[BirdBrain333]

Dear folks,

I also am thinking about installing an electric windlass (Lofrans Tigres) on Kenlanu (PSC 37) and will need to raise it up off the bow by 3 to 4." Thumper at PS sells a kit including a fiberglass "spacer" to do this. Being cheap I am thinking of fabricating the same from 3 or 4 layers of SeaBoard bonded together. I have a couple of questions: 1) Does SeaBoard have the structural strength or might it compress over time especially on the forward end; and 2) Do I need to bond the layers together (requires about $100 worth of special glue and applicator) or can I just seal the layers with 4200 in combination with screws to provide mechanical bond); and 3) will the windlass to StarBoard joint leak if the caulk does not adhere to the StarBoard?

Thanks, Jay

P.S. thanks to everyone who contributed to the recent discussions on the electric windlass on PSC boats threads -- they were most helpful.

 

[mondofromredondo]

Jay,
Great thread as i'm dealing with that dilemna at the moment. Compression is an important issue to consider as the loads to fasteners can change dramatically as the windlass / deck flex towards the bow roller. I spoke with an old hand who has done many installs of windlasses and he tried to point me away from laminated teak to use Seaboard. As u have noted you will have to do your own laminating which entails some pricey glue. Certainly the Plastic'ish material would hold up to moisture and perhaps compression better than teak and its already a nice shade of white out of the box.
In my situation I will need to mount the lighthouse slightly off center to get the chain to align fair with the bow roller which places the baseplate approximately a 1 1/4" off of the 1/2" high risen pad already existing into the deck from the factory. This will require me to cut the relief in the seaboard to accomodate this rise so that the seaboard can be supported on the cambered part of the deck as well as the flat windlass deck. Costwise I can only guess my teak spacer will set me back $400 when said and done. Seaboard can't be much more than that.

I know this is of little importance but having seen the tigress on a boat on my dock I couldn't help but see the beginning of some oxidation on the outer aluminum housing. Aluminum in my estimation does not age well in an ocean environment. My thoughts were that a painted version of the tigress might be a better choice if one were available.

I will be very interested to hear more about Seaboard and its compressive properties from the group as if it is workable then I think it will make for a very low maintenance option. I'm certainly no expert but i would think that 4200 would be very satisfactory given your going to be pulling this sandwhich'ed laminate of seaboard together with (4) or more large bolts thru the deck into your backing plate.

 

[DaveMancini]

If it were my boat, I would go Thumper's way. Seaboard is very "greasy" and very difficult to glue to itself or anything else. Your windlass is going to experience high horizontal loads. The last thing you want is several layers of that stuff sliding around under your windlass while at anchor in a gale. Fiberglass (G10, etc.), on the other hand, bonds very strongly to itself with epoxy.

There are other materials as well. Our teak windlass pad has served well through eight years of rigorous use. No problems. We are at anchor sometimes for months. Just pick a good straight grained piece.

Dave Mancini
PSC34 Swan

 

[mondofromredondo]

Thats good info Dave,

Regarding the Teak spacer. Can you tell me if your grain is running fore/aft or inbd/otbd ? Seems fore/aft would make the most sense.

Thanks

 

[dhhowes]

Hi, Jay and others,
We are getting ready to install the Lofrans Tigres on Margalo and have decided to use G10. It is much more rigid and easier to glue. Just looked at the installation on another PS 37 done at Pacific Seacraft. It is 2 1/2 inches high, by 10 1/4 long, and 9 1/2 wide. It looks like a very clean installation.

David Howes
PS 37 Margalo

 

[DaveMancini]

Mondo,

I laminated the pad using 1/2" teak, all from the same board with the grain reversed on each succeeding lamination (not at right angles, but just reversed). The grain was as vertical as I could find. I aligned the grain thwart ships because my windlass is longest that way. I used West System epoxy. I used 60 grit paper to rough up the surfaces and acetone to remove pollutants and oils. Do not use excessive clamping force. After the pad was shaped I put three coats of epoxy on it, then I painted (yes, painted) three coats of Pettit Unepoxy Brightwork Brown on it. I put another coat every year.

If your windlass is longest fore and aft, you may need to align that way depending on how wide your planks are, although edge lamination is an option

Dave

 

[BirdBrain333]

Dear Dave and David,

Thank you. You are absolutely right that this would be a LOUSY use of a great product. Even if I glued it with the special ($100) glue the caulk between the pad and windlass and or pad and boat would never work. Thanks for great common sense. I may laminate up layers of good marine ply (eliminates expansion and contraction) with epoxy paint it. Easy to shape to the deck & etc.

Thanks again for the reality check,

Jay
SV Kenlanu on the hard in Bangor, Maine

 

[DaveMancini]

You're welcome Jay.

Mondo,

I forgot to mention the need to use West System's microfiber filler for laminating the teak. Mix it to the consistency of mayonnaise and, again, don't over clamp.

Dave

 

[mondofromredondo]

Excellent info Dave and was much needed. I've decided to go the teak route and will fab as u have. However the base of the Lighthouse is about 10" X 12" and I'll be mounting about 2" off center I expect the teak spacer to need to be machined to accomodate the camber of the deck as well as the transition radius upto the flat "as molded" windlass mounting surface. Not sure if I'll be painting but at least resin coated and of course I'll be using the microfiber filler as mentioned.

Thanks so much Dave !!

 

[PorFin]

...

I know this is of little importance but having seen the tigress on a boat on my dock I couldn't help but see the beginning of some oxidation on the outer aluminum housing. Aluminum in my estimation does not age well in an ocean environment. My thoughts were that a painted version of the tigress might be a better choice if one were available.

Purely anecdotal, but I've had no issues with corrosion on our non-painted Tigres. I was a little worried about getting the stainless fasteners out of the port side cover when I did an overhaul a few years back, but my concerns were unwarranted.

Like all things, YMMV...

 

[DaveMancini]

Mondo,

One last thing: if you don't paint, the epoxy resin will have to be coated with something to block UV which destroys West epoxy in short order. Several coats of a good varnish with a UV block like Epifanes gloss works well.

Dave

 

[niftynickers]

Just to add a bit of hard-earned info in construction material to the mix--When installing the new engine in NiftyNickers I had to raise the engine bed 2",obviously a lot of weight vibrating and torquing.After searching I discovered structural fiberglass boards.These are very dense,very strong, dielectrical structural material.They are sold in various thicknesses and lengths by McMaster Carr among other vendors. Being made of fiberglass and epoxy they are easily epoxied and glassed and unaffected by moisture .

good luck,

Dianne and Chuck Burke S/V NiftyNickers C37 #139