Companionway Trim

March 8, 2020

Before I got started on the companionway trim, I need to do a bit of work on the port side coaming block.  Specifically, I needed to glue up a piece of teak on the outboard rabbit where it tied in with the coaming board itself.  With the coaming block sitting flush with the cabin sides, I had about a 1/4" gap between the coaming block and coaming board.  So, to this end, I retrieved the portion of teak cleaved from the starboard winch base, and sanded it down to the required thickness.  After a few test -fits and further refinement, I arrived at a thickness that would work.  I marked the material required for the coaming block and removed it from the larger piece of teak.

Next, I solvent-wiped the surfaces to prepare for gluing of the surfaces with epoxy resin.  After I had prepped the surfaces, I mixed a small amount of resin and then painted out the two surfaces to be joined.  With the remaining epoxy resin, I thickened it with wood flour (fine sawdust that I had saved from prior sanding work), and applied it one of the surfaces to be joined.  I set the filler piece in place and cleaned up any squeeze out, and then set it to the side to cure.

I then turned my attention to the lazarette hatch.  Because of close clearances between the inside dimensions of the hatch and the lip of the lazarette opening itself, I need to recess the washers and nuts holding the hinges of the hatch.

I used a 3/8" forstner bit, as well as some fine chisel work, and recessed the washers and buts into the frame of the hatch.  This work would provide the needed clearance for the hatch to work around the frame/lip.

Next, I laid out the lazarette hatch onto the poop deck and marked for drilling out for the fasteners.  I pre-drilled for the #10-24 silicone bronze machine screws, and then tapped the openings for the screws.

I used 1.75" silicone bronze machine screws to set the lazarette hatch in position.

The hatch operated without any interference with the lip of the lazarette itself.

The hatch would be removed in the coming days to prepare for the deck paint, but looked good in its temporary installation.

For the major work of the day, I moved on to the companionway trim.  I laid out the several components of the trim work and began marking for refinement and shaping of those various components.   The first pieces that I refined were the trim pieces on the coach roof around the companionway: I removed the outboard edges on the forward piece to allow the companionway hatch slides to run unobstructed, and then trimmed the aft tails of the outboard trim pieces to clean them up.

I then trimmed and sanded the face plates on the aft and forward sides of the cabin's aft bulkhead.

For the companionway hatch slide rails, I needed to deepen the channel that the hatch slides would transit upon opening and closing.  Using a small laminate trim router and a straight cutting bit, I deepened the slot on the starboard rail only.  Doing this would allow for a tighter assembly and more room for play between the slide rails and the companionway hatch.

Finally, I assembled the various companionway trim components, and the set out to measure and mark for fasteners - which will be ordered this evening.

Total Time Today: 5 hrs