[Hovertank]

This is by far one of the best threads I've ever had the pleasure to browse on Sailnet.

Thank you to everyone who's contributed! I'm still making a list of things I need to overhaul, replace on my own sailing vessel. I'll definitely be posting here when I finish a 'low buck' project that qualifies.

 

[Alex W]

But..but..how do you get the winch handle out without burning your hand?

Jetboil has very little waste heat, you can hold your hand on any part of the gimbal and it's barely warm.

The stove is only mounted while in use. It stows below or in the laz in a few seconds using those two quick release mounts.

I do wonder how I'll fit it and a folding binnacle table during cruising season, but that's an issue to figure out next month.

I used it today in 20 knots of wind and it worked great. I like having a cockpit stove.

 

[Mr. Bubs]

for this year will be redoing my headliner with frp beadboard
and also doing a new cabin sole with 1/4" oak t&g flooring oak I got two boxes for free from flooring company one in blonde oak one in dark red oak as they were single boxes ( two small for normal household use (50 sq ft) the flooring company gave them to me
will be glueing them down with waterproof construction adhesive and nailing the tongues till the glue sets will post pics as the process goes

How's this project coming along? Any pics?

 

[ccriders]

Alex,
If it stays that cool, could you make it from PVC coded for hot water?
John

 

[CXsailor]

nice work there

 

[Group9]

When you want your damned coffee right now!

Damn right!

 

[Alex W]

Alex,
If it stays that cool, could you make it from PVC coded for hot water?

It might be possible. I took a quick look on McMaster Carr and didn't see PVC pipe in the correct dimensions for the Jetboil pot, but maybe you could adapt something else.

When flame is involved I do feel more comfortable making it out of stainless steel, but I can say that I'm able to put my hands around any part of the cage and not have them get hot.

I've used the stove multiple times now and it's a great addition to the boat.

 

[CapnBones]

I have a ton, and I am going through my phone right now looking at all the pictures. This one is kind of ugly, but it was less than a dollar. I had this silverware holder on the boat in a cabinet and it was kind of in the way, spilled and took up a lot of space, and there was a big blank space on the back of the cabinet door. I took care of a lot of blank space on the boat before I took it cruising. A couple pieces of shock cord from the hardware store threaded through (I keep a 10 or so feet of a few different thicknesses) and some screws that were in my random screw bucket and viola conveniently mounted silverware holder.

 

[nwsaildude]

looks good on the silverware - good job

 

[Tim R.]

I have a ton, and I am going through my phone right now looking at all the pictures. This one is kind of ugly, but it was less than a dollar. I had this silverware holder on the boat in a cabinet and it was kind of in the way, spilled and took up a lot of space, and there was a big blank space on the back of the cabinet door. I took care of a lot of blank space on the boat before I took it cruising. A couple pieces of shock cord from the hardware store threaded through (I keep a 10 or so feet of a few different thicknesses) and some screws that were in my random screw bucket and viola conveniently mounted silverware holder.

Nice. We did something similar but with a bamboo basket we purchased from Amazon. More than a buck but not bad.

 

[This Old Sailboat]

Don't know if it technically qualifies as a low-buck project because if you DIY, it shouldn't cost over $100 but I refinished my exterior and companionway teak woodwork this past winter for around $60. Here's a link to the post on my blog. There's a few unusual points in it like simple jigs for varnishing parts, adding epoxy edge armor on the crib boards, and replacing the lock hasp for a cylinder lock, so I hope you find some useful ideas.

Enjoy!

$tingy Sailor

 

[ultraclyde]

The Vagabond 14 I just bought almost qualifies as a low-buck project as a whole at $600 for boat and trailer, but like most cheap boats it needed some repairs before getting it wet again. The original rudder (and centerboard) had rotted and the previous owner had replacements made by a local cabinet maker, templeted from the originals and using the original hardware. I'm not sure what happened to the original tiller, but the replacement was an 18" piece of 1'x2" red oak that had been cut into a long thin triangl. The front end was barely 1/4" thick, ramping up to 2" at the back. It was far too short and flimsy to work the linkage that kicks up the rudder, so I needed a new tiller. I really wanted one of the pretty, formed, laminated wood ones but I'm not putting a $100 tiller on a $600 boat.

My answer? A beautifully formed, solid piece of American Hickory. Specifically, a $10 replacement axe handle from the local hardware big box. With a little cut-and-fit on the blade end to fit it into the rudder assembly, I think it will work great. It's a little bulky for such a small boat, so I may go back and trim the end handle a bit. I'll probably use it this summer and see how I like it, then hit it with some spar urethane this winter.

I'll post pics later, having trouble uploading currently.

EDIT: as promised, pic of the Ten Dollar Tiller:

 

[This Old Sailboat]

A complete, commercially produced bimini top for my C22 for under $100 shipped I added some extras to it that pushed my total installation cost to over $100, but if you want to do a stationary installation, no additional purchases are necessary.

All the details and more pictures are on my blog in Budget bimini top solution.

Cheap shade!

 

[SloopJonB]

EDIT: as promised, pic of the Ten Dollar Tiller:

I'd leave it alone - the axe handle end has a certain style.

 

[CharlzO]

I'm contemplating the same solution, actually. I just have to slice off the tapered back end to give enough width to mount on my rudder cap, but I do find it's a unique style indeed.

 

[ultraclyde]

Thanks. I did cut off the tapered part that normally goes into the axe head, and I cut and sanded what is now the top & bottom to make a flat surface for mounting hardware.

I took the boat out for the first time yesterday. It works pretty well, but it could have been about 8" longer to be perfect. Time to go back for that rake handle and make a hiking stick...

 

[shadowraiths]

Last year, to keep flying critters (especially bees) from flying into my cabin, I picked up some netting from the army surplus. Since that time I have been playing around with 3D printing. So, I decided to make a drop-in screen for my companionway. To do this, I am using a screen frame kit, with my own 3D printed corner brackets. I haven't put it together. Yet. However, I have checked to see if these things fit the frame (they do) as well as verifying the angles are correct (they are). Now it is a matter of cutting the thing to size, and installing the screen on the frame. Following is the cost breakdown (sans tax):

Screen Kit: $15
Black nylon screen: $5
Printed Brackets: 22 grams ( ~ 75¢)

Total: $20.75

Here's a pic of the 3D printed brackets including a couple kit brackets for reference.

P.s. yeah, I know. Fluorescent green. I save my black & white filament for things like my raspberry pi / go pro mounting system.

Oh, and. Printing bots. Of course. ^_~

 

[dvuyxx]

Cool. I can't wait until I'm 3D printing parts. The future is here!

 

[SloopJonB]

I'm holding out for one that prints stainless steel parts.

 

[shadowraiths]

Cool. I can't wait until I'm 3D printing parts. The future is here!

I must admit, it's a blast. Here's a non-boating item I printed...

... for the challenge, of course.

As for printing marine items? I've been pondering various possibilities. There are some considerations, however. For example, PLA is biodegradable, since it's pretty much made from vegetable oil extracts. So, it would not handle the weather. ABS, isn't. In fact, Legos are made from an injection molded ABS process. Otoh, FDM printing is much more rough than high-end 3D printing, as the melted plastic is laid down in layers. That, and the tensile strength is not that great for anything that depends on serious force (as most marine items, do). I have been experimenting t-glase, which can allegedly withstand a sledge hammer. The printed item's strength, however, depends upon two factors: tensile strength and layer adhesion. A too-hot t-glase print generates a fused mess. While too-cool prints result in parts that break apart at the layers.

So, the abbrev of the above tl;dr?

Printing things like screen brackets, curtain mounting blocks... basically things that can deal with odd-boat shapes, and even a few of those plastic pieces you find at hardware stores (i.e., spacers, etc), is great. Printing things that can withstand forces and weather? Not so much.

I'm holding out for one that prints stainless steel parts.

Yeah, that would be really nice. One guy is working on designing a metal extruder, though he's using solder for his filament. Would be interesting to see how far he gets. In the meantime, printing services, such as shapeways, who offer metal prints, use the lost wax process. Primarily bc, the challenge with metal printing is similar to that of t-glase: layer adhesion. Lost wax removes that from the equation.