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
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| Various components in Webasto Air Top Evo 5500 DIY kit from Defender |
Did my time, took my chances
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| Webasto Air Top Evo 5500 diesel heater unit |
Went the distance now I'm back on my feet
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| Exhaust elbow and riser after sealing threads, painting, and wrapping with heat tape |
Just a man and his will to survive
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| Sweet cover I built for exhaust elbow and riser |
So many times it happens too fast
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| Hole in deck originally created for installing bulkhead heater chimney |
You trade your passion for glory
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| What the bulkhead heater chimney hole looked like |
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
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| I bored out the holes to expose some fresh wood core |
You must fight just to keep them alive
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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
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| Staging for the diesel tank installation |
Face to face, out in the heat
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| More staging |
Hangin' tough, stayin' hungry
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| Even more staging... |
They stack the odds, still we take to the street
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| 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
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| 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
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| The work space |
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
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| Staging... |
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
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| The "out" fan |
And he's watchin' us all with the eye of the tiger
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| The "in" fan |
Risin' up, straight to the top
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| The work space again |
Had the guts, got the glory
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| Epoxy |
Went the distance now I'm not gonna stop
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| 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
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| It was a good idea... |
It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight
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| The supports for the diesel tank |
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
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| The fully installed diesel fill deck plate |
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
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| Diesel filter mount construction |
And he's watchin' us all with the eye of the tiger
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| Mounted diesel filter |
The eye of the tiger
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| Test fit of tank on supports |
The eye of the tiger
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| Rubber vibration dampening/chafing protection |
The eye of the tiger
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| 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
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| Viewing window for "glove box" |
‘Cause you’re only a man
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| "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
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| Another shot of the "glove box" |
Try to believe
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| Modifying straps for tank hold down |
Though the going gets rough
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| Old V-Drive plate |
That you gotta hang tough to make it
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| Spare prop shaft coupling? |
History repeats itself
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| Fore deck patio covering bulkhead heater chimney hole |
Try and you’ll succeed
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| Improvised temporary cover for chimney hole with epoxy coated plywood and butyl tape |
Never doubt that you’re the one
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| 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
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| 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
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| This is what is under the diesel tank |
You’re the Best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you dow-ow-ow-ow-own
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| Diesel tank installed! |
Fight ‘til the end
Cause your life will depend
On the strength that you have inside you
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| Diesel tank hoses |
Ah you gotta be proud
starin’ out in the cloud
When the odds in the game defy you
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| 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!
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| 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
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| Incredibly sweaty and covered in epoxy and fiberglass dust again |
INSPIRING GUITAR SOLO
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| 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
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| Shimming the crap out of either side of the frame for additional clamping power |
Fight ‘til you drop
never stop
can’t give up
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| 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!)
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| Clamping bottom of steering support frame into place |
Listen to that sound
A little bit of all you got
Can never bring you down
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| Propshaft with old #25 coupling |
You’re the best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down
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| Propshaft |
You’re the Best!
Around!
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| Old Water RV-20 V-Drive removed |
Fade out...
