Christian Van H

Well I has some success with the latch...the cover plate still needs polishing,
Guess I'll have to wait to install the door until I come back in three weeks.
I posted some pics in my refit album.
What are you working on?
Looking forward to seeing more pics

Hey man...you're to kind...I looked for a year for a davit shape I liked but could'nt find anything that worked well. also I wanted to be able to stowe them inboard and did'nt find any that did that.....so just started from scratch. The design was easy.....building them was more of a challenge.

I didnt have much choice with the fridge...my new layout didn't alow for a square one without hitting my hip on the corners. I'm trying to lighten up the interior a bit so the bulk of it is fiberglass so I could paint it. I may get my counter over it and dry fit today...if so I'll post some pics and you'll get an idea about the layout.
No need to be humbled....its just about having the time!!

I havent done anything on the counter weight yet, but have almost finished fabricating the companion way handle/latch.
Also fabed the box for my new battery bank. About 20" square by 13" deep will hold 900 amh.
Did a little work on the davits as well and posted some pics.
I'll leave here Sun. morning so not much time for more.

I got a confirmed booking for friday, so I'll be sending some more pics of the companion way. The new pics are old work, the track is in and is from wood...the edge/sides of the "drop board" are SS. The forward part of the well is plumb (straight up and down) but the drop board/track is sloped forward (on the top) so the track/dropboard just barely clears the top of the forward part of the well (where the threshhold would be) then continues to around the center of the sump/well.
I'm only going to be there about 8 days...so I dont know how far I'll get with the counter weight and latch, but I will get more pics!
My english may be good but, as i'm sure your've noticed, my spelling is ****! For some reason the spell check doesent work. Yes, I am american, from Fairbanks, Alaska.
I had been living in Florida for several years, working as a general contractor, when the first gulf war ended. I had an opportunity to go "help rebuild Kuwait" with a Saudi company. To make a very long story short I ended up in working in Saudi, Yemen and Somalia....never did get to Kuwait.
Met and married my wife here...two kids and 18 yrs later I'm still here. I do travel a lot...if not, it would be a bit "confining" but otherwise its a good place to live.
Why dont you email me...its a lot more convienient way to exchange pics.
james(at)almazgroup(dot)net

Hey Christian..No head way yet...I cant get a seat out of here. I'm at home in Yemen and was wait listed for Beirut for tommorow...but no seat...have two more choices Thur. and Fri.
Thanks for the brocure...Those are some pretty serious specs...I have to say I had never heard of the Challangers, but it sounds like a real first class yacht....If your going to go to all the trouble and expense to rebuild something it may as well be something thats "worthy"
I'm supprised by several things in the brocure...one thing on the option list inparticular....Digital indicator pannel showing water, holding tank and batteries levels? What the heck was that? One device showed fluid and electrical levels?? and we had digital stuff in 73...? pretty interesting reading.
Did your boat come with that full list of options?
I especialy like the profile showing the hull shape, underwater lines....very nice.
Looks like you also have a pretty fair hand when it comes to working with SS. Nice job on the window frames.
This will be my first experiance with Sensibulb...I'll have a look at the Taylorbrites.

thanks
I had anouther look at the 48....realy a huge boat!!

Oups...I was looking at the specs for the 48...I'm looking for the 42 data

Oups...I was looking at the specs for the 48...I'm looking for the 42 data

Putting the weights in a pipe is exactly my plan, amazing!!
It is an unusual set-up....I didnt want conventional wash boards because I dont realy have a good place to put them when not in use, also, the lay-out of the new center cockpit (used to be aft) created a sort of a utility area under the cockpit...so I had the space to let it slide down.
If I manage to get back over there in the next few days I'll get some pics.

My electrical system sounds like it may be similar to yours as well. I realy dont want to put a generator in (I removed the old one) The idea of having two diesel engines/systems/spares on a sailboat just seems unnessisary.

I'm going with a 3000 watt Victron inverter/charger and 6-6v 300amp AGMs (havent actualy bought them yet...but thats the plan) that'll give me 900 amps at 12v.
I couldnt get the size of bow thruster (Sidepower) I wanted in 12v so its 24v..its the only 24v I have on board so I'm using a device from Sidepower that, by using contactors, will swithch part of the house bank from paralel to series, instantly when the thruster is activated....and back to paralel when not in use...Hope this works OK.
My main panel was replaced (Newmar) while the boat was in route from the states.

I'll add a 210amp Balmer to a PTO pony shaft off the front of the engine. The 90amp engine alt will just deal with the start batteries (2-75amp).

So far I have no Solar or wind....might add Solar if I go with a rigid "bimini"
I'm just now starting to look at lighting....I have ordered some fixtures with Sensibulb LEDs but am still sorting out my needs. Have you got any brand recomendations.
My refrigeration is a holdover system with dual coils...one for the DC compressor and the other for an engine driven compressor....as it stands now, I wont install the engine driven side...I should but its a lot of dicking around for something I may not need....can always add it later...yeh, right!

Just had a look at the data sheet on your boat.....damn....that is a lot of boat. That master cabin is incredible....I can see your attraction to that model.

Yah....somebody knows thier way around stainless alright...that would be the guy who does my stainless work. I figure out the bits and pieces and do the templates, but he puts it all together.
My "drop boards" are a single piece made up of laminated on edge teak, with a small window. Its also very heavy.
It sldes down below the cockpit sole. I have a deep recess under the drating which is where the cockpit drains are (two 2").
I need to help neutralize the weight.
I have several ideas but so far the best may be two counter weights (one on either side) with individual tensioned loops (so nothing is lose and banging around.
The next best idea may be some fancy routing with surgical tubing.
Its all under the sole grating so wount be seen and is out of the sun...sort of.
Have you had to redo your electrical system, I'm getting ready to start mine....been ordering stuff.
What about rigid boom vangs....I'm looking at hydraulic?