July 8, 2020
I arrived at the boat early today, and expected to get accomplish the major items prior to her departure - in the coming day. I started with the deck hardware since I had plans later in the day to varnish and apply non-skid paint. I broke down the winches to start things off...and set them upon the templates that I used to fabricate new teak pads for the coaming cubbies.
I arrived at a satisfactory location on the coaming cubby pad to mount the winches. I then removed the winch base, applied protective paint, and the reset the winch base in order to mark for fasteners.
I pre-drilled for #12-24 machine screws, and tapped the holes.
With all the holes drilled and tapped, I set the winch base in place. I then installed the 6 machine screws, and applied a couple washers (one being a locking type), and a locking nut to each machine screw.
I secured the nuts tight to their washer base, completing the installation.
I then turned to the deck cleats: 2 on the aft deck and 1 on the foredeck. In the shop, I grabbed some fiberglass panels that I had originally removed from the boat - during the deconstruction phase and decided to use those for the backing plates. From the fiberglass panels I cut backing plates for the cleats, marked for the fasteners, and then drilled holes to accommodate.
In previous work sessions I had laid out the cleat positions, and marked for the fasteners in order to over-drill and fill with thickened epoxy - isolating any potential water ingress from the fresh, new balsa coring recently installed. I applied Sitka-Flex 291 LOT to the point of install, and screwed down the cleats so that roughly a half-inch of the machine screw was showing on the underside of the deck. At this point, I applied the backing plate and washer/nut combo. Back up on deck, I continued to drive the machine screw into place, seating it well. I then went back down below to tighten the backing nuts. Once again, back up on deck I cleaned up the squeeze out and generally tidied things up.
My next task for the day was to trim the bungs on the recent install of the toe rails, bow cap, taff rail, and aft cockpit trim board, and the coaming block pads. I worked my way up and down the rails with a small Japanese saw. Having worked my way through all of the bungs requiring trimming, I then sanded to smooth out the surface and ready it for varnish. Unfortunately time (or daylight rather) would run out and force this task to another day.
I could not yet varnish the toe rails, taff rail, coaming block pads, etc., since I also needed to sand the deck and cockpit surfaces that would have non-skid applied to them. So I turned my attention to the taping off of the non-skid pattern, starting in the cockpit.
I worked my way around the side deck to the bow and then back down the other side of the deck, tapping and trimming as I went. I finished the taping on the cabin top...and then sanded all of those aforementioned surfaces! Clean up was with a vacuum, followed by a rag and acetone.
I grabbed the Interlux Interdeck, necessary painting materials, and then headed to the boat. I started on the cabin top, and then headed into the cockpit to work from the inside-out.
I finished by working my way around the side decks to complete the non-skid paint.
Total Time Today: 12.25 hrs
No comments:
Post a Comment