It's coming to gether

[ewoden1]

So Saturday I spent the day refitting ply on the cabin sole. The epoxied cross member for the compression post step set up very nicely over two weeks of curing. So the ply replacement area was measured and cut to fit at home, Epoxied on all edges and faces, no voids in this ply which was great to see. Epoxy sealed all edges expossed in the sole, buttered the cross member face with PC11 and set the ply over top. Glassed the surface to sole level and blended in the glass for 4 inches beyond the cut. It all kicked under a tent heated with a ceramic heater.

While that set I worked to paint the cabin ceiling white, no mouse fir going back up there as I like the white and how it brightens up the main cabin. Did the same in the head.

Took a look at my wiring in the mast. VHF antenna cable insulation is crumbling off so gotta run some new stuff threaded in there. Got out the butane microtorch and releasds tthe conectors. Will inspect sameunder magnifier to see if they can be reused.

Wednesday is gonna be a warm day. I'll be cutting into the cabin at the mast step to begin the process of rebuilding the step. No question it is rotted there. Not looking forward to that but it has gotta happen. Gonna cut the top skin, scoop out the dreck, see how far laterally I need to go. Tarp the area off, set the ceramic heater to gently heat the are from underneath for a few days to drive off any moisture. hopefull my core is good out a ways from the step. I have some ideas for a wider step pad reinforcement, again voidless ply, epoxied and layered to height and counterbored at the step throughbolts, holes filled with epoxy for reinforcement and water proofing.

Spring is coming soon. Gotta get cracking before I lose my mast raising labor force to other honey-do projects of their own.

 

[BobT]

Glad to hear someone is getting off season work done!
I can't get a break to get there. My list involves the use of water to clean carpet headliner and engine work. The yard won't turn that back on til April 1.

 

[ewoden1]

Ahhhh carpet headliner. I cleaned mine with the steam cleaner's upholstry attachment. Had to do it when it was warm outside so mildew wouldn't be an issue. it went quickly and sure did point out areas where the adhesive had gone south.

I took out the headliner at the top of the main cabin Iabove the main area in the head and where the compression post attaches to the cabin top and extent aft to the head nd nave center bulkheads. As said above painted the glass white. My admiral complains that the boat is too dark inside so that white area really does lighten up the interior.

I might replace it all above the deck hull joint line, just not in one go as it is a mess tearing it all out, sanding, and cleaning up the dust and stuff. Little by little if I don't feel the insulating qualities is something I'll miss.