Bow Cap (Rail) and Tiller Fabrication (Pt 2)

December 30, 2019

In a previous work session I joined two blanks of teak culled from the shop's supply, being nearly 2" thick.  I removed the clamps from the assembly this afternoon, and proceed to clean up the cured squeeze out epoxy by sanding the surface smooth.

I laid out the original bow cap - part of the boat's toe rail system - onto the new teak and transferred the shape.  As mentioned previously, the original bow cap was fabricated in the same manner I choose to utilize, which was gluing up two pieces of teak to create the width required.  The center line of the bow cap aligns with the center line of the boat.

With a jigsaw, I then removed the new bow cap in "rough" form.

Here is where the time would be spent for the day's work session: an iterative process of shaping the underside of the bow cap to take the lip of the deck (bolted to the inward facing flange of the hull), as well as the convex shape of the deck.  Essentially, the process was to allow roughly 1/4" of material around the perimeter of the bow cap (I'll call it the foot of the bow cap), which will rest on the flange of the hull, and then to remove the material inboard of the foot to allow for a good fit.  In plain speak, I gradually hollowed out the underside of the bow cap (inboard of the foot), to allow for the curved deck surface.

The toe rails will join the bow cap at its aft, where the notches are cut to port and starboard.  More "finish" shaping to come upon full assembly to blend the joinery of the various toe rail components. 

With the bow cap tucked away for now, I directed my attention to the small laminate repair on the starboard bow.  I had ground out some bad laminate in a previous work session, and then laid up a few layers of 10 ounce cloth as a repair.  I removed the peel ply today and sanded the area smooth, eliminating the excess epoxy and gradually tapering the perimeter of the repair.  I cleaned the area with solvent, and then applied a skim coat of fairing compound - using TotalBoat TotalFair, without a picture depicting that.  Next step here will be to sand the fairing compound smooth, and then apply primer paint to complete.

I finished up the billable work, and moved on to completing the tiller - a gift for the owner of the Allied 24.  I set the lamination onto the work table, still in clamps on the tiller form template, and proceeded to remove it from the form.

I was a bit worried about "spring-back" after removing the new tiller lamination from its form, but there was literally none to observe.

There was copious amounts of cured epoxy squeeze out, and I really should have cleaned things up a bit prior to walking away from it....now this has become a sanding chore.  

I removed the excess epoxy to clean the tiller lamination.  The alternating layers of teak and quarter sawn white oak were beginning to really shine.  Varnish will further improve the charm of the new tiller.

Total Time Today: 3 hrs   (tiller will not be billed time and materials)