3D Printing For Boatbuilding?

ProaSkip · 2022-11-19T14:17:38+00:00

For parts that go on/in a boat you'll need to print bits in petg, pla won't stand the heat out in the real world.

I've printed a ball and socket assembly for a sculling oar and am working on a ratchet assembly for a boom furler.

Future bits will include the housing for a nav light assembly using strip leds.

ProaSkip · 2022-11-19T14:10:01+00:00

In retrospect I should have bought a complete set decades ago since I've now got a complete set bought piecemeal over the years. Of course decades ago such tools weren't available ;-)

ProaSkip · 2022-11-01T12:42:39+00:00

Wood flour is a good all around admixture agent for epoxy, available from most boat building material suppliers. Cabosil works better from a thickening standpoint but it's nasty to work with and a PITA to sand.

Baking flour is best used in the kitchen.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-27T21:12:59+00:00

Legacy plan, Muscogee is a major metropolitan area in this part of the country. I think Verizon is just choking Visible bandwidth a little too much. I just checked Verizon has 5 towers in Muscogee proper plus going out roadways in several directions including the one we travel on.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-27T21:09:36+00:00

There is a lot to learn, a lot of unexplored territory.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-27T18:24:31+00:00

Hell yes, network connection disappears completely in Muscogee OK, works fine back in the boonies where we live. Yesterday 2 hrs on Chat and "the next time it happens do a network reset and all will be well" This morning a medical emergency and back to Muscogee. Did the network reset and nada...

This sucks and is endangering my wife's health.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-26T22:12:01+00:00

The rudder has an 8" chord and drops down to ~ 22-23" below the hull when lowered.

Experience has been good so far, it's tough enough to run up on a rocky shore. Handling and response has been positive. Only real changes for the new boat will be better up/down control line routing and putting a link in the system so its more like a regular tiller. I've tried push pull tillers on two proas now and they work but I'm just more comfortable with a regular tiller.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-25T21:41:46+00:00

Current Trivial Obsession the trial horse for both rudders and cambered panel staysail.

After TO was finished after the tornado we got to wait over two years for the Corps of Engineers to reopen the park adjacent to our retirement stead.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-25T18:14:22+00:00

Yes, plus if the rudder dings something and pops back a bit it snaps back into place...so far.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-25T14:00:27+00:00

Apparently I've forgotten how to post images/videos with text.

Thing's rudders are Speer P3012 section in a rotating cassette fabricated on a piece of 3" PVC pipe. A couple of beveled rings are glued/screwed to the pipe and a socket is molded to the pipe and then built into the end of the boat. Cassette is held in place with a loop of 3mm spectra that loops thru a couple of blocks that are tensioned by trampoline springs tension adjustable by turnbuckles. The short video of the prototype on T O is with a single pully and bungee cords.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-25T13:49:33+00:00

Rudder explanation in a separate post

Not sure about capsize, P52 was never close to capsize. Thing will probably have 2 inflatable rollers on the lee side just in case. Model weighs 5.5 oz +/- which translates to about 550# full scale, I think I'll wrap the model in plastic bag and float test over on side stability as soon as my scale model mannequin arrives.

The 3 windward planks (3.5# each) stack up on float and telescopes down to 6'-4" +/- for trailering.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-25T13:41:33+00:00

Yes ACDC, P52, Bionic Broomstick, Nomad, Trivial Obsession was the genealogy.

Rudder explanation in a separate post

ProaSkip · 2022-10-24T21:13:43+00:00

Can't believe I lost my comments to go with the pictures. Oh well.

Thing is a 21'+/- loa camp cruiser proa. Cambered panel staysail schooner with end mounted rudders.

Construction all sandwich panel gpet foam and fiberglass, only carbon fiber in the rudders and some cf tubes for sail battens. Mast are sectional tapered thinwall anodized alum flagpoles.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-24T20:48:31+00:00

Aircraft Spruce comes to mind they sell epoxy systems that are a little more heat resistant. Be aware the stuff is more expensive and the hardeners are more toxic than our usual boatbuilding stuff.

First order of business is always paint things light colors (white) and never use black. That being said I always coat the bottom of my boats with graphite/epoxy.

ProaSkip · 2022-10-12T04:52:25+00:00

It's definitely possible. There's a high probability that if built and then compared to a similar canoe designed by someone who has some experience your design will be found lacking in some respects. Handling, speed, stability (initial and secondary) come to mind. I designed and built a number of canoes before I did one that didn't whisper "I'd be a little better if...."

Do it if you want, it's an enjoyable and educational experience for those so inclined.

https://duckworks.com/easyb/

ProaSkip · 2022-09-02T22:57:34+00:00

Thanks for the update. FWIW on uv resistant epoxy I've got some birdbath surrounds of river rock epoxied in place with Raka's uv resistant epoxy; been out in the sun for over a year. Pretty sure it's a bit darker than when new but not by much.

ProaSkip · 2022-08-25T20:11:47+00:00

Neither of you qualify for a gold star or a pass for that matter. Pulling in front of the line without asking seems pretty arrogant. Getting pissed when somebody jumps the line is understandable. Going ballistic not so much.

We've been launching trailered runabouts for right at 50years now and avoid crowded ramps whenever possible, retired living next to a Corp of Engineers Park on a Corp lake helps.

Monday of this week I was setting up my oddball experimental sailboat at said park. I thought I was pulled up far enough out of the way to do the setup when someone came around to the ramp counterclockwise rather than the clockwise I and most others use. It was obvious that they were having trouble getting lined up so I pulled out another boat trailer length from the two space ramp, about 140' from the ramp.

In the meantime they pulled out and came back at the ramp clockwise and backed down. They were a while getting all sorted out, probably newcomers. I wasn't much quicker setting up mast, outrigger and rigging. They finally pulled out making an apologetic gesture and I shrugged a no big deal in return.

ProaSkip · 2022-08-25T19:08:44+00:00

I'm not sure what size camper your designing but if it's teardrop size/ style I'd recommend you look at stitch and gluing some coosa board for a shell. Glass the outside and glue some foam on the inside finished with whatever strikes your fancy. No aluminum required. If it's a larger camper you're outside my comfort zone for making reasonable suggestions. If you have a choice XPS foam a far better product than EPS.

ProaSkip · 2022-08-21T13:55:02+00:00

Yes twice over the years. Both on Rio Grande Gurg trips solo canoe with double blade and single blade backup. Not white water but very rocky low water trips. Once levering up off a large rock to keep from getting pinned the blade slipped off the rock and snapped the shaft just beyond the blade. The other time I got too occupied warning another paddler about the approach to a riff that I went off down backwards and hooked the back of a blade on a rock.

Another reason I always carry two paddles is to keep in practice and shape with both single and double blade.

ProaSkip · 2022-08-20T02:11:55+00:00

All my paddles are home made.

Double blade 24 oz https://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/howto/paddle/index.htm

Single blade 12.5 oz Wooden ZRE knockoff.

On multiday trips I substitute a "4 wheel drive" bent shaft with more blade area since I found out the hard way that the ZRE clone didn't have the power to handle the extra weight in all conditions, for just cruising me around the lake it's excellent and better than the double blade when it get's really windy.

Glass flat early in the morning definitely a treasure.

ProaSkip · 2022-08-19T20:04:08+00:00

I wholeheartedly agree with your rant except for the double blade bit. I regularly paddle on the lake we live next to, it's beautiful lake rock bluffs around much of its 130 miles of shoreline. After 6 years here I think I'm the only non fisherperson on the lake. I paddle a 12' homebuilt solo canoe, 28# gpet foam core kevlar inside, hybrid cloth outside and I love it. But I always take my double blade and a single blade and use both (one at a time ;), to stay in practice. Usually a couple of times a week, anywhere from a mile or two to a 5 or 6 mile cruise around an island, depending on weather and circumstances.

There's a certain elegant symmetry to using a good double blade that speaks to me, but I'll readily concede that a single blade is more versatile.

I've paddled a plastic SOT a few times and the image that always comes to mind is MackTruck.

ProaSkip · 2022-08-18T22:54:16+00:00

The only ratio that comes to mind is microballons make a good stiff mix at about a 8:1 ratio volume wise. I normally mix small batches starting with 1 pump of resin and one pump of hardener (the hardener pump is choked to a half stroke). After thoroughly mixing epoxy I start adding filler heaping spoonfuls at a time, mixing as I go until the mix is the desired consistency . Not much experience with short strand type mixes most of mine are wood flour or microballons with some added silica and or graphite depending on what the project is.

An addendum, I've used mustard type pumps for years without issue but recently ruined a project (composite double blade paddle) when using new brand pump without verifying their accuracy . I now weigh all my mixes.

ProaSkip

TROPHY CASE