Boom Gallows / Bases

 The Boom Gallow Bases:

I decided to install the boom gallows bases and poles prior to installing the seat backs. It is much easier to build, install and paint this area without the seat backs in place.

For the bases I laminated two pieces of 18mm ply. 

After the epoxy dried, I shaped the pieces to fit the contour of the hull side.

Next step was to ensure the boat is level fore and aft and athwartships. As my workshop has a very slight slope, I used thin ply under the wheels to level up the boat.

I temporarily sat the 25mm stainless steel gallow poles on top of the laminated base just in front of the seat top blocking and held it in place with sticks and wedges.

The pole was levelled fore and aft with two spirit levels clamped to the pole. 

The poles circumference was traced onto the laminated base section.

Using a 25mm Forstner bit I drilled a hole through the upper blocking. Miner adjustments were made with a small drum sander.

The pole is inserted through the hole and vertically levelled again with two spirit levels.....

.... then held in place with very thin wedges.

The pencil line traced onto the laminated base was checked for accuracy and the laminated base location was marked onto the cockpit floor and hull side. 

Using a drill press, a 25mm hole was drilled into the laminated block forming the recess for the SS gallows pole to sit.

As mentioned earlier I planned to install the stern navigation light on the port aft side of the boom gallows. The wire to power the LED Nav light will run up from the lazarette area through the stainless-steel gallows pole and out through the boom gallows.

 

To do this I drilled a 6mm hole through the laminated base and then through the cockpit floor.

The epoxy on the cockpit floor and hull side is scored in preparation for gluing. 

The laminated base is now epoxied glued into place. The pole is inserted (but not glued) to ensure everything lines up correctly, vertical levels are checked again with spirit levels and a clamp holds the section in place until the glue dries.

Filets are laid and reinforcing cloth rolled on wet on wet.