This is the instructions that Wordsmith gave to go with the pictures. I appreciate all the work he did to help out a fellow builder!
1 – shows the various components of each fitting (more than one, actually). The silvery-grey objects are not moon-rocks – they are the xpoxy-impregnated egg cups (I’ll refer to them as such – you know wha I mean!). An untreated one straight out of the box (and the fridge) is centre-left. The epoxy really stiffens them up – it alljust soaks in. . . No need to use something as a mould to then make the equivalent of my cups using ‘glass cloth, etc (not that it cannot be done – there are a hundred things out there that could be so used).
The short bits of dowel press against the deck underside and reinforce the ply web between the holes through which the line is passed, and also eased the passage of the rope around inside the cup. I imagine the deck will be fully finished and lines put in as the last job of all. You can see the two small white plastic grommets that are put in from above – they can be left as a push-fit (they won’t be going anywhere) although I’d secure them with a very fine silicone bead around the edge. These grommets are available in various sizes (the hole in these takes a 4mm line) or you can buy brass ones if seeking that period/nautical/authentic look!
2 – despite the appearance of the ruler at the bottom here, the egg cup is about real size! This is looking from under the deck and shows how the line goes around the dowel, inside the cup. The white stuff around the bottom edge of the cup is where the epoxy flowed after I had coated the cup – it was sitting on non-stick plastic and usefully created this kind of flange, which after a little belt-sanding will make for very easy fixing to the deck.
3 – the cups would be placed with their longer axis parallel with the sheer clamp, I’d imagine. In fact, the closer the better for added stiffness along the adjacent edge. Here, the piece of blue painter’s tape shows where I’d put a short piece of glass cloth ( or tape), epoxied between the two holes to reinforce the web in the ply there: then add the cup. I’d fix it with thickened epoxy all round to ensure no leaks.
4 – this is the appearance of the line coming through the two grommets on the deck, I cannot imagine anything neater and less obtrusive – yet very secure, The grommets could be dispensed with if you’d prefer, leaving the edges of the holes visible – it’s only a matter of taste.
5 – you’ll be familiar with this stage of construction, which is where I am at just now. It’s infuriating doing half an hour’s work glueing down a set of coaming spacer rings then having to wait 24 hours to let it cure before repeating – three times!
Hull will be painted, with a narrow 3/4″ line running onto and around the deck-edge: deck will be varnished, currently has one thinned-out epoxy coat. Varnishing will be done after final sanding off and after painting of hull.
Hope this is of interest.
