Building Our Cockpit Doors: The Exciting Start! (MJ Sailing - Ep 336)

[@tommytriglav5181]

From going crazy at the beginning you look quite the professionals. Excellent job. Foam sounds good but can be damaged easily whereas a plastic core may be more durable so that is o.k. for the hinges you may want to add some filler where the screws and latch goes to reinforce it on the inside. Everything looks very good. Terrific job! Just remember to have some time set aside for some fun things to do so that you and your viewers do not get bored

[@BinderThomas123]

Great to see ideas for doors, which I am next to work on in our project 🙂 What I've discovered, and recently implemented, while producing many boat parts is to spread polyester resin on a large sheet of nylon (I believe it's called Delrin), which the resin cannot bind to, leaving a very smooth and flat surface. On top of this, you can build up the desired layers of fiberglass saturated with resin. I have successfully used Nidacore and other foam cores, where I place the core material on top of layers of 600g CSM, evenly distributed in weight until the resin has cured. Then, the other side can be made in the same way, resulting in a 100% flat sheet that can be used for various parts. These parts require very little filling and appear completely smooth. In my experience, Nidacore works best, and it is beneficial to thoroughly soak them with resin before placing them against the 600g CSM and massaging the layers together so that the resin and CSM physically integrate.

[@TotalBoat]

So much progress in the last few months!

[@williamwhaley7842]

I've been watching this build from the beginning and you guys have done a lot of work! Not that I know much about how to do any of this work, but you have and are doing great work! I look forward to the finish product!

[@williamralph5442]

You are becoming master fiber glass chraftsman…nice job.

[@Gears-Wrenches-Rods]

This is going to be a pretty boat, it’s got great lines!

[@_mysilentblue2227]

I like those E-clamps, I never knew they existed. Just looked them up "3 Way Edge Edging C-Clamp Tool"

[@MJSailing]

They are great, but they need to be purchased in bulk. I have just two, but could use 10x that :)

[@Bigfish300]

This boat is taking shape fast now. Awesome

[@WaterFaucet24]

SV Basik has a LOT of Nida-Core in the super structure and all over the boat.

[@tealgoben1781]

You are correct, basik is 100% NidaCore. Hulls, decks, walls, doors, and super structure.

[@tealgoben1781]

Basik is now 31 years old, and the NidaCore still looks like it is brand new. Can't say enough about its lifespan and weight-to-strength qualities.

[@Cheers_Warren]

@@tealgoben1781 my understanding is your SV basik was built in FLorida essentially round the corner from where Nida-core was developed and manufactured. Factory support for sure! Such a clever build. Cheers Warren

[@jeepjeff9131]

For painting the cove (under the cabin top) you can try turning the paint nozzle or sprayer horizontal and paint the tight angles in a horizontal line. I've done it numerous times and it works great. The main thing is to turn the paint spray to a very low output because you are painting a straight line instead of a fan-type spray (the back edge of the spray goes over the front edge as you move the sprayer). If needed I would follow up with a small, 3/4" or so, paintbrush and simply fan it out.

[@thomasautos36]

Looking great

[@captainsensible298]

With the amount of spraying you guys need to do inside and out, you NEED to get a pressure pot, there's no paint container on the gun and so much more manageable, pot pressure, flow rate, nozzle sizes for heavy primer to finish coats and deckgrip. You will need a decent size compressor. If you were to hire someone to finish coat this is what they would use.

[@Cheers_Warren]

Hi capt, As a pro we got away from remote pressure pots. The extra cleaning ,material loss in the hoses and the twin hoses just to start makes the gravity feed cups so much easier to deal with. If you need small batches its easy to mix and spray . if it set ups up In the cup its very little to replace or clean. With a remote pot its a lot more work and well as lost of solvent required to clean all the lines and then that waste to deal with. Check out the car painters they all use top feed gravity cup spray these days. It took me a,while to change from pressure pot to a gravity feed when they first became cheap. Finally Matt is,using a HVLP gun that has,way less over spray and fumes than an old pressure/air spray. Cheers warren

[@MarkEschWilliams]

Really looking great. You two are amazing.

[@drewgerstein9454]

I'm glade they are almost done w the glass work ,it just got boring. I can't wait for them to get to the machanicals

[@donkeyadaml.]

Great job and video 👍👍👍 Have a nice day 😊Greetings 😎

[@zoesdad961]

On the hinges, don't forget to factor wind gust on the door not just weight. That can put a lot of PSI loading on the door hinges. Go heavy there.

[@MJSailing]

Even though we're pretty far out of the water, a big concern is taking a wave aboard.... It happened on the boat that sailed from Vietnam and proved the need for strength there

[@jrehtil1494]

Sure is looking good .

[@karlfair]

The doors look good. Smart move waiting to cut the windows. So you're coming out of the tent. I would set a turning point or hub for the laser inside the boat, before you move. So you have fixed reference points. Also, finish all the exterior coatings you can, the jet exhaust from planes landing at BWI can dirty things up fast.

[@MJSailing]

Great minds think alike. We're documenting a few references points to make sure we can level the boat once in its new spot

[@AndyWJP]

What a massive undertaking! It must be horrendous having to wear respirators for much of the tasks.

[@MJSailing]

When we started the build I remember complaining about it, and asking Terry at Max Cruise how long I would have to be in one. He said just for the first 8 months of the build. If only it had been that. I would have even taken 16!! 😭

[@DVolvoguy777-x7o]

Nice to see Nida Core used! Half of Cpt Teal Gobin’s SV Básík is built with it. Awesome progress!

[@tealgoben1781]

Yes, it is! 😉

[@DVolvoguy777-x7o]

@@tealgoben1781 nice! 👍

[@MJSailing]

Teal and I have had spirited conversations regarding Nidacore.... And this will help boost our next discussion. Give me a proper boat building core any day --- which can only mean foam 😄

[@DVolvoguy777-x7o]

@@MJSailing awesome! I’m an airplane guy so when I watched Teal refit Basík I was amazed on his craftsmanship. I do understand how foam is a great way to go but makes me nervous when some manufacturers use spray foam that gets water saturated over time. I like Nida core because it is so close to aircraft composite and can sink potted fasteners and such in it as well as do complex bends with it and such. I do love your channel as much as watching Teal and his families journey. You’re both awesome!

[@evangatehouse5650]

@@MJSailing Yeah Nidacore's big (and only) advantage is cost. The extra hassle of not being able to bond to the plastic core really makes it a no for me for anything except interior furniture or non critical structure. Great for a closet shelf. Leave those 3 hidden edges as cut and only finish the visible edge. When we were building the bridgedeck cabin on our cat I just bought a case of Corecell and was super happy to use it. You can thermoform it, it's very resistant to slamming loads etc etc. If you need a thicker core you can bond 2 layers of foam. The extra time and labour to make those uni edges seems like a pain and perhaps unnecessary structurally. Wouldn't putty + edge taping bond the skins enough? The door panel is presumably supported at the edges by framing right? I'm a N.A. and have designed some pretty high end composite stuff and we would never use Nidacore.

[@sausage5849]

Wow, this building job is a biggy!!

[@johnschieffelin3226]

Lookin' good.

[@taterhater7419]

i used to watch you every week. i cant anymore. two years is too much to ask. i try every couple couple months but i cant do it. this is not a sailing channel, its a boat building channel. MJ boat building.

[@MJSailing]

We're a mix of both. We love sailing, and we love building. We can't do one for too long without wanting to do the other. Just tune in when our videos align with your interests. 😉

[@DonFarmer-hq5sw]

What drives me nuts watching your videos on this project is, you meticulously prepare an area then paint it beautifully. Only to sand it all back down and correct flaws that I cannot see and then paint it all again 😮

[@DonFarmer-hq5sw]

@@mattcarroll106 do you want to sail or sand ? Give me the oil can 😄. As long as she’s not going to sink 😱

[@MJSailing]

Just a reminder. You're watching this on a TV or computer and not seeing it in person. The flaws are noticeable to anyone. A high build primer's only purpose in life is to be sanded and prepared for the next layer of finish primer. It's part of the painting process

[@Muffinrando]

Nice job😊

[@Cheers_Warren]

Matt, have you tried a rabbeting type bit in a trim router to de-core edges ? Needs a top guide bushing. Fyi I found out how Nidia core does not end up filling the hex shapes , there is a,thin film bonded to the hex. (If took some research to find d that out!) But in sure you knew! Fyi that's a strong skin on the doors ,I bet one layer would have been plenty .... Cheers warren

[@MJSailing]

I use a bottom bearing rabbeting but typically. But even new it just crews the plastic of the nidacore and doesn't really cut it out. Yeah, I thought the door skin was a bit overkill, but it's what they do in Vietnam - on 1" core not 1-1/2" we are using . Unfortunately, the door is now heavier than I'd like, but still way lighter than the typical glass/aluminum slider on most catamarans

[@Cheers_Warren]

@@MJSailing yup, machining polypropylene (?) is tricky I can imagine . The other solution I suggested in a different comment was to mold in the reinforcement for edge at same time as sides but that requires knowing the exact sizes ahead of time ! Doing a great job guys! W

[@WajidAli-op2kn]

Hey 👌🏻well done on your painting skills white a paint gun..I have noticed your progress..👍🏻good job..I think you need to start dive into the mechanical use of painting , and learn some more on the difference in nossels for these guns and what you can achieve with different matériels you put in the gun and how to apply them best way for your job.keep up.❤️the old car painter.

[@sgttaylor1]

I know it's too late for you guys I work for a company that makes commercial trailers in the UK we use for the sides of the trucks a gel coat finished form cored panels I think the brand is polifont maybe there is something similar in the US might of made your like just that little bit easer perhaps there is a savage yard with broken trailers you could recycle ♻️ just an idear

[@dennispatrick4999]

It will be interesting to see who builds first. You or Delos. You or, Uma. You or, Plucky.

[@MJSailing]

Delos. Much quicker to build in aluminum since the interior is non structural--- if you have professional welding team like they do. And that length/design can handle the weight of plywood which makes the interior build process 100 times faster.

[@stevecrombie5357]

When do you have to be out of the tent Jess? Does that mean interior work all winter and finish up next summer? ❤

[@ageguy5090]

Prediction - 3 more years!

[@micahwatson9017]

I know you're saving weight on this build due to performance, but wouldn't it have been better to used a composite 1.5"x1.5" board where you de-cored the Nydacor to strengthen that door edge? More surface area to bond the door skin to.

[@MJSailing]

I'm sure a coosa composite would be fine on the edge. Adding more surface bonding area would be better for the edges, but as you said, it's the weight we are concerned with.

[@muchtolearn-k1f]

Been following , the channel since episode , "OUR DESIGN CHOICE REVEALED For Our Catamaran Build" . One of the reasons influencing the decision , the MaxCruise was selected over the Schionning , was because the MaxCruise was CE but the Schionning was not. In this episode you are building the door yourself? Is there a process , where you can submit the door that you build for load and water seal testing? Is there even such a process ? And if you do not certify the door , does this mean the boat will not be CE? Wouldn't it then be better to have chosen the Schionning ? Since both are not CE certified? I was really rooting for you to choose the schionning back then , but when you mentioned the CE certification , i understood where you were coming from. Is this still the plan ? Does this mean the MaxCruise won't be CE as well?

[@MJSailing]

The Max Cruise is engineered for CE - meaning the design work was done and the hulls/deck/bulkheads we're spec'd to CE standards. They are then sent to an independent engineering firm to certify that they are to specs..... this extra bit of work to ensure that everything is designed right is what I was concerned with. We had originally planned to build to CE in South Africa, but had to move back to the USA instead due to lock down protocols. In the USA, it is very difficult and expensive to get a boat inspected through the build to maintain CE. So we had to give up on having it certified. No issues for insurance, but we can't sell the boat to a European for use in European waters.

[@Cheers_Warren]

Interesting answer , I suggest you also check out SV lynx who are building a schooning 50' , A completely different build! Cheers warren

[@markuskail1922]

Never ever put your hand/fingers behind a track saw like you did at 3:08 If you get kickback bay the saw your fingers are gone. Have seen it multiple times happening in my carreer as an apprentice instructor….

[@anthonykevinkerr3594]

One problem of DIY is that you see every minor blemish and ripple and it stands out to you as obvious, whereas if you bought a finished boat you probably wouldn't notice them unless someone pointed them out. Sucks to be a perfectionist, but worth it in the end.

[@MJSailing]

That's very true. Without proper natural lighting and surroundings finishes distracting the eye, every bump stands out currently. Knowing that end point - good enough- is where a professional beats a DIY.

[@robarmstrong7389]

Is it really cheaper by the time you add up all the material and time that went into it ??

[@MJSailing]

The doors? Cheaper than manufactured? Yes, but time consuming

[@gwbaker]

You've gotten so good at glassing that I had to remind myself that laying the skins on the doors were actually done and presented in real time and not sped up! jk LOL

[@andre-louw]

Why do you not use any eye protection when mixing with such aggressive catalyst chemicals?

[@rolandtb3]

Less expensive, more work and time.

[@IEnigIMa]

Just curious, if they build these in the factory and it’s a “kit”, why doesn’t the basics, like hardware ( hinges) come with the kit or at least reference what hardware is recommended? Matt spends a lot of time at the end discussing the particulars of the engineering demands of the door hinges when trying to decide what would work. Wouldn’t these be calculated during the design phase or have you guys gone “rogue” on this build with your own custom design? I admire your dedication on this project

[@MJSailing]

The plans show the basic structural components --- in this example, the bulkheads and beams around the opening; their construction and laminations-- but everything else is up to the builder. It's like this with any "kit" built boat's plans. Actually, Max Cruise is more detailed than the other plans we looked at. But they only hold your hand so far and it's up to you to decide how you want to finish off the boat. Luckily the production versions of the Max supply a good bit of information on what's working in the real world. The issue is that just about every one they have built is custom and different from the last, so things change all the time and evolve, making it hard to follow what they are doing at our build pace. In this situation they have gone to a different cockpit layout which allows all sliding doors and no lifting section and we are too deep into our build to change it up. And supplies are different in Vietnam vs the USA, so often I can't get what they use. But most importantly that's the fun of building your own boat. If we just installed finished pieces without needing to think about anything, there would be little satisfaction in the build.

[@IEnigIMa]

@@MJSailingwell you guys have never been afraid of a challenge and this one is definitely putting you to the test. You guys are doing great and thank you for responding 😊❤

[@Cheers_Warren]

If you want to see what they, could be doing if they,did not have the major molded section of the boat check out SV Lynx they are building from a kit that was some large flat panels and a drum of resin! Everything else was 'follow the plans!' Cheers warren

[@blakstar64]

At 8:47 you talk about attaching windows to the surface of the cabin. I remember back a ways when The Wynns had issues with their polycarbonate windows detaching from the cabin surface. They suspect it was happening because the adhesive was pulling away from the painted surface. Are you using this method or something else for your application?

[@MJSailing]

I'm sure it's similar to what HH did on the Wynn's boat. Typically you key the paint with a bit of sandpaper before you bond the windows - both caulk adhesive and VHB 3M tape. Maybe they missed that step? But yes, creating a leak free window can be difficult when it gets to these sizes. Lots of thermal expansion to overcome.

[@blakstar64]

@@MJSailing sounds like you have a plan. I didn't mean to sound like this was a problem on their HH. This was back on their first cat.

[@evangatehouse5650]

@@MJSailing Read the Sika 295 guide (the multi page one) on how to do it. Key is sufficient adhesive thickness for big windows and not squishing out the goo. I did 2m x 1m windows and they never leaked or de-bonded.

[@craiggrocott7559]

What is the name of the song around the 11 minute mark?

[@pmorph]

I'm really curious,why do you put a layer of CSM down first before laying up the rest of the glass on the doors? On my cat (Pescott WRC/Foam) we never used a single piece of CSM as I could not see any value in it, except that it adds weight and volumn. Phil

[@MJSailing]

The nidacore has a texture from its cellular structure that the 450g biaxial fiberglass alone has trouble bonding to properly. The CSM fills those divots and makes for a better laminate. For non structural things like our shelves, we skip the CSM, but for the doors, I felt it was worth the added weight to make sure we don't get delamination in them. This is the only area we've used the honeycomb -besides shelves - and I regret not spending the money for foam. Its shear strength seems to be much higher.

[@pmorph]

@@MJSailing I know what you mean by cost vs quality. I used crappy foam in a lot of my shelves and regretted it-- but at least they were not structural.

[@MJSailing]

I accidentally bought some 60kg foam instead of the 80kg we typically use, and after a few simple tests of a finished laminate, was amazed at the difference the extra 20kg gives.

[@everwind5691]

Can't you just stack them and draw/mark the hole on the uncut doors?

[@tomcoon9038]

First!

[@mikeallensonntag]

Think about how much fiberglass got into their lungs, and skin during this build. Not to mention eyes since they never wear full face 3m masks.

[@JR-mo8os]

You guys seem like passionate builders. When you finish and start sailing you will probably get bored, sell it and go back to building again.😆

[@MJSailing]

That is part of the reason we're currently on our second boat build. 🤣👍

[@Janespony]

Naw.. I think this might do them for a bit..