In this episode we cover four small but challenging accomplishments: 1) Building a three-panel windshield frame; 2) Coming up with a pattern for pilothouse side walls; 3) Using a new-to-me fiberglass product to form a molding around the cabinsides, and 4) Playing with different paint schemes for the cabin and pilothouse, knowing we should be doing “real work” instead, and ending with a big, fat “No Decision.”
So, taking our four subjects in order…
Readers usually know best, including my buddy Jeff Patrick, who recently asked why in heck I’d chosen a backwards approach to windshield construction—(meaning, we somehow decided to set the pilothouse hardtop loosely in place, propped up by a temporary forward bulkhead, before undertaking design and construction of the three-panel wooden windshield.) Jeff, who’s constructed some terrific boats including a modified Ninigret skiff we featured in the column last year (photo below),
wisely wondered if we were losing our marbles since savvy builders would normally construct the windshield frame and then—only then—make sure the hardtop fit to the existing windshield, rather than vice-versa. (Thanks, Jeff…you were so right.)
After offering a lame response to Jeff’s question, I stubbornly continued reverse-engineering the windshield frame so that, with difficulty, it came close to snuggling under and supporting the hardtop. By that point, I knew Jeff was correct, so yes, yes, it would have made more sense to construct the damnable windshield first, and then form the laminated top to fit the frame.
Oh, well…we stumbled along doing it our way, which was harder and took longer. And we continued on to the next building steps so I guess we survived, and the boat doesn’t know the difference.
Here are a few step-by-step photos of our windshield project…
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.