Construction: Week 26 - Accomodations Progress

We've been back in Chicago for almost two weeks and have been working diligently to get our townhome back in order.  Since leaving Chicago for on October 3, 2010 for the Great Loop, we've only used the townhome a total of four months (4/15 to 6/27, 2012 and 9/8 to 11/28, 2012).  My most recent project was posting the 63's CAD drawing on the wall of our study.

Now to Friday photos.  I'm going to follow the same format as last week and post each photo with a brief explanation.  Most progress is evident in the accommodations.  The two big events, mating of the house with the hull and engine installation are still weeks away.

1. Port side of hull.  No change

2. Superstructure and transom.  No change

3. Flybridge, boat deck and roof for walk-around.  No change

4. New: Hardtop mold.  Note the inspection plates.

5. Overview.  Note exhaust pipes behind the auxiliary tanks

6. Lazarette.  Framing around the auxiliary tanks is new

7. Looking aft from the pilot house.  No change

8. VIP. See Below.

Progress in the VIP (V-berth)(photo 8):

• Wiring for the lights on the bulkhead
• Wiring for switches (bottom left)
• Teak veneer applied to the port side
• Radius behind V-berth
• Storage cabinets

9. 3rd Stateroom.  Lower berth and drawer under berth

10.  Master SR looking forward.

Photo #10 shows:

• Nightstand
• Cut-out for electrical switch on the bulkhead by the door.\
• Storage locker cut outs to port (next to nightstand)

11. Master SR looking aft,  See below

Photo #11 shows:

• Half round over berth
• Teak laminate??
• Stabilizer actuators installed (as they are no longer visible)
• Supports for shelving (just to the left of the worker)
• Duct work in the half round
• Wiring for the lighting outlets

12. Engine room looking forward

Photo 12 shows:

• Worker installing epoxy paint under the catwalk
• Frames for bilge inspection ports which are made out of coin dot flooring

13. Engine room aft

Photo 13 shows:

• Tubes for drive shaft
• Supports for drive shaft tubes
• White box just to left of worker: Generator uplift water separators 



14. Lazarette looking aft

Photo 14 shows:

• Steering mechanism covered with epoxy paint
• Exhaust pipe on starboard side
• Bonding wires attached to dripless shaft packings

Written by Les.

Construction: Week 25 - Hardtop Lamination

Here are the 14 photos I received for the week ending June 12 with notations on progress as applicable to each.

1. Hull - No change

2. Superstructure - No change

3. Boat deck - No Change

4. Workers laminating the hardtop.  This is the first time we've seen the hardtop

5. Week 25 Overview

Week 24 for comparison

Comparing the overview photos from this week and last week we can see some changes.  Moving from stem to stern:

• The galley island is sitting in the galley area awaiting installation (see example below)
• Salon flooring (marine grade plywood) is more extensive. 
• Framing is installed around the auxiliary 150 gallon fuel tanks and mufflers



Photo of the galley island

Here's a puzzle. Facts: 1. The salon is directly over the engine room. 2. The engines are not installed. 3. The engines will be lowered into the engine room through the salon.  Question: How will Tania (the shipyard) install the engines if the salon flooring is installed.  My answer: The flooring is not fully secured and panels will be removed to install the engines.

6. View of framed accommodations.  Note the wiring for the washer and dryer



7. View of salon flooring and the lazarette

8. VIP with queen size berth installed

9. Third stateroom looking aft on the port side

10. Master stateroom looking forward

11. Master stateroom looking aft

Master stateroom changes since Week 24:

• King size berth installed
• Gun locker installed.  It will be hidden behind the headboard
• Electrical wire chase visible on the port side
• Port storage locker opening has been cut out

12. Engine room looking forward

13. Engine room looking aft

Engine room changes since week 23:

• Framework installed for catwalk flooring between the engines
• Soundproofing installed above port fuel tank
• Temporary wood braces supporting salon flooring 

14.  Worker installing framework on starboard lazarette

Written by Les.



Outer Reef Rondezvous 2013

When we learned that annual Outer Reef Rrendezvous was going to be held in Charleston, SC on June 6-9 we were thrilled.  It gave us an excuse to stay another month in Sarasota.  It meant that we could drive north through Charleston on our way back to Chicago.  And, most important, it provided an opportunity to meet Outer Reef owners.

Group photo at Boone Hall Plantation

The rendezvous was held at the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina located on Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.  Patriot Point is the site of the Carrier Yorktown.  We visited the Yorktown in 2011 when we doing the Great Loop.

Charleston Harbor Resort

Carrier Yorktown viewed from the Charleston Harbor Resort Marina

View of four Outer Reefs from the Yorktown's bridge

Our trip north to Charleston was wet, very wet as Tropical Storm Angela chose to make landfall in Florida on Thursday, the day of our departure.  We were in very heavy rain for the first three hours and did not get out of the rain until 1/2 hour before arriving at the resort.   A half hour after arrival the storm caught up with us as we joined the group for a "low country buffet" on the resort's "covered" (which doesn't matter when the wind is blowing) outside deck.  The scheduled "yacht hop," where we would have had the opportunity to crawl over the boats was rained out.  Fortunately it was rescheduled.

The rendezvous was great fun.  Each day we attended seminars presented by industry vendors that work with Outer Reef.  There we five one hour presentations dealing with maintenance software (Wheelhouse Technologies), hydraulic systems (ABT-TRAC), Electronic (Concord) dealing with boat yards (Deltaville Boatyard) and Insurance (Gowrie Insurance Group).  All were well attended, highly relevant and especially worthwhile for me. 

Note: The folks from ABT-TRAC offer a two day course on hydraulic system maintenance and repair in Sonoma California.  I plan to attend their next program in September.

Social activities included the welcome dinner on Thursday, a plantation tour on Friday, a BBQ on the beach on Saturday, yacht hop and Yorktown Ship tour (Saturday afternoon)and an "All American Stars & Stripes Dinner and Auction aboard the Yorktown (Saturday evening).  Between the seminars and social activities we were busy all of the time.

Friday we were on our own for dinner, which we had at the Fish House (excellent) next to the resort.  Then we drove to Charleston and spend the evening walking four miles with Kodi in the historic district.

Diana and Kodi pose at a lovely old B&B in the historic district

The most exciting part of the rendezvous was the yacht hop on Saturday afternoon.  Seven owners brought their boats and all were available for viewing.  Outer Reef owners are passionate about their boats and we got guided tours of three; Gator, Tomahawk and Creative Edge - time went very fast.  We learned a great deal and as a result have requested quotes on a number of upgrades.

72' Creative Edge - Our 63 is based on their interior

65 Outer Reef

65 Outer reef with out exterior colors

We departed Sunday morning after the "farewell" breakfast and headed for Chicago.  Two days and 950 miles later we safely ensconced at our Chicago townhouse.  We plan to stay until after Thanksgiving when we will head back to Fort Lauderdale to commission Guide Discovery (assuming all the stars align - which at the moment appears to be the case).

Written by Les.

Construction: Week 24 - Salon & Pilot House Flooring

Greetings from Charleston, South Carolina where we are attending the 2013 Outer Reef Rendezvous.

Friday photos are like a treasure hunt.  Why you ask?  Simple.  The photos are not annotated.  Hence, you have to look at each photo and determine what has changed.  After I've exhausted my ideas I call Mike Schlichtig, my contact at Outer Reef, to see how much I got right.  At best, I bat 70%.

The big change this week is seen in the overhead photo.  Notice the newly installed aluminum frame for salon floor.  Also notice the two large open sections in the center.  Those are openings for the engines.  Frankly I'm surprised that the engines are not mounted before the flooring is installed.  A question for my friends at Outer Reef.  Meanwhile, those open sections are there in the unlikely event an engine has to be lifted or removed from the boat.

Week 24.  Overhead view showing salon and pilothouse sub floor

Week 23 for comparison

Move forward and we see both the aluminum frame and the marine plywood sub floor for the galley and pilot house.  We also see that the stairs leading up from the salon.  On the right (starboard) of the stairs will be the GE Monogram side by side refrigerator, pantry, storage and wine cooler.  On the port side will be the stove, sink microwave, cooktop, oven and the island (as shown as built in the photo below).

View of the finished galley

Friday photos beside being a treasure hunt are also a puzzle as in how does this all fit together.  The photo below answers one of those questions. 

Here we see the superstructure (or house) lying upside down on the shipyard floor.  Its been there so long its getting moldy (just a joke - but I do not understand the green coating).  Flip the house right side up in your mind and insert it on top of the hull and bingo, you have something that begins to look like the finished boat.  Recall that the white fiberglass area closest to you is the swim platform and transom.  The area just forward of that is the aft deck which forms the ceiling over the lazarette.  Far forward of the pilot house windows is the underside of the bow which forms the ceiling over the VIP.

Another part of the puzzle.  Notice on port side (which is your right side in the photo) the tree openings.  These are openings for the three port holes in the master stateroom (just over the bed).  That part of the structure drops several feet into the hull adding to structural integrity.

Week 24.  House structure

Moving back to the hull.  The photo below is a view of the port side of the master stateroom.  The worker appears to be doing something related to the three port lights (holes).  Notice the wooden furniture in the foreground.  Those are the end tables that will be placed on either side of the king size bed.

Week 24.  Cabinetry for the master stateroom awaiting installation

In the photo below we see the queen size berth being installed in the VIP stateroom.

Week 24.  Queen size berth installed in the VIP stateroom

There is also progress in the engine room and lazarette.  In the photo below we see bases for the 16 KW and 12 KW generators

Week 24.  Engine room looking aft.

The next two photos are of the lazarette.  One looking forward and one looking aft.  In the first we see that the two 150 gallon auxiliary fuel tanks are in position.  Look hard just to the left of the port side tank and you can see the port side muffler is now in place.  The next photo shows that the rudder posts and steering gear were installed this week.  Notice also the drains running along the longitudinal stringers.

Week 24.  Fuel tanks in position.  Port side muffler installed

Week 24.  Newly installed rudder posts and steering gear

This articles was written on Saturday evening, June 8, just after we returned from the Outer Reef Rendezvous dinner party aboard the USS Yorktown.  More on the rendezvous in about three days.

Tomorrow we leave for Chicago.  We plan to spend summer and fall in the windy city.

Written by Les.