Meridea by Walter Biles - RADIO - 34" CAD of boat at USN Severn River Repair Station c. 1969

[Walter Biles]

Thank you Mark

Walt

[Walter Biles]

Having finished the first layer of furring strips to the hull, I have started the second layer.  I have 5/16 ths of the strips on both sides.  When I am done, I can fair them just as if they were the ribs, only there will be almost twice as many of them, compared to the original bulkheads.  I am going to fair them down to where the planking will lay on them, until it reaches the original planking and will lay right over that.  The planking will be feathered in to the sides of the keel and into the top edge of the original planking at the top of the bulwarks.  At the top of the hull, the planking will only add 1/16" to the rail, and will swell out to 3/8" around the curve of the formers and tapering into the inside curve until it comes to the outside face of the keel bulge where it will be feathered into the original curves along the bottom of the keel.  That is all I have to report at this time, I will make some copies of the earlier bulkheads, and the new ones so you can get an idea of what I am doing.  Then once I find my camera, I will show before and after before the planking goes on. 

 

All this is because, although I knew the approximate curves of the hull, I never had a cross section drawing from the Meridea, so I approximated.  I was only sitting low in the water by 3/8" when I put enough weight in the keel to keep the masts to where they would return to vertical from pulling them over until the water started to come on the deck.  I may now have to add a bit more weight to bring it down to the waterline, which is preferable to shipping too much water in a blow, IMHO. 

 

 

 

Walt Biles

Edited September 30, 2014 by Walter Biles

[Walter Biles]

Here are the photos of the furring strips buildup on the hull of Meridea.  They have just been finished adding the outer layer. 

 

 

As you can probably see, the first layer of strips has already been feathered down to the original planking.  The next layer will also be feathered into those, and faired from the bow to the ster n. 

 

Walter Biles

[captainbob]

Looking good, Walt.

 

Bob

[Walter Biles]

Thanks Bob

Walt

[mtaylor]

NIce work, Walt.  It's good to see you back in the workshop.  I hope all else is going better as well.

[Walter Biles]

It is good to be back at work on the boat.  The new ribs are on, and rough faired, and don't look too bad.  I hope it will plank well.  My spacing was a bit irregular, but closer than the original bulkheads, mostly.  I couldn't seem to keep them uniform without lateral bending, so I let all of them lay full contact against the hull.  They looked a bit like this:  ///lllll\\\ , but I still think they should allow for a good planking.  

 

Walt Biles

Edited October 2, 2014 by Walter Biles

[popeye the sailor]

looks really neat Walt.....glad to see your back at the table!

[Walter Biles]

Here are the latest pictures of my Meridea with the ribs rough faired to contour.

I have them grouped by views with different focus lengths and zoom to try to get more

readable pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!  I will have some measuring and fairing to refine a bit.  I will also be putting in some edge pieces to fit around the rudder for the planking to butt up against.  

Edited October 3, 2014 by Walter Biles

[popeye the sailor]

looks very good Walt 

[Walter Biles]

I made a full set of bulkheads printouts for Meridea, and put my expanded (by eye) lines onto corrugated cardboard, and cut them all out taking precaution to preserve a set of negatives around them so I could take them and place them around the hull at the bulkhead stations to check the fit.  Then I trimmed out the final shape of the new set of rib extensions.  I am going to use these for the final adjustments of my CAD bulkheads, so my displacement will be set by them once I get the planking over them.  I also trimmed my stand to make allowances for the latest sizing.  Then I can make a final fit from them to allow for the planking on my CAD and on my support frame.  I am making allowances so that my waterline can be drawn with the boat on the stand.  I still want to get some floatation foam mixture to fill in the last frame ribs so there will be no space inside for water to reside.  I can fair the foam down to the ribs so I can plank up against the foam when gluing the planks to the ribs and sealing the joints between the planking.  At least that is what I hope will happen. 

 

Its nice having the Admiral back home where she belongs!

 

Walt Biles

Edited October 22, 2014 by Walter Biles

[captainbob]

“It’s nice having the Admiral back home where she belongs!”

 

Yes, that’s always a good thing.  And now you’re building again, that’s also a good thing.

 

Bob

[Walter Biles]

Thank you all for the likes and nice comments.  I have begun the re-planking.  I believe it is going to work okay.  I'm not working very quickly, but just taking my time.  I want a good fit.  I am also hoping to wait until payday before I close up where the foam should go.  I now have the two top courses on both sides, and another on one side.  I need to get some pictures before getting too far. 

 

Walt Biles

[Walter Biles]

I got a few more planks last night, I now have 4 each side, and two more cut.  If I can get enough incentive I might work on it some more tonight.  2 more courses, and I will have my first section done.  I will have half the radius of the hull done then.  Then after getting the next section to the start of the inside curve, I will be almost done, except for the fiddly work of fitting compound curves with planks.  Once I am past that area, I will be tapering all planking to zero just above the fin.  I figure to leave the original planking layers from there down to keep my fin from getting too fat for a smooth transition to the rudder.  I think that tonight, I may just take pictures of the progress up to where it is now, unless I get carried away. 

 

Walter Biles

Edited November 7, 2014 by Walter Biles

[Walter Biles]

Here are my latest pix of Meridea.  

 

I masked all the way around the ribs then sprayed clear sealer over the areas.  Then I put a spray primer over that to help fill any pin holes.  Then after unmasking, I scraped the coatings off of where the planks would attach, and sanded and faired the ribs some more.  After considering the plight I would be in if my planks went too far down the keel fin, I decided to stop all of the ribs where they arrived on the relative flat sides of the keel fin.  This was done to limit thickening the area of transition from hull to rudder  I have a pretty good clearance between the hull recess and the front of the rudder, with minimal clearance between the faces.  If I would add anything to the outer surface of the rudder to accommodate extra plank thickness, it would mess up this clearance.  

 

The grey primer actually helps accent the recess between the ribs and seemed to keep the flash from going off and over exposing it all. 

 

 

Walter Biles

Edited November 7, 2014 by Walter Biles

[Walter Biles]

I spent Saturday repairing and maintaining my tools.  I repaired nearly 100 push pins by re-seating the pins in epoxy, and coating the thinner part of the heads with epoxy so I could handle them better.  I used polyester thread and epoxy to reinforce my screw clamps against splitting.  I cleaned and sharpened all my exacto knives, and repaired a crack in my wood splitter tool.  Then I started working on another plank for my boat.  I now have six on one side and five on the other.  All in all, I had a productive day just fixing up a variety of things that had broken.  At least now when I pick up something to use, It is more like ready to be used. 

 

I was getting a bit shy on usable push pins to hold the planks on while the glue dried, and I didn't even realize my splitting tool was broken until I was taking the blade off it to sharpen it.  One of the screws that holds the blade had split the hole leaving it subject to the blade moving.  I think I may modify the holding strip to brass and make that side wrap around the corner so I can redrill the screw into a more solid place.  Then maybe the blade won't pull to the side like it had been doing.  I wondered why it wasn't cutting as uniformly of late. 

 

Walter Biles

Edited November 9, 2014 by Walter Biles

[michael mott]

Just catching up Walter, wow I did not realize that you were going to double plank the hull, nice work on the retro fit so far, and as you say the extra flotation always helps.

 

Michael

[Walter Biles]

Thank you Michael,

 

It was necessary in order to get the freeboard I needed.  My earlier test float showed the water line would be below the surface between 1/4" to 1/2".  That way I can carry the ballast needed to make sure it would self right without water entering the hull.  Good to have you drop in. 

                                 Walter Biles

Edited January 8, 2015 by Walter Biles

[Walter Biles]

Michael,

 

Originally, I put an eighth" planking then another 1/16" so I could have the better planking coverage.  When I did the float test, I put enough weight in it for the masts to stand up, then gave the mast a tilt until the waterways started shipping water.  When I released the mast, it went over almost that far to the other side and back 3-4 times, so I concluded that since I was already with the waterline 3/8" below the water line, that I was going to need to make it get rid of the rocking by making it sit up enough that I could add more ballast than I had before. 

 

I decided to build out the sides and the underside of the belly until I could get a quick return, and quick dampening of the sway.  I have added 1/8" more to the gunnel, tapering out to 3/8" around and almost to the reverse curve where the keel bulb is formed.  By the time I get done planking I should have 1/16" of that left all around the gunnel, over each side tapering to just past the inside curve, and tapering to 0" just a short ways past ending on the mid sides of the keel bulb.  Then after I get everything faired, I will coat the wood with some fiberglass resin and some thin glass cloth with a build up of resin to where I can put a nice coat of paint all over. 

 

Below the water line, will be a red lead color, with a black line at the water, with gloss white from there up to the deck.  I still need to make the stanchions and end rails so I can put on a fine line along the rail.  They had a 1/4" cable through 1" stainless stantions on the real boat.  I will try to simulate that.

 

Walter Biles

Edited November 13, 2014 by Walter Biles

[popeye the sailor]

looking very nice Walter....sounds like you've got a good game plan going on there.  that's gonna give you  a glassy smooth hull 

[Walter Biles]

Thanks for the likes and responses, everyone.

 

Popeye, If she works out, I may use her form to do a mould for a fiberglass hull.  That way I could also use the top of her to do the same and return her to her original shape around the edge of the deck and shorten her cabin to original.  Then I would have a real model of the original.  Maybe, some day, if I live so long.  I have some other things I'd like to build, first.  I have been thinking about doing a marine railway that they used to have at the navy yard.  I could make it operational.  I used to help get the boats out of the water as part of the division function. 

 

Too bad that wouldn't qualify for a build log here, although it would be nautical related.  I have offered the academy museum to do one for them if they can help me get the dimensions and plans.  Otherwise I would have to do a lot of it from my memory, and my training in bridge work in Sea Bee school which would probably not fit their criteria. 

 

Walt

Edited November 14, 2014 by Walter Biles

[popeye the sailor]

they have dioramas like that on you tube.........they are so amazing!   if you take a stroll....check out the airport diorama....you won't believe it!   I'm building an old Ambroid kit of the B&M snow plow........I have a diorama layout set up for it {I just have to find my way back to it}.    looking at your signature.........it appears you'll be busy for quite a while 

[Walter Biles]

Popeye,

 

Well, maybe, if I do all of them.  I usually just work on just what strikes me most when I'm ready for something else to work on.  I've been thinking about that since '69 also, but I never had the time to actually measure out spacings and dimensions while I was at the boat yard.  Drawing the Meridea to scale only took a little over an hour.  I had to get up to chow before they closed the doors.  The ones I am most likely to start of those listed, would be the Galilee boat once I finish Meridea. 

 

I looked at all of the kits I was given, and I wouldn't feel comfortable with AL and I am not thrilled with the Constructo kits, not to say I won't get to them one of these days, but I've been thinking more about my interests while I was in the navy, than most other things. 

 

I knew that railway was on its late life even then, but if I could even build a model for a reminder for others, It would please me.  When I was there, they only used it for the smaller stuff, rated boat.

 

Walt 

Edited November 15, 2014 by Walter Biles

[Walter Biles]

I filled up with wood putty to the rib surfaces, sanded, and put on 3 more 1/8 x1/2" planks.  I am at the radius curve going down the hull.  I decided since I could not get in to find the foam, I would just fill the space.  After sanding the fill to where I was above the water line, I have started planking beyond onto the lower hull.  I am satisfied.  The fill should help me when I get down into the convex curve of the hull.  

 

Walt Biles

Edited November 28, 2014 by Walter Biles

[michael mott]

Sounds like things are going well Walter. I look forward to seeing the final results.

 

Michael

[Walter Biles]

Thank you, Popeye and Michael.

Walter 

[Walter Biles]

Well, this work has been stalled for some time this past year, and I am in the midst of moving everything to make room where it is needed, which means I am going to fabricate some extra storage places before what must stay, can stay.  I am also trying to catch up with putting something besides a sheet in my wife's bedroom window and a lot of other things so we can entertain friends without having to move many things to my outer work shop, tying it up all the time.  So for the next few months at least, I will be too busy to be back on here for boat building.  I may pop in once in a while to say hi, but not much else.  I hope that when I get done, I will have a more organized home, hobby room, and work shop, so I will be able to move around and do things without the all- in- a- clutter that has prevailed since I was forced into retirement.  So I wish you all well, and hope that I can get done sooner rather than later.  I'll try to keep up with viewing some builds.  I really want to keep up with EdT's Young America, and Mike's Maria and whatever else he takes on.  And Popeyes multi ship fleet, and Rich's Constitution, and Bob's new build I just know he'll get started soon, if he hasn't already, and I cant think right now but I know there are 3 or 4 more.  Everybody keep up the good work, :D

 

Walt Biles

Edited January 10, 2015 by Walter Biles

[michael mott]

Good luck with all the changes Walter and Happy New Year to you and your family.

 

Michael

[Twister]

Walter,

 

My condolences on the 'shutting up shop', I'm all too aware how life has a habit of catching up and those multitude of little jobs can no longer be put off! I've always endeavoured to keep my workshop space sacrosanct, unfortunately to little avail - at the moment I can't even get to my workbench, in the run-up to Christmas my wife saw it as 'useful' storage space; as I type this I think there are various components of a 'Vax' carpet cleaner that she has valiantly stripped down for cleaning and can't remember how it goes back together!! Time for me to dig out the manual and earn some serious credits - payback will eventually come in the form of uninterrupted workshop time (once the new shower screen is fitted, the new bath panel is shaped and fitted, the house has been painted etc etc - you get the picture?!!)

 

Anyway, I look forward to seeing how you progress with 'Meridea' when time and space permit.

 

With all good wishes for 2015,

 

Row

[Omega1234]

Hi Walter

 

I'm also keen to see you get back to the workshop so that you can post your progress photos, but I understand that sometimes, things are of a higher priority...especially if the Admiral dictates that it be so!!! Hope you'll be able to get back to it soon.

 

All the best and stay well.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick