Cont. Brightwork and Hardware Installation, part 2

March 1, 2018

So I turned the sun porch into a paint booth, ever trying to control the elements.  I sanded the cockpit seat hatches and the companionway slide hatch with 400-grit paper.  The companionway slide hatch is essentially finished, but since I am painting the cockpit seat hatches I thought I might as well paint the slide hatch while I am at it.  I cleaned the surfaces and set the hatches up for painting; painting went off without a hitch, and with no one else home, I allowed the hatches to tack up while I worked on Joule.

I brought the coaming boards out of the shop and set them in place.  With a small bottle jack, I pressed the boards into position and seated them with 1/4" machine screws through the tapped coaming board and the tapped molded coaming.  I backed the machine screws with a washer and a nut.  Within the cabin, I secured the coaming block/return with three 2" #12 bronze wood screws.

I repeated the process for the port side coaming board.  With the coaming boards in place, I tapped off the outboard face of the coaming board where it meets the side deck, and then caulked the gap with polysulfide to seal and prevent bottoms from getting wet when Joule's owners bury the rail on tack in a stiff blow!

I then moved up to the foredeck and prepped for installation of the foredeck cleat.  I tapered the holes for the 5/16" machine screws to allow for a good amount of polysulfide to help seal the installation.  I set the cleat in place and taped around the base to capture the polysulfide squeeze out.  

With the surface prepped, I applied the polysulfide and secured the cleat with the bronze 5/16" machine screws through the tapped holes.  I backed the cleat with a plate of G-10, securing it with washers and nuts.

I moved back aft and removed the tape applied for painting the smooth surfaces, and then re-applied tape for the nonskid surface in the cockpit.  I would not get to the cockpit floor today, but at least it is prepped for sanding and then painting the nonskid.

I went into the shop and pulled out the winches.  Starting with the starboard side, I tapered the fastener hole on the side deck.  I also tapered the top and bottom surfaces of the deck pad to allow maximum polysulfide sealant.  I first set the deck pad and winch in place, and took note where the winch base met the outboard surface of the coaming board.  I removed the winch, and taped the outboard surface of the coaming board. I then returned the winch to its installation position and marked the fastener holes in order to secure the winch to the coaming board.   I clamped a scrap piece of wood on the inboard surface to prevent tear out, and then drilled out the fastener holes.   I removed the tape on the outboard surface and then tapered the fastener holes on the inboard surface of the coaming board.  With the board prepped for the installation, I applied polysulfide to all surfaces requiring it and then set the winch into position.  I secured the base of the winch first with a silicon bronze machine screw with a bolt head, and backed it with a G-10 plate, washer and nut.  Back in the cockpit, I secured the winch base to the coaming board with 1/4" bronze machine screws backed with washers and nuts.  The starboard winch is installed. 

Below, a view of the starboard winch from the cockpit.

I repeated the process for the port winch installation.

Having made great progress on the completion of Joule's restoration,  I closed the shop for the day.  Just a handful of items remain to bring her to completion...in the coming week!

Total Time Today:   6 hrs

Foredeck Vent and Deadlights Install

February 28, 2018

Continuing the pace towards the finish line, I set out this evening to complete the installation of the foredeck mushroom vent - a solar powered vent that keeps air circulating in the boat even through the nighttime hours - and the new Spartan Marine bronze deadlights - a lovely addition for any vessel!  Both items were selected by Joule's owners, and I couldn't agree more with both selections.

I began with the vents overhead mounting plate, ensuring that I placed the fasteners in an alternating pattern with that of the deck fasteners.  I predrilled for the #10 3/4" self-tapping screws, and then drove them into position.  With the mounting plate in place, I moved up to the foredeck to complete the balance of the install.

I had tapped for #8 fasteners thinking those would be used; however, I am glad a made the error with the smaller of the two sizes, because I simply predrilled for the #10 1" self-tapping screws.  There was ultimately no issue with the install, so I moved forward with it.  I applied a liberal amount of polysulfide to the underside of the deck plate, and then firmly screwed it into position.  I completed the install by screwing the cover (with the small solar panel) into place.  The instructions advise that the, due to packaging, the vent may need to be exposed to sunlight for several hours in order to build a suitable charge to then begin to operate.  Somehow I don't think Joule will be able to 'resist' inspiring the vent to life!

I also removed the nonskid tape line, thereby exposing the foredeck and side deck paint scheme - not a bad looking Typhoon!  I moved on to the install of the port side deadlight.  I cleaned the surface of the deadlight frame and the cabin side with solvent, as prep for the polysulfide.  I then applied a generous amount of the polysulfide, and secured the deadlight with 5 bronze screws.  I clipped about an 1/8" off the tip since they were in between sizes for what I was looking for relative to the thickness of the cabin sides.  All good.  A future project for Joule's owners may be to frame out the interior of the cabin side to 'finish' the deadlight from an interior perspective.

I repeated the process for the starboard deadlight.  Making good progress, and more finishing work to come.

Total Time Today:   1.25 hrs

Interior Painting

February 27, 2018

I managed to get another coat of interior paint in the cabin.  There will likely be at least one more coat for the interior.  The Pettit EZ Cabin Coat is a great mold and mildew resistant paint, but man it goes on thin!  Although it does not require a base coat primer, it might prove to accelerate the lay down of the paint on top of a primer coat.  I will certainly consider that for future applications. 

Total Time Today:   1.5 hrs