One of the last components to install on the vaka before final painting of the hull and deck are the aka mounts.  These are fairly easy to build but it took me a lot of "thinking" to get it done with everything aligned properly.  (At least I hope it's aligned properly.)


First I laminated three pieces of 1x4 oak into a block.  And drilled the bolt holes.  Notice that the holes are not in the center of the block but are set off to one side.  This is because the blocks are mounted on the edge of the deck and the hull angles in.  If the bolt holes are in the center they will go through the hull.

I don't show it but I mocked up one of these with a 2x4.  The angles and hole locations are critical and a 2x4 is cheap -- oak isn't.

I was paranoid about drilling through the hull so I got the bright idea to put my finger on the back side.  The idea was that I would feel the vibration and know when to stop or if I was going through the hull.  Not such a good idea.  The drill bit "caught" and pulled itself through before I could react.  Here is the result --


It went in pretty deep but not into the bone.  I eventually lost that flap of skin.  At least I didn't drill through the hull


Tim the Carpenter watched me do it and laughed the whole time he was giving me the official carpenter's bandage - paper towel and blue masking tape.

I put some blood on the deck where this aka mount goes for good luck.


I cut the bases at the proper angle so the mounts would stand up straight.  After mounting and measuring the slots are cut for the akas.  I used multiple passes of the table saw with the blade set at the correct depth to make the slots.


The akas fit perfectly and are flat and at 90 degrees to the center line of the boat.


Before permanent mounting I used the band saw and belt sander to round off the edges.


The only difference for the aka mounts on the amas is that the bottom of the slot has to match the slope of the akas.  I made a jig by ripping a 2x4 at a 17 degree angle.  By leaning the oak block back against the 2x4 I cut an angles slot by making straight passes across the saw blade.  It worked like a charm.  Watch out on something like this.  This is not the safest thing to do in the shop and I have already demonstrated my capacity for blood shed.

Since making these mounts I have bonded them to the deck.  You'll see that picture in a subsequent post since my camera ran out of juice.

        

 

What did you think of this article?

Liked
Disliked
No Opinion