Yeah, better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I was really always planning to install a bow thruster, I've already got the wire run up there.
very impressive thickness of the hull where you made that cut production fiberglass boats are a lot thinner and have flimsy rudders that orcas like to snap/nudge for a laugh😇
Good idea with the hole saw but as you were explaining the job I could see the angle problem. Suggets you remove it and come in from the port side before you lose all the support for the rod. Question - are you going to fibre glass the whole exterior of the hull? I know its big job but the result in the end I think will be worth it and make the boat more saleable further down the track. Keep up the good work. Cheers Ian
I've got that 2x4 inside the hull (on starboard side)to locate the hole saw for the port side, so that's already taken care of. The entire hull already has a layer of fiberglass on it, I did that before I put the plywood on. So yes, should have the advantages of both a glass hull and a wood hull. Not really worried about resale, I've always said I would sell the boat for a dollar when I was done using it. Thanks for the input!
I’m not sure where you plan to launch (I haven’t caught every episode) but if you haven’t already be sure to have your transport guy map the route for loaded height with pilot house on. I only had enough clearance for hull with deck and had to add pilot house at the yard where I finished systems and launched.
Yes, the pilot house will have to come off, the boat would be about 22' high with it on. It's going to be close even with no pilot house. Here in Iowa anyway, you tell the state DOT where you are starting and ending, and they give you the route to take. Probably going to put it in the Mississippi River if I can find a yard to handle it, otherwise I might have to go up to Wisconsin and put her in lake Michigan.
The bits I’ve seen yards use to drill the holes for thrusters are about 2’ deep. I imagine those are not cheap. Looks like you came up with a great alternative.
No idea where you'd even find something like that, mostly a custom tool I'd guess. It's working fine, maybe a little slow going, but it's leaving a nice clean hole in the boat. I've got the first side done so I'll get started on the port side tomorrow.
I doubt the epoxy would be thin enough to make it all the way down to the keel. Sealing up the keel will do the trick, same as the rest of the hull. Removing the nut holding that floor down, I could pour some epoxy in there, sealing the bolt hole completely, that could be an option if I have issues down the road.
