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Mike's Amphora Homebuilt Boat
Status: In Progress - last update (21 JUN 2008)
Pearson 26 Sailboat
Status: In Progress - last update (28 OCT 2007)
Gas Fired Crucible Furnace
Status: In Progress - last update (3 FEB 2006)
CNC Foam Mill
Status: In Progress - last update (03 DEC 2006)
Gingery's Lathe
Status: In Progress - last update (28 JAN 2007)
Gingery's Electric Furnace
Status: On Hold - Last Update (18 AUG 2004)
Wax Injector
Status: Finished
The Workshop & Remodelling
Status: In Progress - last update (18 JUN 2008)
Plans
Notebook
Injecting wax by hand
Making a surface plate
Weird Science
Making Honey Mead
Last Update (9 APR 2007)
Making Milk Plastic
Last Update (19 FEB 2006)
Making Green Slime
Last Update (12 FEB 2006)
Misc. Stuff
The My Heap Guest Book
My Craftsman 109
Credits
The Guilty Party
Site History
The My Heap Online Book
Chapter 0 - Introduction
Chapter 1 - Materials
How to Make IRC
Gary Overman's Charity Wax Recipes
Chapter 2 - Tools
Wax Injector
Vacuum Caster & De-bubbler
One Touch, variable heat gun
A Spin casting centrifuge.
A Reil Type Propane Burner.
A Tumble Mixer for Dry Components.
A Poor Man's Engraver Ball.
A Wax Warmer.
A Homemade Sand Muller.
Chapter 3 - RTV Molds
     Example 1: Split Mold
Chapter 3A - Alginate Molds
     Example 1: Clasping Hands
Chapter 4 - Plaster Molds
     Example 1: Fish Mold
Chapter 5 - Latex Molds
     Example 1: A Latex Glove Mold
Chapter 6 - Vinyl Molds
Chapter 7 - Silicone Caulk Molds
Last Update (9 APR 2007)
     Example 1: A Glove Mold
Chapter 8 - Slip Casting
Chapter 8A - Steam Casting
Chapter 9 - Misc. Notes
Chapter 10 - The Hall of Shame
Appendix A - Definitions
Appendix B - Suppliers
Appendix C - Credits
Appendix D - Resources
     Example 1: Casting & Mold FAQ
My Pearson 26

Introduction ...

     Have you ever had one of those deals fall into your lap that you just can't refuse? Well my whole boating experience has been that way. For example, my first boat was a home built catamaran from a PS magazine given to me by a friend. (Later I learned that it was a Stevenson's design, the designer of the Weekender and Vacationer and many other boats.)

     My last boat was give to me as well. It was a Glen-L 10 sailboat. The boat had sit in the loft of my friends barn for a number of years. There was also some damage to the to the deck. I seized the chance and took the boat. Learned a lot of things about repairing a wood boat. The boat itself is fun to sail, but much too small for my needs.

     At this point my wife and I decided we were going to build the Stevenson's Vacationer. A 21' on deck Gaff Rigged sloop. And once the big remodelling and building projects were done we planned to start.

     Then it happened again. Another friend of mine bought a 40+ foot house boat in a deal with another friend of his. This left him with a Pearson 26, propped up in his back yard with a mostly finished trailer under it. He knew that I liked sailing and decided he would rather give me the boat, sails and trailer and it get used than try to sell it or worse yet, let it decay and rot away in his back yard. Well I took a look at the boat and took him up on the deal.

     My wife and I decided we would finish the trailer and move the boat to a new home, clean up the two and a half years of built up grime and cover it with a huge hay tarp until we finished our other big projects. The plans changed. Our daughter was griping about how we never do anything as a family anymore. Vacations, outings and that stuff, because Melissa and I have been focussing on getting out of debt. Melissa and I thought she had a point, the kids are growing up and we need to make a few memories. We decided that we would do what we had to, to get the boat on the water, then this fall, fix any remaining problems and give her new paint.

Getting the boat into the water.

     I started looking over the boat trying to figure out what I needed to do to get it in the water as soon as I can this season, and make sure it is safe enough to sail. Well, never having owned a boat this size, and fiberglass to boot, I felt a little intidated by it. But what follows are a list of things that need to happen overall. Some obviously to get it into the water and others because they just need to be done.

  • The bottom is in a real need of new paint. The old is flaking off in some places. (Actually, the whole boat could use new paint.)
  • The lower portions of the keel will need to be sand blasted and sealed. There is a fair amount of rust.
  • The lip where the deck and hull meet is broken. Probably where it came down on a dock or something. It does not leak water where this lip is broken, but this is where the rub rail attaches and without it looks bad. (I do not think it needs to be fixed to get it in the water.)
  • The rudder buhings are bad and need replaced as well as some fixing of the tube at the lower end.
  • The trailer is not finished. The frame and axels are done but the supporting stanchions need to be welded into place and stuff like that.
  • I am sure that there are other issues, but fo rnow these will keep me busy enough.

     Links are provided at the bottom of this page offering information on the progress of this project. I hope to point members of the Pearson group and the like there so they can offer me some assistance where they can.

     

     

     

     

     

The links below will describe the progress of each aspect of the project.

The Rudder bushings and Rudder Tube.