[VL1500]

Hello again all!

I've followed the advice of ChrisP that I noticed on an earlier posting, and bought 2 more plastic fuel tanks to go with the one that came with the boat. (Safety.......1 out, 1 in, 1 reserve!) My question is :- On my boat (Orkney Pilothouse 20) just forward of the transom well, there is a space to keep fuel tanks under a lift-up hinged lid. The tank (5.5gall.) supplied with the boat is not secured in any way, just lying loose in the compartment. Can any of you experienced bods tell me if this is safe, and if not, how could I secure the tanks? There is nothing there to fix anything to! If it was metal or wood I could obviously attach brackets or whatever to use straps or something, but I have no experience of Glass-fibre or it's strength or weaknesses. The same applies to the battery, which is sitting in a similar compartment. Should this be secured in some way, or don't these things move in practice?
(Getting very close to first launching now! and more and more nervous!!)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
VL1500

 

[MarieK]

Hi
I have a pilothouse 20 as well - I think it was my post you must have read about the multiple fuel tanks. I have an identical setup and to date have no problem with the tanks loose, when they are full they dont move around too much and with 3 25l tanks and smaller tank for the auxilary they are fairly tight in the compartment.

For the battery I made a simple wooden "cradle" that follows the contours of the battery compartment and the battery fits snuggly into. This idea would work for the fuel tanks also. The beauty of it is that the tanks are easily lifted in and out of the compartment.

My main aim with the boat is not to make any lasting changes, if i get away with attaching something with silicone etc rather than drilling holes and screwing I will rather than hurt my baby!!

If you have any more questions at all about launching her or anything please ask.

Ryan

PS Excuse the dodgy diagram!!

 

[ChrisP]

I have laminated hard wood stops into boats to hold tanks and batteries in place. If you want to know how I did it shout. In practise they don't move unless you are out in really rough weather. Make sure your battery and fuel lines have enough slack to allow for a bit of movement and you will be sound.

 

[VL1500]

Thanks MarieK!

Your wooden cradle arrangement looks really good, and is something that I could obviously make quite easily. If I made it to reach the top of the compartment then I would think the lid fastened down on it would be sufficient restraint!. I like the idea of a 2 battery arrangement (I think something else gleaned from one of the ChrisP postings!) for safety & could use the cradle method for this as well. (When I find out how to connect 'em up!!)
This won't just be our 1st. launch of this boat, it'll be our 1st. launch ever! We've never had a boat before so we haven't got a clue how it will go. Thanks for the offer of further advice, we may well be shouting for it at some point!
How do you rate the boat? Is it a good sea-worthy boat? Are you pleased with yours? And what engines do you use? Ours has a Honda 75hp. and a Honda 6hp.
auxiliary.

ChrisP

Thanks for your reply, I've gathered a lot of useful stuff from your replies to other people over the months, and find you a mine of information!
I would appreciate it if you could explain your laminating wood methods when you can spare the time. This sounds extremely useful and I could visualise all kinds of uses for it.
I don't know if people like you and "Blueskip" realise the service you provide for folks when they're searching for info., but some of us really do appreciate your willingness to pass on your knowledge to others! Good on yer!!

VL1500

 

[blueskip]

VL1500, timber lamination is merely the gluing of one piece of timber to another, to give a piece of timber which is now effectively the combined diameter of the two pieces.
However, the lamination process gives a greater strength to the timber than the sum of the two parts! Basically two 1/2" pieces of timber laminated together give you a 1" dia board, but it will have the strength of at least a 1.25" board, because you will have randomised the grain structures by combining the two boards, giving added strength over a single straight grain.
Selecting the boards for lamination can increase the strength even further, look at the growth rings on the end of the board, & glue them up "back to back" rings "up" on one & "down" on the other, & if you want the ultimate laminated board, glue them at a 90 degree angle to each other (for hatch covers etc).
For boating use I would recommend using polyurethane glue, as opposed to so called "waterproof" PVA, they dont seem to like salt water.
blueskip

 

[ChrisP]

I was referriing to laminating timber in GRP. Handy for all sorts of fixings on a boat hull where you don't want to drill through the hull. You are basically glueing a block of wood to the hull to act as a fixing point to screw to or as a stop to hold things in place.

Select the timber, I like ply as it does not split no matter how small the block. Make sure it is dry, it will benefit from drying out on top of a radiator for a couple of days. Radius off any sharp corners on the block to make it easier to wrap it in glass fibre. Roughen up the area of hull where you are fixing it with 40 grit paper. Next degrease with acetone. This is vital or you will not get a good bond. The flocoat your hull is finished in internally has a wax additive, the only thing that removes this wax is acetone. Mix up resin and using a strip of Glass matting slightly bigger than the wood soak it in resin and the wood and bed it down in position. Cover the wood in glass and resin, 2 or 3 layers. The glass will go clear when it is wetted out with resin, the aim is to get all the air bubbles out, and compact it down to follow the timber and hull profiles. No need to wait between each layer of glass for the resin to cure.

If you are using this idea to secure a tank or battery I would use 2 blocks and then fix a strap to secure the battery or tank in place. Stops either jumping about if you fall off a wave.

 

[MarieK]

Rate the boat very highly, it has a 75hp Mariner and a 6hp Mariner Aux.

Very very sea worthy, we have been out well offshore a few times when the weather has taken a turn quicker than expected but she handles it very well, she is particularly good in a following sea, which as you will learn as you get in to boating can be quite hairy in the wrong boat!

It has good high top sides which make fishing all the safer, in an earlier post about this boat someone said

"I knew an old ex lifeboatman who said that if he was caught out in a rough sea in a fishing boat, then the Orkney would be the one he hoped he would be in. He rated them very highly and he did know what he was talking about."

I have made a few changes, some very simple which you may want to consider,

1/In roughish sea there used to be an awful clatter when she hit a wave, it turned out this was the loose hatch covers underneath the cushions in the cabin, a bit of sealant around the top of the hatch for them to sit on will make things a lot quieter!

2/Make sure your anchor isnt loose in the locker in the bow - this can wreak havoc in there and unless you are using it regularly you may not notice. Just pad it out a bit.

3/I installed bilge pumps to fill and empty the livewell tanks - use the boat for a season before doing this you might be happy enough using the manual pump.

4/We installed seats at the rear of the boat, just pedestal type for the sake of comfort!

5/You might want to think about fixing some cleats around midship for fenders - if your away from your own berth its a good idea to have as many out as you can. Or fit rails on the gunnel to tie them to.

6/Not a neccessity but useful - maybe fit a wiper on the port side, the more visability you have the better!

If you are new to all this there are a few more things you may want to consider

*Tie the aux engine on to the cleat at the stern just incase it (or bracket) gets loose and decides to go for a swim.

*She is high out of the water so offers a big resistance to the wind - give yourself a chance and pick a calm calm day for launch, also easier berthing for the first time . When launching put someone in the boat and lowerer her down the slip, when the stern is deep enough lower the engine and get her started before pushing off the trailer! Take the boat out away from any danger and just sit off to get your bearings.

*Have someone at your berth to help you coming in for the first time - nothing worse than giving your pride and joy a ding on the way in.

*Dont forget about your trailer - although galvanised etc give it a wash down with fresh water when you get it back home.

*Learn about trimming the engine etc and getting her on plane before you venture too far.

You will love it!

Ryan

 

[VL1500]

Hi ChrisP!

Smee again!!

Thanks for the details about laminating the wooden blocks to whatever, sounds the sort of thing you could use for all sorts of applications. I think even I should be able to cope with that!

VL1500

 

[VL1500]

'Evenin' MarieK!

Thanks for the details about the boat, It sounds as if I haven't bought a duff one. The bit about the pedestal seats at the back is just what I've wanted to find out! Could you tell me how you fixed these? Did you fix them to the floor using something along the lines that ChrisP talked about? Without going out to the boat at the moment (pitch dark and rough ground!) I can't remember much solid area at the rear of the boat. It seems to be all lids over various hatches (battery, fuel tanks,heaven knows what for the others!!)

VL1500

 

[MarieK]

Yes I did something very similar to the chrisp idea.

If you lift the hatch for the liveweels you will see they can be easily lifted out by removing the 4 screws this gives you access to the underneath of the dec if you get me?

I glassed in a board underneath where i wanted the seats to be, this reinforced the deck and allowed me to get something solid to screw into for the base of the seat. It seems to have no trouble with my 17 stone weight so the job seems to have been a good un.

Ill take some pics of the job tomorrow and throw them up.

Ryan