Admin.

​I use this word to cover off a lot of tasks. Any time I make a phone call, write an email or do research about anything to do with the building of our Class Globe 5.80, I fill out my timesheet with the word Admin. It also involves things like writing this blog or planning etc. I am very careful to account for these kinds of activities as it all becomes part of the time component we invest into this project. 

3D Modeling.

Not much to report here other than the model continues to grow...

See our Project Hours blog post for an up to date overview of our build hours.

Although this was another 'full on' week of part time boat building, or preparation for it, it was one of those weeks where you look back at what you have done and realise that there is not much physical to show for it.

I spent quite a bit of time talking on the phone and sending emails regarding hatches. I found a great local company that not only has a standard line of deck hatches but they also produce custom sized options as well. In particular I was looking for something to use as a door for the water tight bulkhead D1. Cule Marine Ltd was able to offer two rectangular hatch options that would be great for this purpose. With cutout sizes of either 500mm x 700mm or 500mm x 850mm, getting in and out of this space just got easier!

I continue with building a 3D model of our Class Globe 5.80. For a whole host of reasons, this is a very important asset moving forward.

We did a little bit of work in the shed but not as much as we had liked. Still, paint is being applied to walls and beams, trim moulding is being made and some other small jobs are being taken care of. All good!

See our Project Hours blog post for an up to date overview of our build hours.

I spent time this week working through some of the finer details of bulkhead D1. In particular I wanted to define the size and orientation of the water tight hatch/door and the cutout size in the plywood. This means we can attach the structural elements that surround and support the opening permanently to the bulkhead structure as we build it. No need to come back later in the project and rework anything. It means the bulkhead can be completely finished on the bench before standing up on the strong back.

We are opting not to build the forward bunk structure but to install a seagoing toilet instead. This means we can install a hatch/door that can be a little taller than it is wider because it will not need to clear a mattress when opening. Getting in and out will be easier and we can cruise the boat locally but still be able to enter official Class Globe 5.80 events when the opportunities arise. I have found a local company that can supply rectangular hatches with cut out dimensions of 500mm x 700mm or 500mm x 850mm. These images of bulkhead D1 show the larger of the two options. I have a few other things to think about in the space forward of bulkhead D1 that might affect the swing of the hatch but for now this version with the 850mm high hatch option looks like it could work.

Because the hatch has to be fitted on the forward side of bulkhead D1, I will have to deviate from the plans as drawn and rework the gussets holding the framing joints together. This will provide the uniform surface needed to mount the hatch and tidy up the look of the structure on the forward face.

Part of this rework will involve installing solid blocking in the gaps underneath the gussets. As drawn, the spaces behind the gussets become small pockets that not only will be tedious to finish but will also, over the long haul, collect dust, grim, possibly mould and the odd insect. The lower ones in particular are great spots for condensation to accumulate and if not thoroughly resin coated and painted are great spot for rot to begin. We will fit the extra infill blocking to all of the bulkheads of our Class Globe 5.80 to streamline both the construction, finishing and maintenance of these structural components.

Our workspace continues to evolve as we finish walls and ceilings.

See our Project Hours blog post for an up to date overview of our build hours.

We were able to get more work done on the workshop build and set up. We are still chipping away at lining the walls, stopping, painting and electrical. All coming along nicely!

See our Project Hours blog post for an up to date overview of our build hours.

We were able to get back into the garage this week and continue with preparing our building space. Because the space is not temporary, we are putting a little extra effort into the building and finishing of the space. We have plans for its use beyond our Class Globe 5.80 build. Also, as an aside, I have used temporary sheds to do major work on two of our previous boats and for us, based on those experiences, the negatives far out weigh the positives. 

I have been chipping away at creating a 3D model of the Class Globe 5.80 sailboat. For a variety of reasons I get a lot of benefit from having access to a 3D version of what I am trying to build over the standard 2D drawings. It not only helps me to better visualise a finished product but it is usually very helpful when it comes to questions of detail.

See our Project Hours blog post for an up to date overview of our build hours.

This last week saw us make good progress on the workshop electrical upgrades and a start on lining the walls. 

Upcoming this week: More workspace set up with electrical work, filling and paint preparation for the ceiling and walls.

See our Project Hours blog post for an up to date overview of our build hours.

This week saw us finish lining the ceiling in our little workshop space. A bit of an awkward job involving 2 sets of hands, a ladder and a saw horse but we got there in the end!

This coming week will focus on some back framing in the walls and on to lining them as well.

​See our Project Hours blog post for an up to date overview of our build hours.

The workspace conversion and set up continued this week with installing more insulation and the arrival of the first shipment of wall lining. We are looking forward to starting the process of getting this installed as it will make a huge difference to how the space feels.

There are still a few little back framing jobs to do and a couple of electrical wires to run. These little finishing up tasks tend to take more time than expected so have planned my upcoming weeks work accordingly.

See our Project Hours blog post for an up to date overview of our build hours.

The workspace conversion moves along nicely. I have allocated 160 hours for the initial work which should get a usable space that is insulated, has good lighting and some basic ventilation. This will also include a smallish 1.5m long temporary extension to the garage. We are still working on the insulation and are about a 1/3rd of the way through the allocated hours.

I have committed to a 2 step system of keeping track of costs on our CG580 project. The first step is to keep and file every receipt. These get put into an A4 sized clear file folder (sometimes called a display book), you know the ones where each page is a clear plastic pocket that allows you to slip 2 pieces of A4 or legal sized paper back to back in each pocket. I found one with 60 pockets that will let me keep 120 receipts. Quite a lot of receipts are printed on A4 paper and any that are not get stapled to an A4 sheet of paper. I write on every receipt or on the paper it is stapled to what the item or items purchased were used for.

We continued this week with the task of insulating our workspace. It has been slow going as we have also been modifying some of the framing timber in preparation for lining the walls. On top of that we have also been working around various piles of materials and tools. This does slow things down a bit but on the positive side is helping us think about storage and workspace organisation.

I mentioned in the last blog post, CG580 Weekly Update #5, that I managed to rescue some deck hatches from the dumpster with the hope that, if needed, we could use a couple of them on our boat if they were in decent enough shape. I have actually been collecting various bits of boat gear for quite some time now... many years in fact. This week I re-discovered some brand new 200mm stainless steel mooring cleats I had picked up about 15 years ago. These should work well for the CG580 project.

I have been giving a little bit of thought to the question of social media and the role it might play in our Class Globe 5.80 project. There seems to be quite a variety of social media platforms and combinations of those platforms that builders could use to share their project journeys. Apart from the obvious benefits of class and builder awareness, there could be other positive outcomes from sharing the building journey. However, doing social media well takes time. Our CG580 project is a part time effort that we are fitting in around a busy family, social and work life. While maintaining a builders blog is a mandatory requirement for the CG580 class, even this has the potential to divert our building efforts and cause a bit of time use tension. Some of my effort this last week has been used to research the role of video in social media, in particular the topics of v-logging and Youtube. We might test the waters with a couple of videos and see how things go... a bit more research is needed though!

​See our Project Hours blog post for and up to date overview of our build hours.