I did not attend classes this week as I have taken the wrong food just before the last weekend and ended up with a very severe gout attack. My right foot has been swollen since Saturday and the medicine does not seem to work as previously. My first gout attack started back in 2006 during my tenure of teaching for Waikato in Hangzhou. China. Thereafter I developed a low tolerance for purine rich foods.
Even up to today, I still cannot walk properly and therefore cannot possibly climb up and down to work on the anchor well of the Wilson boat.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Week of August 15 - "Work Week"
This is the 3rd week of the second semester - which is scheduled as a work week for us to gain industry exposure. For those of us without any such opportunity, we are back to "work" in the school.
This week is the most productive week as far as the Dory project goes. We got a lot done on it with most of the interior of the Hull either made or installed. For me - I worked on the quarter knee (with William), the outboard motor backing plate (not sure if this is the right name), and prepared and glue the thwarts for the back seat. It was good to be able to go back to using my hands rather than sitting in class- a change from the Day Skipper.
2 lessons learned this week:
1) The epoxy mixture with the hardener ratio as well as the length of time needs to get it "right". A smooth and slow lift of the west system pump is necessary and essential to ensure a correct mix. Learned from the first attempt to assist James to glue the thwart which was a disaster. I had to scrap out all the epoxy and hardener which did not cure and redo the thwarts again (with modifications to the center wood joint pieces). The same went for the hull which was sheathed earlier but did not dried out (the epoxy did not cure) and had to be scrapped out as well.
2) Safety issue when using the drop saw (or mitre saw - not of the name; I got to know these equipments names). The wood which needed to be cut need to be back up to the end of the supporting plate on the saw - a pointer given to me by Chris. I was preparing the wedges for holding the thwarts together at that time when Chris noticed how I used the saw. This reminded me that as I get to the conscious competence stage - I may become complacent in overlooking safety which is a "mental safety" hazard
This week is the most productive week as far as the Dory project goes. We got a lot done on it with most of the interior of the Hull either made or installed. For me - I worked on the quarter knee (with William), the outboard motor backing plate (not sure if this is the right name), and prepared and glue the thwarts for the back seat. It was good to be able to go back to using my hands rather than sitting in class- a change from the Day Skipper.
2 lessons learned this week:
1) The epoxy mixture with the hardener ratio as well as the length of time needs to get it "right". A smooth and slow lift of the west system pump is necessary and essential to ensure a correct mix. Learned from the first attempt to assist James to glue the thwart which was a disaster. I had to scrap out all the epoxy and hardener which did not cure and redo the thwarts again (with modifications to the center wood joint pieces). The same went for the hull which was sheathed earlier but did not dried out (the epoxy did not cure) and had to be scrapped out as well.
2) Safety issue when using the drop saw (or mitre saw - not of the name; I got to know these equipments names). The wood which needed to be cut need to be back up to the end of the supporting plate on the saw - a pointer given to me by Chris. I was preparing the wedges for holding the thwarts together at that time when Chris noticed how I used the saw. This reminded me that as I get to the conscious competence stage - I may become complacent in overlooking safety which is a "mental safety" hazard
Friday, August 12, 2011
Day Skipper course
A change from the usual handling of wood, drawing, epoxy, etc... This week Day Skipper is a refresher for me as I did the course with the NZ Coast Guard back in 2003. Need the reminder of several important points of the rules of the road for sea navigation.. The safety aspects and pointers are still fresh in me as I also did a theory course on kayaking with the Coast Guard last year.
Most important learning for me is that on a boat - fighting fire is fighting for my life unlike fire on land where ones just "walk from it". On a boat, there is nowhere to walk away from unless one wants to be in the sea. In the sea is a hazard by itself especially in NZ given the cold sea water. So one has to fight ti "kill" the fire as much as possible even at the risk of one's life. On land, the best way not to risk one's life is to walk away from the fire. Another pointer is the boat is the safest place to be while at sea/in the open sea "even a upturn boat - to be close to it" if one is to survive.
Most important learning for me is that on a boat - fighting fire is fighting for my life unlike fire on land where ones just "walk from it". On a boat, there is nowhere to walk away from unless one wants to be in the sea. In the sea is a hazard by itself especially in NZ given the cold sea water. So one has to fight ti "kill" the fire as much as possible even at the risk of one's life. On land, the best way not to risk one's life is to walk away from the fire. Another pointer is the boat is the safest place to be while at sea/in the open sea "even a upturn boat - to be close to it" if one is to survive.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
1st week - second semester
Back to normal routine of waking up for classes this week after a 3 weeks break. Did nothing much this week in class - just cleaning and sanding off the anchor well interior surface for the 8 metre boat (which is the project for this semester). The class is divided into 2 groups - one to work on the desk to make a laminate from the mold and other group to work on interior parts for the hull, The latter group works is more like carpentery works to make cabinets, seats and other interior structure.
Each one of us in the Hull group was given a specified area to work on. I volunteer to work on the anchor well at the forward front of the boat. This task is more independent of other parts while the others in the group would have their works/tasks related to each other's aspect. In many ways my task at the anchor well is much simpler with sanding, cleaning and filling up the gaps to ensure that the well is itself a "self contained" compartment where the anchor will be stored when not in use and where sea water would not flow into the main interior of the hull. Specifically the works in the well involved ensuring that the outlet to allow sea water to flow back is not obstructed, the attachment of the D ring onto the hull and provision for the anchor rope to be secure on the inside of the well (when and where the D ring is attached).
After initial sanding and cleaning preparation of the interior of the well, I stopped my task as there fill material for the surface could not found. So this task which I have initially plan to complete so that it could be left to cure before classes on Monday could not be completed. It was only close to 4 pm on Wednesday that Gomez was able to locate some filler powder for me (still I am sure if this the right powder to use a 411 powder). I would have to wait till Monday to confirm with Brett if the 411 is the correct powder as I am not familiar with all the different powder of the West system.
Ti fill up my time on Wednesday after the initial unsuccessful search for the filler powder, I wanted to work on the quarter knee for the dingy only to discover that we did not make the wood joint correctly for the knee. There is an aesthetic aspect which Yin and I did not consider when we made the wood joints in preparation for the knee component. We have made both the wood joint similar which resulted in incorrect aesthetic appearance which is not acceptable on one of the final knees. I then have to remake the two joints again after searching for the remaining pieces/off cuts of the same wood (cant remember the name now). Hopefully (I am quite sure this time) I got the joint correct with the grains of the wood running in the same direction and the same elevation (top and bottom pieces similar). Will wait for James to prepare and make the glue for the seats he is making before I glue the joints together so as to economise on the glue and epoxy as the jointing of the wood for the knee requires only a small amount..
Each one of us in the Hull group was given a specified area to work on. I volunteer to work on the anchor well at the forward front of the boat. This task is more independent of other parts while the others in the group would have their works/tasks related to each other's aspect. In many ways my task at the anchor well is much simpler with sanding, cleaning and filling up the gaps to ensure that the well is itself a "self contained" compartment where the anchor will be stored when not in use and where sea water would not flow into the main interior of the hull. Specifically the works in the well involved ensuring that the outlet to allow sea water to flow back is not obstructed, the attachment of the D ring onto the hull and provision for the anchor rope to be secure on the inside of the well (when and where the D ring is attached).
After initial sanding and cleaning preparation of the interior of the well, I stopped my task as there fill material for the surface could not found. So this task which I have initially plan to complete so that it could be left to cure before classes on Monday could not be completed. It was only close to 4 pm on Wednesday that Gomez was able to locate some filler powder for me (still I am sure if this the right powder to use a 411 powder). I would have to wait till Monday to confirm with Brett if the 411 is the correct powder as I am not familiar with all the different powder of the West system.
Ti fill up my time on Wednesday after the initial unsuccessful search for the filler powder, I wanted to work on the quarter knee for the dingy only to discover that we did not make the wood joint correctly for the knee. There is an aesthetic aspect which Yin and I did not consider when we made the wood joints in preparation for the knee component. We have made both the wood joint similar which resulted in incorrect aesthetic appearance which is not acceptable on one of the final knees. I then have to remake the two joints again after searching for the remaining pieces/off cuts of the same wood (cant remember the name now). Hopefully (I am quite sure this time) I got the joint correct with the grains of the wood running in the same direction and the same elevation (top and bottom pieces similar). Will wait for James to prepare and make the glue for the seats he is making before I glue the joints together so as to economise on the glue and epoxy as the jointing of the wood for the knee requires only a small amount..
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