Restoration of 1981 C-22 swing keel #10580
- Thread starter CloudDiver
- Start date
This is something I've been messing around with for the last two weeks, small steps after work each day. The teak on the inside and outside of the companion way, it was a mess. Stuff just didn't line up, cracks, and the screw holes were a mess. I sanded the teak and the lower pieces have been epoxy coated. I had to do some repair work with epoxy thickened with teak saw dust to build up some damaged areas and then sand them to correct angles on my stationary sander. It was tedious work, but I wanted to get this sorted out before painting the decks and cabin top. I pretty much filled all the screw holes with epoxy and re drilled them so the wood would line up correctly. My hope is that everything will go back together seamlessly bedded with butyl tape and keep the companion way water tight, or at least as splash proof as it can be.
Here is the entry way assembled before any repair work. The gap I needed to repair is obvious. All of this had been filled with gobs of silicone.
Here is the entry way assembled before any repair work. The gap I needed to repair is obvious. All of this had been filled with gobs of silicone.
Last edited:
After many sessions of epoxy repair, sanding, and more epoxy coating, I've got this lined up and the threshold meets without and gap. The sharp edge where the threshold meets the inside trim was sanded to a smooth slight bevel so bare feet won't feel a sharp edge. Now I just have to finish sanding the rest of the teak and apply epoxy, followed by varnish. That will probably wait until the future, I need to start making real progress on the decks and cabin top.
I really wanted to leave off the plywood cover over the winch, I just don't feel like I need it. Plus, I like having direct access to the winch without taking things apart. I discovered that having that piece installed is actually critical to everything going back together correctly. You can see I drilled a big hole off to the starboard side of the winch handle. I made this as a sight hole so you can see winch spool and how much cable in on it or if it might be fouled. I'll use a router to bevel the wood from the back side. Another option is to make a new strip of plywood that replaces the top two inches of the panel and acts as a filler under the trim. This way everything goes back together as designed but that stupid cover panel isn't in the way of servicing the winch.
I really wanted to leave off the plywood cover over the winch, I just don't feel like I need it. Plus, I like having direct access to the winch without taking things apart. I discovered that having that piece installed is actually critical to everything going back together correctly. You can see I drilled a big hole off to the starboard side of the winch handle. I made this as a sight hole so you can see winch spool and how much cable in on it or if it might be fouled. I'll use a router to bevel the wood from the back side. Another option is to make a new strip of plywood that replaces the top two inches of the panel and acts as a filler under the trim. This way everything goes back together as designed but that stupid cover panel isn't in the way of servicing the winch.
Last edited:
Now for the Bad News....
Well... I guess it bad news but it also good news. This weekend I started my Master's Degree program at San Diego State University. So that's good news right?
The bad news is I really don't think I'll get my boat launched this summer at all. I have a lot of work left to do and expecting to get it done while balancing a full time job and graduate degree class work is just unrealistic. My classes meet all day Friday and Saturday every other weekend, so that cuts into prime boat work time. Plus, as you might imagine, I'll have to dedicate a great deal of my free time to homework, reading, study groups, and group projects.
Sooooo... I think I'm going to just relax, not let it bother me, and accept that I won't be sailing this summer. I'll work in small steps and plan to buy my mooring on Mission Bay next spring (They only accept annual payments on the 1st of March anyway) Its not the end of the world.
Well... I guess it bad news but it also good news. This weekend I started my Master's Degree program at San Diego State University. So that's good news right?
The bad news is I really don't think I'll get my boat launched this summer at all. I have a lot of work left to do and expecting to get it done while balancing a full time job and graduate degree class work is just unrealistic. My classes meet all day Friday and Saturday every other weekend, so that cuts into prime boat work time. Plus, as you might imagine, I'll have to dedicate a great deal of my free time to homework, reading, study groups, and group projects.
Sooooo... I think I'm going to just relax, not let it bother me, and accept that I won't be sailing this summer. I'll work in small steps and plan to buy my mooring on Mission Bay next spring (They only accept annual payments on the 1st of March anyway) Its not the end of the world.
No it's not the end of the world at all. You clearly enjoy the project anyhow, so you could maybe use the boat as a mental break from the school work.
For perspective...
I've got 8 years into a frame off restoration of a pickup, and I keep making up deadlines which make the obligatory wooshing sound as they go by. This year was to be the "summer of the truck and boat". It's not working out that way at all, but as long as I'm making progress it's ok.
LABOR DAY Weekend...
3 day Holiday weekend and I don't have grad school classes, so I guess its time to "Do Work Son";
I've been farting around with small stuff that just isn't critical and pretty much sputtering and stalling for the last 2 months. I'm too anal retentive and always telling myself I have to get one thing done before the other. Well, I really need to get off that kick and just get on with it, so the last really big job is to get the deck, cockpit, and cabin top all cleaned up and sanded so I can get on with prime and paint. So I put her back on the trailer and rolled back outside. Hopefully by the end of the holiday weekend I'll have bright new white deck and cabin.
Oh, by the way... If you're ever messing about with a heavy boat on a trailer and your drive way happens to have even a mild grade, make sure you have a helper standing by the wheels with heavy wheel chocks ready when she starts to roll on her own. That way you can chock the wheels fast before she starts to roll out of control, down the drive, and across the street up into your neighbors driveway. You'd be lucky if you were able to hang on to the trailer tongue while your heels slide backwards across the pavement while you steer the trailer and hopefully no cars come barreling down the street at 40 mph with no warning... Don't ask me how I know this.
3 day Holiday weekend and I don't have grad school classes, so I guess its time to "Do Work Son";
I've been farting around with small stuff that just isn't critical and pretty much sputtering and stalling for the last 2 months. I'm too anal retentive and always telling myself I have to get one thing done before the other. Well, I really need to get off that kick and just get on with it, so the last really big job is to get the deck, cockpit, and cabin top all cleaned up and sanded so I can get on with prime and paint. So I put her back on the trailer and rolled back outside. Hopefully by the end of the holiday weekend I'll have bright new white deck and cabin.
Oh, by the way... If you're ever messing about with a heavy boat on a trailer and your drive way happens to have even a mild grade, make sure you have a helper standing by the wheels with heavy wheel chocks ready when she starts to roll on her own. That way you can chock the wheels fast before she starts to roll out of control, down the drive, and across the street up into your neighbors driveway. You'd be lucky if you were able to hang on to the trailer tongue while your heels slide backwards across the pavement while you steer the trailer and hopefully no cars come barreling down the street at 40 mph with no warning... Don't ask me how I know this.
Last edited:
Er..... How do you know that ??? 
Wow. That would have raised your heart rate ! Glad to hear it worked out ok.
I can imagine the neighbours eyes bugging out.
That boat looks great. I know that an unpainted hull is less maintenance, but damn does that look good.
Wow. That would have raised your heart rate ! Glad to hear it worked out ok.
I can imagine the neighbours eyes bugging out.
That boat looks great. I know that an unpainted hull is less maintenance, but damn does that look good.
Well, I didn't get nearly as much done as I thought I would (as usual). I lost an entire Saturday because I went out to a friend's house to help him make a Home depot run, landscaping supplies that required my truck. He just bought the house and is getting deployed to the middle east for 11 months a week from now, so its been a mad rush to get his wife settled in the house and get the 'honey do' list done.
Anyway, the next few posts are the things that I did get done, mostly prep for painting the deck but I did not get to the primer yet.
This is why we can't get anything done in SoCal!
Anyway, the next few posts are the things that I did get done, mostly prep for painting the deck but I did not get to the primer yet.
This is why we can't get anything done in SoCal!
Last edited:
I used my bleach based mold and mildew spray to scrub out the cockpit. There was a lot of dirt and mildew settled into the gap around cockpit lazarette lids. I'm hoping not paint down into these areas, it will just be too much of a pain and they won't see any daylight. Just cleaning up the gelcoat as much as possible here.
Last edited:
I finally got the transom primed and painted, first coat of Steel Grey. I was happy to find that my paint had not dried up in the can, its been very hot the last two months. I pored the rest back into one of the original quart size Interlux cans and I still have a whole quart left. I'me seriuosly considering wet sanding the entire hull and spraying the last coat, to include spraying the white on deck and cabin. I have a professional painter friend who owes me a monumental favor, it may be time to call that in. More on that later.
Last edited:
The photo bucket editor is not playing nice and saving my pictures when they need to be rotated, but this pic shows the general idea. There were a few gnarly crazing cracks in the cockpit. I used an engraving bit on the dremel tool and ground out all the lines. I filled them with Interlux Watertite epoxy filler and when cure I'll go back and sand smooth. I have some more general sanding and shaping to do before I can prime, but its getting there.
Last edited:
Luke, I gotta say, your dedication to help a buddy who is about to go off and serve our country says a lot about the kind of person that you are. Kudos to you. There are times when we just have to step up and help our friends. Keep up the good work!
Well, I noticed my thread fell off the front page so I suppose its time for an update, LOL!
This was weekend before last, there was a sale at Harbor freight and I got a handy 20% off coupon on top of sale prices in my email so I did some shopping.
I picked up the heavy duty two wheel tongue jack that was $29.99 before the discount... Its good enough for shop work and rolling the trailer around. Not so sure how long the finish will stand up to salt water but I won't launch until the Spring I think so it'll be worth the small price even I just get a few launches out of it. I'll just coat it with grease I guess.
I also got the trailer dolly shown in the pick, I think it was 59.99 before the discount. I had to break out the MIG welder and modify it, more details below.
This was weekend before last, there was a sale at Harbor freight and I got a handy 20% off coupon on top of sale prices in my email so I did some shopping.
I picked up the heavy duty two wheel tongue jack that was $29.99 before the discount... Its good enough for shop work and rolling the trailer around. Not so sure how long the finish will stand up to salt water but I won't launch until the Spring I think so it'll be worth the small price even I just get a few launches out of it. I'll just coat it with grease I guess.
I also got the trailer dolly shown in the pick, I think it was 59.99 before the discount. I had to break out the MIG welder and modify it, more details below.
Last edited:
Here is the link to the Trailer Dolly at Harbor Freight;
http://www.harborfreight.com/600-lb-heavy-duty-trailer-dolly-69898.html
So its hard to tell from the pic, but I had to cut off the plate where the hitch ball mounts and put in new side plates to raise the whole thing up two inches or so. Problem was when you lower the jack to put the the coupler on the dolly the jack bottoms out before it seats... so its too dang short. I raised it up enough so that with the jack lowers down on the ball and the dolly picks up the load when you leaver it (as designed) which lifts the jack wheels up off the ground, but you need to leave the jack locked in the down position in case you drop it. I wish I had raised it up another just 1/2 inch... the way it is I'm barley lifting the jack wheels off the ground, but it works so I'm not cutting it up again.
Unless you have a welder and some plate steel handy I wouldn't recommend buying this dolly unless you can modify it. Its so short I can only imagine the smallest single axle trailers would be low enough to seat on it.
http://www.harborfreight.com/600-lb-heavy-duty-trailer-dolly-69898.html
So its hard to tell from the pic, but I had to cut off the plate where the hitch ball mounts and put in new side plates to raise the whole thing up two inches or so. Problem was when you lower the jack to put the the coupler on the dolly the jack bottoms out before it seats... so its too dang short. I raised it up enough so that with the jack lowers down on the ball and the dolly picks up the load when you leaver it (as designed) which lifts the jack wheels up off the ground, but you need to leave the jack locked in the down position in case you drop it. I wish I had raised it up another just 1/2 inch... the way it is I'm barley lifting the jack wheels off the ground, but it works so I'm not cutting it up again.
Unless you have a welder and some plate steel handy I wouldn't recommend buying this dolly unless you can modify it. Its so short I can only imagine the smallest single axle trailers would be low enough to seat on it.
After WEEKS of soaking that dang-gum spreader bracket in phosphoric acid solution I finally got the stupid corroded spreader chunk out of the base. I soaked, rinsed, sprayed in PB Blaster, then repeated many, many, many times. Finally after the acid had eaten away enough of the corrosion and much of the aluminum as well I drilled a big ol hole in it, put it in the vice and ran a large sturdy T handle screwdriver through and finally turned the sucker out. The pic isn't the best but you can see the amount of crap that was built up and where the acid was eating away at it.
This was how it looked when I took it off the Mast;
This was how it looked when I took it off the Mast;
Last edited: