Fairing The Aft Deck and Cockpit Sole + Spot Filling

September 17, 2016

With a lazy rousing to the day, I eventually made my way from the left side of the bed to the right...kidding, but I did have a leisurely morning and these are needed every so often!   

I started by water-washing the previous day's fairing application in order to remove the amine blush.  I began with the rails (toe and rub), and then worked my way to the aft deck and finally into the cockpit to clean the new coring installation in the sole.

I set up the vac. system on the RO sander and applied 80-grit pads to the surfaces as I worked my way around Joule.

I spent most of my time on the cockpit sole and aft deck; the rails went fairly quickly.

 With today's sanding behind me, I proceeded to clean Joule's deck first by vacuuming as much of the sanding residue as I could.  Next, I solvent-washed the decks to remove any remain sanding residue.

As mentioned in the previous post that described the cockpit sole coring work, I checked the fairness of the one layer of 1708 biaxial cloth to the surrounding area.  As I had initially thought, adding another layer of 1708 would cause the new layup to stand proud of the cockpit sole surfaces surrounding it.  Having determined that one layer of 1708 biaxial would suffice, I moved onto solvent-washing the deck and cockpit in order to prepare for filling with thickened epoxy.  I wet out the surfaces that required filling, and then began to mix small batches of thickened epoxy (406 silica and 407 low-density).  I started with the cockpit sole.

With the cockpit sole getting its first round of fairing compound, I then turned to the cockpit seats.  There were a number of areas of cracking and flaking gelcoat that I bore out with the spiral saw.  These areas were also 'painted' with t neat epoxy and then filled with the fairing compound.  The area requiring the most attention was the aft port-side seat, where the seat transitions to the coaming.

I also re-worked both starboard and port rails.  Shown below, I paid close attention to reforming the starboard deck, around the chain plate.  The deck 'fell-off' outboard in this area, so with a healthy mixture of 406 I was able to bring it back to level with the fore and aft deck surfaces.

There was some additional areas near the starboard that I addressed as well.  The next round of sanding (fairing) should brings the original lines back to these surfaces.

Finally, I addressed the aft deck - poop deck.  I applied the second round of fairing compound and could more easily see the convex surface that would be the eventual result.  It was a day of sanding, mixing epoxy, and applying that thickened epoxy.  More sanding work to come...

Total Time Today: 4.5 hrs

Cockpit Sole Recore, Filling Fastener Holes, and Fairing The Aft Deck

September 16, 2017

With Irma having passed through, I got back to work on Joule; as dull and uninteresting as it may sound, it was good to get back to 'normal'.  The hurricane brought significant flooding damage to a number of my neighbors and to me a realization of just how quickly our lives can change through circumstances outside of our control.  That Monday morning as Irma arrived with her chaos, not being able to sleep, I watched in the early morning hours as an airborne river of water blew down the street.  The sound of even a cat 1 hurricane is a scary thing, so I really can not imagine the experience  of those brave should enduring Irma from Barbuda, St Marteen, the BVI, and other harder hit islands - thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted by this devastating storm.  As my street turned into a waterway, as water approached the front of my home, we made preparations to evacuate and did so.  Responding to neighbors in need to also evacuate (I was able to get through the water with my truck), I eventually made two trips back into the neighborhood.  On the first trip in I could see water less than a foot away from the front entry of my home, but by the second trip in I noticed the water beginning to recede.  The shift in the winds came just in time, and with that shift the water was funneled northerly and out to sea.  It was a humbling experience, and many are now beginning to rebuild their lives.  ...thoughts and prayers.

Prior to beginning work for the day, I removed the strapping I had secured Joule with in preparation for Irma.

 I started the day with opening up  a couple places in the cockpit sole that were obviously delaminated - flexing under hand with gentle pressure applied.  Using hand pressure, I marked a general outline of at least the worst areas that I could feel.

Using an oscillating tool with a carbide blade, I opened up the first of the two spots identified for coring work.  Sure enough, water was saturating the core and allowed the top skin to separate in this heavily traveled area of Joule.

I repeated this step for the second area requiring attention.  The initial cuts allowed me to remove the worst of the affected areas, but inspection of the exposed core revealed water damage further into the sole.  I expanded the openings of both areas until I arrived at dry core.

Happy with both areas expanded to sound material, I removed the last remaining bits of glass and sodden core material and then sanded down to the top surface of the bottom skin.

I prepared patterns for the new core material as well as the new fiberglass top skin (1708 biaxial cloth).

I first cut the glass patches, and opted for just one layer for the first layup effort.  As I examined the thickness of the surrounding top skin, I was worried that two layers of the 1708 would created  two newly cored areas standing proud of the balance of the cockpit sole.  After these patches cure, I will examine again to see if another layer could be accommodated or if I proceed with fairing filler to begin the process of blending the new work with the old.

With the fiberglass cloth prepared, I cut of the balsa core material.  With the new core material ready to go, I prepped the voids to be filled: vacuumed, solvent washed, vacuumed once again, and then wet ted out of the voids with neat epoxy.

With the voids in the cockpit sole prepped and ready to receive the new core material, I turned my attention to the new coring itself.  I also applied neat epoxy to the underside of the new core material.    I mixed a batch of thickened epoxy and liberally buttered the bottom of the new core material.  I then pressed both core patches into place, making sure that I could see squeeze out on all sides.  Prior to preparing the 1708 for layup, I applied neat epoxy to the top of the core material.

With both patches in place, I mixed an additional round of thickened epoxy and applied to all remaining voids surrounding the new core material.  Back down at the epoxy work station, I wet both fiberglass patches and then placed them into position their respective areas.

Finally, I covered the new work with a layer of plastic and then weighted the new core material to ensure a consistent bond across the entire worked surfaces.

With the cockpit core work in place, I turned my attention to filling the balance of the toe rail and rub rail fastener holes.  In a previous work session I had opened up each of the fastener holes with a tapered drill bit to provide addition bonding surfaces, creating more of less an inverted cone.  I solvent washed each of the old fastener holes to be filled in order to remove any contaminates or debris that might have found its way inside.

Over the coarse of the filling work I mixed several small batches of thickened epoxy (West System 406 silica and 407 low-density), and using a squeegee firmly pressed the material into the holes to be filled.  On most the holes, I applied tape to the underside to limit squeeze out from below.

There will be a second - potentially a third - round of filling after an initial sanding, as can be seen below with the settling of the applied thickened epoxy in one of the aft deck cleat installations.

My last order of business for the day was to applied a first round of fairing filler to the poop deck coring work.  Again, I mixed the usual thickening agents into a large batch of epoxy, and using a drywall trowel, then pulled the material across the recent layup to fill the weave of the glass and begin the fairing effort.  There will be additional work here no doubt, but the finished product will yield a solid deck that is ready for deck hardware!

I had meant to get to filling the numerous voids in the cockpit seating gelcoat but had run out of time - I was actually hot, tired, and hungry from having worked straight through the day.  

I used a spiral saw to open up and remove and loose gelcoat, or to remove gelcoat that had voids underneath and may be prone to additional future issues.  While it may not be totally possible, with mind to a reasonable approach to restoring a boat this 'long in the tooth, to eliminate all such future cracking and crazing...care was taken here to remove the obvious problem children.

A significant void was removed on the aft portion of the port seating, at the transition from the seat to the coaming.  I will address these voids in the coming work session.

Total Time Today: 7.5 hrs

Prepping Joule For Hurricane Irma

September 8, 2017

Dad!, we should secure Joule...there is a storm a'brewing!!  You're right Bonnie, let's get to work!

I broke out the yard anchors - augers, really. As I had done for Hurricane Matthew, I deployed four of these anchors at the four corners of the structure, and then placed one at the bow of Joule.

I ran a dock line through Joule's stem fitting and secured it to one of the anchors.

With the bow line in place, I turned my attention to the remaining four anchors for the structure itself.

Using a short piece of rebar, I "screwed' the 24" anchors into the ground. 

That has to be some holding strength!, and I am sure the lines will break before the eye of the anchor fails, or the anchor is pulled from the ground.

Using several dock and halyard lines I had on hand, I began to secure each corner of the structure... 

I placed folded towels around the structure posts and supports in order to eliminate chafe on the lines...

I made my way around to each of the four anchors and tied off the structure as best I could.  Aside from the anchors I placed into the ground, the structure has 36" bolts that are driven through the base frame roughly every four feet.

After I had the structure secured, I turned my attention to Joule once again.  Making my way around the boat, I reset the jack-stands to secure more of Joule's hull - engaging more of the hull above the water line.  I then drove four anchors into the ground: two forward, and two aft.  I attached heavy-duty ratcheted strapping to these anchors and tightened them down - essentially driving the hull securely onto the jack stands.

With these precautions made, I feel that Joule has the best chance to make it through Irma unscathed. If things go south for Joule....we have bigger problems to deal with!

Spider web in place!

Total Time Today: 0 hrs

Laminating Poop Deck Topskin Over New Core

September 4, 2017

Getting back to Joule over the holiday weekend, I returned to the aft deck to laminate the topspin over the new coring.  I began by cleaning the cured thickened epoxy (squeeze out) from around the edges of the new core material, and then lightly sanded those surfaces.  After vacuuming the surface and solvent washing it, I covered with a thin layer of plastic to create pattern for the 1708 biaxial cloth.

I traced a larger outer layer onto the plastic, and then a smaller inner layer.

The larger pattern would be laid on first, and then the smaller inner layer.

I cut the patterns from the plastic sheeting, working with the larger outer layer first.  After cutting the larger layer, I cut the plastic pattern down to the smaller inner layer dimensions, and then cut those patterns from the 1708 biaxial cloth.

With all of the patterns prepared, I moved onto Joule to prepare the deck for lamination.

I wet out the new coring and then applied thickened epoxy (406 silica and 407 low-density) as a gap filler.  After this prep work, I moved onto my work station on the ground and began to wet out the first (larger) layer of cloth.  I laid the material down as I wet out each piece of cloth; and then proceeded in the same way for the second (smaller) layer.

With both layers on, I then covered the lamination with a clean layer of plastic and secured it to Joule.

I worked below to cover some fastener holes from the inside with tape - prepping for fill work.  Since I ran out of solvent, I decided to call it for the day.

Total Time Today:  3.25 hrs