Here you can see we have sandwiched the sole on both sides of each hatch with 2x4 legs sticking up verticaly to attach to the strongback sides.
We are now hanging chain falls from the ceiling. We have to pick the part up verticaly and move it forward off the building platform and over where the trailer will be.
We have attached the strongback to the part and the chainfalls to the strongback. Moving blankets protect the varnished veneer from damage.
We use this flatbed trailer with 2x12's across it to support the part.
All ready to start the move.
And away we go.
We pick the part up with two cahainfalls and the hook up one forward and start pulling thepartforward while slacking the aft one.
This view is from the aft end . The small hole in the cnter is where the entry will be. We don't cut the hole yet so that the plwood across the back can keep the port and starboard sides from splaying out. Once we have installed the part in the hull we will then cut the entry to its full size.Ww are now ready to back the trailer under the part.
With the part on the trailer, we screw through the sole with deck screws and fender washers to hold it firmly onto the trailer. We clamp small boards here and there to brace fragile areas against wind force during transit.
We have todrive this part about twenty miles to Liberty Yachts shop in Riviera Beach. We try and do this on a Sunday morning when there is much less traffic and drivers are less stressed.We festoon the part (which is 14' wide )with long yellow ribbons And several strobes. WE also have wide load banners on the front of the truck and the aft end of the part. We also use pilot vehicles front and rear with wide load banners and strobes.
We hoist the part into the hull using rolling gantrys and chainfalls. It looks very cool when hoisted up in the air rolling back over the bow of the boat. Unfortunately, this is part of the process that requires my full attention and I forgot to take any photos. Here we have landed the part in the hull and are preparing it for glueing.
Previously we have marked where the part contacts the hull and the stringers and we use cake decorating bags to apply epoxy to the mating surfaces. We generaly like to use fast epoxy,but this is one application where we use West System's 209. This is their slowest hardener and we find that it allows us enough time to take the stress out of the gluing process.
All of the places where the hull contacts our part are filleted. This entails some filleting in very awkward locations. Then the fillets must be faired and painted, so care in the filleting is essential.
Below is the berth forward. The gray material is a protctive film by #3M that is known as elephant skin. Expensive but it provides very good protection to the varnished and painted survaces.
This view is from the forward berth looking aft.
Once we have the interior part glued into the hull we lift the deck/house assembly up over the hull and check the final fit between the interior bulkheads and the deck.
A view from inside showing the deck coming down.
Aview from aft showing the gantry and the deck up over the hull.
We hook the deck on the stem and the lower it down whlie pushing it aft.
A little different view from forward.
Once the deck fits well we lift it up, apply epoxy, clenit up and presto it looks a lot more like a boat.
