Great Loop & Cruising Adventure Blog

Left: This is a photo of the two hull sides combined so that the bottom of the hull can be sprayed with white gelcoat. Note the two cylindrical areas in the bow - this is where the bow thrusters will be mounted. Also notice the swirl marks on the base of the hull - this is wax that has been applied so once the gelcoat resin fiberglass and stringer have been applied and installed the mold will release itself easily providing a smooth clean surface.Right: Same as prior photo except you’re looking at the transom.

A few days ago we received updated photos on the new Kismet (SEE BELOW). We are excited and wish we were already there to see the hull work being done. Meanwhile we are busy packing for the drive out to Seattle, Washington. One truck load - that’s it! YIKES!The day before Thanksgiving we depart northern Michigan for Ohio to spend the holiday with Jim’s family for the weekend and then we will head west from there. We are going to take it slow and explore along the way.We have secured a room in a bed and breakfast on Capitol Hill, which is within walking distance of downtown Seattle, until we splash the boat in the water and move aboard. Then we will outfit the boat and do as much cruising as we can before shipping her back to the Great Lakes in the spring.HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Left: Here is a great shot of a mold that has wax applied to it. The wax helps release the finished product when complete. The two-pieces, once attached, will form the mast.Right: Here you see the mold that has been bagged, being prepared to have the resin inserted - when you turn this piece inside out it will become the salon/galley floor.

Left: Here you see the mold for what is called the grid - once produced this fits inside the hull for support. The capside down pan towards the front of the mold will ultimately become the holding tank.Right: If you can imagine turning this inside out you’ll have the top side of the boat - the worker is standing on the inside ceiling of the pilothouse.

Left: This is a shot of the mold for the inside cabin being prepared for the vacumn infusion of resin.Right: Here you see the mold for the pilot house roof. The vacumn infusion process applied.

Left: Here you see the one-piece mold of the boat from the rub rail up to the bottom of the flybridge. They are getting ready to spray the white gelcoat.Right: Same mold shot as the prior photo. More gelcoat being applied.

Top-left: Here you see the fiberglass being layed on the inside of the port hull looking back towards the transom.Top-right: What you see here is the vacumn infusion process of the resin that gives the hull more strength, more uniformity and less weight.Bottom-left: This is a shot of the pilothouse mold with fiberglas sheets being prepared for the resin vacumn infussions process.