Project Log: Sunday, January 1, 2012
After spending some time fine-tuning and spec'ing out
some possible electrical panels for the boat, I got back
to things on board with the small upper pilothouse
shelves. Using the simple templates I made
previously, I cut the shelves from 1/2" cherry plywood
and tested the fit. After a minor adjustment or
two, I installed the shelves with glue, using a couple
temporary blocks at the inboard end to hold the shelves
level. Later, this end of the shelves would be
supported by cleats on the back side of the longitudinal
bulkheads. |
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The spaces above the tankage on both sides begged for
shelving, both to hold certain installations (probably
the fresh water pump on the starboard side) and for
handy storage, particularly for things like engine
spares, tools, etc., as these areas were very convenient
to the engine room.
I needed to maintain access to the inspection ports in
the tank tops, and also long-term access to the bolts
securing the exterior rubrails on the hull and the
U-bolt fasteners in the caprail. While I probably
wouldn't be able to make the shelves completely
removable, as their length would likely prohibit removal
through the bulkhead opening, I did plan to allow them
to be unfastened and moved around within the
compartment, in case I needed better access beneath them
in the future for whatever reason.
I'd roughly planned ahead for these shelves long ago by
extending the aft bulkheads enclosing the tankage
several inches above the tops, which height was just
right for supporting the shelves I now contemplated. |
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With a level, I extended this height forward to the
opposite bulkhead, where I installed support cleats for
the other end of the shelves. |
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Beginning on the port side, I created a plywood template
of the shelf, scribing the outboard end to match the
shape of the hull and cutting the short ends to match
the angles formed by the bulkheads at each end. I
left the inboard long end of the template untouched; all
I needed was the shape of the other three sides.
I'd cut the final shelf to the appropriate width when
the time came. The width of the shelf would
be such as to allow access to the inspection ports
without interference, as well as clear access for the
tankage hoses and whatever else ended up running through
the compartment. |
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Flipped over, and with minor changes, the template would
work for the starboard side too, but I'd wait for that
till I'd used the template to cut the actual port shelf.
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Total Time Today: 3.75 hours
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