Repairing Hunter 40 damage from Hurricane Matthew

[B757Captain]

Odds & ends:

Continuing on the transducer install, I wanted paint on the backing block so a little primer first:

I figured while I was at it I might as well repaint the aft shower sump as well, so a little filler in a few spots, plus - as I did for the forward shower - relocating the hose outlet location:

the gelcoat here is still in good shape so I just hit the repair spots with primer.

Finally, I got the Oceanair hatch screen for the forward hatch cleaned up, painted and reassembled. It took a little discovery here since Oceanair doesn't give any repair, assembly or parts diagrams (at least that I could find on their website). Turns out it's pretty easy. If anyone has these screens and wants a picture tutorial on disassembly/reassembly I'll get the camera out when I tackle my other ones.

The only downside after getting it back together was - where to put it! It's over 2' x 2' assembled! Seems the best place is, well, where it's supposed to go:

Disregard the hatch arms, I'm still trying to get the upper bolts off without destroying anything! One of them is frozen - might be a good candidate for a session in my sonic cleaner to try to free it up and clean it but I have to get them off first. And forget about replacing them unless absolutely nesessary - new ones from Bomar are over $100. Each!

Cheers,

Mark

 

[B757Captain]

Odds & Ends Pt. II:

After getting paint on the backing block (and aft shower sump) I gave it a day to cure. Might have pushed the cure a bit - it wasn't yet smooth when I ran my fingers across it but close enough for installing the transducer. First up for installing the sonar transducer was to drill the holes:

I little nerve-wracking because all three holes had to be drilled at the same angle, both laterally and vertically, and the vertical angle is perpendicular to the horizontal axis of the boat, not to the deadrise angle. Miraculously I got them all perfect (enough!). Ran the cable through and test-fit the transducer and with all looking good I gooped on the Lifeseal and - I have sonar! Well, will have sonar :

I spent the last few days working on various small tasks or finishing up small little details. To break up the monotony in the v-berth I started on the port-side cabinet/hanging locker in the aft cabin. I'm going to (semi) mirror the starboard side, changing the factory setup a little. First step was to pattern and install the face of the hanging locker, then pattern the bulkhead:

Happy with this, next up was to cut the old cabinet face to use as a pattern:

It started raining cats & dogs as I was doing all this and I lost my motivation for the day so I'll cut this piece tomorrow. It's still raining now .

This side will eventually have a little bonus - after consulting with the admiral it seems a seat in the aft cabin will be in the works. It will be inset just behind the port-side cabinet, so I'll work that out after getting the cabinet roughed in.

Rain should end tonight but tomorrow is supposed to be windy and COLD!

Cheers,

Mark

 

[B757Captain]

The Admiral's seat:

I have been piecing the port aft cabinet together and getting the supports and bracing in place. While roughing in the openings for the cabinets I had a great thought - Make the openings common for all the cabinet doors! What a concept! So the openings for the hanging lockers will be the same, but I ran into a snag after that. My intent for total locker/drawer space in the aft cabin is to have the already cut openings in the starboard cabinet, yet to be cut openings in the port cabinet, below the starboard aft shelf and below the bunk. Turns out that since all the spaces are different sizes making the openings/doors the same size is not practical (and aesthetically pleasing) . Rats. I have made templates for the openings so there will be some consistency but I will have to fab up three different door sizes just for the aft cabin. Maybe I can use these templates for other areas - hopefully.

Here's the portside cabinet framed in:

Next up was to start planning for the seat so I measured my butt to determine how wide the seat should be - kidding (sort of!) - and added a few inches to make the seat less economy and more first class. Then some cutting on the shelf:

Next up is to close off the opening so out with the templating tools and:

The seating position as it is now is not bad but a little low so today I'll take a piece of foam to the boat and do some experimental sitting to determine how tall the platform for the cushion should be. Good day for it since it's supposed to rain most of the day.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[B757Captain]

Can everyone still see the photos in my posts? I can't see the pics anymore! None of them, all the way back to the first page. They show up fine if I edit the posts but nothing in normal mode. I tried clearing my cache - no change. Problem with my computer? Forum upgrade? Sorcery?

 

[CYQK]

cant see then as well

 

[B757Captain]

I checked a few of the other websites where I post pictures and no problems there - only here. Hmmm...

 

[SFS]

I can't see them either. There have been times where this thread (and only this thread) took a LONG time to load, and I always assumed it was because of my less than stellar internet (I'm still in Ecuador) coupled with the large number of pages and pictures.

@Brian D - Any thoughts on why we no longer see any of Mark's pictures in this thread?

 

[Hayden Watson]

NOOOOO!!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!

 

[Brian D]

Fixed. A .php page was deactived due to issues yesterday. I see the images. Thank you for your patience.

 

[jssailem]

Yeah.. The Maestro triumphs again.

 

[kappykaplan]

We are not worthy!

 

[B757Captain]

Thanks Brian! I have no clue what you said but - kudos

 

[JRT]

Thank you SBO, now everyone go order something on your to do list for keeping a great thread complete.

 

[B757Captain]

The Admiral's Seat, Pt. 2:

In order to get the proper height for the seat base (measuring my butt works for the width only) I had to measure my wife (no warning beforehand, just walked up with tape measure in hand) - the look I got ! In a seated position my eye is 4 inches higher than hers so now I have something to shoot for. First up was to put the foam in place then start stacking boards until it looked right for me. Then add 4 inches and she did a test sit. All good:

Next up is to build the base:

And fit the top:

Still debating on how to treat the seat back but I have an idea. Stay tuned.

I have to wait now for a few days to finish up the corners until my shipment of square stock shows up. Good news on that front - I finally found a (hopefully) reliable supplier of 1 1/4" square stock red oak to make my corner pieces from. The first shipment is on the way so fingers crossed. Still plenty to do!

Cheers,

Mark

 

[Hayden Watson]

I remember a lot of talk about your round corner detail but do not remember what you settled on for a final design. do you have a final mockup?

 

[Daveinet]

Still debating on how to treat the seat back but I have an idea. Stay tuned.
Cheers,
Mark

One option would be to make the back higher up, rather than bring it all the way down to the seat. Make it stop right at the break in the angle. This way the thickness of the back pad sticks you out far enough that your slanted fiberglass section does not push the seat out too far.
Another suggestion. Rather than attaching the seat, screw it to blocks that sit down in the lower section to secure it. This way you have another secret place to stash things. It also makes it easier to dry it out when the next hurricane sinks your boat.

 

[B757Captain]

I remember a lot of talk about your round corner detail but do not remember what you settled on for a final design. do you have a final mockup?

The corner detail final solution is to use 1 1/4" quarter round stock. The hardest part has been finding a good reliable supplier for 1 1/4 square stock. the shipment I just got looks really good and I have already started on it. I cut the square stock down with a 1 1/4" roundover bit in the router - it took a while to get that operation down! - then direct attachment to the cabinet edges via pocket holes with the Kreg jig. It works well but I have found that when attaching 1/2" ply I need to add bulk to the edges. The pocket moves the screws too close to the rounded face and there's not enough clamping depth for the screws. I add a strip of 1/2" ply to the edge (of the edge) to get the thickness to make the pocket holes work. Harder to describe than see - I'll work up some photos when I get a chance.

 

[B757Captain]

One option would be to make the back higher up, rather than bring it all the way down to the seat. Make it stop right at the break in the angle. This way the thickness of the back pad sticks you out far enough that your slanted fiberglass section does not push the seat out too far.
Another suggestion. Rather than attaching the seat, screw it to blocks that sit down in the lower section to secure it. This way you have another secret place to stash things. It also makes it easier to dry it out when the next hurricane sinks your boat.

Turns out that creating a seat is a two-step process: first create a spot for your butt, then create the spot for your back! Still thinking it over but I'm working on it. As to another secret stash, hurricane and sinking? Perish the thought!

 

[B757Captain]

Odds & ends, Pt. VII:

If you guys recall I had been messing around in the v-berth and dodging the arms hanging from the forward hatch. Simple story, corrosion had finally jammed the arms to the point they wouldn't extend - actually I got them to extend one day after trying to free them and then they really jammed! I couldn't get the hatch closed! I tried to remove then bolts attaching them to the base and both bolts broke - SS threaded into AL will eventually corrode . So I left them for a rainy day. About a week ago I finally removed the arms to see what's what. Of course, I broke the remaining bolts in the process!. Step 2: check prices on replacements. Step 3: recover from sticker shock and see if the existing arms are salvageable . I tossed them into the ultra-sonic cleaner and let it do its magic and a few days later really started refurbishing them. The ultra-sonic machine did break up the corrosion and scale to the point I could exercise the arms again so I got them dissassembled and really cleaned:

A quick trip to the hardware store for new bolts and nylon inserts and a few coats of paint on the (?) handles and it's time to actually fix something! First up was to establish that it would be basically impossible to drill out and restore the original bolt holes, so I just measured an inch forward for all locations and drilled and tapped new holes. A generous application of anti-seize and - voila!

Cheers,

Mark

 

[kappykaplan]

Lookin' great!