Finally... After a wedding (oh, did I mention I got married this past December)...After a spring with constant rain....Then a sudden heat wave with heat indices into the hundreds...After an unhealthy obsession with Morrowind (a computer role playing game).... I finally realized what was really holding me back from finishing the boat...fear that I would mess it up. However, I have finally decided what to do with the thru-hull holes, and better yet, I have started work.
Although, installation of a fixed head is far down on the list, and could possibly never happen, I decided not to fill those holes and to put new thru-hulls and seacocks on them...just in case. This would also allow me some practice before tackling the engine cooling hole. Taking Steve Birch's advice, I finally decided to use a rough round file and a half circle file to widen the new holes. A quick plea to the powers that be..."Please don't let me screw this up"...and I started in on it. Fifteen minutes later, I wondered why I waited so long? The head intake was too small to use the half round file, so I started with the round file. That got the hole big enough that the half round file would now fit. I finished the job with the half round file. Although the round file could have been used for the whole job (pun not intended), It was easier for me to make the hole nice and circular and smooth by switching to the half round file. Before my new found confidence could start to erode, I went ahead and filed out the engine cooling hole.
Question: Currently the engine cooling and head intake hole are just large enough for the 3/4" Marelon thru-hull to fit. Do you think I should make the hole slightly larger to allow for sealant around the thru-hull?
I decided to fill the sink intake hole. I will not want to use "sea" water while cruising the Chesapeake Bay. If I ever make it offshore, then a bucket seems just as easy as pumping the sink. If I change my mind later, then I will tap off either the toilet input or engine input, since both of those will be twice a large as they were before. So I took a scrub brush and washed the inside and outside around the sink intake hole. I washed a large area on the outside to remove dirt and loose old bottom paint so that tape would stick better. I let the hole dry and used the round file to rough it up a bit. From the inside, I put a slight bevel on the hole, the idea being that this would help prevent the epoxy plug from being punched out, if the bond should fail, plus this slightly increases the surface area for the epoxy to bond. I used Acetone to further clean things and to remove any remaining moisture. I used some dewaxer on the hole, which not only claims to remove any wax, but etches the fiberglass for a better hold on paint. I took a piece of acrylic and put a heavy coat of wax on one side. I waxed the outside of the hull, below the hole in case any epoxy runs developed. I taped the acrylic over the hole. The acrylic drooped slightly and did not make good contact where the hole was, so I ended up using some scrap lumber to wedge the acrylic in place. I placed the wedge below the hole, so the acrylic would make a nice curve across the hole without deforming and being pushed into the hole. So tape on the top edge above the hole and a wedge below the hole. I went inside the boat and mixed up some West System with 404 filler. I filled the hole. Hopefully, the acrylic will be easily removed and not have become a permanent fixture.
To keep the plug from being punched in and to further strengthen the repair, I will be covering the repair, on the inside, with a layer of fiberglass cloth. So that will be the next step, while I make my backing blocks for the seacocks. Backing blocks will be shaped and then coated with 2 coats of West System.
Now for the name. I saw no evidence of a previous name on the boat. I toyed with the idea of stealing Vinfalle from the first boat, V265. But I made the mistake of suggesting (not seriously though!), that I should follow the local fisherman's tradition and name it after my wife. Well that idea caught fire with the first mate and there was no going back. However, we both agreed that her middle name was a better candidate. So introducing......
Chris and Janice
V-2933 Renee
Solomons, MD
USA
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Although, installation of a fixed head is far down on the list, and could possibly never happen, I decided not to fill those holes and to put new thru-hulls and seacocks on them...just in case. This would also allow me some practice before tackling the engine cooling hole. Taking Steve Birch's advice, I finally decided to use a rough round file and a half circle file to widen the new holes. A quick plea to the powers that be..."Please don't let me screw this up"...and I started in on it. Fifteen minutes later, I wondered why I waited so long? The head intake was too small to use the half round file, so I started with the round file. That got the hole big enough that the half round file would now fit. I finished the job with the half round file. Although the round file could have been used for the whole job (pun not intended), It was easier for me to make the hole nice and circular and smooth by switching to the half round file. Before my new found confidence could start to erode, I went ahead and filed out the engine cooling hole.
Question: Currently the engine cooling and head intake hole are just large enough for the 3/4" Marelon thru-hull to fit. Do you think I should make the hole slightly larger to allow for sealant around the thru-hull?
I decided to fill the sink intake hole. I will not want to use "sea" water while cruising the Chesapeake Bay. If I ever make it offshore, then a bucket seems just as easy as pumping the sink. If I change my mind later, then I will tap off either the toilet input or engine input, since both of those will be twice a large as they were before. So I took a scrub brush and washed the inside and outside around the sink intake hole. I washed a large area on the outside to remove dirt and loose old bottom paint so that tape would stick better. I let the hole dry and used the round file to rough it up a bit. From the inside, I put a slight bevel on the hole, the idea being that this would help prevent the epoxy plug from being punched out, if the bond should fail, plus this slightly increases the surface area for the epoxy to bond. I used Acetone to further clean things and to remove any remaining moisture. I used some dewaxer on the hole, which not only claims to remove any wax, but etches the fiberglass for a better hold on paint. I took a piece of acrylic and put a heavy coat of wax on one side. I waxed the outside of the hull, below the hole in case any epoxy runs developed. I taped the acrylic over the hole. The acrylic drooped slightly and did not make good contact where the hole was, so I ended up using some scrap lumber to wedge the acrylic in place. I placed the wedge below the hole, so the acrylic would make a nice curve across the hole without deforming and being pushed into the hole. So tape on the top edge above the hole and a wedge below the hole. I went inside the boat and mixed up some West System with 404 filler. I filled the hole. Hopefully, the acrylic will be easily removed and not have become a permanent fixture.
To keep the plug from being punched in and to further strengthen the repair, I will be covering the repair, on the inside, with a layer of fiberglass cloth. So that will be the next step, while I make my backing blocks for the seacocks. Backing blocks will be shaped and then coated with 2 coats of West System.
Now for the name. I saw no evidence of a previous name on the boat. I toyed with the idea of stealing Vinfalle from the first boat, V265. But I made the mistake of suggesting (not seriously though!), that I should follow the local fisherman's tradition and name it after my wife. Well that idea caught fire with the first mate and there was no going back. However, we both agreed that her middle name was a better candidate. So introducing......
Chris and Janice
V-2933 Renee
Solomons, MD
USA
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]