So many updates, so much progress, so little time!

Well it seems that I am having difficulty making more than one post per month despite my best intentions.  It truly is because I have been logging several hours of work on 'ol Creeky daily and just haven't had a chance to write about it.  Long story short, it's almost boat ride time.  With a little luck I'll be doing some cruising in Boston Harbor next week (after I get back from Serbia)!

I am also working on creating individual pages for each project now that they are growing in number and scope.  Links to each of them will be contained here:

Projects

There is also a link to this page in the sidebar to the right.

I have made so much headway in the past several weeks that I don't know where to start explaining.  For now, here's a little montage in pictures (in no particular order because I don't have time to organize them right now).  Check out the projects page over the next few weeks to make some more sense of them.  Play "Eye of the Tiger" when looking through them.

Risin' up, back on the street

Various components in Webasto Air Top Evo 5500 DIY kit from Defender

Did my time, took my chances

Webasto Air Top Evo 5500 diesel heater unit

Went the distance now I'm back on my feet

Exhaust elbow and riser after sealing threads, painting, and wrapping with heat tape

Just a man and his will to survive

Sweet cover I built for exhaust elbow and riser

So many times it happens too fast

Hole in deck originally created for installing bulkhead heater chimney

You trade your passion for glory

What the bulkhead heater chimney hole looked like

Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past

I bored out the holes to expose some fresh wood core

You must fight just to keep them alive

After drilling out the bolt holes, dremeling out the chimney hole, and grinding down the surface to bare fiberglass

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight

After wiping with acetone I used a lightly thickened epoxy to seal bolt holes and chimney hole.  The mixture was thin enough to allow it to be soaked up by the wood core.

Risin' up to the challenge of our rival

The holes were then filled by a very thick epoxy and colloidal silica mixture to fill the voids and then covered with a few layers of woven roving.  That should be enough to keep the moisture out and permanently fill the holes.  I'll go back and make everything pretty at a later date. 

And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night

There is no way to describe how absolutely covered in fiberglass dust and epoxy I am in this picture

And he's watchin' us all with the eye of the tiger

Staging for the diesel tank installation

Face to face, out in the heat

More staging

Hangin' tough, stayin' hungry

Even more staging...

They stack the odds, still we take to the street

The compartment the diesel tank went into prior to grinding and fiberglassing.  I sealed it off from the rest of the boat with vinyl dropcloth material.

For the kill with the skill to survive

The main hatch to the diesel tank compartment were completely sealed off from the rest of the boat.

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight

The work space

Risin' up to the challenge of our rival

Staging...

And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night

The "out" fan

And he's watchin' us all with the eye of the tiger

The "in" fan

Risin' up, straight to the top

The work space again

Had the guts, got the glory

Epoxy 

Went the distance now I'm not gonna stop

These plastic booties worked great for about 5 minutes, then my feet just got coated with epoxy

Just a man and his will to survive

It was a good idea...

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight

The supports for the diesel tank

Risin' up to the challenge of our rival

The fully installed diesel fill deck plate

And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night

Diesel filter mount construction

And he's watchin' us all with the eye of the tiger

Mounted diesel filter

The eye of the tiger

Test fit of tank on supports

The eye of the tiger

Rubber vibration dampening/chafing protection

The eye of the tiger

Start of "glove box"

The eye of the tiger 

I guess at this point it's probably a good idea to start listening to "You're the Best" from the Karate Kid as you scroll through the rest of these, since you're already pumped up.

Try to be best

Viewing window for "glove box"

‘Cause you’re only a man

"Glove Box" in action.  Not too comfortable, but effective at keeping dust from getting EVERYWHERE from some additional grinding that was needed

And a man's gotta learn to take it

Another shot of the "glove box"

Try to believe

Modifying straps for tank hold down

Though the going gets rough

Old V-Drive plate

That you gotta hang tough to make it

Spare prop shaft coupling?

History repeats itself

Fore deck patio covering bulkhead heater chimney hole

Try and you’ll succeed

Improvised temporary cover for chimney hole with epoxy coated plywood and butyl tape

Never doubt that you’re the one

Modified strap

And you can have your dreams!

Now slow down the scrolling a little bit as the montage wraps up, but stay PUMPED cause there's an inspiring guitar solo around the corner!

You’re the best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down

These were on clearance at my local hardware store and a perfect fit for diesel tank anti-chafing

You’re the Best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down

This is what is under the diesel tank

You’re the Best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you dow-ow-ow-ow-own 

Diesel tank installed!

Fight ‘til the end
Cause your life will depend
On the strength that you have inside you

Diesel tank hoses

Ah you gotta be proud
starin’ out in the cloud
When the odds in the game defy you

Steering conduit hole

Try your best to win them all
and one day time will tell
when you’re the one that’s standing there
you’ll reach the final bell!

Mahogany steering box in progress

You’re the best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down

Mahogany steering box upside down

You’re the Best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down

Adding some long lag bolts for extra sturdiness

You’re the Best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you dow-ow-ow-ho-how-ho-own

Incredibly sweaty and covered in epoxy and fiberglass dust again

INSPIRING GUITAR SOLO

Additional steering support blocks in place

You’re the best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down

Getting ready to install steering support frame

You’re the Best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down

Clamping steering support frame into place

You’re the Best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you dow-ow-ow-ow-own

Shimming the crap out of either side of the frame for additional clamping power

Fight ‘til you drop
never stop
can’t give up

A nice thickened epoxy and colloidal silica filler below steering support frame

Til you reach the top (FIGHT!)

you’re the best in town (FIGHT!)

Clamping bottom of steering support frame into place

Listen to that sound
A little bit of all you got
Can never bring you down

Propshaft with old #25 coupling

You’re the best!
Around!

Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down

Propshaft

You’re the Best!

Around!

Old Water RV-20 V-Drive removed

Fade out...