August 25, 2019
It was an unbearably hot weekend, and the work time devoted to the Allied 24 reflected the unpleasant conditions. I was able to get a couple hours in today, but honestly was disappointed in not being able to commit more time to the restoration.
I picked up where I had left off on the battery box / companionway landing platform, with continuing the mounting platform for the Torqeedo battery itself weighs in at 80 lbs., and as such, would require a substantial tie-down system. I fabricated a couple beefy teak blocks for the battery to rest on - allowing for good air circulation around the entirety of the battery surface. These teak blocks would be secured to the fiberglass cabin sole with 5/16" stainless steel machine screws, with nylon backing nuts.
The battery would then be restricted on all four sides with brackets mounted to the track blocks. Along the length of the battery, port and starboard, two 1" wide lengths of webbing would keep the battery from lifting off of the track blocks - more on that in the coming photos.
I placed the battery onto the teak blocks, and one by one, slide the brackets in place. I fine-tuned the position of the battery until I was satisfied with its orientation. Next, I hot-glued the loose brackets onto the track blocks. I did this so that the brackets would not shift when I removed the battery from the teak blocks. With the battery removed and the brackets' alignments preserved, I marked the location of fasteners that I would need to install secure the brackets in place.
I pre-drilled for #10 and #8 fasteners, and then installed the brackets. I checked the fit the brackets by again moving the battery into position - all aligned perfectly. I then removed the outboard brackets so that I could use a forstner bit to drill a recess for the 5/16" bolt and washer, used to secure the track blocks to the cabin sole. I will tap the cabin sole to accept the 5/16" machine screw, further adding to the security of installation.
With the 5/16" machine screw holes drilled, I again placed the battery onto its mount. The brackets used for the 1" webbing tie-down can be seen in the photo below. There will be two pairs of brackets secured to the cabin sole, and will serve to "lock" the battery onto the track blocks.
Aside from the battery mounting system, I also continued work on the battery box itself - I continued to refine the top panel of the box, as well as re-fabricating the side panels to extend the entire length of the battery box / companionway landing platform. This should be completed in the next work session, as long as I receive the ordered fasteners.
Total Time Today: 2 hrs
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