Woodwork

This weekend I removed both the forward hatch and the main companionway hatch to bring them home to sand, oil and varnish them.

Once they were removed I had to make temporary hatches to keep the weather out of the boat.

Temporary forward hatch

Temporary companionway hatch

After I got them home I sanded them.

Forward hatch half sanded

Forward hatch fully sanded

Companionway hatch half sanded

Companionway hatch fully sanded

I will oil and start varnishing them later this coming week.

The weather is not cooperating.  I would have hoped to have painted by now, but we haven't had 2 consecutive dry days with the temp above 40 degrees for some time.  This weekend at the boat it rained both days.  On Saturday I ended up having to make the temporary forward hatch inside the boat to get out of the rain.  On Sunday I had to bring my shop vac up to the boat to vacuum up all the saw dust from working inside the boat on Saturday!

New Galley Counter Top and Varnishing

This weekend I made the new counter top for the galley using the rest of the "King Starboard" I bought a few weeks ago.  I used the old counter top as a template and traced the design onto the "King Starboard".  The installation on the boat went smoothly.  I like the way it looks.  Still need to install the sink.

Old and New Galley Counter Tops

New Galley Counter

New Galley Counter Top From Above.

I also put two layers of varnish on the cockpit seat backs.  I strung them up in the basement, suspending them from the ceiling to make the project easier.

I like when things work out as I imaged them in my mind.

Last weekend I removed the aluminum “tabernacle” (shell support at the bottom of the mast in which the heel of the mast is stepped) and brought it to work on Friday to sandblast it for no other reason than to clean it up a bit.  It had some paint and oxidation on it.  It looks nice now.  I think it will make the boat go faster.

“tabernacle” before

“tabernacle” after

This weekend I installed the new “king starboard” panels to replace the delaminated plywood one that were on the cabin wall just inside the companionway.  As part of the process I wanted to “build out” the panels another 1.5 inches to have the panels cover the back of the compass, wires and any other things that had been or may be mounted in that area.  I designed and had the guys at work make stainless steel “straps” to mount the new panels to and provide the extra 1.5 inches I wanted.  I had bought some aluminum extrusions online to “trim out” the new panels and also to be the slot for the companionway hatch boards to slide into.  Looks exactly like I thought it would…I love it when a plan comes together.

2 of 3 starboard side "straps"

2 of 3 port side "straps"

New panels and extrusions installed

All done with temp companionway hatch board in place.

View top side

I also remove two more thru-hull fittings to be replaced.  These two are for the cockpit and deck drains.  I figured it was a good idea since the one for the engine water inlet broke so easily last weekend.  I might as well do them all now.  They will then be good for another 30 years or so.  Getting at them was a bit of a challenge.  I had to remove the access panel in the bottom of the cockpit, twist at an angle the human body was not designed to do and work will my head lower than my knees.  The space it also crowded and getting leverage on the wrench for the fittings, valves and hoses caused me to mumble bad things under my breath. 

Port side thru-hull fitting removed.  Three drain hose were feeding into it. Thru-hull hole in center of photo. 

Unscrewing the starboard side thru-hull fitting from the bottom

Running the engine and other fun

Went to the boat yard twice this weekend.  On Friday my brother and I pulled new wires in the mast for the 2 lights on it.  The one at the top is the anchor light and another about half way up is the steaming light.  It was a bit easier than I anticipated.  We just attached the new wires (using electrical tape) to the old ones and then used the old wires to pull the new ones through.  No snags or issues pulling them through.

We also needed to replace the valve (seacock) on the bottom of the boat for the water inlet to the diesel engine.  The water is used to cool the engine.  When my dad lasted used the boat to motor from his slip to the boat yard in Maryland to have the boat hauled out of the water, he went to open the valve and the handle broke off in his hand. So we needed to change the valve.  When I put a little torque on the valve to remove it from the through-hull fitting.....it broke the fitting.  I was a bit worried that it would be a costly job to repair the through-hull fitting.   Fortunately, we were able to unscrew the old fitting out from the bottom of the boat and  the threads in the nut embedded in the hull of the boat are very clean and not corroded. 

We also tried to start the engine.  First we had to find a way to feed cooling water to the engine.  We filled a 5-gallon bucket with water and connected one end of a hose to the engine's water line infeed and the other end of the hose we place in the bucket.  We had  the garden hose ready to keep the bucket full as the engine pulled water from it.  Unfortunately the batteries (there are 2 on the boat) were not charged enough to turn over the engine. One of them is dead.  I took the other battery out of the boat and brought it home to charge it.

The next day we went to Kendore boat supply again to buy a new through-hull fitting, seacock and few dozen other items we thought we needed like a new lens for the steaming light.

New Thru-hull fitting and seacock

After visiting Kendore, I stopped at a Menards located by the boat yard.  They had a good deal on a marine battery so I bought a new one to go along with the newly charged older one.

I put both batteries back in the boat and setup the 5 gallon bucket again to provide cooling water.  This time the engine turned over and started after a couple tries.  That sound of the running engine is sweet music to my ears.  Once it started I had to check to make sure the water was running properly through the engine.  I did this by looking back over the transom (flat area at the very back of the boat) to make sure water was coming out of the exhaust.   It was.

Productive Weekend at Home

I did not go to the boat yard this weekend.  I stayed home and used the “King Starboard” I bought at Kendore Boat Supply to fabricate new panels to replace the delaminated plywood ones that are on the cabin wall just inside the companionway.

Old Delaminated Panels

New King Starboard Panels

I also installed the new mast light I bought at Kendore onto the new mast mounting bracket I fabricate at work.  I also install a new wind vane (I bought this at the local store since Kendore didn’t carry them) on the mast mounting bracket.

Wind vane and mast light on the mast mounting bracket

I used a 2 part wood epoxy to do the repairs to the newly sanded cockpit seat backs.  There was a split in one of the seatbacks and a couple rot areas on both.  I then applied “teak oil”.  They need to dry for at least 72 hours before varnishing.

Sanded, repaired and oiled Cockpit seatbacks