Spar and tabernacle holes

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Spar and tabernacle holes

Postby mark48 on Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:09 am

A couple questions regarding holes in the spars and tabernacle:

1. When are builders drilling the holes for the bowsprit, mast, and tabernacle pivots? It seems logical to drill the holes in the tabernacle while the two sides are together for final shaping, taking the locations for theses holes from the plans (pg 250) and yet the PS manual photos do not show holes drilled at this point. On the other hand, if the mast base is to rest on the bowsprit, perhaps it's best to wait until the various pieces are in place on the boat to drill tabernacle-and-bowsprit or tabernacle-and-mast holes in single passes....

2. These holes (as in all holes in the boat) are drill-fill-drill projects with the final hole being drilled through the hardened epoxy filling a larger pre-drilled hole. In that case, drilling these holes in the spars while the pieces are on a bench makes most sense to me.

3. Tabernacle drain holes are in the same category. Why not drill-fill-drill these out while the pieces are on the bench, even before gluing sides and back into the finished unit.

4. What about chamfering the aft base of the tabernacle (rather than rounding it over "to fit in the fillet between bulkhead and deck in the anchor well," pg 251) to provide a channel for water egress instead of holes in the sides of the tabernacle?

4. Are all the holes for attaching sailing hardware drill-fill-drill holes?

Thanks for any advice or experience.

All the best,
Mark Nunlist
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Re: Spar and tabernacle holes

Postby chaertl on Wed Nov 23, 2016 2:49 pm

Hi Mark,

You're right on the money for everything except number 4. Rounding the back of the tabernacle to fit the existing fillet isn't for water drainage. The drain holes are on the forward side of the tabernacle back piece. When the tabernacle is glued down the u shape it forms make a great water trap and the very back is sealed up against the bulkhead and floor. If you go with a removable tabernacle you might want to consider some drainage in that area though. You're absolutely right about drilling the bolt holes with the two sides clamped together during final shaping. It's the most accurate way to insure they come out straight.

Chris

P.S. I missed the point about the mast sitting on the bow sprit. It doesn't. It sits just above it by about 1/2" or so.
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Re: Spar and tabernacle holes

Postby mark48 on Thu Nov 24, 2016 12:01 pm

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the confirmations. I just thought chamfering the aft base of the tabernacle might be a more simple approach to providing for water egress from the tabernacle than drill-fill-drill holes on each side which may become obstructed unless care is taken in the fillets bonding the tabernacle to the deck.

I'm still puzzled on the sailing hardware mounting onto the spars. For example, are builders anchoring all the hardware of the sail track in holes drilled into holes which have been pre-filled with hardened epoxy? That seems ideally protective of the wood, but I think it would complicate the varnished finish on the spars. The PS manual suggests epoxying and varnishing the spars well before any hardware is installed....

Thanks again,
Mark
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Re: Spar and tabernacle holes

Postby Wayne G on Thu Nov 24, 2016 2:08 pm

Hi Mark,
I don't see any issue with a small chamfer in the aft base of the tabernacle as it would provide for more complete drainage that holes drilled in the sides.

For the spar fasteners, as I understood the manual, on the finished and varnished spar the method I used was to drill pilot holes for screws and apply marine grade silicone sealant to the screw threads prior to driving them home. For through bolts I drilled holes so the bolt was a tight fit and applied silicone sealant to the bolt threads and then screwed the bolt through the spar. In both cases the sealant was pulled through the hole as the fastener was screwed in.

On the subject of the mast rails, on my second outing today the main sail bound up on the rail and I managed to separate a section of rail from the mast in my effort to free the sail.
Reading through the forum it looks like the issue was down to my not hoisting the gaff peak while hoisting the sail, also the rail screws could be longer. From others experience I plan to change out the #6 1/2" screws with 3/4", also to use paraffin wax on the rail and to remember to maintain a 45 degree angle on the gaff while raising or lowering the sail.
Wayne Gray
Orlando Florida
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Re: Spar and tabernacle holes

Postby chaertl on Fri Nov 25, 2016 10:24 pm

Hi Mark,

One trick that makes those drain holes easier is a straw. Get a good size one and run it through the holes before filleting them. Ounce the epoxy is dry just trim the straw off with a razor blade and sand the fillet smooth. You wind up with a nice round hole. Those holes do tend to plug up with leaves and junk but that's true with all the drains if you don't clean them out ounce and awhile. I pulled the ventilators for the first time in four years on the Chucky B. last fall and dug what looked like mulch out of the dorados.

Take care,

Chris
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