Start to Finish: Building Our 50' Skater
03-18-2016, 11:23 AM
#271
Registered
We are using the pop up cleats from Accon marine. We went with the bigger ones so we can get more/bigger ropes on them. I made a jig to mark them the same distance from the side of the boat and then cut the holes and fiberglassed the edges of the holes so we would not get rot. The cleats were also silicone in to minimize the chance of rot. For the nerd level increase, I placed one on each side that is where you can reach it standing in the cockpit (most of the time the boats have three and the back one is to far to reach and the middle ones are usually just forward of the windshield out of reach). I also put one right at the point in the front where the boat starts to curve away from the dock. On alot of boats the middle cleat is pretty far back from the point where it starts to curve away from the dock and the front is too far forward for a fender hanging to be big enough to bridge the gap. I put one right next to the front hatches so when you pull a fender out you can put it right on a cleat, and also put one all the way forward. There are 5 down each side, they are not evenly spaced but pretty close, and they are at usable locations.
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[ATTACH=CONFIG]552586[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]552587[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]552588[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]552589[/ATTACH]
Stainless rub rail is very nice also. Wish Pete would put them on all his boats. The aluminum ones are light but if you touch a dock a little hard it will bend and leave a mark.
03-18-2016, 11:46 AM
#273
Registered
I put bigger springs on the latch mechanism to hold them down better in big water, they are a little harder to push but not bad, we will see if it helps. (I updated my other post, I was going to put that in the other post but was in a hurry)
03-18-2016, 12:24 PM
#274
Registered
Awesome work Tyson!
My only real criticism would be I don't think you have nearly enough drainage in the cockpit if you feel there's a chance you could take on significant water... and it's a real possibility if you're going to be on your own attempting around the world runs. While a 50' cat might sound big to most of us, it's a tiny thimble out there in open water under extreme conditions.
I know you feel your existing drains will flow a lot of water, and they will... possibly as much as 1000gpm, but that's not much at all if repeated waves are breaching the cockpit. You also mentioned your windshield will deflect a lot of water off to the sides, but you're making a poor assumption that the water will only be coming from the front. If for some reason SHTF under extreme conditions, water can be coming in from any direction (especially if not under power), including that very low hanging stern.
The evacuation rate with your existing ~6" drain would be too slow in the event you have repeated/repeating occurrences (which is probable in the event it happens the first time). I would highly suggest adding a couple more large volume dumps with spring loaded semi-sealed flaps to keep external water out. If you don't want to penetrate bulkheads to have them exit from the stern, dump out the sides. Again, spring loaded semi-sealed flaps would keep the water from coming in.
If you're taking on big water in some nasty weather, the LAST thing you want to be worried about is getting buckets out!
Just my (mechanical engineering) 2 cents.
My only real criticism would be I don't think you have nearly enough drainage in the cockpit if you feel there's a chance you could take on significant water... and it's a real possibility if you're going to be on your own attempting around the world runs. While a 50' cat might sound big to most of us, it's a tiny thimble out there in open water under extreme conditions.
I know you feel your existing drains will flow a lot of water, and they will... possibly as much as 1000gpm, but that's not much at all if repeated waves are breaching the cockpit. You also mentioned your windshield will deflect a lot of water off to the sides, but you're making a poor assumption that the water will only be coming from the front. If for some reason SHTF under extreme conditions, water can be coming in from any direction (especially if not under power), including that very low hanging stern.
The evacuation rate with your existing ~6" drain would be too slow in the event you have repeated/repeating occurrences (which is probable in the event it happens the first time). I would highly suggest adding a couple more large volume dumps with spring loaded semi-sealed flaps to keep external water out. If you don't want to penetrate bulkheads to have them exit from the stern, dump out the sides. Again, spring loaded semi-sealed flaps would keep the water from coming in.
If you're taking on big water in some nasty weather, the LAST thing you want to be worried about is getting buckets out!
Just my (mechanical engineering) 2 cents.
03-18-2016, 12:44 PM
#275
Registered
I am sure maybe you have this already but another point to go with SS930 is that a lot of yachts have high volume mechanical driven pumps with hoses they can direct in the engine room in the event of a problem. They use a clutch to engage. I have seen these pumps work first hand and i can tell you it moves a lot of water. Maybe you can use them plumbed to the cockpit to help drain it in the event something as described above happens.
Most electric pumps will not handle that kind of water.
Most electric pumps will not handle that kind of water.
03-18-2016, 02:06 PM
#276
Registered
The cockpit is sealed where we can fill it up like a hot tub, we are doing that so we don't have to worry about taking on too much water from the outside of the boat in really bad conditions. Technically this boat should be able to be pushed out into the ocean and still be floating 10 years later. The main reason for making it all sealed is for if we are broke down and not moving the waves crashing over the side could fill up the cockpit but not go into the boat. So we don't technically need cockpit drains at all, they are just there for convenience.
We are sure when we get to the Indian ocean its going to be really rough no matter what time of year we run but most of the way around will be our normal water we run 46 skaters in. I know, storms can pop up, we can break down and get stuck out there, ect. we thought about all that stuff before the Bermuda run. But in the end, where were different then all the other boats that have ever tried to set the around the world record we will have speed on our side. The record is 61 days, the fastest they could have done it in theory was 52 days so if the weather was bad in front of them they had to keep going. In theory we can do it in 11 days, that gives us 50 days of break downs, bad weather, driving out of our way to mis bad weather, ect. If there is a hurricane in front of us we can sit on the beach for a few days waiting for it to pass then take off again. With having speed we will be able to pick our route as we go to be able to miss rough water even if it adds thousands of miles to the trip.
We are sure when we get to the Indian ocean its going to be really rough no matter what time of year we run but most of the way around will be our normal water we run 46 skaters in. I know, storms can pop up, we can break down and get stuck out there, ect. we thought about all that stuff before the Bermuda run. But in the end, where were different then all the other boats that have ever tried to set the around the world record we will have speed on our side. The record is 61 days, the fastest they could have done it in theory was 52 days so if the weather was bad in front of them they had to keep going. In theory we can do it in 11 days, that gives us 50 days of break downs, bad weather, driving out of our way to mis bad weather, ect. If there is a hurricane in front of us we can sit on the beach for a few days waiting for it to pass then take off again. With having speed we will be able to pick our route as we go to be able to miss rough water even if it adds thousands of miles to the trip.
03-18-2016, 02:08 PM
#277
Registered
Usually there is alot of room from the deck to the top of the tank where you can cut the hole for the fuel fill pretty much anywhere and run the hose to the tank. On my boat the tank goes up almost to the bottom of the deck and the fill from the top will be touching the one on the tank so they will need to line up perfectly. I could have just drilled some holes and got it close, but I wanted to see it I could get it exact. You could not see both at the same time to be able to measure where it needed to go so I measured to points all around the boat from the fill on the top of the tank, then spent an hour learning how to use the scientific function calculator on the iphone and re-learning geometry. I did lots of math and triangulated where it should be then did it again from different points to check myself. Then drilled one hole and it was pretty close. Wasted a few hours but wanted to see if I could figure it out.
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[ATTACH=CONFIG]552571[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]552572[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]552573[/ATTACH]
Or placed a PVC cap over the fuel tank fill w/ a center dowel that protruded up thru the deck surface when it was laid down ultimately locating your center.
Easy for me to say from where I'm sitting!
03-18-2016, 02:15 PM
#278
Registered
Every single bolt in the whole boat is sanded and then polished. It looks better but also stops corrosion from happening as fast because there is less surface area and its smoother. Everything we have bought for it that has bolts in it were taken apart and bolts polished.
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03-18-2016, 02:16 PM
#279
Registered
Agree with DR on the mechanical driven pumps. To get a good idea of possible water volumes rolling over the windscreen, I refer again to video from the Kiwi Hippie's who currently hold the record in their boat made of Hemp..
While they took a totally different approach to waves and dealing with water, their onboard videos provide good reference to what just one wave looks like rolling over a 70' mono.
Check the 10sec mark: https://youtu.be/AwgaLSF03gk
The 2008 record compilation: https://youtu.be/ijIjEu8TMjQ
Rob Drewett's youtube account: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrj...W0_tMo0CUzm0Ig
While I like Rob and his eco friendly approach to maritime record breaking [support the green, like Branson], I'd still prefer to see this record held by US citizens and a pair of Dirtymax diesels...
While they took a totally different approach to waves and dealing with water, their onboard videos provide good reference to what just one wave looks like rolling over a 70' mono.
Check the 10sec mark: https://youtu.be/AwgaLSF03gk
The 2008 record compilation: https://youtu.be/ijIjEu8TMjQ
Rob Drewett's youtube account: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrj...W0_tMo0CUzm0Ig
While I like Rob and his eco friendly approach to maritime record breaking [support the green, like Branson], I'd still prefer to see this record held by US citizens and a pair of Dirtymax diesels...
Last edited by kidturbo; 03-18-2016 at 02:32 PM.
03-18-2016, 02:27 PM
#280
Registered
Ok, on to the rigging. If you thought we were at Nerd level 2.0 already then we will be at Nerd level 5.0 by the end of today.
When your getting fuel for the boat the gas cap can be dropped in the water and lost or it will have a chain that lets it sit just at the right length to scratch the paint good, and then you lean the fuel nozzle on it too much and it breaks the little chain and falls in the water. And the flange around it is usually just a little bit to small where the fuel nozzle will sit right past the edge on the paint. On a normal boat that is not much of a problem putting in a few hundred gallons but it will take us awhile to put in 1400 gallons. So we designed and machined one with a locking cap that I will not loose and with a bigger flange to not mess up the paint.
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When your getting fuel for the boat the gas cap can be dropped in the water and lost or it will have a chain that lets it sit just at the right length to scratch the paint good, and then you lean the fuel nozzle on it too much and it breaks the little chain and falls in the water. And the flange around it is usually just a little bit to small where the fuel nozzle will sit right past the edge on the paint. On a normal boat that is not much of a problem putting in a few hundred gallons but it will take us awhile to put in 1400 gallons. So we designed and machined one with a locking cap that I will not loose and with a bigger flange to not mess up the paint.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]552567[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]552568[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]552569[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]552570[/ATTACH]
