DaveH6
Guide block for top positioning
The block of wood is screwed into the 1 3/4 " wide rib that will land on top of the soon to be installed mahogany beam. This is the block on the port side and a corresponding block is on the starboard side. In my opinion, getting this rib on top of the beam location is one of two essential foredeck positioning points. The other one is getting the hatch opening centered over the anchor locker bulkhead's keel line.
Two weeks ago during the first and hastily executed fitting and subsequent trimming of the port and starboard edge blocking material, I made a mistake thus another lesson learned the hard way. I failed to account for accurate positioning of the foredeck's 1 3/4" rib over the yet to be installed laminated mahogany beam. Instead, I focused too much on keel line centering of the foredeck aft end which was silly since the port side of the aft end will be cut back to the windshield frame and most of the starboard side will be cut away for the instrument cluster. I ended up with the 1 3/4" rib location skewed up to 3/4" off the mahogany beam landing point. This also skewed the ribs for attaching the decorative cabin top mahogany strips.
Today, after putting the wood guide blocks in place to ensure the foredeck was not skewed, I found that the deck needed to move slightly to starboard in order to center the foredeck hatch.
Lacking readily available help to remove the foredeck, I lifted the starboard side of the deck over my head and braced it with a 2x6. Holding an upside down circular saw over my head I trimmed a slight amount of edge blocking so the deck could shift to starboard. I continue to marvel over my good fortune in still retaining my full complement of 10 fingers.
The port side will now have a small gap between the blocking edge material and the topside but epoxy gap filling will take care of it. With a 1" wide mahogany inwhale as the attachment point for the port edge blocking material, still plently of meat left for the port side landing.
Oddly enough, the centerline of the foredeck's aft edge seems to still be inline with the keel line inspite of my jockeying the foredeck around to correct the skew. The 1/8" error in front hatch centering over the anchor locker bulkhead has also corrected.
Learning lessons the hard way started for me at age 10. Faced with a missing nozzle on an aerosol spray can of white oil based enamel, I put a nail in the can's nozzle hole to see what would happen. That day and for many days later with white streaked hair, I learned what omni directional meant. Never did that again. However, I continue to learn lessons the hard way.
Guide block for top positioning
The block of wood is screwed into the 1 3/4 " wide rib that will land on top of the soon to be installed mahogany beam. This is the block on the port side and a corresponding block is on the starboard side. In my opinion, getting this rib on top of the beam location is one of two essential foredeck positioning points. The other one is getting the hatch opening centered over the anchor locker bulkhead's keel line.
Two weeks ago during the first and hastily executed fitting and subsequent trimming of the port and starboard edge blocking material, I made a mistake thus another lesson learned the hard way. I failed to account for accurate positioning of the foredeck's 1 3/4" rib over the yet to be installed laminated mahogany beam. Instead, I focused too much on keel line centering of the foredeck aft end which was silly since the port side of the aft end will be cut back to the windshield frame and most of the starboard side will be cut away for the instrument cluster. I ended up with the 1 3/4" rib location skewed up to 3/4" off the mahogany beam landing point. This also skewed the ribs for attaching the decorative cabin top mahogany strips.
Today, after putting the wood guide blocks in place to ensure the foredeck was not skewed, I found that the deck needed to move slightly to starboard in order to center the foredeck hatch.
Lacking readily available help to remove the foredeck, I lifted the starboard side of the deck over my head and braced it with a 2x6. Holding an upside down circular saw over my head I trimmed a slight amount of edge blocking so the deck could shift to starboard. I continue to marvel over my good fortune in still retaining my full complement of 10 fingers.
The port side will now have a small gap between the blocking edge material and the topside but epoxy gap filling will take care of it. With a 1" wide mahogany inwhale as the attachment point for the port edge blocking material, still plently of meat left for the port side landing.
Oddly enough, the centerline of the foredeck's aft edge seems to still be inline with the keel line inspite of my jockeying the foredeck around to correct the skew. The 1/8" error in front hatch centering over the anchor locker bulkhead has also corrected.
Learning lessons the hard way started for me at age 10. Faced with a missing nozzle on an aerosol spray can of white oil based enamel, I put a nail in the can's nozzle hole to see what would happen. That day and for many days later with white streaked hair, I learned what omni directional meant. Never did that again. However, I continue to learn lessons the hard way.