The swim step portion of the sugar scoop was completed early Spring 2016 and filled with 16 lb density marine foam. The cabinets were constructed using flat panels temporarily
Rough cabinet formed as 3 flat panels
glued together with sharp corners.
Duck tape hold panels until epoxy hardens
1/4 round cylinders make by laminating glass over 2″ dia PVC tubing
Sharp corner trimmed from cabinets.
Cabinet ready for white gel-coat application
Cabinets with white gel-coat on corners.
Completed cabinets ready to bond into sugar scoop.
Additional glass layers added to upper portion of sugar scoop using VE resin.
Cutting out opening hatch portion of cabinet.
Trial fit of cabinet.
Operation of opening hatch.
Construction of water trap.
Hatch water trap.
Completed water traps in cabinet hatches.
Two layers of 9 oz cloth were laminated over waxed 2″ dia PVC tube to make the rounded corner forms. A 2″ spherical form was use to make the corner where the tube forms intersected. These were bonded to inside of cabinet sides.
The sharp corners were then cut away, leaving the 2″ radius edges
A trail fit to make sure everything fits.
White gel-coat is applied to rounded surfaces.
Completed cabinets ready for hatches to be cut.
Additional layers are glassed into place on the upper sugar scoop sides using Vinyl-ester resin, 1808 and 1708 biaxial cloth layers.
The cabinet hatches are cut from the completed cabinets. Hardware hinges and locking latches were ordered.
Trial fit before bonding into place.
Detail showing how the cabinet hatches swing open.
Self draining water traps are made for cabinets and…
hatch lids.
Ready for final trim and bonding into place.
Sugar Scoop Cabinet Bonded into place
Sugar Scoop Cabinet ready for final gel-coat touch up.
Detail showing built-in rain drain gutters.
Completed. Ready for touch up.
A bonding flange is made on each side at top of sugar scoop.
To complete the sugar scoop, a flange was made using a panel template with a hole cut out to allow placement of fiberglass into recess to make an area for bonding the last panels in place. To do this, a piece of clear Plexiglas scrap was cut to size of panel with center cut out and thoroughly waxed for removal. Tape (removed for this picture) was used to hold the Plexiglas in place while the resin cured.
Final panel on port side is bonded into place.
Then the last finished panels were bonded into place. Here the edges are prepared for gel coat touch up.
Final panel on starboard side is bonded into place.
Only gel coat touch-up on edges and installation of hinge and latch hardware remain for project completion. Project length… 1 year, 4 months.