I have more or less finished the lid to the huge locker on our wide stern version of the Didi 40 Cr. I have followed Dudley Dix’s details as closely as possible given the variation to the deck plan. In the case of the locker the lid is a few millimeters shorter due to the extra reinforcement placed around the frame at the point the cockpit widens out. The frame is 9 mm ply and to which a double has been added extending back below the deck so that the deck is bonded to the 18 mm thick section of the frame. Because I did not want just an 18 mm thick edge to the end of the locker I added two 12 mm packers before the start of the water trap. The timber of the water trap is 19 mm thick and then there is another 12 mm ply inner edge to the water trap. If you add all this up there is a cross section 83 mm thick and 40 mm deep at the aft end of the locker. That will be a good strong point to harness attachment loops.
Under the lid I increased the depth of the stringer from 35 mm to 44 mm so that the lid would not deflect during the bending of the ply around the slight curve of the cockpit seat and for support once completed.
The lid looked so good when I cleaned up the edges this morning that I felt compelled to add the hinges and check the clearances. A little bit of timber had to be sanded off the back edge of the 12 mm ply water trap to clear the rear cleat on the lid. Once that was done it worked just like a bought one.
That inspired me to complete the gas bottle locker lid which is out in the cold and dark waiting for the fast cure epoxy resin to do its job. The gas bottle locker lid has been raised 24 mm above the side deck so that water washing past the coamings has to go all the way to the transom and in most conditions the person sitting on the wide deck will have a dry bottom. There is a broad 12 mm deep lip around the top of the locker that the 12 mm ply lid will sit on. I will form a flexible gasket in situ to make sure the lid is gas tight. The edge of the lid back has been trimmed to the same slope as the coamings so that there is a continuous line from the start of the coamings to the transom and a neat finish to the end of the coamings. On the other side there will be a dummy lid to keep the seat above the side deck by the same 24 mm.
If it is wet tomorrow I will try to finish the doublers under all the deck fittings and if it is dry and sunny I will do the external glassing on the cockpit coamings. I cannot make too much of a mess as I have someone coming to measure up the bunk and seat upholstery. This morning I registered Passion X with the NSW Roads and Maritime Services. I must say the staff at Services NSW were most helpful and the task was quite painless. The only disappointment is that they registered it as “unknown manufacturer” as there is not a category for owner builder. The registration number is AIV947N.
The hinged locker lid almost ready for glassing. Note the thickness of the aft edge of the locker.
About 30 pieces of timber were used to make the water trap and locker lid.