The "Lady" and I

[Squidd]

Needed a new tiller as the old one had delaminated and broke on my initial voyage (slight concernation being I was in unfamiliar waters)

I picked up a piece of "LVL" or "microlam" manufactured wood from the lumberyard..

Traced and cut the blank then routered and sanded to shape...

Just started coating with spar varnish...will sand between coats and end up with several on it by the time I'm done...

Only thing I question is the veneers are laid in verticly rather than horizontal...that shouldn't make a difference should it...?

 

[Merlin Clark]

I don't know but it looks great.

 

[Squidd]

Need to replace rub rail, and want to add grab rails to cabin top so I stopped at the specialty wood store..picked up some Cumaru and machined it into shape..

Have 5' and 3' grab rails and enough trim to circle the boat on the hull joint...

Rub rail is pretty straight forward pull the old one off, clean up the caulk, goop and broken screws and attach new pieces...Thinking of exposed brass screws...
Any tricks I should use to "bed" the rub rail and minimize water intrusion..?

Then on the Grab rails...Not sure what to do there.. I don't have rails to take off and reuse hardware, so I'm on my own...Looks like there were rails there at one time..the holes do not go thru to cabin "ceiling" so how was grab rail attached..? Toggle bolts..? or some sort of ancoring screws/hardware..?

All suggestions welcome

 

[Ed Schenck]

Not sure about the Paceship but I know how all of the Hunter Cherubinis were secured. They were simply screwed into the coring. On my boat that is plywood. I think some had balsa coring. When I removed mine for painting the decks I made a change. I drilled a 3/4" hole at each screw location and glassed in a hardwood dowel, about 2" in length. Then I drilled pilot holes. I figure this prevents any chance of leakage into the coring.

Another change was to glue in the bungs BEFORE installing. I use stainless screws with the heads flush on the rail. Now I take my rails home for the winter for their four coats of varnish. Takes about ten minutes to remove 32' of handrail.

 

[Squidd]

The cabin ceiling/deck is about an inch and a half thick, so your saying just screw down thru the rails and into the "core"...

I like the reinforced holes idea....What about a dab of caulk or is there a special bedding compound I should be using...between rail and deck?

 

[Ed Schenck]

I am among a minority of one that uses clear silicone. Not necessary on the dowel but I put a drop in the screw hole. If you choose to simply screw into the coring then probably something like 4200.

 

[Squidd]

Is that strong/secure enough that way...? I would hate to grab on to a rail and have it follow me out into the drink..

What is that 4200/5200 everyone talks about..?

Is that a special sealant.. or an epoxy adheasive..?

Edit: looked it up found it in the "store"

 

[Merlin Clark]

3Ms 5200 and 4200 are polyurethane adhesives and though 4200 is supposed to be easier to remove than 5200 I wouldn't use either on anything I might want/need to remove in the future.
I've destroyed plastic ports and ripped gelcoat off the deck by removing fixtures that were glued down with this stuff.
I'm using butyl tape from Compass Marine (look at Maine Sail's write up on bedding) it's relatively cheap, much cleaner to use, easier than any of the goops I've used and if I need to remove a part that is bedded with it, no sweat. If I need a caulk type, I use 3M 4000.
From the pic of your cabin top it looks like those old holes on the outboard edge were for the handrails. I'd thru bolt these.
Great job on the woodwork!

 

[Ed Schenck]

The 4200 is not an adhesive but butyl tape is better. Like I wrote, if you do the dowel thing there is no need. My rails are teak and would break away long before the screws would pull out. Thru-bolting is great for something like a stainless rail where you only have two or three attachment points. But when they are every eight or nine inches and over an inch deep in the core the rail is secure. If conditions are bad enough to tear out a handrail you better be wearing a harness and a tether.

 

[Squidd]

I'm likeing the plug in the cabin deck and screw from the top method..

 

[Merlin Clark]

To each his own and apparently 3M thinks 4200 is an adhesive: http://www.3m.com/product/information/Marine-Fast-Cure-4200-Adhesive-Sealant.html

 

[Merlin Clark]

Hey, sorry if I sounded whiney, I get that way between the time my back starts killing me and the time the pain pill starts to work.

 

[Squidd]

On the white top... what kind of paint is reccomended..?

It was painted before, do I need to strip...? what about compatabilty issues...?

 

[Merlin Clark]

I read somewhere to wet a rag with the solvent for the paint you intend to use and place it on the old paint. If it lifts the old paint then you'd have to either remove it or seal it with a primer that won't lift it.
I did this when I painted my boat and it worked for me.
The 2 part polys seem to be a lot more durable than the 1 part polys in my limited experience. I already had the 2 part Interlux Interthane Plus (old and pre "Perfection") so I used that on the decks and house and a 1 part poly from Blue Water on the hull that really didn't impress me.
I've read where others have had good results from Rustoleum marine enamels. I'd probably have done that but already had the paint when I read about it. The Rustoleum is something like $11/qt at our local Lowes.

 

[Squidd]

That makes sense on testing for compatabilty..

I had heard about Rustoleum Marine...

I'm going to check the paint store (not the hardware store) and see what they can reccomend and what is available locally..

 

[Merlin Clark]

That makes sense on testing for compatabilty..

I had heard about Rustoleum Marine...

I'm going to check the paint store (not the hardware store) and see what they can reccomend and what is available locally..

Good idea. I used Sherwin Williams Industrial Marine Coats 2 part epoxy (made for oil rigs) as a barrier coat on my old boat and it was still doing it's thing with no new blisters when I sold the boat 8 years after doing the job.
Don't remember if that paint was good for UV but can't imagine why not because of it's intended use.

 

[TFrere]

The best paint I have ever used

You may want to look into Ameron PSX 700. It is a self-priming, two-part marine industrial paint which PPG claims to have to adherance of epoxy and the shine of polyurethane. I painted two boat decks with it and they both came out great.

 

[Squidd]

How does that work with the "non-skid" inlay in the deck...?

Will it fill the voids rendering it less than desireable..? or is it thin enough that the "grip" is still there...?

Like I said eariler, it already has one coat of "something" on it, but at this point still grips great...

 

[25yearslater]

I redid my Oday 27 nonskid deck in gelcoat with Gibco flex mold and RTV urethane rubber molds made from that. I also resprayed the entire boat with gelcoat. For deck penetrations I drilled overside holes and filled with thickened epoxy to protect the core. If you are interested see Oday owner forums and under bigger boats thread title 'And so it begins' to see the results. I have endeavored to share every success AND blunder in my recycling project. Best wishes on your project.

 

[Squidd]

I looked over your rebuild...and must say while I'm impressed with your tenacity and effort, I don't think I want to go quite so far/detailed on mine...

Basicly for this first year, I just want to clean it up paint and trim wise (so it looks acceptable at the dock, and make sure the running rigging is workable...and sail the heck out of it, do a few sleepovers and get an overall "feel" for the boat...

Then...once I know what I want out of/in this boat, I can start the more intensive remodel.. and customization...

That's the nice thing about being able to trailer it home in the off season...