Naked 85 H31 (cabin sole removed!)

mavexe

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Feb 23, 2024
4
hunter 31 Lancaster
Figured some might appreciate this. This boat had a leaky window that destroyed the cabin sole and galley cabinets. We’re in the process of gutting the interior. Replacement flooring is being cut using a CNC machine and measurements transcribed into CAD.

Does anyone have any words of wisdom since we have this removed? Anything to take advantage of while it’s open, or would maybe do differently? We’re already opening up the bilge access a bit, and making it easier to run cables for when we unstep the mast next winter and add radio/radar.

only mod we’re considering is making the table a bench seat against the wall, with a leaf that can open up to extend to the other side. This will also help when we do a compression post replacement next winter.

Other than that it can be lowered to make a bed, like the original. Not sure if we’re going to keep the galley island as-is.

Also using thick plywood, coated in epoxy and covered with that foam teak veneer.
 

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Likes: Jkutyna
Sep 15, 2023
5
Hunter 33.5 Green Cove Springs
I am in the exact same boat, well not really, mine is a '93 33.5. Windows needed rebedding before previous owner passed away. Boat sat and collected more water than I expected. Pulled out most of the main cabin interior (currently sitting at home on the porch to be used as guides when I remake them from scratch) and down to the deck as well. I am hoping I can reuse my cabin sole after sanding and refinishing. The 93's were one of the last years that Hunter was making real holly and teak soles. It's gonna be a chore as the settee's also came out to facilitate pulling up the soles. I get that far, and as is guaranteed in a boat, another project rears it's head. I find the hull liner on the cabin walls has had so much moisture running down it's sides, that I need to rip that off of the cabin walls and replace. (the job I am LEAST looking forward to). Trying to get electrical stuff going as well now, testing what works and what doesn't. (next step is to run new wires to the bilge pump and float to see if I can get that working as it currently does not).

Essentially as I know nothing of what I'm doing other than what I can find and read about, I am starting at the top, replacing all of the deck hatches, which I was lucky enough to be able to get from SailboatOwners in the exact original measurements. After that will be replacing the 4 main cabin windows. That should stop 99% of the leaking, only after that I think I would be worried about leaks coming down from the mast. I haven't been able to pull away the bulkhead yet to expose the compression post however. I figure this is the first thing to take care of overall, stop the water getting INTO the boat. No sense in replacing interior woodwork or buying all new interior cushions if you just keep having water get in on the new stuff.

It gets frustrating and worrysome that every bit I have to take out, I wonder if I will ever be able to get it all back together some day. Alas I have a job and responsibilities, so getting out to work on the boat is basically every other Saturday at best. A long slow road indeed. I take it one step at a time and try to enjoy the little victories here and there.
 
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Likes: jssailem

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,070
Currently Boatless Okinawa
You've already thought of the epoxy coating the floors - all sides and edges. If you are screwing them down, then drill oversize holes all the way through, fill the holes with epoxy, and screw into the epoxy.

I would also verify that all the holes through all stringers, ribs, whatever are open, so that water can move from wherever it originates to the lowest point in the boat. For our 1983 model, the hole that ran from the head to the bilge needed some cleanout.

There are lots of threads about the false bilge in these boats. You may want to consider cutting out a part of your bilge to get to the actual lowest point in the boat, and reinstall your pump at that level.

There are also lots of threads about replacing soles. Here is mine from when I did mine: