On Aug 23, 2:09 pm, "Lew Hodgett" wrote:

AH HA, new game plan.
Look at the "roof" of the bimini/dodger of that G/S50..
Think, "How would I make that out of cored fiberglass and use roll up
side and front curtains?".
You simplify comstruction as well as end up with a place to "plant
your solar garden."
It is/was my game plan.
If that interests you, get back to me.
BTW, don't think of it as a telephone booth, think of it as a covered
patio.G
http://LewsSailBoat.googlepages.com/home
Lew

Lew,

A patio is right. It was made for sitting in, not sailing in.

Forward visibility is compromised (smudgy, warped) especially in our
fog and rain. Hard windows would be better. Crew have to fight it to
use the winches (can't even make make a half, never mind a full turn).
It leaks and drips in too many places, even into the companionway. The
boom scrapes and chafes on the stainless tubing, tearing the
sunbrella. It's very ugly, does not fit the lines of the boat, see
here http://tinyurl.com/36ofeo

I have to totally redesign it, or use the boat as a dockside patio, or
sell the boat..

So I want what you say, but with a hard dodger up front, and redesign
the patio cover to make it functional and visually acceptable.

I've been googling the foam, thanks for the lead on that.

I've seen your advert before, in the live-aboard list I think. I'm
sorry to hear you are selling, but I'm sure you have thought about it
and are making a difficult but good decision.

Best wishes,
-Koos.

wrote
A patio is right. It was made for sitting in, not sailing in.

I have to totally redesign it, or use the boat as a dockside patio,
or
sell the boat..

So I want what you say, but with a hard dodger up front, and
redesign
the patio cover to make it functional and visually acceptable.

OK.

You build the hard bimini on the ground, then put it in place with a
crane since it will be about 12 ft x 12 ft, maybe more, and weigh
250-300 lbs.

It will be totally self supporting requiring only some 2" pipe posts
in the corner to support it.

It will be totally clear underneath, part of the beauty of foam core
construction.

You will probably have to raise the boom about 12" and recut the main,
especially when you include the solar panels.

Get a copy of Fred Bingham's book, Practical Yacht Joinery. It has a
lot of info that will be useful for this project.

You will need a roll of 17OZ double bias glass (Knytex DB170),
probably about 6 sheets of 3/4" Divinycell, a 500 lb drum (55 gal) of
laminating epoxy and a couple of 5 gal pails of hardener.

You will also need a couple of 30 lb bags of Dic-A-Perl, HP500, to
make fairing putty.

As far as the front "windows" are concerned, have to think about that
a while.

This is a simple, straight forward process, but a hell of a lot of
hard work

Are you sure you want to open up this can of worms?

Lew

On Aug 23, 3:07 pm, "Lew Hodgett" wrote:
OK.

You build the hard bimini on the ground, then put it in place with a
crane since it will be about 12 ft x 12 ft, maybe more, and weigh
250-300 lbs.

It will be totally self supporting requiring only some 2" pipe posts
in the corner to support it.

It will be totally clear underneath, part of the beauty of foam core
construction.

You will probably have to raise the boom about 12" and recut the main,
especially when you include the solar panels.

Get a copy of Fred Bingham's book, Practical Yacht Joinery. It has a
lot of info that will be useful for this project.

You will need a roll of 17OZ double bias glass (Knytex DB170),
probably about 6 sheets of 3/4" Divinycell, a 500 lb drum (55 gal) of
laminating epoxy and a couple of 5 gal pails of hardener.

You will also need a couple of 30 lb bags of Dic-A-Perl, HP500, to
make fairing putty.

As far as the front "windows" are concerned, have to think about that
a while.

This is a simple, straight forward process, but a hell of a lot of
hard work

Are you sure you want to open up this can of worms?

Lew

If you want to scare me off, tell me about the itch of fiberglass, I
dread it..

I think I'll adjust the dodger downward rather then adjust the boom
upward. It's a tall dodger now, so there is room for adjustment.

I was imagining that it would be built in place, is that a bad idea?
My boom and six dock apes should hold 350 pounds, but will use a crane
if we have to.

I'm surprised at the amount of epoxy needed. Thanks for the warning.

-Koos.

If you want to scare me off, tell me about the itch of fiberglass, I
dread it..

I understand.

I think I'll adjust the dodger downward rather then adjust the boom
upward. It's a tall dodger now, so there is room for adjustment.

It's your call, but you need at about 6'-8" standing room as a basic
design goal. Might trim an inch or even two, but that is cutting it
close.

I was imagining that it would be built in place, is that a bad idea?

YES, bad idea.

Trying to work while up in the air as oppossed to standing on the
ground.

Sanding dust and excess resin dripping on the boat raather than on the
ground.

Want me to go on?

My boom and six dock apes should hold 350 pounds, but will use a
crane
if we have to.

In this application, the boom just gets in the way.

A crane doesn't get an itch.

A crane doesn't loose it's grip.

A crane doesn't get distracted by a pretty girl.

Want me to go on?

I'm surprised at the amount of epoxy needed. Thanks for the warning.

Do the calculation yourself.

Use 17 OZ/sq yard per layer of glass.

Lets say 3 layers of glass per skin or 6 layers for both skins or 102
OZ/sq yard of bimini.

102/9 = 11.33 OZ/sq ft or 102/9/16 = 0.708 or 0.71 lbs/sq ft.

Assume the epoxy weight = glass weight + 20% for drips, waste, etc
120%*0.71=0.85lbs/sq ft of bimini

If you add a 4th layer of glass, add 34%.

If you have 150 sq ft of bimini, you could get by with 150 lbs of
epoxy which would be about 4, 5 gal pails.

By the time you buy 4 pails, you are probably 75%-80% of a drum price.

That's why I suggested a drum, you can always find some good use for a
half a drum of resinG.

Lew

Thanks for the details Lew.
I ordered that book you mentioned (already have his "simplified"
book).
-Koos.

wrote

Thanks for the details Lew.
I ordered that book you mentioned (already have his "simplified"
book).

Take a look at how cambers are laid out, that will be your starting
place.

Lew