Week 9: Finishing Touches and Starting to Troubleshoot

As I approach the completion of the boat’s construction, I am encountering numerous small issues I had not anticipated. My on-site supervisor has been monitoring a group chat of others constructing the same boat model, and one who finished construction three years ago just reported that a crack had formed between the transom and aft deck. The crack is due to constant torque on the transom from the outboard. I do not want to risk this issue occurring on my boat, so this has introduced a new set of reinforcement steps I plan to take. Firstly, I will now install G10 fiberglass plates (May 18th delivery) on both sides of the transom to increase rigidity. Then, I will create a large epoxy fillet on the interior between the plate and aft deck. Finally, I will make and add transom knees to distribute the force on the transom over a greater radius, reducing torque. 

The next obstacle I encountered was when test-fitting the steering cable: I installed the console and threaded the cable into it, and I noticed that, to reach where the outboard would be located, the end of the cable had to make large-radius turns that could obstruct people in the boat. So, I returned that cable and bought a new one that is one foot longer. 

At this point in the senior project – and considering I’ll be away for the next ten days – every issue is a source of stress for me, as I need to ensure the boat is ready for water by June. The transom reinforcement process will delay the final varishing process, delaying the initial launch.

Regarding the progress I have made this past week, most of it has been finishing touches. I started the week by using a hand plane and a hand router to shape the rail on the boat. I then sanded it and applied a few coats of epoxy to ensure it was watertight. I also put on the first few coats of varnish on the boat, except for the transom area, because I will have to do epoxy work there before I can start varnishing. I have put on five coats so far, and will put on a sixth later. I have also been working extensively on finishing and mounting the console, as the steering mechanism arrived and I was installing it, which required drilling a few large holes in the console. I also made a remote throttle mounting plate that is connected to the underside of the gunwale. I decided not to mount the throttle directly to the console because of how large the throttle system is. 

I also spent a while sending roughly thirty emails out to shop class instructors in high schools in the tri-state area. I asked about any changes to the budget for shop programs, interest, and cost/student. I haven’t heard back from any of them yet, but I did hear back from an instructor at the Village Community Boathouse at Pier 40. I will meet with him at the end of the month and conduct a semi-structured interview to ask him about woodshop education. 

When I get back from my travels, I will be ready to install the transom reinforcements, varnish the back, screw down the seats, mount the motor, trailer it, connect the steering and throttle, and launch in the water.