STRONG POINTS OF ATTACHMENT

Archimedes said, “Give me a long enough lever and a fixed point and I can move the earth”. Like Archimedes I like strong points. There should be attachment points on a boat not only strong enough to lift the boat, but also they should be able to withstand dynamic loads.

These points of attachment where my first job on the new hull.

To make them really strong I decided to join the outer and inner laminations. Normally there is no problem of pealing away a bit of lamination, but to my joy the combination of the NM-epoxy and the new 100 kilo Divinycell gave me a lot of problem. After cutting the inner laminate with a diamond saw I put in a chisel to bend it away, but it did not budge, so in went another chisel. No progress. I put in a third chisel hammering on the different ones alternativly to no anvil. Finally after adding two big screwdrivers did I get the piece away. It had taken a lot of work but I was happy of this strenght demonstration from my new boat.

I included apiece of stainless pipe on each side to protect the hull from chafe.

Here they can be seen from the outside.

This is my fitting 30 mm stainless steel 2 mm thick with two pieces welded on to prevent the rope from sliding up or down. To hold it in place while gluing it to the boat I temporarily attached it to a piece of plywood.

Here it is in position.

Whit the help of a bit of a plastic bottle I created a form. Now I can laminate from the inside and get a new inner laminate with a the necesary distance from the stainless pipe to give place for the rope. When that is done I cut the outside skin and inside this created cave lives my point of attachment. I made one on each side of the transom and one in the stem. Now I can turn my boat into any desired position while building her. And of course later when cruising they are invaluable.

Here they are seen with ropes attached to them. By the way, the weight of the hull came out to 150 kilos.