Monday, March 8, 2010

Rack

So here are some shots of the rack, as it is now. I might add more re-enforcements later on, but its pretty sturdy. Oh, and the elbows and T-joints are made by Manfrotto, so they are excellent marine grade/camera stand quality components, and I expect them to turn bright orange with corrosion very soon. The aluminum tube is probably 7075 T6 aluminum, which everyone advertises as aircraft grade. They use it a lot on the fuselage of the 737 and 777, and also on the wings, because it is very strong and stiff and light. It is also just about the worst aluminum for corrosion. So I might have nice white deposits all over this orange rusting thing quite soon. It was free, so that's what counts, right?
I intend to use this not only for the solar panels that I have on it right now, but also I'll put surfboards
tied up to the bottom of it. I put the speakers up on the vertical posts and they sound even better than they did before, and I can add a cockpit cover that will attach to the dodger and to the front edge of the rack and will work out great I am sure.
Another problem I think I might have solved is how to collect water from rain at sea...
I could make a cockpit cover that has a collection funnel in it, then run tubing from there to the tank...?
Who knows. Next is to make a few more fishing rod holders and to add a bracket that will allow my autopilot to control my wind vane.
I also looked at a Nucanoe today, which I might get. Its 10 ft long and about 3 ft or 4 ft wide, and can hold a bunch of stuff, but has a low freeboard. It fits on deck nicely, and is totally sealed, so it will float forever. Kind of heavy, though.