This is the part where schedules kinda’ fell apart on the last Dart build. From a management point of view we’re heading into the bad lands. Up ‘till now, the project consists mostly of large bits. hatches, rudders, liners, decks etc. Everyone’s focused pretty much on one thing at a time, its known how long each should take, the math is easy. At this point there’s more and more little projects and they are all being accomplished in a pseudo random concurrent manner.

One could still model this with project tracking software, but I find that at this level its too constricting. So from a management point of view, were flying nearly blind. Tim/Tom run from one project to another and little bits get completed here and there. So its really hard to judge the average pace that gives the rate the boat’s completion.

Last week’s mystery mold. Turns out it was started backwards. Tom realized this after he left for home last friday. One of those “Doh!” moments.

Come monday the error had been rectified and the mold completed. Turns out its for an inner trim ring for Todd’s foredeck hatch. Tim/Tom decided that this would be the best way to go sometime last friday.

Part ready to de-mold.

We Scotch-brighted it to take off the shine. This is to make it match the paint on the underside of the deck.

The outer ring got buffed so it would match the top side of the deck.

Details, details..

While we’re on the subject of the hatch. Here’s what’s going on. As you recall we cut out the hole for the hatch. Now, once cut, to regain the strength the inner and outer skins need to be tided together.

What you see here is the edge of the hole has been ground back, tapered and rounded, then re-glassed tying both skins together.

Next is to bed this outer ring in resin/glass paste called Thixo. Thixo is very common in boat building and is used all over as a putty like glue and filler.

This part will be bonded with some of the last Thixo in the world. Because? Because the people that make Thixo just decided to stop making it! Lovely.

Notice the core in the edges? That’s to reduce the weight of Thixo used to bond in this piece.

At this point everything stopped ‘cause we didn’t want to install any of this stuff ‘till we got the new hatch. Just in case.

The new hatch came in this morning after everyone left for the weekend. So, maybe next week?

They tried to make Steve go to too many meetings at San Juan. So he got miffed and came by to do some work on the side panels. This is good! I will advocate stronger management over at San Juan.

Electronics are beginning to go into the hull.

Matching battery panel on the port side..

I should run the wires, but I’m thinking I’ll hold off ‘till the deck’s installed.

Forward floor. Tim wanted to hold off on this ‘till the hull was together. This is because the keel trunk changed a little and he didn’t trust the old template set.

Forepeak plates complete, fitted and ready to install.

Hey look! We got a blue ice chest. Todd, you wanted blue right?

Blue ice chest, grey cove stripe..

And that’s where we sit this week.