Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Ama Cradles Completed

A few weeks ago, I put the finishing touches on the hull cradles for the amas. The construction from 2x4's was rather straightforward, with the exception of dealing with certain angles that my chop saw couldn't handle. The surfaces that come into contact with the hull are cushioned with foam pipe insulation, covered by strips cut from a neoprene laundry room mat faced with polyester. A very crude upholstery job to say the least.


Now, once the weather cools off enough for me to work with epoxy, I'll be able to redo the fiberglass on the tops of the amas.

2 comments:

Marc Up said...

Glenn,

Glad to see your project. When I was at UT a friend had a similar project, this one was fiberglass but the same boat. If you would like to talk to him (still in Austin) I can see if he would call you.
I have be working with some small boats built in wood and I have a very serious suggestion. Consider using an Epoxy to seal the wooden structure before you paint it, and to increase the strength of the joints. I noticed one pictures showing wood pieces pulled apart at the cross arm joints. This is the worst possible place for a failure. If you are intersted in talking I occasionally come to Austin and would like to see the boat.
Marc Upchurch

Glen Mark Martin said...

Marc,

Thanks for the comments.

Yes, I am planning to use resin on all exposed wood. As for the splits, I've been debating about trying to replace the pieces or figuring out a way to repair them.

Would love to see your friend's project, and by all means, let me know when you are in the area.

Glen Martin