July 9, 2018
With the db trunk (daggerboard trunk) installed, I aimed to get the tabbing support on this evening, as well as the installation of a backing plate for the lower bracket of the white Dhow's rudder post. Since the white Dhow, also a Midget (7' 11" in LOA), originally was built as a rowing dinghy only, I needed to make some modifications to her to enjoy life as a sailing dinghy: daggerboard slot, daggerboard trunk, mast step, hole in forward seat assembly to accept the mast, and the installation of the rudder hardware. The lower bracket is bolted through the transom, secured with a backing plate, washers and nuts (three silicone machine screws).
Coming out to the white Dhow, I first water-washed the previous evening's epoxy work, sanded all surfaces, and then vacuumed and solvent wiped those surfaces. Under the aft seat, I found center on the inside of the transom, and through some other measurements, I found the location where in which I would mount the backing plate (roughly 4" x 4" x 1/2" block of teak). I thoroughly sanded and cleaned the surface, and then marked the block's location.
Back in the shop, I began to prepare the 1708 biaxial tabbing: a 4" wide piece and a 6" wide piece for each side of the db trunk. With the material prepped, and the wet out plastic in place, I switched to mixing some epoxy.
I mixed a small batch of neat epoxy (not thickened), and applied it with a foam brush to db trunk, to the location where the backing plate would nest, and to all sides of the backing plate itself.
Next, I mixed a batch of epoxy and thickened it with 406 colloidal silica and 407 low-density filler. I applied this thickened epoxy to the fore and aft ends of the db trunk to cleanup the transitions from hull to trunk, to smoothest the existing fillets, and to mount the backing plate underneath the aft seating.
The backing plate installed.
I then returned to the shop to wet out the 4" wide tabbing material, and applied it to the db trunk - ensuring that the air bubbles were released and the cloth laid neatly onto the surface.
Finally, I returned to the shop to wet out the 6" wide tabbing material, and repeated the process of applying this material to the db trunk. Sanding will follow tomorrow to clean up sharp edges and transitions; prepping for finish paint.
As a last minute item, I pulled the rudders out to inspect and to establish a list of to-dos in getting the rudders ready for action. After inspecting, I expect a thorough cleaning, light sanding, followed by a couple coats of varnish.
Total Time Today: 1.75 hrs
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