New to Me 1979 20 CCP

[RickK]

That'll carry her in style 

[mshugg]

I'm continuing to chip away at the coffin box.  The box itself is glassed with a first fairing done.  I built a melamine mold for the lid and laid up the outer skin.  Then I shaped a piece of 2" foam to fill the lid and bonded it in place with thickened resin and a layer of CSM.  Finally when all was cured, I trimmed things up and filled a few voids around the outside of the foam with 2 part foam.

[RickK]

   Nice work.

[Blue Agave]

 

[mshugg]

I glued in 1/4" x 1/2" strips of Airex Foam to form mating lips on the lid and box bottom.  When finished the lips will overlap with a gasket strip on the lid to help keep fish cold.  The Interior of the coffin lid was glassed while still in the mold.  Glassing the lip was a pain in the ***, but I hope it will be worthwhile.  Makes me wish I had a vacuum bagging system.







With the lid out of the mold and trimmed up, it fits pretty well.  The lid did shrink just a bit from the mold dimensions.  Even so, I think the mold will save me a lot of finish work.

[RickK]

Nice!!
Have you thought about a way to "dam" off the chest so you can have cooler and also dry storage?

[mshugg]

Nice!!
Have you thought about a way to "dam" off the chest so you can have cooler and also dry storage?

Over here on the East Coast, we need the ability to ice down a long fish, so I have no plan to divide the box.  The box should accommodate all but the largest dolphin and up to an average size wahoo, so I’ll still need to use a fish bag for some fish, knock on wood.

There should be no shortage of storage, at least compared to a stock CCP.  There’s in deck storage forward of the coffin that is actually larger than the coffin.  There will be storage under the seat on the leaning post.  There will be  a tackle locker in the stern bulkhead, plus storage for fire extinguisher, lines and other frequently used items tucked into under utilized spaces.

[RickK]

Geez, I hope you catch something bigger than the coffin - I hope I catch that too. I've never launched on that coast.
Sounds like the dry storage is all worked out. Lookin' good bud.

[mshugg]

Here's a picture from a few years ago, my dad with an average 35-40 lb Wahoo.  This one was caught on my old Pro-Line 231.  You can see the need for Long fish boxes. 

[RickK]

Yes sir.  Nice fish - the greyhounds of the sea.  Looks like he is sitting on a 100+ qt cooler.

[mshugg]

Looks like he is sitting on a 100+ qt cooler.

  I think it was the 125 Igloo, the only way I could fit a cecent fish box on that boat.  Even so needed a fish bag for anything decent sized.

[mshugg]

Just a couple of additions too the coffin.  I glassed the lower lip and glassed the bottom of the box.  The original box had exposed foam at the fill holes, not sure if this was standard practice or "Friday boat stuff."

[mshugg]

My May has been crazy busy.  I guess having too much work is a good problem to have, but I'm glad things are settling down.  I put some epoxy fairing compound on the dash and instrument panel area of the console and worked on getting a pleasing radius on the corners.  The big radius was good for wrapping glass around, but this is better looking.  I hope to get high build on the console and leaning post by sometime next week.  Then i'll step up work on the cap and hull sides.

[theFunsmith]

That is looking real good. very much looking forward to seeing it in paint (or gel).

[mshugg]

Taking baby steps.  I got the console and leaning post prepped and covered in high build.  The primer shows some spots that still need fairing.  It's nice to have everything a single color, even if it is temporary. 







I decided to make a couple of changes in the leaning post from my original plan.  The center rod holders stuck down into the bait well far enough that they would injure bait fish, so I am replacing with cupholders.  I would never be happy with only two rod holders on the leaning post, so I filled the outer rod holder holes.  I'm getting a back rest/rocket launcher welded up for the leaning post.  This gets me back to 4 rods on the leaning post.  The wife got a vote too.  She likes the idea of a back rest.  Considering that this is going to be a spartan fishing boat, I don't mind indulging her.  Shhh! it's about the rod holders.



I've settled on the layout for the instrument panel.  It will have 2 Lowrance Gen 3 displays, Fusion Radio, Standard Horizon VHF, New Wire Marine Switch Panel and the control for a RayMarine Autopilot.