Final Paint

The final applications of non-skid paint on the port and starboard sides and the the entire bow area. I think I will ad some around the mast area at a later date but want to see where that will go based on activity around the mast. I will let everything cure for a week or two. This is a huge milestone that closes the chapter on an entire redeck and recore. This boat used to be covered in teak decking which was attached with 2,000 screws. This allowed water to migrate down into the core that is sandwiched between the two layers of fiberglass and provide strength without too much weight. My deck after sitting under cover for a year had dried out enough for me to realize I had a very spongy deck which I almost put my foot through. Very bad.

The entire deck had to be removed. With all the teak gone, the thought was to inject epoxy into the 2000 little holes and let it stiffen back up. This would add a lot of weight up high but I didn't think it would be that bad. After the first $100 worth of epoxy was injected and I had only covered a 2 square foot area, this was proving to be a bad plan. A little research indicated the only way to do the job properly was to cut the entire top layer of fiberglass, 1/4" thick, off. This then exposes the core and it can be removed. This I did saving the skins to relaminate back on. The core was just mush and I relized that injecting all the epoxy I could afford would not have fixed the problem. New end grain balsa was set in with epoxy then the top skins were set back on with thickened epoxy and held down with weights.

There were still some voids that were filled from the top by injecting epoxy into old and new holes and lots of sounding with a hammer to make sure everything was solid. Then the seam where the fiberglass skin rejoined had to ground out and widened then infilled with fiberglass and epoxy layers to strengthen the joint. Then the fairing and filling started all around. This took the longest time (2 years) as it is very labor intensive and very boring. You can never really be done with this part as there are always areas that could be better. Then finally it is prime, sand, wash three times, paint 3 times, then mask and paint the non-skid. Looking back over the pictures it looks a lot easier than it was. Going to take a break and then go back to work on interior. Have 3 more bulkheads to replace then paint the insides and bilges.

Strip her down

The removal of the deck hardware with before and after photos has begun. I am removing everything that i can easily remove that is screwed or through bolted with the exception of the grab rails (4) and the window trims (10). The only reason is there is no finish left on the teak so I think I can hand sand and refinish in place. There is no evidence of any leaks or cabin top damage. The bolts are all concealed by a 1/4" cabin top liner that is bonded to the top. It would create a lot more repairs to the interior cabin. The bad thing is I will have to paint around them.
All of the holes have been enlarged and filled with thickened epoxy, faired and need to be sanded out.

Construction Destruction

I have continued the deconstruction of the interior and the stripping and sanding. The starboard side of the engine compartment is gone. The ice box is gone and both bulkheads that surrounded it. The manual bilge pump is removed and being rebuilt. The head compartment has had the bulkheads reinforced and a cherry plywood veneer has been installed. All new tabbing installed with radius fillets. More fillets and tabbing to do on the port side locker and galley bulkheads. Switching to the outside decks now that it has warmed up with plans to take time off over Easter to prime and paint decks. Lots of sanding and prep work, sand, wash, sand, wash. Hopefully finish up port side and bow this weekend then switch scaffold to starboard side and stern.

The beginning of The Plan

My year to take some time off racing and spend more time on the boat has really let me down. my hours on the boat have dwindled with all the stuff going on at work and home. I spend most of my extra free time running when I should be working on boat stuff. I have the mast 3/4 way stripped, then spent the last 6 weekends fixing up the house for company coming and a party; which now looks like it will be canceled.

The running is coming along nicely if i am not too hard on my neuroma. We have a Plan to do a major run in November. To train for that I have been looking at other runs and Ultras. I will do the Grand Father Mountain Marathon in July, Lineville Gorge and Spring Maid in August, Blue Ridge Relay in September and the New River 50K in October. I hope to get up to VA and spend a weekend on the Iron Mountain trail as well.

That and all the vacation and work time will pretty much consume the the year. A disappointment on the boat end. I am letting myself down here but the running is a big stress reliever and I need that outlet. The last issue is telling MFW about the run in November and figuring out someway to make it a fund raiser.

Let no man be sad

It is said that the two worst things that can happen to a man are: He never realizes his dreams and that he does realize them. It is the middle state that keeps us going, planning, pushing on. I started to get too bogged down into details this weekend while working on the boat and the immense size of the jobs and started to get overwhelmed while I waited for some epoxy to set. The truth is the refit on the boat is a HUGE job but must be broken down into smaller pieces and I can not get ahead of myself or I will be over run with anxiety. The only job at hand right now is to finish the new deck and fair it to the point of painting.

I haven't chosen a paint, but I am sure it will be the same for the deck as the cabin roof for a seamless transition. To do that I have to raise the canopy, prep the surface, mask, sand, clean, etc, etc. But before I get to all that I still must finish glassing in and fairing the re-cored deck. I have finished (95%)the starboard side, the bow is sanded and just needs light fairing. The port and stern deck has been re-glassed and now must be sanded and faired. My goal is to get it ready for paint by the end of the year. The next finish parts will be the wood toe rails and cockpit coaming, grab rails etc. Over the winter I can do the mast, cockpit lockers, etc. See, there I go again. All I really need to do is finish the deck.