Big changes afoot... GREEN FLASH 2.0

Above is the first design developed a year ago... GF1

Below is the current design. GF2.0

There's a few good things about this new design... By increasing the sheer (the sides of the hull), I can

1) Increase volume and reduce the amount of work, time and material that would be involved in a standard cabin, like FLASH 1.0

2) Clamp some formica to the existing hull and start building up with laminates and composites. The existing hull defines the shape, so no molds or complicated forms are required to accomplish this (thanks to a tip from M43 owner Al Watson. See his "Sugar Scoop" modification to his boat KINDRED SPIRIT HERE).

3) The added non-opening portlights are designed to be installed just above the existing sheerline of the FLASH, which will be easier because the existing hull/deck joint is wide and strong and easy to get to at this stage of the modification.

4) This design provides more deck space (it's almost a flush deck) and installing it, and the opening hatches (we have seven of those) is simpler. The 1st Mate says she might even be able to do her yoga on deck.

Above is version 1 deck layout

Below is GF2.0 layout. Cleaner is better.

5) I'm 6' tall and this makes enough headroom below for me without building a cabintop.

6) I think it looks sexy, don't you?

My horoscope today:

It might be a good time for you to start thinking about trying to make some fresh starts and new beginnings in a few different areas of your life. Just be careful that you don’t come on too strong or you could end up making a little trouble for yourself right now.

The Yard comes to life...

These days I've been going out to the FLASH and doing some infrastructure work... but I've also been doing some creative thinking about the materials I want to buy.

ENTER, CHINA:

This week we were due to pay our ISP, and after consulting with the 1st Mate, we boosted our Internet speed up to 4 mb/sec. Now I'm surfing through the many sites that are hosting Chinese manufacturers and suppliers, looking for the exotic materials I can't afford at US prices. 

There's rigid, high density polyurethane foams for building strong, lightweight composite sandwiches for bulkheads, decks, hull extensions, etc.  It is easily shaped, is waterproof, flame resistant, rot proof, insect proof, bonds easily to resins and to itself... so it makes a good core material.

Also on my list is epoxy. It's stronger than polyester and easier to work with.

And finally, the sources for carbon fiber cloth, carbon and kevlar woven hybrids, and kevlar. These materials are amazingly lightweight and strong. A friend showed me a dorade cowling made from carbon fiber... the material was thin- the thickness of the cardboard they use to package inside a new dress shirt. It was extremely strong and so light that you felt like your senses had gone awry. They make the Stealth fighters and bombers with this stuff.

I'm thinking that maybe, the Chinese might have better pricing on this stuff, because in the US, it's horribly expensive. (The paper thin stuff is about $30 a yard.)

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH:

The generators have been getting my attention.

There's no electricity on my lot, so I am my own power company... we have four generators: the diesel Westerbeke that will go into the Flash is rated at 15 kw, the 2 cylinder Onan 4 kw gas  driven genset that came off our rv, the portable Honda 2 kw set (still on SV BLISS in Barra) and a Generac 750 watt portable.

I've been setting up the Onan to do the work in the yard, since it's large enough to run the air compressor. The Westerbeke requires a huge amount of water to cool it, because it's a marine model, so that one will wait until the FLASH gets wet. The Generac was recently rebuilt, but it sat for a year with gas in it and needs some carb work before it will run... but I like that one for running the electric power tools.

I've been cleaning up the area, repositioning the shade cloths, mending the fence and gates, and organizing tools. I have enough materials to start plugging through-hulls that I won't use and that will be the place where I start on this thing. The epoxy will cure pretty fast now the temps are up.

I'm Baaaaack...

Just another quick note that work will resume on the GF this week and my blogging will resume here as well.

Can't get enough of a good thing...

Hello readers,

I should notify all of you that I've created another blog for the "off-season." That's the season I'm off and sailing about, and doing projects on my other boat, S/V Bliss.

For those of you who don't already know, Bliss is another Morgan... a 33 foot Out Island built in 1973. We've owned this boat since 1994, and have been refining and customizing (we call it improving) Bliss all this time.

I've created a blog for Bliss and it's at http://svbliss.blogspot.com

When I'm not here, I'm there.

A Quick Note

Since my last post from almost a month ago, my laptop died, I arrived in Banderas Bay (Puerto Vallarta), caught a flight to Hermosillo, Picked up the VW Westy in San Carlos and took the 1st Mate and dogs to Errorzona and back to San Carlos. I'm now using the 1st Mate's laptop to try and catch up. The plan is to leave on Saturday, arrive in PV Sunday with the whole famn damily. So we're busy getting ready...

Solo Flight - Part Dos- Christmas Day

The calm waters of Balandra Cove just 14 miles northeast of Puerto Escondido. Permission is required to land here, since it is a wildlife preserve now.

Spent Christmas Day sailing from Pta. Pulpito to Balandra. Had the sails up for about 2 hours before the wind quit. Dolphins were spotted here and there and rumors of whale sightings made their way onto the morning cruiser net in Escondido. But I didn't see any whales during my 10 hour journey.

The skies are getting overcast due to an incoming "Pineapple Express." So named because these long (1,000 miles or more) weather systems bring tropical moisture into the desert regions of Mexico and the US from the equator. Sometimes the rain can be intense from these formations; there's always lots of cloudiness and humidity when an Express shows up.

The Escapist- Part Uno

On the 23rd of December, 2008, I hauled up the anchor (actually, I unhooked from the mooring) at around 2 am and with old friend G. onboard and his 25 foot panga in tow, set off for the Baja and points south.

There's not much in the way of internet connections on the open seas (although I've heard of blogging through email over the ham radio) so I'm kinda' catching up in a patchwork fashion.

December 23rd-25th

The winds were light and variable with a 2 to 3 foot southerly swell out to midway across the Sea of Cortez. We're on a westerly course to the town of Mulege, near the mouth of Bahia Conception. Halfway across the swell switches to northwest so we adjust our course for the most comfortable ride. We're running on diesel power since there's no wind.

We put into a small anchorage near Bahia Conception in the dark after 21 hours, and sleep. The next morning, G. gets on his panga and drives over to Mulege. Loaded down with presents, it's a modern day Santa and his sleigh.

I hauled up the anchor and started working my way down the inside coast of Baja. The 1st Mate and the dogs remained back in San Carlos... I hadn't solo-sailed in years and really wanted some time alone out on the sea. For me it's a great place to sort out my life and thoughts, free of minor distractions and noise.

The weather was mild- warm sun during the day and chilly at night. Spent the next night, Christmas Eve, at El Pulpito. I had this little bay all to myself and the stars above.