#26: Starting the Forebeam & Rear Cockpit
My typical two-month break in between blog posts is officially over (cue the violinist), which means I feel the need to hammer out the latest. So without further ado . . .
In December we started working on the forebeam. That is the structural brace that holds the bows of the hulls together. In addition, the forebeam holds the bowsprit in place, which holds the forestay in place, which then keeps the mast from falling back. So, this beam is a little bit important.
First, we set up the provided MDF forms to act as the mold for the forebeam. Working under our bridge deck requires more mindfulness once you reach about six feet in height (see pic below). The forebeam is built from Western red cedar strips.
Next, we tapered the ends and glued them together (scarf jointing) to form 25-foot-long planks.
Then we placed the individual planks side by side on the mold, screwed them in, and epoxied them together over the mold to form the bottom half shape of the forebeam. After sanding it smooth, we put the other side together and repeated the process.
The next step for the forebeam is to install a vertical web in the middle and laminate each surface with multiple layers of carbon fiber, and then vacuum bag the whole thing. (For a later blog.)
We’ve also been busy on the rear cockpit, which includes the built-in seat and storage areas.
In other news, we had fun celebrating Christmas with the youngest family members. It was a warm one, this Christmas! I had luck on my side (six jokers!) playing a game of Mahjong against my sister-in-law. I hope to play again soon even though I’m not confident I can pick better tiles!
We started off January by ice skating with friends. It was the boys’ first time, and they really took to it as the evening wore on!
We later visited my parents during a time when we were forced to extend our stay due to freezing precipitation. Perfect planning, I’d say. My parents kept us engaged with a sled and warmed by the fire. Mom was worried about running out of food since we couldn’t leave the driveway, but her “rations” turned out way fancier than my normal home-cooked food. Tristan spent a lot of his time drawing and carving a mountain scene on my dad’s spare plank of exotic South American walnut. He also got to test drive my mom’s antique del Sol (before the ice days hit). Calvin drank in the last great sunset before our return to the daily grind of homeschool and boat building.
If you’re interested in watching a video on starting the forebeam, check out our progress thus far:
