New Tri on the Block

Last weekend I received a visit from Fabio, who had lots of questions regarding the construction of Arpex. It was only when he was about to leave, that he revealed, that he was just about to launch his own new trimaran. And he invited me for the launch. Knowing that this is a great moment, I accepted, of course.

What Fábio was Fabios project? He bought an old, half decked fishing canoe. To give more confort and protection, he built a shelter. But that turned the canoe pretty heavy on the top, which resulted in an unkindly motion. Therefore, in a very unconventional way, he upgraded his fishing boat with two amas, which were scavenged from an old Hobie Cat.

Unfortunately he placed the hulls pretty low. I believe he will change that. Despite this, the launch showed, that the boat was now very stable and tracked nicely. And Fabio was happy.

Who said, that fishermen were allways conservative, in the choice of their boats? Here is one who is not. Experience will show, whether the final result is workable.

Habemus Arpex - Dates and numbers, and other personal stuff

I've never been very good with dates. Birthdays, anniversaries even holidays are not something my brain keeps track of very well. Somehow my brain holds them for not being too important. Despite evidencing an open contradiction between my brain and myself, I actually think dates are allways an appropriate opportunity to look back, forward and around, to see where we stand, and where we are going.

The post number 1000 has come and gone unnoticed. But today I did notice, that the 3rd. anniversary of this blog is approaching. This blog was born on the 31rd. October 2007, when I did the first post . At that time, I didn't suspect that the activity of documenting my boat construction would come to be such a satisfying endevour in itself. Blogging in fact is a time consuming and laborious pastime. However, I admit, that I thoroughly enjoy the documentation in pictures, the editing of the images, and the wrighting of posts.

The first post brought some sort of mission statement. To today, throughout these 3 years, this blog has kept true to its fist intentions, of publishing information about my boatbuilding project, my boat building interests, besides offering me a platform for showing my art production , in form of drawings and mobiles, and also my other passions.

The only major change has been the language of the posts. The first posts were still written in Portuguese. That changed as soon as I realised, that english would be a much more suitable choice, if I considered that the documentation of the boat-construction should also help other amateurs to motivate themselves. And that was a good choice, which is confirmed by the 68.116 visitors from all over the world, who drop in regularly. And I could only imagine that the odd 50 daily hits, are clicked up by people who come to check what progress I had on my boat over the last weekend. Very few of those anonymous visitors are actually known to me. And I often sit looking at the map, wondering who y'all are!?!

The documentation of the boat-construction has been the main focus. And that priority is confirmed by the number of posts, 325, which have been published under the "Arpex" marker. The whole process, from the very beginning, which was marked by a blazing party, has been documented in pictures and text. What started with a loud celebration, still required a while until something actually evidenced that a boat would be built. Since then this blog has documented the ups and downs of such a project. I've tried to be true, honest and franc in regards to the personal and technical challenges involved. And I've allways tried to actually describe the personal side involved; My decisions, my fears, disapointments, conquests, triumphs and all the wealth of sentiments attached to it. I believe this approach will make this blog a rich place for me to visit in future.

After 2 and a half years of building, we have reached a point, where I can be confident that I will actually be able to put my contraption into the water. How it will perform, is something we all will have to wait to see. The proof of the pudding is in the eating...? Not in this case. I'm eating my pudding already, while I prepare it. And to me it tastes good.

I hope you're still enjoying the ride - because I am. The blogs anniversary is still 5 weeks distant. But I decided to make my little retrospective already, just in case the actual date, the 31 October 2010, slips.

PS: By the way; these days the sun is rising right above the location where the boat-construction has started, in Itaipu, Niteroi.

Mast step

The hollow wooden mast of Arpex will be stepped on the keel, a very strong laminated hardwood area. However, the V shaped hullsides do not allow the mast to sit directly on the keel, due to the spar's diameter of about 15cm. To provide an ample area on which to step it safely, I'm building a stable socket. You can ee it in the picture above, on the bottom of the iluminated area.

Since wheather was stable yesterday, despite of some heavy clouds in the vicinity, I was able to laminate the hull reinforcements around the mast step. This area is now adequate to be mounted with the mast socket, which will also receive lateral guides, to provide a box for the mast step.

Another reason why I'm putting so much effort in reinforcing, laminating and covering everything in epoxi in this area, is that since the mast goes through the deck, the dripping of water, down into the boat, could occur. If it should, the area would now be a well protected pool, from where I could pump the water out.

I took the precaution not to glass over the keelbolts. In case of a repair being needed here, somtime in future.

Taking cover

Using an old spinnaker as a cover for the cabin structure has proved a great idea. The cover keeps dust and any other stuff out of my cabin. It also hinders curious people to climb on to the decks, and poke around.

Em defesa da democracia!

We have only one week before the presidential elections. Good time to stop and think.

Anti-democractic tendencies are becomming more obvious in the the governmental camp. The election of the candidate indicated by the current president seems inevitable. Despite hair-raising evidences of wide spread corruption and seriously autoritarian outbursts.

It was just about time, that the "Manifesto em defesa da democracia" was raised. It needs to be made into a massive movement. To make a statement. Despite their majority, based on votes of ignorant, manipulated masses, government should see that there is a great share of us voters, who still think with their own brain.

Every Brasilian should go there and sign. 38.116 already did. And so did I.

-----

"Manifesto em defesa da democracia"

"Numa democracia, nenhum dos Poderes é soberano. Soberana é a Constituição, pois é ela quem dá corpo e alma à soberania do povo.
Acima dos políticos estão as instituições, pilares do regime democrático. Hoje, no Brasil, inconformados com a democracia representativa se organizam no governo para solapar o regime democrático.
É intolerável assistir ao uso de órgãos do Estado como extensão de um partido político, máquina de violação de sigilos e de agressão a direitos individuais.
É inaceitável que militantes partidários tenham convertido órgãos da administração direta, empresas estatais e fundos de pensão em centros de produção de dossiês contra adversários políticos.
É lamentável que o Presidente esconda no governo que vemos o governo que não vemos, no qual as relações de compadrio e da fisiologia, quando não escandalosamente familiares, arbitram os altos interesses do país, negando-se a qualquer controle.
É inconcebível que uma das mais importantes democracias do mundo seja assombrada por uma forma de autoritarismo hipócrita, que, na certeza da impunidade, já não se preocupa mais em valorizar a honestidade.
É constrangedor que o Presidente não entenda que o seu cargo deve ser exercido em sua plenitude nas vinte e quatro horas do dia. Não há “depois do expediente” para um Chefe de Estado. É constrangedor também que ele não tenha a compostura de separar o homem de Estado do homem de partido, pondo-se a aviltar os seus adversários políticos com linguagem inaceitável, incompatível com o decoro do cargo, numa manifestação escancarada de abuso de poder político e de uso da máquina oficial em favor de uma candidatura. Ele não vê no “outro” um adversário que deve ser vencido segundo regras, mas um inimigo que tem de ser eliminado.
É aviltante que o governo estimule e financie a ação de grupos que pedem abertamente restrições à liberdade de imprensa, propondo mecanismos autoritários de submissão de jornalistas e de empresas de comunicação às determinações de um partido político e de seus interesses.
É repugnante que essa mesma máquina oficial de publicidade tenha sido mobilizada para reescrever a História, procurando desmerecer o trabalho de brasileiros e brasileiras que construíram as bases da estabilidade econômica e política, que tantos benefícios trouxeram ao nosso povo.
É um insulto à República que o Poder Legislativo seja tratado como mera extensão do Executivo, explicitando o intento de encabrestar o Senado. É deplorável que o mesmo Presidente lamente publicamente o fato de ter de se submeter às decisões do Poder Judiciário.
Cumpre-nos, pois, combater essa visão regressiva do processo político, que supõe que o poder conquistado nas urnas ou a popularidade de um líder lhe conferem licença para ignorar a Constituição e as leis. Propomos uma firme mobilização em favor de sua preservação, repudiando a ação daqueles que hoje usam de subterfúgios para solapá-las. É preciso brecar essa marcha para o autoritarismo.
Brasileiros erguem sua voz em defesa da Constituição, das instituições e da legalidade.
Não precisamos de soberanos com pretensões paternas, mas de democratas convictos."

Signed by:
- Hélio Bicudo
- D. Paulo Evaristo Arns
- Carlos Velloso
- René Ariel Dotti
- Therezinha de Jesus Zerbini
- Celso Lafer
- Adilson Dallari
- Miguel Reali Jr.
- Ricardo Dalla
- José Carlos Dias
- Maílson da Nóbrega
- Ferreira Gullar

and 38.116 other Brazilians

Flamengo - From the Cortex series

Late start, late finish

Last saturday I started late, but I also stayed until a bit later...

Entrance step

Due to the rain, gluing and laminating was out of question. My preferred activity on rainy days, is to cut wood. So, I worked on the entrance step, which also houses and holdes guides for the steering lines. To fit in a simple box, into a compund structure, is not easy. So, it took a while.

To make sure that everything fits, I've mocked up the wires for the steering. They come straight forward, from the quadrant. Inside the stepping box, pulleys will direct them upwards and sideways, into the steering console.

Crab claw?

From the depths of my archives, I've retreived this video of a working, saling model of Arpex. The images were taken in the Lagoon of Cabo Frio, in November 2007. What impresses me on this video, is that the boat seems to sail well on the wind, on a straight line, despite the bad cut, wildly flapping sails. Right into the wavelets, which he takes without pitching much.

When I see this video, I love to see the moments of 1:00 to 1:10 seconds from the total of 1:43s. At this moment I was taking a more open angle image, when, suddenly, a crab gave me a good bite, right into my left big thumb, on my foot! Somehow I managed to get rig of the crab and continue filming.

I found it funny, that many took the images of these videos for real, thinking that Arpex was already ready and done. Specially the one below, which was taken with the camera sitting on the deck area. With me trailing the boat from behind, holding the handsling, just in case the camera be at risk to drop, in a gust. I have great fun watching them occasionally.

Morning Glory

Rainy day...

This saturday started with a good portion of rain. Right now, at 8:45 am, it is still drippling after a heavy downpour earlyer on. This ruins my plans to laminate some glass over the reinforced bottom around the mast step. Also other activities involving epoxi gluing are unlikely to happen today. So, I'm taking it easy for now.

This gives me opportunity to browse through my old picture files. My computer is filled up by my personal pictures, taken along the years. And I am making it a habbit, to digitalize old photo prints. Having these at an arms lenght, on my external hard drive memories, offers a fabulous opportunity to regularly remember my past travels and adventures. And dream of, mentally wander around, and eventually plan new ones.

Above a picture of the Museu National, in Brasilia. In the evening light the building adopts a purple colour, that matches its saturnal looks.

I took these pictures during a image production job for the Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. During 5 days I scouted all of Brasilia, with American photographer Andy Moore and his assistant. The job suited me well, since I had lived during one year in Brasilia. I never liked the place much, except for its architecture, and the abundant trumpet trees, which cover the city in purple and yellow color during August.

Here is an image I took in the center of power of the Brazilian government. It is the hall in the Palácio do Planalto. The President has his working rooms at the end of the helicoidal ramp. This Palace is a masterpiece, designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer. It is a beatiful and fascinating place, I found. The emptyness and vastness of its halls ooze greate dignity and power.

Unfortunately, the current holders of the jobs in these rooms, do not stand up to the standards dictated by the architecture around them - exept for the emptyness, maybe.

In two weeks we will hold presidential elections in Brazil. And all indicates, that most Brazilians think, that all the moral and ethical misery, along with administrative incompetence displayed by currently governing political class, is the normal state of affairs, tolerable, even disireable. Speaches that openly oppose truth and logic are openhardedly cheeredby the masses.

To me this situation is frankly upsetting. I don't like to be lied on, in the open TV network, during the News. The prospects that someone who carries such great responsibility for the health and wealth of my society, who has powers to cut my freedom, that he can get away with sloppy explanations that openly agress the truth - that is upsetting. Where the hell are the legal institutions, who should be resposonsible for enforcing clean rules to the game?

This is not a political blog, and this will stay so. I just couldn't hold back, and had to publish my protest.

The daily inspiration

Here is how we Cariocas started the day on the 10th September 2010.

Sugar Loaf

I never get tired of watching the sunrise, on every day I drive out to work. It is allways ashort, inspiring moment. I feel priviledged to have such a lovely scenery to look at, to start with.

For a short and inspiring moment, click on the image.

The sticky stuff

... Just came back from the boatshed, where I've glued on, and laminated the bottom reinforcements around the mast step. I didn't spare epoxi, the sticky stuff. I sure want this section of the boat to be strong. Not that the epoxi makes it strong... the wood and fiber does that,... but, well, ... epoxi won't be missing here.

Apart from that, I've also sanded and cleaned the complete bow section. Hard work, in akward positions.

I forgot my camera this time. Therefore; no pictures. To make up for it, I've produced a little sketch, with PowerPoint, over a picture from last week.

More pictures...

Tucano

This afternoon, we saw a group of 7 Channel-billed Toucans flying around (Tucano-De-Bico-Preto), from a freinds house. These are amazingly beautiful birds, with a lively colour dressing, have a playfull character to match. The downside is, that they have a terrible voice.

These Toucans are not a frequent sight here in Rio. But luckily, the sightings are increasing, which indicates that the population is recuperating, or else, that they are not afraid from humans any more. Probabely hunting is also being reduced by more rigid environmental laws.

Independência

Today Brasil celebrates its Independance Day. On the 7th. September 1822, the then Emperor Dom Pedro, declared, that Brasil was an independant country. The colonial rulership by Portugal was then ended.

As quite usual in Brasil, my employer decided, that Monday should be work free too. We will compensate for the lost hours, by working a little longer for some weeks. I didn't mind the free day, and went to the boatshed, where I cut the deck openening, where the mast will go through. The openening isn't on its real size yet. It is just a first try, to get a feeling for the mast position, and to facilitate gluing of the reinforcement plywood, with clamps.

Somehow I felt that this was an important step. I'm not sure why...

The picture I took of the mast opening, to see how the "mast" would sit on the keel, reminded me of the Brazilian flag. And that can't be a coincidence, can it?

Leblon total

Bia inspired me to this one - kind of "answer pic". You might want to click on it to get the full view.

Mast step

I worked mainly on cutting structural reinforcement elements for the hull area around the mast step (Image below). The mast will rest upon the stout keel. But having the area around it reinforced is probabely a wise thing to do.

The spot where the mast will go through the deck will also be reinforced, with two sheets of 10mm plywood, from top and below.

Red Carpet Moment

This week Adriana and I had a red carpet moment. We were saw to the first exhibition of the movie "Nosso Lar", a big production by Fox. Adri Miranda had a participation in it, and therfore, we were invited.

Madness

Here is a new 30 foot proa, which is beeing built by CLC, Cheaspeare Light Craft. It name is "Madness". Some things remind me very much of Arpex, such as size and configuration. It will be curious to see how the proa comes out.

See the full post here:
http://www.clcboats.com/proa-blog/and-so-the-madness-begins-again.html

Thanks to Dan, from the Proa-file, for the heads up.

Ipanema total

This time of the year, the green, blue, turquoise waters of Ipanema beach sparkle in all their beauty. Bia has captured the cool vibes of our South Atlantic shores in this picture.

Beatriz Pinheiro posted this picture on her Facebook.