Installation of the Starboard Ports and the Lazarette Hatch

June 30, 2020

Upon arrival at the old girl this afternoon I got started with the glueing up of a base that would accept mounting of the hook latch to keep the landing platform in an open position.  In the previous session I had marked the location of the teak base, so today was about getting it epoxied into position.  I removed the interior paint in the area that the teak base would be secured to, wiped it down with acetone, and then wet it out with epoxy resin.  I also at this time applied resin to the back of the teak base. With the remaining resin, I thickened it with colloidal silica and applied it to the back of the teak base.  Finally, I placed the teak base into position and secured it with tape while the epoxy cured.

On to the starboard ports!  I dry-fitted the ports and ensured that all of the fastener holes were aligned.  I gooped up the backside of the interior flange with Sitka Flex 291 LOT and placed it into position.  I also applied a fair amount of 291 LOT on the exterior flange, and then placed it into position.  There was ample squeeze out on the interior and the exterior.  

With a filleting tool, I managed to extract most of the squeeze out, and finished the installation by cleaning the remaining bedding compound with a rag and acetone and mineral spirits.

I repeated the steps for the forward starboard portlight.

It's nice to get the boat at least partially weather tight - amazing what Florida thunderstorms manage to blow around!

To wrap up the afternoon's work, I managed to get the lazaretto hatch installed.  I had previously fabricated backing plates for the installation, made out of some leftover fiberglass panels removed from the boat.  The new hinges work exceptionally well.

Total Time Today: 3 hrs

Completing the Deck Scupper Lines

June 29, 2020

I grabbed a bit of time on the Allied 24 today and completed the deck scupper lines.  I had to pay a couple trips to the marine store for a few quality316 stainless hose clamps, but with that I was ready to complete this task. 

The two deck scuppers, either side of the coaming board cubby, both drain into one thru-hull emptying into the cockpit.

With a bit of time left, I turned my attention to a few hardware items that required base plates to be secured to.  I started with the hook and latch for the companionway landing platform (the piece of hardware on the left in the photo below). 

Using the hardware, I was able to identify the location of the base plate - the underside of the bridge deck, and just outboard of the opened landing platform.  The hook and latch hardware would serve to keep the lading platform lid / battery box open for general inspection an/or maintenance.  I fabricated the base plate, sanded through to 320-grit paper, and then treated the teak with teak oil.

Total Time Today: 1.25 hrs

Companionway Landing Platform, Deck Scupper Lines, and Companionway Final Trim

June 28, 2020

Today? Today was a session.  When I left the boat, at 7:48pm, the temperature was 93 degrees.  Don't want to come off as a millennial snowflake, but today was a session!  

I started by completing the installation of the battery switch for the high-powered cables.  In the previous work session, I mounted a number of zip-tie mounts onto the fiberglass using thickened epoxy, as well as the mounting pad for the battery switch itself - a rough 5 x 7-inch teak base.

I mounted the battery switch, and using the zip-ties, secured the runs of the cables both to the eventual battery installation as well, aft, to the control box.  The control box will be mounted on the mid-cockpit bulkhead and within the port cockpit locker.

Next, I turned my attention to the companionway landing platform.  I had a stainless steel piano hinge  to secure it to a cleat so that it could be raised and lowered with removal.  I placed the platform lid in place and made marks for the installation of the hinge.  After pre-drilling for fasteners on the underside of the lid, I installed the piano hinge.

I had to make a number of cuts and easing material away with the sander to finally arrive at a workable lid.  In the coming days, I will work to secure a latch that will allow the lid to remain in an open position while work/maintenance is being performed.

With the completion of the companionway landing platform and the aft battery support installed, I started on the deck scupper lines next.  I used a "T" connector on the aft deck drain and a simple 90-degree on the forward deck drain.  The aft "T" connecter will take the water from the deck and carry it through to the cockpit.  I will need to add a couple additional 90-degree elbows for this water management plan, so  over the coming day this will be completed.

The idea was to limit the number of hoses, and force the schematic into as small a footprint as possible.  I wanted an "out of the way" installation, at least as much as possible.

It could have been the heat, or the acetone fumes, but I swore that I took more pictures of the companionway final installation!  Anyway, you can see a good portion of it, but to be clear:  I bedded with Stika Flex and installed the port and starboard companionway hatch rails, the port and starboard companionway trim, the forward companionway trim, the companionway threshold, and the port and starboard companionway vertical trim.  

To complete the day, I then installed the forward hatch.  Whilst departing the boat I remembered that I had not took a photo of this hatch install....but Ill get a few pics tomorrow.

Total Time Today: 7.5 hrs

Cockpit Scuppers and Drain Lines, Coachroof Paint, and Brightwork

June 27, 2020

The day started out as if it might have been a wash, given weather systems moving through.  The fact that the boat work bay had a roof was great; having no walls with weather systems moving through, not so great.  But I made do, since there was work that could be done within the shop, and some of that work would be backing plates for the lazarette hatch.  I culled a bit of the fiberglass from the project - old scraps from the redesign - and fabricated backing plates in short order.  The lazerette hatch is ready for install, and I intended to get to it today but for the weather.

In between severe downpours and arc-light lightening, I managed to get out to the boat to install the cockpit scuppers.  I bedded these in Sitka Flex 291 LOT, securely tightened the backing nuts from below, and then wiped up the squeeze out Sitka Flex.

Going down below, I started work on the port drain line....connecting it to the port side thru-hull.  I had previously cut a section of drain hose and secured it with clamps, so today I worked on final positioning as well as the length of drain hose from the scupper to the thru-hull.

An ~9" run of hose to the thru-hull, double clamped, and the port side was completed.

I then moved over to the starboard side of the boat, and began the same installation process for the scupper to thru-hull drain line.

With a small ratchet, I manager to get the double-clamps secured, and with that completed the cockpit scupper drains.  I also wrapped and zip-tied a length of chafe protection for the house battery cable runs.

Another shot of the house battery installation and cable run forward to the small starboard panel.

I returned to the shop to apply final coats of varnish on the brightwork that required it.  Show below, the drop boards needed and final coat, as did the coaming boards' inboard surface.

The coaming return bocks also required their final coat.

 I knocked off and then grabbed the tiller for another coat of varnish.  With 320-grit paper, I sanded the surfaces of the tiller, cleaned with acetone, and then applied the 4th coat of varnish.  I should manage another 2 to 3 coats for the tiller before I call it done.

Total Time Today: 3.5 hrs  (Time and Materials not charged for the tiller)

Brightwork (Ongoing) and Prepping for Electric Motor Installation

June 25, 2020

The work today revolved mostly around getting things outlined and prepped for the installation of the Torqueedo electric motor.  Strategery is the word of the day.  I worked at mapping out the wire runs for the motor, control box and battery.  The immediate need was for a backing plate for the battery switch.  Inside the boat, I worked out the location for the switch, and that location required a backing plate.  I chose a leftover piece of the teak stock, and with the table saw and router I was able to shape a nice backing plate.

I laid the switch onto the backing plate and marked for the fasteners - #10-24 machine screws by 3" in length.  I drilled and then tapped the holes for the fasteners.

There were a number of places within the boat to set the battery switch, but I decided for the most accessible place - just beneath the bridge deck and just above the batteries.

I marked the location for the battery switch backing plate and sanded down to bare glass.

After mixing epoxy resin to wet the surfaces, I applied thickened epoxy to the backing plate and set it into position,  With a level, I ensured the backing plate was positioned correctly, and then taped it off to keep it in the proper orientation.

Whilst I was messing with the backing plate, I mapped out wire runs and strategically placed zip-tie mounts.  

the zip-tie mounts were handled in the same manner as the battery switch backing plate - I ground a bit of surface to bare glassy, and after cleaning up, applied thickened epoxy to the mount and then set it on the surface of the boat's interior.

Completing the interior of the boat, for today, I moved on to the final coat of brightwork.  I sanded all components, leaving a pile of teak boards on the shop floor.

I thoroughly vacuumed the surfaces and then wiped them down with a solvent.  After cleaning the pieces up and removing all sanding residue, I started to lay down the final coat of Epifanes high gloss.  I began with the coaming boards.

I would move on to a number of items, to include the drop boards, the companionway vertical trim boards, the winch base pads, etc.

I also managed to get a coat on the lazarette hatch.

Finally, I sanded and then varnished the tiller.  That would complete the day's work.

Total Time Today: 4.5 hrs

Installing Deck and Cockpit Scuppers

June 24, 2020

Arriving at the boat today, my first order of business was to measure for the installation location of the drain line for the deck scuppers.  On both port and starboard side decks, and either side of the coaming board cubby, are two deck drains.  The logical solution is to have these drain into the cockpit, and subsequently into the cockpit scuppers through the seacocks and overboard.

So to that end, I prepared a measurement and then a cutting for installation of a drain into the cockpit.

I set the drain through-hull 16.5" aft of the bridge deck, raised 2.5" off the cockpit sole.  I used the appropriate hole saw for the installation, thoroughly vacuuming and wiping down the work area after removing the section of fiberglass.

The picture below shows the drain line in place, pre-installation.  

I gathered the necessary supplies, including the Sitka Flex 291 LOT, and headed back to the boat for final install.

I placed a generous amount of 291 LOT on the underside of the drain through-hull flange, set it into position, and then from the backside, I threaded on the flange nut and tightened it into position with a pair of channel pliers.  I cleaned up the squeeze out and called it a success.

Next, I moved on to the deck scuppers.  Again, there are two to the port side and two to the starboard side.  The lot of them were covered in paint, and being bronze, they deserved to show off their bronzey-green patina.

I used a series of grits to reveal their bright bronze coloration.  Over time they will patina to that aforementioned green hue.

I then scuffed up the install surfaces, wiped both the scuppers and the deck down with acetone, gooped on enough Sitka Flex 291 LOT, and then set them into position.  After the scuppers were set into position, I went below to attach a locking pair of vice grips on each of the scuppers' backing nuts.  I used a through-hull step wrench to secure the scupper, and then removed the squeeze out bedding compound.  That would complete the short session for the day.

Total Time Today: 2 hrs

Brightwork (Ongoing)

June 23, 2020

I had a bit more planned for the day, I'll admit, but when I arrived at the shop so did the thunder storm.  I decided to make do with the work within the shop...building the coats of varnish on the brightwork.  The positive here was that with the exception of a couple pieces, this would be may last coat for the various components comprising the beautiful teak brightwork.  

So, I got started sanding the many pieces to be coating with the Epifanes: in the background the coaming boards, the companionway hatch slide rails, the companionway vertical trim, the coming return blocks, the tiller, the taff rail, the companionway threshold, the aft toe rail 'nibs', etc....a lot!

I vacuumed all surfaces, followed by a solvent wipe down to remove the lingering dust film.

I then applied the Epifanes high gloss, to the coaming boards.

And to the companionway threshold.

And to the drop boards, companionway vertical trim, and winch base pads.

And to the bow cap, taff rail, and there is another drop board.

And to the companionway hatch slide rails, and the mainsheet traveler base trim.

And the toe rails.

Finally, and this was off the clock, the tiller.

There are but a few more coats of varnish to apply to the toe rails and the coaming boards to wrap up the brightwork.

Total Time Today: 3.5 hrs  (time and materials not applied to the tiller)