Port side panels showing gap at the top
I think that I will have to replace the panels on both sides at the moment on the port side the top securing screws will completely miss the support timber even allowing for the lining carpet being wrapped around the panel top and bottom and a varnished timber trim piece at the top. There is still a bit more work to be done before the panels can be permanently fitted the navigation light wiring needs to be installed and there are still a couple of leaks into the chain locker to be sorted.
Over last weekend I made the adaptor for the engine sea water system the nylon came from a company called Direct Plastics first rate service and they will supply small amounts the parcel also contained a small packet of sweeties unfortunately the children have grown up, or so they claim, and left home so I had to eat them all myself. The engine sea water system is now complete so it just needs some fuel in the tank before I can try and start it that could well be interesting as far as I am aware it could well be at least seven years since it last ran.
The washboards to both companionways require some remedial work basically they require taking to pieces, sanding down and reassembling.
Saloon washboards
As can be seen each board is built up and the glue joints to the side pieces have failed they only needed a gentle tap with a mallet before they moved.
I made up a temporary one piece washboard from some old shuttering ply that came with the boat as a temporary cockpit floor while the engine was out it has seen much better days but will do the job and once the saloon washboards are complete I shall cut it down to fit the aft cabin so that these washboards can be refurbished.
Temporary washboard
The saloon washboards are this weekends homework job I have taken off most of the edge pieces all except one which refuses to budge I suppose it is possible that it has already been attended to and if it won't move after whacking it with a mallet I shall leave it otherwise I could end up doing some damage.
All ready for sanding
New Morning has a deck stepped mast the mast step is mounted on a timber cored area of the coach roof similar to most boats of this type. I had some concerns about the possible condition of the timber core, a common problem is that water leaks in and rots the core allowing the mast to drop and although there were no signs of the timber having rotted, cracks in the gelcoat around the mast step, a while ago I drilled a hole up into the core in way of the mast from underneath and the timber appeared to be dry in this area. Today I decided to investigate further one area where water is likely to leak in it is in way of the cable glands for the various cables attached to equipment on the mast as the holes for the cables had just been drilled through the deck and the core. A better way of creating access for the cables is to drill the holes out over size and then fill the hole with thickened epoxy and then re drill the hole through the epoxy once it has cured. To this end I removed the old cable glands and used a hole saw to open up the cable access holes I figured that it would enable me to get a good idea of the core condition at this vulnerable point and if it was in good condition all I had to do was refill the holes with thickened epoxy and re drill the access holes for the cables.
Cable access holes opened out
The ply core was in a good dry condition and so after giving the holes a good clean with acetone I laid up several layers of glass cloth and epoxy on the underside and primed the wood inside the holes with epoxy, once this had gelled I filled the holes with thickened epoxy. To stop any rainwater ingress I shall leave it at that until the mast goes up I will then fit new cable glands and drill the access holes for the cables.
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