EBB's PHOTO GALLERY THREAD

[mrgnstrn]

Ebb:  Where did you get that hinged mast step?

[ebb]

//www.sfsailing.com/ballengerspars/

Ballenger Spar Systems
215 Walker St
Watsonville CA95076

831-763-1196

email
buzzballenger@worldnet.att.net

Was $200 - off the shelf.

And I may have mistakenly described this s.s. hinge step as having the upturned holed part of the hinge  on the bottom,  when, ofcourse,  the blocks attached to the plate move with the mast when lowered or raised.   The plate with the upturned sides is on the top.   The plates are 1/4".  The pin is 1/2"!!!

[ebb]

First,  the good news,
The frames and ports came back from the powder coaters so beautiful it's hard to believe.   They were baked with a standard  bronze polyester that looks really fine to me.   It's a luxurious softness that identifies a pc   The LabMetal repairs aren't noticable.  and all the pieces of the opening ports fit back together,  except in one case.  Fixable, a little sanding...   Considerable hole in wallet.

The bad news,
My clam shell rudder can not be used.  Got to the point with it filled with pvc foam and extended to its final dimensions,  but not glassed,  where  the planes of the blade could be eyeballed real good in relation to the shaft.   Walked away.  Came back.  Number of times.....   Twisted too far out and  not fixable by grinding it to square.   Too late for tweeking the bronze.   It had been damaged and bent in a storm,  where the tent was torn apart,  and one of the pipes supporting the tent had swung around under the hull and bashed it.  (Was there a message there?)   Thought we had it straightened!    

Yesterday, had a brief unsuccessful conference with the luxury welder about a simplified version of a take-apart,  for which I had a rudimentary model.     I may now go with a regular single piece all-american constellation style - just to have a rudder.   I'll make up two models.   In respect to  'engineering:' the constellation probably has more forces on the blade/shaft connections than the more common rounded ear-shaped rudder.   Just think,  you are turning the whole boat against all that resistance with that bitty blade that has equal forces aqainst it.   Still looking at welding pieces to an Everdur  (655) shaft, foam filling and skinning with glass.   Pretty bummed out,  but I ended up not really liking the damned thing anyway.   Much because it didn't pass the KISS test.  

Back to the drawing board,  and doorskin models,  like me and 338 have all the time in the world..........

[Bill]

Here are photos of Ebb's newly powder coated window frames.

[Bill]

And the nice job he did filling the gap between the outer bulkhead the the cabin liner.

[Bill]

It's been awhile, but we have more Ebb Photos to share.  Ebb's been pretty busy, but with things that do not show that much.  For instance, he's managed to bring the boat's hull into compliance with Alberg's lines drawing.  No more low or flat areas, but the true (and beautiful) hull shape as planned.  

Another of Ebb's time consuming projects has been modifying the outboard motor well and lazarette to accommodate an 8-hp Yamaha 4-cycle engine.  The redesign is more than impressive, it's phenomenal.  Not only will the engine tilt up out of the water to it's fullest extent, but it will swivel to its maximum from side to side in the redesigned well.  The engineering and planning for this project is on the scale of a massive Department of Defense project!  Only photos can describe it.

We will begin with the hull fairing:

[Bill]

The next series of photos will attempt to describe the outboard motor well modifications.  When the photo shoot date was established, Ebb took some vacation time to clean up and paint the well so it would photo better

Let's start with a vew from the stern with the engine in the run position.

[Bill]

Now we show the up position.  In this photo we see Ebb's new plug for the well opening.  (The engine has electric tilt, but it was not working so a rope was used to hoist the shaft.)

[Bill]

From above.  Note the two fuel tanks on each side.

[Bill]

The tolerances are very close between the engine mounting bracket and the well opening.

[Bill]

Here is a hand held view of the custom plug.

[Bill]

And, another view of the plug - hand held.

[Bill]

Note the new supports in the modified lazarette:

[Bill]

Ops, another view of the plug in place from above.

[Bill]

New bulkhead in the bilge.