Skagit 20 - Alaskan Bulkhead

[Skagit Hideaway]

...simulation of the extension, were it added to the boat as it was originally at purchase. The motors may be scaled a tad large.

[Skagit Hideaway]

One of the big problems cruising to Alaska in a small boat is dodging all the people going up there successfully in their kayaks. There really is no minimum sized boat for cruising the Inside Passage. Preparation and planning aside, it's what works for you. Alaska is huge and distances are vast, so there are fuel costs to consider, but, as professional outfitters say, the biggest obstacle to making that commitment is fear. Rounding Cape Caution is not for the faint of heart.

[GregJ]

Steve, Thanks for the information on the easy steer. I am sort of thinking of taking my "get me home" motor out of the cuddy and mounting it on the transom. If I do I will loose that ballast but I have recently run fuel lines down each side from the bulkhead so I can have two fuel tanks forward. I started rearranging my fuel tanks so I can have two forward and three under the bench seat making a total of 60 gal.. I was planning on taking a trip to Ketchikan and back but the more I look at it the more I realize how tough that would be in a 17 ft. boat. I would have to buy a lot of MT. Dew for that trip.

[Skagit Hideaway]

....in the previous pictures you might notice the sand blaster sitting in the cuddy cabin. Walnut shell blast media cleans off the old paint nicely without damaging the fiberglass, and you don't have to wash the surface afterwards (like when using soda). Just brush and vacuum. I'm going to clean the stringers/inside of hull that way before foaming. I have not tried it on the outside surfaces as yet, however.

[Skagit Hideaway]

Tim,

That is the plan - a real quazi-bulkhead (I read that a real bulkhead can not have an opening in it over a certain size to qualify) with door(s) at the end of the new cabin. Keep the heat in and the water and noise out. Your sliding, tempered glass would be nice, but as you mentioned previously, glass is heavy. The front/side windows in the cuddy are all plastic and I plan to use the same for the cabin side and bulkhead windows, with safety glass in the front because of the wipers. We will still have canvas cover/curtains back to the stern probably, but having owned a convertible automobile, I don't trust canvas to keep the weather out, particularly on open water.

...your two cents welcome any time....

Lance

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Not sure what you refer to as Alaskan Bulkhead? An Alaska Bulkhead is a bulkhead at the aft end of the fly bridge which essentially encloses it. Typically they a have hinged door, but my 23 Glasply came from the factory with an all glass Alaska Bulkhead. Tempered glass with a glass sliding door. That was the hot setup. It was a Volvo diesel I/O, so that bulkhead and door really cut down on the noise level. You could carry on a conversation without raising your voice....at cruise!

I had two latches to hold the door open. This in the event you got waked on the beam or were in some slop with seas on the beam......you didn't want that door opening or closing on its own. It was heavy and would slam with a bang if it got going with enough speed. Never did break it.

My two cents worth....

[Skagit Hideaway]

Thanks Bruce,

Like normal transom construction, the final structural laminate skin is going to go on over the whole thing, after all the parts are glued/tabbed in, so no, the final skin is yet to come. With "fast" hardener and heat lamps, the stuff sets up nicely, even when it's snowing outside the tent. I keep the resin/hardener inside where it's warm and bring them out to the tent only to mix a batch.

I made a quick photo composite of what it should look like when finished. Not good enough to show here......but....there is something about the 3:1 length/beam ratio with twin motors that looks really cool, I think.

Lance

[bruceb]

Lance-
Sure is looking beefy ! So, I'm guessing that most of those surfaces we're looking at, except for the starboard corner, are covered with structural cloth ? Sorry if I didn't study previous posts....
Very impressed with your progress in this cold weather. Nice work.
bruceb

[Skagit Hideaway]

Starboard side corner almost ready for the foam core transom brace, which is more decorative than anything else. Soon I'll be extending the hull planing surface and as I understand it, the challenge there will be to insure that the extension is a perfectly straight and stable continuation of the straight/stable hull surface, and having sharp chine/transom edges - no "hook" or "rocker" to screw up handling.

[Steve_Kiesel]

Greg, those are for the E Z Steer. Here's a tip on those. Before you buy the EZ Steer, mount your outboard and measure the distance between the leg's on both motors. The EZ Steer rod is adjustable, but they come in different lengths that adjust to different lengths. (Don't ask how I know this) Yup, another lesson learned the hard way. If buying used, have the seller measure the collapsed and expanded lengths to maker sure it fits your rig.

[GregJ]

Bruce, You were wondering what the appendage on the back of that ETech 90 was on the Kalakala. There's an identical one on the kicker. They are both quick disconnects so I am certain they are the connection points for connecting the kicker to the main engine so the kicker can be steered at the helm. I have a 1993 7.5 Rude that I am going to mount the same way and I have been trying to decide how to connect them. This looks good to me.

[Helmar]

Joe-
Found a pic that shows the color of the boat, thanks !

Ah yes, much better picture, Sweet boat too !!!!

[bruceb]

Joe-
Found a pic that shows the color of the boat, thanks !

[Helmar]

Lance-
You may have seen this video, here for others to see these motors in action. The boat, a Haines Hunter comes in multiple lengths, models, so I have no reference to what these motors are pushing.It's a v hull....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=moK_3cC32AA

bruceb

Hey Bruce. I kind of snuck a avatar picture up for you...If not ok, I can take it off.

[bruceb]

Lance-
You may have seen this video, here for others to see these motors in action. The boat, a Haines Hunter comes in multiple lengths, models, so I have no reference to what these motors are pushing.It's a v hull....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=moK_3cC32AA

bruceb