same stuff we put on thw side windows last year!) on the forward facing windows and hatches and they've made huge difference, can see out but not in and it helps block the sun really well. 💕 Cait
I've been following your videos of the addition and I like the ideas you guys are implementing. With that said as a long time boater and 15 year welder I would strongly recommend through bolting the extensions (and eye brows) on the perimeter at the minimum, thats a large wind catch and structure. That aluminum frame for the rear while it appears well built and strong I suspect micro flexing, vibrating, expansion and contraction (from heat and cooling) will cause the inevitable failure of that glue joint from the aluminum frame. Most tubing around me is 6061 which is less corrosion resistant compared 5052 (like your hull) the oxide buildup could also deteriorate the chemical bond of the glue. If you don't want to drill holes through the tube I would weld some tabs with holes pre drilled or tapped into them and use that as ways of mechanically fastening your additions on. I wouldn't necessarily worry about your eyebrows holding or catching water given that you water could flow out from behind so secure them too. A dozen through bolts is cheap insurance your hard work doesn't end up in the sea. Nonetheless, I look forward to your videos whether you take my advice or not, I do love being proven wrong.
Thank you for your kind advice, at this stage we want to go in the water in just over a week and have approximately 100 million things to do. I will look at putting more techniglue and maybe some adhesive silicon on the inside but if I'm being honest we just won't have time to look into putting tabs on at the moment. -sam
@@sailingwiththejamess haha i know that too well, 1 job turns into an additional 20 and that just basic lets fix what's broken or outdated. With the scope of work you're doing I can imagine the list.
Exactly And more jobs get added to the list like the outboard breaking the other day 😆 we went to pick up foam and the outboard acted up ans then Sam spend the afternoon fixing the outboard. New task added to the refit list and then checked off. Thank goodness for Sam 🥰 We are on the countdown now to relaunch day! -Cait
Hey Capt, great question! The headsails are sheeted to the cabin top and clear the eyebrows, we designed them not to be in the way and then double checked before having anything welded permanently 😀 -Cait
especially for a family ,I would've gone as well for an alu-cat ,and put more cover and solar on, including solar on the eyebrows ! remember mosquito netting for openings ! in addition ,a bathtub on deck ,as multifunctional locker ,bench ,or day bed with bathtub underneath ,including drainage and stopper ,to be used with rain water-caught by roof ,or salt water . even though I am old now ,I still remember clearly the joys of bathtubs in open air, as tiny kid ,teenager and adult . offer that to your lovely child and why not to yourself as well .assuming ,that casual stealing will increase ,make all entry points, including hatches ,lockable ( better from inside where possible ) and even get a lockable instrument console metal cover ,for peace of mind ,when away .one can not stop professional break in artists ,but can avoid tempting others ,making casual taking difficult .wishing you the very best !!!
We have a paddling pool that we will set up on the back deck, we had friends that did this and when we went to visit Charlie loved it. She still isn't the best swimmer but we are hoping that by the end of summer that she will be. -sam
Hi Kay 👋 Good idea about the bath 🙌 we have a foldable kiddy pool for the back deck, just a plastic foldable one that weighs next to nothing and doesnt take up too much storage space. it's great for sailing days, fill it with salt water from the deck wash and it's a really nice way to cool down and fun for Charlie. 🐟 We have mossie nets for all the hatches except for the two new ones going in on the forward windows, we will have to get the sewing machine out and make 2 more when they go in 🙌 Thank you for your thoughtful comment, I enjoyed reading it! Hope to see and read more of you around our channel! 💕 Cait
@@sailingwiththejamess nice to have the kiddy pool, but you all will have much more joy and use of a dedicated multifunctional bathtub/rain water collection point/locker for instance under a day bed ,or bench on deck. this can be used as wash machine as well .fill with fabrics, rain water ,organic soap about half full ,close watertight lid and let boat movements slosh it around and have all well soaked . open and add feet stamping motions ,if needed . very effective and easy ,including for large items ,like sails . As mentioned ,it is worthwhile as well to make all entry points safer than usual, including outside expensive instruments with lockable cover ! have wonderful times and get a hammock for your lovely kid ,check on sturdiness of poles with your welder .
@@salliewhite-bishton5394 if you are a sailor yourself with kids ,or watching sail channels, you can offer reminders of making a multifunctional ,on deck ,box/locker/bench/daybed/ with bathtub underneath,watertight ,usable as dry locker ,safe play box for kids wet or dry ,rain water collection point and a washing machine . fill with fabrics, rainwater ,organic soap about half full ,close and let boat movement slosh it around . open and you can add feet stamping motions . very effective and easy washing box ,including for large items .
I’m enjoying your uploads! TechniGlue, unless I missed something, I hope you’re not relying on TechniGlue as your primary fixing method. That roof is going to fold and peel back unless you add some other primary fixing method you can quantify and trust.
Cheers we appreciate your support. You are correct techniglue is our primary method for fixing the roof and we used sicka for the coving and a secondary method of fixing. -sam
@bill7437emtp Hey Bill, the boat next to us isn't abandoned the owner is getting ready to do a major refit on it next year. It's a beautiful boat with great lines, she is from the same designer as ours, a Lock Crowther. -Cait 🧡
How are you going with weight distribution with the rear mods? Otherwise it looks great. All that other safe space away from the hot sun and the rain. Keep it up.
At this stage it's a bit of guess work Colin. We are lucky as we have big lockers foward and aft so if I get it to wrong then I can shift weight round in those lockers. Fingers crossed that we cont have to though as I would prefer to keep the weight more central. -sam
@@sailingwiththejamess Yes Sam I do agree with the movement into the lockers if needs be. You are right in that it is great to modify the house as you see fit.
Cheers Colin, The age old triangle of speed, cheap and comfortable. They say you can have 2 of these but not all three so instead of only going for 2 we wanted a combination so we prioritised them with comfort being first cheap being second and speed being third. -sam
Again really interesting to see what you're doing. I built a cockpit cover for my 40' cat-- very similar to yours and it was a game changer. one thing I would suggest is that you do all the glassing (for eg, the piping around the edges and the painting underneath before you put it up. I'll also be really interested in the glue system you used to attach it-- I did a bit of a intake of breath when I saw what you're doing... Finally, I would never, ever add thickener to the laminating resin-- I'm assuming you're using Kinitex or something similar? The key thing is the bond between the foam and the cloth, so you don't want anything getting inbetween, even if it is a bit of thickener, otherwise the concern is the glass floating off the foam which can happen anyway if you put too much resin on... Cheers Phil
We didnt want to put the piping on the outside until it was up to get the right canber the roof, we felt if we put it on before hand it would be too rigid to get the shape of the canber of the roof. We used TechniGlue, it's amazing stuff, we added fumed silica (a light mix) to the foam as otherwise it was going through the foam and creatung lumps on the other underside surface, but used pure glass on the matting -Cait
@@sailingwiththejamess I coved in and then glassed over the pipe I used before putting the roof up and it curved into shape really well-- especially with such a large sheet of foam--mine was smaller but still big. Appreciate the reply
The front brows might have been easier if they were laced on fabric ones unless you intend standing on them. Is that finishing on the glass roof extension UV proof .. or the GRP can delaminate quickly from what ive been told. Better Charlie gets to peel peel ply rather than wallpaper 😂like some toddlers ive met.
We toyed with canvas for the front brows but wanted the fiberglass flr insulation and for the hard roof top, hopefully be having a few dinners and sunset drinks on the bow during our travels and the brows will make good places to set food 🥂 and longevity, canvas wouldn't last as long and price also eas a factor. Charlie loved getting to pull the peel ply up, absolutely loved it ❤️ The roof was prepped and painted with marine grade deck paint, same stuff that's on the decks now. Next is the solar panels, we left a few spots void of paint for where they supports for the solar will be put and then another layer of paint will go on, and the solar will also keep the sun off the roof. It was great when we were having a look with the panels, they add even more shade and below the roof was even cooler (colder) with the panels on the roof. We are looking forward to using this back deck a lot! -Cait
Hey Shane! The boat next to us isn't abandoned the owner is getting ready to do a major refit on it next year. It's a beautiful boat with great lines, she is from the same designer as ours, an alloy Lock Crowther. -Cait 🧡
Hey Brian! 👋 They will be glued in with carbocell so that they are strong enough for everyday weather and strong winds and but weak enough to pop out in a cyclone 🌀 they will be the weakest link and could pop out leaving bare poles instead of risking something else damaging. Its a good question, glad tou asked! Lanyard is a good idea but our reasoning is if they are going to pop in really heavy weather we don't want them attached flying around damaging other things around it -Cait
It's the age-old battle of weight vs. comfort. We have added more buoyancy to the stern to try and help counter the weight, but you are right. We are adding a bit of weight. After fighting what felt like a losing battle trying to get the boat down to design weight (15t), we have decided to give up and just do what we can. Every time we add weight we just evaluate how much we want it. My personal goal is to get her to 16t but we will see. -sam
Hey Mark! Its a great question. We debated between alloy, fiberglass, and canvas for the material for the brows but we ultimately decided to go with fiberglass because we wanted the insulation and it was cheaper, and a bonus is that they're surprisingly light 🪶 💕Cait
Thank you! And thank you for the question, it's a great question to ask because it would have been easy to weld a sheet to the top but ultimately we are having an issue with heat on the boat🥵 and trying our best to do make the boat cooler -Cait
That is a 1970s Lock Crowther Aluminium Catamaran, her owner starts her bug refit next year as his retirement project. We are to Alloy Crowthers next to each other 🙌 -Cait
@ is there alot old cats like that around . You can find old cruiser for cheap around Annapolis in the USA . I seen an old 1980 swan 57 swoop with two 95 racing wenches go for 75 grand . I got a 84 tayana 55 for 100 . There’s one guy that crushes probably 130 old boat a year and sells the part while making bars and wall art for restaurants out of the old boats 🛥️. Your project looks pretty cool 😎
Tayana s are nice boats! There's not heaps, here, all the boats in this yard are owned and are getting work done to them or about to get work done in the case of this girl. She's a beautiful old girl next to us, great history as a charter boat and soon will be back in the water floating again -Cait
Hmm i would have liked to have seen them more integrated/wrap around the sides ( but shallower on sides) And perhaps with a step /rungs at mast But $ i suppose. And its your boat. Itll work fine though, which is good . Good stuff. Keep it up👍
Hello! Spot on, the support mast side has made a step to get up on the cabin top, and yes they would have been better wrapped around the side but we had to consider the winch handles -Cait
@@sailingwiththejamess Cabosil is just fumed silica, the only real purpose for cabosil is for creating a radius for the composite cloth or fabric. So many boat manufacturers are building composite boats using practices that are absolutely incorrect, many production catamarans have the upper and lower halves bonded together using resin and cabosil even though a variety of manufacturers make products just for bonding composites to a variety of substrates. Pro set from Henkel is an amazing product used in the aerospace industry for bonding composite structures together and both 3m and lord make specific adhesives for bonding composites to composites or composites to metal. Lord Fusor works really well for bonding fiberglass or carbon to metal or other composites and the Lord Fusor product line covers a wide variety of applications. General Motors uses Lord products for bonding the corvette together.
Hey guys, here's a new subscriber from Havana 🫶👍and what about the catamaran next to yours? It looks a bit abandoned, do you know if anyone has it as a project or is it really abandoned??!! I don't have any budget to make an offer and buy it, but I would love to try to do the same as you with yours if it were mine, it's also my dream ⛵🙏🙏🙏 God willing, I will get it one day not too far away, in the meantime I continue learning with you guys, greetings and good winds 🫶👍🌬️🫡
Hello Mr Havana, the boat next to us isn't abandoned he is getting ready to do a major refit on it next yr. It's a beautiful boat with great lines, she is from the same designer as ours. Thank you for subscribing and good luck with making your dreams a reality! -sam
@sailingwiththejamess 😀 Thanks Sam 😉👍 good to for answering me, and it comforts me to know that this beautiful catamaran is not abandoned and will soon reach its destiny "Sailing" 🙏🫡 greetings captain
Thank you for helping keep our boat afloat. See the 👍 button, please consider pressing it as you would be helping us out more than you know.
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Revealed vs Reveiled?
@IustinDornescu 😂😂😂 I've just had to google to proper spelling, you are the first person to notice my spelling mistake 😂 Thank you 💜
-Cait
I'm so happy that you got your hardtop! Awesome!
It's absolutely transformed the back deck! 🤩 You need to come cover for coffee and dinner!
-Cait
Love the eyebrows
Thank you Joey! That have made a massive difference in the temperature inside the cabin
-Cait
bravo
Thank you so much!
eyebrows for personality :) - i like it and i like the functionality of it
She is creating her own personality 😊 thank you, we are really happy with the way they've turned out
-Cait
My first thought was you can add more solar panels on those eye brows. But after you explain it to us, that will not be the case... Great work team! Enjoying each episodes.
Thank you you so much!
Yes 4 new solar panels for the roof top 🙌 and the brow will make a huge difference with sun on the front windows 😃
-Cait
Looking good guys! Emma is looking more awesome each episode.
So cool to see your visions coming life ✨ We’ll done legends x
Thank you Heidi 💜
She is looking amazing, and the refit isnt over yet, still more to come with the cockpit! Can't wait to get back out on the water and use all the new features 🙌💕
-Cait
Great work team james. Like the eyebrows and the roof
Thank you Sarah, can't wait to get the new windows in too! She's looking mighty beautiful
-Cait
Eyebrows will certainly help with both rain & sun & gives your Boat anothrr unique feature.
Hahaha yes I didn't think of it that way until the other day when a mate said the more I play with the boat the more unique it looks. I never saw myself a unique person but it turns out I have quiet strong opinions on how I want the boat to be. I think it comes from having to do what I'm told on other people's boats for my entire career lol.
-sam
Wow how the cockpit has changed. It looks nice and shaded. Looking foward to wa t ching this space and seeing what else you do in there
Thank you! Yes more things are happening with the cockpit - stay tuned
The new roof is looking great 👍
Cheers,we absolutely love it!
-sam
Nice work on your back extension. You may want to add a few Fibreglass stirrups to bond the roof to itself over the ally framework. To be sure to be sure!.
At this stage we have no plans of tabbing it but if it starts to lift at all then we will definitely look at tabbing it or something.
-sam
@ Just remember you can’t tab it at two in the morning when it’s decided to depart the vessel in a wind squall. Keep up the good work!.
Hahaha yes I guess you are right. We are putting 89kg of solar on it aswell so that will definitely test things.
-sam
Interesting stuff, cheers guys.. 😊
Thank you trev.
-sam
You are an absolute Legend 🙌 Trev! Thank you so much
💕 Cait
It will certainly help to keep the Sun out..And give more space to decently stand near to the mast
Hey Walter! 👋
Thank you for the comment, we love seeing new faces around here! The support bracket on the mast side adds an excellent step to get onto the cabin roof top and the shade is amazing.
We're not done with the refit yet, more transformations are coming!
-Cait
@@sailingwiththejamess I put a hard dodger and hard bimini on a 50 ft monohull. in the tropics... trust me its a life changer to have the shade.
Absokute game changer!
-Cait
Love to see that cruiser camaraderie. Yes, all the extra shade and fresh air in the tropics should be wonderful.
Thank you so much Frank, the roof has completely transformed the cockpit, really really useable now - plus we are not done with the refit, still a bit more of a transformation to go!
Hope you are doing well and staying safe in FL with the recent hurricanes 🌀
-Cait
@@sailingwiththejamess Looks like I'm getting through this season okay, thanks.
@@FrankJamger good to hear you are safe and going well 😊
-Cait
looking good , great job done
Thank you so much Geoffery! She won't be the same boat going back in the water 🙌 and the refits not over yet!
-Cait
Really like the eyebrows. Thinking the advantages outweigh the if any minimal disadvantages. Having the opening to vent think this will help give it a vent for air also. My first thought was wouldn’t it be so cool if you could lower one and give a wink😊. The videos are nicely edited thanks for sharing.
Hahaha we thought about having the ability lower them. Didn't think about the winking aspect though lol. It was just going to add a bit to much cost to the project so we didn't go that direction.
-sam
Emma looks like a totally different boat now.
Thank you, and we're not done with the refit yet!
-Cait
Good idea and good job u might consider little loops underneath the pipe just so you could add shade material over the windows when at anchor and u can fold it up also on your other extension to so u can put up mosquito netting on the hang out area
Hey Purple Monkey Crazy!🐒
Thank you so much!
Not a bad idea 😉 The refit isn't finished yet, there's a few more things happening to the cockpit area!
We have gone with the white perforated film (same stuff we put on thw side windows last year!) on the forward facing windows and hatches and they've made huge difference, can see out but not in and it helps block the sun really well.
💕 Cait
I've been following your videos of the addition and I like the ideas you guys are implementing. With that said as a long time boater and 15 year welder I would strongly recommend through bolting the extensions (and eye brows) on the perimeter at the minimum, thats a large wind catch and structure. That aluminum frame for the rear while it appears well built and strong I suspect micro flexing, vibrating, expansion and contraction (from heat and cooling) will cause the inevitable failure of that glue joint from the aluminum frame. Most tubing around me is 6061 which is less corrosion resistant compared 5052 (like your hull) the oxide buildup could also deteriorate the chemical bond of the glue.
If you don't want to drill holes through the tube I would weld some tabs with holes pre drilled or tapped into them and use that as ways of mechanically fastening your additions on. I wouldn't necessarily worry about your eyebrows holding or catching water given that you water could flow out from behind so secure them too. A dozen through bolts is cheap insurance your hard work doesn't end up in the sea. Nonetheless, I look forward to your videos whether you take my advice or not, I do love being proven wrong.
Thank you for your kind advice, at this stage we want to go in the water in just over a week and have approximately 100 million things to do. I will look at putting more techniglue and maybe some adhesive silicon on the inside but if I'm being honest we just won't have time to look into putting tabs on at the moment.
-sam
@@sailingwiththejamess Exhaust clamp-style U-bolts would do the trick. I agree with above, relentless battering will work that stuff loose.
As soon as it starts to waer loose, I'll put tabbing and the u bolts or something.
-sam
@@sailingwiththejamess haha i know that too well, 1 job turns into an additional 20 and that just basic lets fix what's broken or outdated. With the scope of work you're doing I can imagine the list.
Exactly And more jobs get added to the list like the outboard breaking the other day 😆 we went to pick up foam and the outboard acted up ans then Sam spend the afternoon fixing the outboard. New task added to the refit list and then checked off. Thank goodness for Sam 🥰
We are on the countdown now to relaunch day!
-Cait
Is there a new headsail plan or does the existing one clear the eyebrows? Looks nice! 👍 🤘
Hey Capt, great question! The headsails are sheeted to the cabin top and clear the eyebrows, we designed them not to be in the way and then double checked before having anything welded permanently 😀
-Cait
especially for a family ,I would've gone as well for an alu-cat ,and put more cover and solar on, including solar on the eyebrows ! remember mosquito netting for openings ! in addition ,a bathtub on deck ,as multifunctional locker ,bench ,or day bed with bathtub underneath ,including drainage and stopper ,to be used with rain water-caught by roof ,or salt water . even though I am old now ,I still remember clearly the joys of bathtubs in open air, as tiny kid ,teenager and adult . offer that to your lovely child and why not to yourself as well .assuming ,that casual stealing will increase ,make all entry points, including hatches ,lockable ( better from inside where possible ) and even get a lockable instrument console metal cover ,for peace of mind ,when away .one can not stop professional break in artists ,but can avoid tempting others ,making casual taking difficult .wishing you the very best !!!
Great idea about the bath tub on topside. That is the first I have heard of doing that - could also be used as a play area without the water.
We have a paddling pool that we will set up on the back deck, we had friends that did this and when we went to visit Charlie loved it. She still isn't the best swimmer but we are hoping that by the end of summer that she will be.
-sam
Hi Kay 👋
Good idea about the bath 🙌 we have a foldable kiddy pool for the back deck, just a plastic foldable one that weighs next to nothing and doesnt take up too much storage space. it's great for sailing days, fill it with salt water from the deck wash and it's a really nice way to cool down and fun for Charlie. 🐟
We have mossie nets for all the hatches except for the two new ones going in on the forward windows, we will have to get the sewing machine out and make 2 more when they go in 🙌
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, I enjoyed reading it!
Hope to see and read more of you around our channel!
💕 Cait
@@sailingwiththejamess nice to have the kiddy pool, but you all will have much more joy and use of a dedicated multifunctional bathtub/rain water collection point/locker for instance under a day bed ,or bench on deck. this can be used as wash machine as well .fill with fabrics, rain water ,organic soap about half full ,close watertight lid and let boat movements slosh it around and have all well soaked . open and add feet stamping motions ,if needed . very effective and easy ,including for large items ,like sails . As mentioned ,it is worthwhile as well to make all entry points safer than usual, including outside expensive instruments with lockable cover !
have wonderful times and get a hammock for your lovely kid ,check on sturdiness of poles with your welder .
@@salliewhite-bishton5394 if you are a sailor yourself with kids ,or watching sail channels, you can offer reminders of making a multifunctional ,on deck ,box/locker/bench/daybed/ with bathtub underneath,watertight ,usable as dry locker ,safe play box for kids wet or dry ,rain water collection point and a washing machine . fill with fabrics, rainwater ,organic soap about half full ,close and let boat movement slosh it around . open and you can add feet stamping motions . very effective and easy washing box ,including for large items .
Don't forget to put channels in for lights
Yass Tom Yess! 😃
Some very groovey and awesome lights will be making an appearance 😎
-Cait
I’m enjoying your uploads! TechniGlue, unless I missed something, I hope you’re not relying on TechniGlue as your primary fixing method. That roof is going to fold and peel back unless you add some other primary fixing method you can quantify and trust.
Cheers we appreciate your support. You are correct techniglue is our primary method for fixing the roof and we used sicka for the coving and a secondary method of fixing.
-sam
What's the story with the cat next to your boat? The one that looks moldy and neglected.
@bill7437emtp Hey Bill, the boat next to us isn't abandoned the owner is getting ready to do a major refit on it next year. It's a beautiful boat with great lines, she is from the same designer as ours, a Lock Crowther.
-Cait 🧡
Nice job guys! Whats that old cat next door to you in the yard?
Thank you
She is an old 1970s aluminium Lock Crowther catamaran. She will be getting a big refit soon and will be back out on the water
-Cait
How are you going with weight distribution with the rear mods? Otherwise it looks great. All that other safe space away from the hot sun and the rain. Keep it up.
At this stage it's a bit of guess work Colin. We are lucky as we have big lockers foward and aft so if I get it to wrong then I can shift weight round in those lockers. Fingers crossed that we cont have to though as I would prefer to keep the weight more central.
-sam
@@sailingwiththejamess Yes Sam I do agree with the movement into the lockers if needs be. You are right in that it is great to modify the house as you see fit.
Cheers Colin,
The age old triangle of speed, cheap and comfortable. They say you can have 2 of these but not all three so instead of only going for 2 we wanted a combination so we prioritised them with comfort being first cheap being second and speed being third.
-sam
Again really interesting to see what you're doing. I built a cockpit cover for my 40' cat-- very similar to yours and it was a game changer. one thing I would suggest is that you do all the glassing (for eg, the piping around the edges and the painting underneath before you put it up. I'll also be really interested in the glue system you used to attach it-- I did a bit of a intake of breath when I saw what you're doing... Finally, I would never, ever add thickener to the laminating resin-- I'm assuming you're using Kinitex or something similar? The key thing is the bond between the foam and the cloth, so you don't want anything getting inbetween, even if it is a bit of thickener, otherwise the concern is the glass floating off the foam which can happen anyway if you put too much resin on... Cheers Phil
We didnt want to put the piping on the outside until it was up to get the right canber the roof, we felt if we put it on before hand it would be too rigid to get the shape of the canber of the roof. We used TechniGlue, it's amazing stuff, we added fumed silica (a light mix) to the foam as otherwise it was going through the foam and creatung lumps on the other underside surface, but used pure glass on the matting
-Cait
@@sailingwiththejamess I coved in and then glassed over the pipe I used before putting the roof up and it curved into shape really well-- especially with such a large sheet of foam--mine was smaller but still big.
Appreciate the reply
Dang, so we could have done it on he ground. That would have been sooo much easier! I will definitely keep that in mind for next time.
-sam
The front brows might have been easier if they were laced on fabric ones unless you intend standing on them.
Is that finishing on the glass roof extension UV proof .. or the GRP can delaminate quickly from what ive been told.
Better Charlie gets to peel peel ply rather than wallpaper 😂like some toddlers ive met.
We toyed with canvas for the front brows but wanted the fiberglass flr insulation and for the hard roof top, hopefully be having a few dinners and sunset drinks on the bow during our travels and the brows will make good places to set food 🥂 and longevity, canvas wouldn't last as long and price also eas a factor.
Charlie loved getting to pull the peel ply up, absolutely loved it ❤️
The roof was prepped and painted with marine grade deck paint, same stuff that's on the decks now. Next is the solar panels, we left a few spots void of paint for where they supports for the solar will be put and then another layer of paint will go on, and the solar will also keep the sun off the roof. It was great when we were having a look with the panels, they add even more shade and below the roof was even cooler (colder) with the panels on the roof.
We are looking forward to using this back deck a lot!
-Cait
Hey mate, what's with that manky looking cat beside you?
Hey Shane! The boat next to us isn't abandoned the owner is getting ready to do a major refit on it next year. It's a beautiful boat with great lines, she is from the same designer as ours, an alloy Lock Crowther.
-Cait 🧡
@@sailingwiththejamess Thanks for the reply, all good, it does look like it needs some serious tlc though eh lol
I'm with you my friend, it's a project and a half hey.
-sam
Why don't you put lanyards on the eyebrows so if they do get washed off you can re-attach them?
Hey Brian! 👋
They will be glued in with carbocell so that they are strong enough for everyday weather and strong winds and but weak enough to pop out in a cyclone 🌀 they will be the weakest link and could pop out leaving bare poles instead of risking something else damaging. Its a good question, glad tou asked! Lanyard is a good idea but our reasoning is if they are going to pop in really heavy weather we don't want them attached flying around damaging other things around it
-Cait
@@sailingwiththejamess Good Point. Better to let them go than to bang around.
Fingers crossed we never get ourselves in a situation where they pop out.
-sam
looks like you are adding a lot of weight to this cat and as we know the enemy of cats is weight. What do you think about the weight situation?
It's the age-old battle of weight vs. comfort. We have added more buoyancy to the stern to try and help counter the weight, but you are right. We are adding a bit of weight. After fighting what felt like a losing battle trying to get the boat down to design weight (15t), we have decided to give up and just do what we can. Every time we add weight we just evaluate how much we want it. My personal goal is to get her to 16t but we will see.
-sam
Why did you not just use aluminium plate for the roof and eyebrows. 3mm plate must be lighter than the fibreglass.
Hey Mark! Its a great question. We debated between alloy, fiberglass, and canvas for the material for the brows but we ultimately decided to go with fiberglass because we wanted the insulation and it was cheaper, and a bonus is that they're surprisingly light 🪶
💕Cait
@ good luck with the rest of the refit!
Thank you!
And thank you for the question, it's a great question to ask because it would have been easy to weld a sheet to the top but ultimately we are having an issue with heat on the boat🥵 and trying our best to do make the boat cooler
-Cait
What’s up with that cat next to ya .
That is a 1970s Lock Crowther Aluminium Catamaran, her owner starts her bug refit next year as his retirement project. We are to Alloy Crowthers next to each other 🙌
-Cait
@ is there alot old cats like that around . You can find old cruiser for cheap around Annapolis in the USA . I seen an old 1980 swan 57 swoop with two 95 racing wenches go for 75 grand . I got a 84 tayana 55 for 100 . There’s one guy that crushes probably 130 old boat a year and sells the part while making bars and wall art for restaurants out of the old boats 🛥️. Your project looks pretty cool 😎
Tayana s are nice boats! There's not heaps, here, all the boats in this yard are owned and are getting work done to them or about to get work done in the case of this girl. She's a beautiful old girl next to us, great history as a charter boat and soon will be back in the water floating again
-Cait
Hmm i would have liked to have seen them more integrated/wrap around the sides ( but shallower on sides)
And perhaps with a step /rungs at mast
But $ i suppose. And its your boat.
Itll work fine though, which is good .
Good stuff. Keep it up👍
Hello!
Spot on, the support mast side has made a step to get up on the cabin top, and yes they would have been better wrapped around the side but we had to consider the winch handles
-Cait
Epoxy and cabosil is actually brittle and weak. So many people use it as an adhesive and it is completely wrong.
Hi Shane, is fumed silica better or what would you suggest as a glue compound? Have you tried techniglue? Interested in your opinion.
-sam
@@sailingwiththejamess Cabosil is just fumed silica, the only real purpose for cabosil is for creating a radius for the composite cloth or fabric. So many boat manufacturers are building composite boats using practices that are absolutely incorrect, many production catamarans have the upper and lower halves bonded together using resin and cabosil even though a variety of manufacturers make products just for bonding composites to a variety of substrates. Pro set from Henkel is an amazing product used in the aerospace industry for bonding composite structures together and both 3m and lord make specific adhesives for bonding composites to composites or composites to metal. Lord Fusor works really well for bonding fiberglass or carbon to metal or other composites and the Lord Fusor product line covers a wide variety of applications. General Motors uses Lord products for bonding the corvette together.
I looked up the lord fuser and it looks great but boy oh boy is it expensive!
-sam
Hey guys, here's a new subscriber from Havana 🫶👍and what about the catamaran next to yours? It looks a bit abandoned, do you know if anyone has it as a project or is it really abandoned??!! I don't have any budget to make an offer and buy it, but I would love to try to do the same as you with yours if it were mine, it's also my dream ⛵🙏🙏🙏 God willing, I will get it one day not too far away, in the meantime I continue learning with you guys, greetings and good winds 🫶👍🌬️🫡
Hello Mr Havana, the boat next to us isn't abandoned he is getting ready to do a major refit on it next yr. It's a beautiful boat with great lines, she is from the same designer as ours. Thank you for subscribing and good luck with making your dreams a reality!
-sam
@sailingwiththejamess 😀 Thanks Sam 😉👍 good to for answering me, and it comforts me to know that this beautiful catamaran is not abandoned and will soon reach its destiny "Sailing" 🙏🫡 greetings captain
Yes me two. Greeting my friend.
-sam