Tiki 30 Cabins

With the topside panels now in place and most of the bunk work completed, our focus is now shifting to the construction of the cabin houses and the layout of deck and cabin hatches. Below you can see the middle ring frame clamped in position and the mock-up of the roof line using battens laid in place.

We made the middle frame in two parts so it can be precisely adjusted to position it so that the cabin sides and roof are fair.

Here you can see the details of the two-part frame.

Our adjustments to the middle ring frame also incorporate a slight rise in the mid-section to add a bit of curve to the cabin roof. Camber will also be added so that the cabins are not quite as boxy looking. These subtle changes to the cabin lines are similar to those of the newer Tiki 8-meter, which is an updated fiberglass version of the original Tiki 26.

In the photo below, you can also see the position of the Bomar access hatch that will be mounted over the forward bunk cabin. The hatch will face inward, just like the companionways, making access to this cabin from the cockpit and forward deck easier.

We are using high-quality Bomar hatches and opening portlights to gain good ventilation down below, yet retain watertightness when at sea. The larger hatch is for the foredeck. The opening portlights will be mounted one each in the aft cabin bulkheads.

Other interior details include the installation of a Whale foot-operated fresh water pump in the galley hull. This pump is mounted in a recessed box built in just above floor level in the aft cabin bulkhead, where it will be convenient to the cook yet intrude only minimally into the limited available space.

A view of the foot pump box from aft of the cabin. This area is going to be sealed off and will be a buoyancy compartment after the floor is installed, so it was an ideal place to locate this pump.

Fairing continues on the interiors of both hulls. Here the taped seam at the topside joint is being filled with a final pass of thickened epoxy in preparation for sanding.

The bow and stern buoyancy compartments are finished. Fillets and made and glassed over, and the stiffening plywood webs have been added. We put a web at each stringer level since they add much stiffness at negligible weight cost.