I am wondering if anyone else has addressed this issue. I have a starwind 27 with an interior liner that goes against the wall nearly to the top of the cabin. I need to re-bed my deck hardware, and I cannot reach the hardware because of this liner. What are some creative solutions that people have come up with to gain access to the bottom side of the hardware without completely destroying the interior?
Interior Liner in the way
- Thread starter whichislandnext
- Start date
Locate the areas that hide the thru cabin fasteners and cut the headliner back starting at the center of the area you will need open. Cut diagonal lines out to the extent of the open area you will need and that will be the area you must then cover. I like the idea Ken suggested, but we have always used varnished wooden cover plates made to the size needed. Depending on the type of overhead you might need to glue (epoxy) wooden strips to the underside of the cabin top (above the headliner) to screw the wooden covers in place. If you do use the cutting method trim the points of the cuts you make so a permanent opening. Cut as little as possible.
On one boat I had, I drilled holes with a hole saw big enough for a deep-well socket to pass thru. I put in plastic hole plugs from the hardware store to finish it off. Neat, simple, and inexpensive.
Just like Jackdaw said
Just like Jackdaw said
Brother Starwind Sailor!
It's nice to find you on this forum. What fittings are you trying to reach? I haven't touched my stanchions or the genoa tracks for that same reason.
I agree, the hull liner and the coach roof liner both make it difficult to reach the backing plates for the stanchions. I haven't made any cuts yet to access those areas. My thought is to eventually cut off that dropped part of the roof liner and possibly cut out enough of the hull liner at the top to make it easier. Then I would fashion some sort of cabinet moulding to conceal the corner along the entire length of the salon and the v-berth. I also haven't figured out how to gain access to the water tank deck fill through the vanity without destroying the vanity, which may be the eventual option.
Take pictures of your modifications!
Other fittings have been more straightforward, but crawling into tight spaces is the biggest problem.
It's nice to find you on this forum. What fittings are you trying to reach? I haven't touched my stanchions or the genoa tracks for that same reason.
I agree, the hull liner and the coach roof liner both make it difficult to reach the backing plates for the stanchions. I haven't made any cuts yet to access those areas. My thought is to eventually cut off that dropped part of the roof liner and possibly cut out enough of the hull liner at the top to make it easier. Then I would fashion some sort of cabinet moulding to conceal the corner along the entire length of the salon and the v-berth. I also haven't figured out how to gain access to the water tank deck fill through the vanity without destroying the vanity, which may be the eventual option.
Take pictures of your modifications!
Other fittings have been more straightforward, but crawling into tight spaces is the biggest problem.