Engines and cockpit seem to be an endless continuation of little bits to do:
To fit the engines, propeller shaft and skegs, we first assembled all pieces outside the boat, including props and rope cutter.
14.9.
props and rope cutter
These props with their free turning blades look a bit like rabbits hanging ears, weird.
Then we lifted the engine into the engine compartment using a forklift. We assembled the engine with the shaft and the skeg so that it was all lined up nicely. The next step was to glue the skeg in place and tape it from underneath the boat. They were barrier coated and faired and sanded.
23.10.
barrier coat skegs
After that the engine and the shaft were taken out again, so that we could tape the skeg inside the engine compartment. The engine compartment was painted and the engine went back in again. Then the shaft was fitted again and aligned.
16.11.
engine final
Yep, and its a cat, there are two engines..... and at least the second always goes faster.
To save a bit of work and because we simply like the view of the boat structure, we decided to paint all inside the boat that is not living space just with clear epoxy (storage space, engine compartments, inside cupboards etc). Under the engines we just went for the white flow coat because we thought that it'll one day make it a lot easier to locate the screw lost during maintenance work.
Next the steering tubes and gear boxes were fitted and tested. Once the cockpit floor in place all this would be difficult. All these things will obviously be accessible in the finished boat, but in confined spaces.
23.10. steering
With the engines finished, the engine compartment painted and the steering fitted, it was time to close it. So we headed for the job we had been waiting for... the cockpitfloor.
We barrier coated it underneath,
23.10.
floor
then flipped it over and glued it into place. Of course there had been a previous dry run.
23.10.
floor fitted
The biggest fun came afterwards, climbing into the engine compartments and taping all the cockpit floor from underneath, then sanding/grinding the tapes and painting it all.
23.10.
in the engine compartment
apropos confined spaces - there are plenty of them - here just a snap shop from taping the omegas in the sail storage area. Sometimes it would be great to be really small
Sometimes you feel like killing the bloke with the camera
who cannot do it himself because he's allergic to epoxy and with breather none of us fits in there.
Well, and then it was time again for a hair cut - it got stuck in the glue.