Bow Eye

[steamer]

Hello All,

Last fall I brought my boat out for one last hurra on Halloween day.

The rain was coming and there was a 20-35 knot wind. It was all uneventful, albiet wet, until it came time to put her on the trailer. The result...long story short, the rather stout bow eye was bent beyond all recognition.

Well. I repaired the very minor stem damage and cut what was left of the bow eye off. I decided on an even stouter redesign of the bow eye.

I purchased a 10 cwt manganese bronze shackle and made a shouldered eye bolt for it to mount on. The bolt is made from billet silicon bronze. My numbers say I can hang the whole boat and passengers from this! I came out very nice. I get to put it on tomorrow if the rain holds off.

The ball was turned using the "trig" method. I made a spreadsheet and calculated the sine of the angle for various positions from 0 to about 160 degrees. I then plunge cut to the associated radius. Did every 4 degrees and then smoothed it over with a file.

The material is tough! VERY stringy and difficult. But the turned finish is nice

Dave

 

[90LX_Notch]

Dave,

Thats nice! Thm:

Bob

 

[Captain Jerry]

Dave,

Pretty. What lady wouldn't appreciate this beautiful jewelry?

Jerry

 

[Maryak]

Dave,

Very nice. :bow:

I could have done with your help when I blew the bow eye off a tug by driving it into a wharf, helm hard over and hoped she would turn in the very narrow confines of the dock. Turn she did but not before the bow eye and a section of the keel whistled past the wheelhouse and the pusher tyres on the bow gracefully slid under water.

Best Regards
Bob