Here are build images of the Sea Rider 15R frame. I have yet to get to the skinning stage.Started the build around mid-January 2008 and took me till about end March 2008 to build the frame fully ready for the PVC skin.Worked about 120 hours so far spread out over a few weeks. Click on the thumbnail images on the right ==>
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One view of the completed Sea Rider 15R frame.
I used 19 mm ( 3/4") T6036 grade aluminium tubes entirely. Even the inserts were fabricated from the same tube. See the Making Inserts tab above.
The separators are 10 mm plywood covered by 3 oz glass cloth and West epoxy, left over from an earlier boat project. I opted to make the snap on connnectors from small pieces of cheap kitchen chopping board.
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A view of the completed Sea Rider 15R frame .I decided to use the aluminium free standing coaming . I made the coaming out of the same 19 mm (3/4") aluminium tube.
It was not very easy bending the large dia tube to conform to the rather small radius. Made a few dents in the tube. Maybe I will change it later-- use the proven architectural builders method -- fill the tube with sand prior to bending.
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The Garden Shed Workshop
A view of my garden shed workshop. Unlike the earlier boat, the wife said, no building in the garage.. so I made a make-shift work table with a recycle bin serving as my seat whilst working. The little centipedes loved all that filing and cutting noises, so me thinks, as they kept to themselves.
Notice the printed manual with the Sea Otter image, to serve as an inspiration!!!!! -
Here is the completed frame, with just a bit of filing and smoothening here and there will be ready for the skin.
The cross-frames are 10 mm plywood covered with 3 oz glass cloth and epoxy resin on both sides.
I used small pieces of kitchen chopping board to make the hdpe snap-ons.
Notice the use of the home ladder strong-back. -
The all important Seat
This is the approach I took to build the seat. I mounted two aluminium rails just above the chine stringers and slung a tight support like a beach chair. The cloth is polyester from a discarded shower curtain.I stiched together 4 layers for a nice firm support. Checked it out and its sweet on the butt !!! Power comes from a well seated butt.
When seated the cloth takes on a well rounded shape and the bottom almost touches the keel stringer.
Nice low centre-of-gravity. -
This is the end of the seat support rail.The steps serves two functions. Primarily, it locks the rail between the the two sections: Section 3 and 4 in the case of the Sea Rider.No need for any additional fasteners.The other function in combination with the hdpe end clamps is to sit firmly on the sections
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Close-up of the seat clamp.
The seat clamp and the chine snap-on are one piece. If I redo the frame section, I would probably make the seat clamp hole part of the section itself.