Structural Cabinetry: When Your Furniture Is Also Your Boat The socks-and-underwear drawer dividers on this boat are also doing structural work. That’s not an accident — it’s the whole design philosophy. Furniture that stiffens the boat The bunk top needed support, and the obvious answer was simple internal framing to hold future pull-out drawers. But […]
Structural Cabinetry: When Your Furniture Is Also Your Boat Read More »
Laminating a Bulkhead Penetration with a 3D-Printed Plug Every hole through a structural bulkhead is a weak point unless it’s reinforced properly — and reinforcing it properly starts with a plug that comes back out again. Matching laminate to the surrounding skin The basic rule for reinforcing a penetration is straightforward: match the laminate going
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Topic Overview: This post explains the structural engineering behind making penetrations in boat bulkheads. We’ll dissect why failures happen, using real-world examples, and detail a three-part reinforcement strategy to create a strong, reliable opening that maintains the integrity of the entire structure. Author: Shayne and Anna A bulkhead is not just a wall; it is a primary
The Correct Way to Put a Hole in a Structural Bulkhead Read More »
Topic Overview: This post details the specialized techniques required for successfully vacuum bagging components with polyester resin. We’ll cover fabric preparation, precise resin mixing, bagging strategies for complex shapes, and the crucial steps to prevent volatile boil-out that can ruin a laminate. Author: Shayne and Anna Vacuum bagging is the gold standard for creating high-quality, consolidated composite
Vacuum Bagging with Polyester Resin: A Practical Guide to Avoiding the Pitfalls Read More »
A Week of Many Jobs — and a Flood We Couldn’t Ignore Living on a boat means the weather isn’t background noise. It’s the thing that decides whether today’s plan actually happens. Partway through this week, Valencia was hit by DANA — a catastrophic flash flood that meteorologists called one of the most intense the
Resilience & Routine: Working Through Valencia’s Historic Floods Read More »
Author: Shayne and Anna Topic: This post details the ongoing refit of the starboard stateroom, focusing on the practical installation of a composite door and the application of flow coat as a substrate for insulation. It provides a technical analysis of chronic hydraulic steering failures, evaluating the components beyond repair and outlining the engineering rationale for a
Composite Door Installation, Flow Coat Application, and Steering System Analysis Read More »
