The 30 year refurb continues
Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:43 pm
Hi again:
Just thought I'd give you an update on how my boat's refurb is progressing.
When I bought my boat in November it was in 'original' condition, and I knew it needed some work. Basically, I'm doing the 30 year maintenance and, if I do it right, that should last for about another 30 years. At least, that's how I'm justifying the cost (in money and time) to my wife (the accountant: knows the cost of everything).
I've have ended up stripping my boat completely back to its bare shell, removing all stanchions, pushpits, pulpits and other deck fittings. I've also stripped the interior, to allow me to paint it out and fill the many holes drilled here and there over the past three decades.
On the deck I've been repairing the many cracks radiating out from the base of each fitting, generally caused by stress and/or minor collisions or other accidents. Some parts have cracked under weight - such as cracks in the pop-top and slide top.
I've also scrapped off the enamel paint on the wooden gunwale strips, and sanded and filled these again ready for painting with clear marine varnish. If I had more money and energy, I'd replace both strips with new strips - but for the time being I'm just fixing up what's there: cutting out rot and backfilling with plastic wood compounds, etc. There are some great products on the market now for such work, and nothing beats the look of real wood somewhere on a boat's exterior.
I'm also preparing the deck for repainting - but only in the textured areas that were previously light blue when I got the boat. I plan to wet and dry scrub the white sections of deck gelcoat, then polish these to bring back their lustre. Ditto with the hull, which is in good nick but a little stained.
One of the more major alterations I've done inside has been to lengthen the port berth by about 12cm (4 inches), to allow me to fully stretch out if I decide to sleep overnight. The berths as manufactured are exactly 6 feet (183 cm) long and, since I'm 6 feet one inches (186cm) it was just too tight for comfort. Maybe people were shorter in the 1970s when this boat was designed? Anyway, I've drilled and cut through the port side aft end of the berth (plywood - so easy enough), constructed a small plywood box, and glassed that over the hole to extend the sleeping area into the aft port stowage locker in the cockpit, It works a treat!
I'm also wiring my boat for the first time ever, and installing new interior lighting, radios, speakers, fuse box and master battery switch. It's fiddly and time consuming, and anything with stainless steel involved seems more expensive than platinum. But I figure if I do it right this time, I wont have to worry about it again in my lifetime.
I attach a few pics and will post more as I go.
Cheers for now,
Geoff
Just thought I'd give you an update on how my boat's refurb is progressing.
When I bought my boat in November it was in 'original' condition, and I knew it needed some work. Basically, I'm doing the 30 year maintenance and, if I do it right, that should last for about another 30 years. At least, that's how I'm justifying the cost (in money and time) to my wife (the accountant: knows the cost of everything).
I've have ended up stripping my boat completely back to its bare shell, removing all stanchions, pushpits, pulpits and other deck fittings. I've also stripped the interior, to allow me to paint it out and fill the many holes drilled here and there over the past three decades.
On the deck I've been repairing the many cracks radiating out from the base of each fitting, generally caused by stress and/or minor collisions or other accidents. Some parts have cracked under weight - such as cracks in the pop-top and slide top.
I've also scrapped off the enamel paint on the wooden gunwale strips, and sanded and filled these again ready for painting with clear marine varnish. If I had more money and energy, I'd replace both strips with new strips - but for the time being I'm just fixing up what's there: cutting out rot and backfilling with plastic wood compounds, etc. There are some great products on the market now for such work, and nothing beats the look of real wood somewhere on a boat's exterior.
I'm also preparing the deck for repainting - but only in the textured areas that were previously light blue when I got the boat. I plan to wet and dry scrub the white sections of deck gelcoat, then polish these to bring back their lustre. Ditto with the hull, which is in good nick but a little stained.
One of the more major alterations I've done inside has been to lengthen the port berth by about 12cm (4 inches), to allow me to fully stretch out if I decide to sleep overnight. The berths as manufactured are exactly 6 feet (183 cm) long and, since I'm 6 feet one inches (186cm) it was just too tight for comfort. Maybe people were shorter in the 1970s when this boat was designed? Anyway, I've drilled and cut through the port side aft end of the berth (plywood - so easy enough), constructed a small plywood box, and glassed that over the hole to extend the sleeping area into the aft port stowage locker in the cockpit, It works a treat!
I'm also wiring my boat for the first time ever, and installing new interior lighting, radios, speakers, fuse box and master battery switch. It's fiddly and time consuming, and anything with stainless steel involved seems more expensive than platinum. But I figure if I do it right this time, I wont have to worry about it again in my lifetime.
I attach a few pics and will post more as I go.
Cheers for now,
Geoff