MIDSHIP REPAIR (4)

[bob mitchell]

   So today a friend and I scarfed and epoxied in the the three layers of the original doug fir inner clamps. One thing is for sure - you had better have an execution plan with everything prefit. It went really well today, especially considering we used fast hardner. The curve I saw in reality looks better than the curve in the photo.The next day, after the clamps were removed, the curve looked fine and was solid as a rock!  There is no question that this section of the inner clamp is stronger than the rest. The rotten part of the inner clamp was 18", The sacrf pieces are 4' to 6'.I did have to cut away some galley bulkhead and one rotten frame to accomplish this task.Tomorrow we add the final 5/4 pressure treated pine inside layer, glued to the existing inner layer and bolted through all. The 5/4 will span all new scarf pieces.  The next task will be to start new frames - starting with the one I cut off, which is in reality the third back in the engine compartment, where the floors are steel instead of wood (remember, the floors are the cross pieces that bolt through the apron and into the fames.)