Fiddles for and Installation of the Lazarette Shelving

December 18, 2019

With the lazarette locker painted out it was now time to finish off the shelving, and get them installed.  I started by completing the fiddles for the inboard and aft edges of the shelving.  The fiddles will serve to 'mildly' secure contents that may be place on top, though a restraining system must be used to ensure loose contents do not fly around the locker area and inflicting damage.

I used off-cuts from the teak stock for the fiddles, and shaped a pleasing curve onto the ends, along with a rabbit cut into the bottom to accept the shelf edge.

I secured the fiddles to the shelves from the bottom.  I first marked the locations for the #10 1.5" fasteners, drilled pilot holes in both shelves and each of the fiddles, and then drilled countersinks in the shelving.

Using clamps, I secured the fiddles with the #10 fasteners, one at a time.

The shelving for the lazarette locker complete, and ready for installation.

Prior to installing them, I took the opportunity to apply protecting tape to the inside facing and ends of the fiddles.  It would be much easier to apply the tape now; the tape will protect the teak when I finish painting the tops of the shelves.

I then walked the shelves over to the boat, and placed them in situ.  I marked points along the outboard and forward edges of the shelves where the tabbing would be installed.  I then pulled the shelves back out of the boat.  

On the aft deck, I proceeded to tape off the areas around where the biaxial tabbing would be applied; again, I was protecting the broader surface of the shelves from the epoxy resin.  

It was now time to begin cutting and applying the tabbing.  I cut two layers of 4" tape for each location where the tabbing would be applied.

After wetting out all of the tabbing to be applied, I headed over to the boat and wet out the surfaces of the boat and the shelving.  Wetting out the shelving prior to installing the tabbing would protect against the wood surface over-absorbing resin and 'starving' the fiberglass from the resin it needs for maximum strength.

After applying a fillet of thickened epoxy along the transition from shelf-to-hull, I applied the two layers to each of the locations calling for tabbing.  I finished things off with a layer of peel ply in order to reduce the need for water-washing and sanding prior to painting.

Total Time Today: 4 hrs