First thing, I made a quick pattern for the core in the coachroof core repair.

Afterwards, there was ample sanding to keep me occupied during the morning, starting with the sidedecks, foredeck, and outboard of the cockpit on both sides.  The sidedecks required mainly finish sanding, much by hand, to take care of the new fillets along the toerails.  The foredeck and cockpit areas were now on their second round of fairing filler, and were beginning to become close to final contours and making easily known the remaining low spots to be dealt with.

I also lightly sanded the various small fastener holes where I’d reamed out and filled with one coat of epoxy.  Then, with a grinder, I took care of preparing the coachroof around the starboard core repair, removing gelcoat and laminate around the edges to provide the bonding area for tying in the new laminate, with the same treatment at the port forward cowl vent hole that was slated for permanent patching.  I lightly ground out various now-filled fastener holes on the coachroof to allow for a small fiberglass patch over each one and, in the cockpit, prepared a few other obsolete hardware holes for patching as well.

After an appointment out in the world, which also gave the shop time to air out and settle a bit after the morning’s sanding and cleanup, I got back to work on the coachroof core, using my pattern to cut new core as required.  At the cowl vent opening at the forward end, I omitted the balsa right around the opening, and prepared a 12/2″ prefab fiberglass panel to fit the area.  Then, after final cleanup and preparations, I pre-soaked the core in resin on both sides, and installed it in thickened epoxy adhesive, sandbagging it in place while the epoxy cured overnight.

There was no sanding to start the day.  Whaaaaaaat???  I hardly knew what do do with myself.

Oh OK, there was a little sanding:  the coachroof core area required an easy sanding to prepare the inner skin and clean it up following the core removal.

With that done, I filled the void beneath the outboard edge with a thickened epoxy mixture, and skimmed more of the mixture over the inner skin to smooth and stabilize it, fill some minor tears from core removal, and begin to fill the large round hole at the aft end.

Next, I went around and filled all the fastener holes I’d bored out with the 5/8″ bit earlier, some of which would be re-used for reinstalling hardware, others of which were to be permanently filled and patched.  I also partially filled, in a couple different “lifts”, the obsolete cowl hole on the port side, starting by filling the voids around the edges (where I’d dug out core earlier), then partially filling the large hole.  Later, I planned to grind and patch this opening with fiberglass from above, but this was a start to the process.

After cleaning up the sidedecks, I applied another round of fairing filler as needed, mainly on the areas outboard of the cockpit and foredeck, though I touched up several areas on the main decks, and also created an epoxy fillet to transition between the sidedecks and toerails on each side, in areas where the bulk fairing was otherwise complete.  I troweled some of the fairing material into a series of small fastener holes in the cabin trunk that I’d previously prepared as well.

Next, I turned to the sea hood, and patterned a single layer of 1708 for the top skin to cover the core and complete the structure.  Once I had the piece cut appropriately, I troweled on a skim layer of slightly-thickened epoxy to fill any open kerfs in the core, wet out the surface, and fine-tune the epoxy edges surrounding the core.  Then I wet out and installed the fiberglass atop.  The narrow edge at the sea hood opening refused to hold the fiberglass on its own, so I resorted to some clamps to keep it in place during curing.  I intentionally left it long here for later trimming.

Over the weekend, with some time on hand, I decided to tackle the teak boards for the eventual cockpit coamings.  I ordered these a while back, and they needed to be planed smooth and to the appropriate thickness.  I had not been looking forward to this as the boards varied quite a bit in thickness, and I knew it would take time with my little planer to get then properly planed.

As it happened, the job went smoothly.  I was prepared to change to new blades partway through, as the existing blades (carbide) had been on the machine for a while, and I didn’t know how much more life they had, especially with teak.  But they did the whole job, and the planer only stopped once from overload (this tends to happen routinely with difficult woods like teak).  I always take tiny bites with each pass, and after about an hour the job was done.   I stopped at 15/16″ thickness because all four boards were smooth on both sides, and I thought the extra heft would look good on the boat.  Happy to have this dragon slayed, I set the planks aside for now.

My first order of business for the work week was another round of sanding on the main sidedecks and outboard of the cockpit.  The forward portions of the decks were nearing final shape, so my sanding was with finish tools and by hand.  Some work still remained, which I’d take care of in the near future.

Outboard of the cockpit, this was just the first round of fairing filler, and sanding was still fairly aggressive as I smoothed the epoxy and identified the remaining low spots and other areas requiring more work.  But the overall contours were good and as expected.

With progress on the main decks well underway and a predictable pattern of work ahead, I turned to the coachroof now to address the various work and repairs needed there, starting with the large area to starboard where I’d identified wet core earlier.  With a saw, I removed the top skin from the area, and pried out the core beneath.  Much of the area still had core in good condition, and well-stuck, but the pattern of wetness was unpredictable and random enough that the general shape of my opening was what was required.  Most of the damage came from the handrail fastener holes, but some came from one or two of the sea hood screw holes further up, and it looked like I’d have to open a bit more of the deck there.  Same thing with around the cowl vent at the forward end.  I dug out most of the core from beneath the outboard deck flange (the core was mainly sound at the other edges other than where I needed to expand the opening a bit).

After a break, I made some additional cuts to open up the deck to the leaking sea hood holes, and in way of the cowl vent opening at the forward end.  I found clean core at the edges of these openings, so had no need to dig further.

Meanwhile, I went around the coachroof with various bits–countersink for small fastener holes, and a 5/8″ Forstner bit for many other holes, including all fastener holes that would be reused later–and drilled out the holes as needed.  This also provided a window into the core at most of the fastener locations, generally displaying clean, dry core with no notable damage, confirming my impressions from my earlier inspections.

At the large core repair, I dug out the remaining core from the outer edge, and used my wire wheel to clean out the slot as well as possible.  Additional new work on the core repair would have to wait till the inner skin dried out before more sanding and filling could occur.  After cleaning up and blowing out all the drill spoils and remaining bits of core, I masked over most of the accessible openings from belowdecks, preparing for new work ahead.

Continuing work on the sea hood, with the core now well-adhered in place I lightly sanded as needed, and gave all the remaining gelcoat on the part a heavy sand to prepare it for new work.  Then, I applied a thick mix of epoxy around the edges of the core, filling the space I’d left there and troweling the epoxy even with the sides of the sea hood, and top of the core.  I left the epoxy to cure overnight.

With just a bit of time left in the day, I took a moment to make a quick pattern of the curvature of the molded nonskid pattern on the coachroof, which also defined the curve of the handrails.  The owner planned metal handrails that would need to be slightly bent to fit the curve, and this pattern, based on the nonskid edge (located just barely inboard from the old handrail location) and a molded profile line in the cabin sides below, would give a ready reference should it be needed for anything.

The day’s sanding duty began with the decks outboard of the cockpit, which I sanded as needed to ease and begin to fair in the edges with the surrounding decks, and to generally scuff the surfaces to prepare for continuing work.  At the toerail repairs, where I’d let the fiberglass run a bit wild at the top and sides, I first trimmed the excess material more or less flush, before hand-sanding the narrow top edge.

After cleaning up, I applied a first round of epoxy fairing filler to these decks and the inboard sides of the molded cockpit coamings.

I applied more fairing filler to portions of the sidedecks, focusing mainly on the inboard and outboard edges of these decks as faired in the raised molded nonskid with the lower borders all around.

The original molded sea hood from the companionway featured three prominent external ribs, which stiffened the part.  However, the shape and position of these elements would interfere with the ideal design of a new dodger, and during an earlier meeting the owners, canvas contractor, and I agreed that it would be best to remove the protrusions and rebuild the seahood flush on top.

The ribs were molded and hollow from the underside, and removing them would leave long slots in the top of the sea hood, as well as eliminate any stiffness in the part.  To provide the requisite stiffness, I planned to add core material and fiberglass over the top, which would raise its profile slightly, but ultimately provide the desired appearance and compliance with the dodger plans.  Before cutting away the ribs, I sanded away the paint from the underside and glued in some temporary strips of wood to help hold the piece in its proper shape.  Then, I cut away the three ribs, ground the openings smooth, and heavy-sanded the entire gelcoated top.  I didn’t see a reason to remove all the gelcoat.

To support the shape of the top while installing core, I built a simple support jig on the bench, with vertical members beneath each of the four sections of the top, and hot-glued it to the sea hood to eliminate any potential movement.  I added shims at the four outboard corners to ensure the hood would remain steady.

I cut pieces of 3/8″ balsa core to fit the top, leaving space around the edges that I’d later fill with solid material, then wet out the core with epoxy and installed it in a bed of thickened epoxy adhesive, securing it with weights as needed and leaving it to cure overnight.  Later, I’d fill the slots in the underside, and glass over the new core and onto the sides of the existing molding to complete the work.

 

After final cleaning, I skim-coated the sidedecks on either side of the cockpit, smoothing any minor undulations in the surface, filling minor voids, and wetting out the surfaces.  Once that was done, I began wetting out and installing the initial two layers of material for each side.  These layers extended over the inboard edges of the coamings by a few inches, and also up the inside edge of the short toerail section where the original winch islands had once been.  I let the top edge of the fiberglass run a little wild at the toerail, giving it plenty of room to stick well to the edges of the existing fiberglass.

While those layers set up for a while, I cut the remaining two full-size layers for both sides.

The first laminations brought the field (cored) areas generally even with the adjacent deck edges, as intended, but there were a few variations.  With the initial layers cured to the tack stage, I applied a thickened epoxy mixture here and there as needed to ease some of the minor transitions between layers and edges around each side of the cockpit.

Once that had cured a bit over lunch break, I wet out and installed the two top layers of 1708 on both sides.

With the day’s main goal complete, I had enough time left before the end of the day to sand the most recent application of fairing compound on the sidedecks and foredeck.

I began with a round of sanding on the sidedecks and foredeck, sanding the first round of fairing filler and new laminate, respectively, as needed.  At the foredeck, I also sanded flush a small raised molded area that had housed a centerline cleat, as the owner told me he didn’t plan on reinstalling the cleat, so I could now fill the holes.

Once the boat was cleaned up, I had to choose what direction to go.   Earlier in the week, I’d been thinking that as soon as I got the sidedecks more or less back together (which they now were), I’d get on deck and start the core repairs on the coachroof, mainly one moderate section on the starboard side.  But now I felt I was on a roll with the sidedecks, and that it would be best and most efficient to continue with the work at the after ends, so I turned to patterns for the decks outboard of the cockpit.

I planned four layers of new laminate here:  two initial layers to cover the core, bring it up to the proper level vis a vis the adjacent decks, and wrap over and tie into the inner coaming surfaces and the short toerail section where the old winch island had connected; then two additional layers to extend onto the prepared edges of the adjacent decks and complete the repair.  I began with the patterns I’d made for the core earlier, and with them laid out in place made some notations and modifications so I could cut fiberglass to wrap over the edge and up the side of the toerail.

Next, I made paper patterns of the larger pieces for the top, tracing the outlines of the previously-prepared deck edges as needed.

I knew there was too much work to cut the fiberglass and laminate these large sections before the end of the day, so before I got to the fiberglass cutting I decided to go ahead and apply a second round of filler to the sidedecks, and a first layer on the foredeck repair, which kept the work moving on those areas, and opened up the whole next day to focus first on finishing up the material cutting and installing the new laminate on the quarters.  On the sidedecks, this fairing round focused on the known low spots, mainly at the deck edges inboard and out and a few areas around some of the structural repairs.  First, though, I filled the bolt holes on the foredeck with another epoxy mixture, as I’d done elsewhere on the decks earlier.

Now I could spend the rest of the day cutting fiberglass for the large sections near the cockpit, starting with the first two layers on each side.  I cut each layer into two more manageable sections, staggering the seams well between the layers.  I test-fit the pieces on each side (only the starboard side shown in the photos) and made some minor re-cuts as needed for a better fit.  Next time, I hoped (and planned) to finish cutting the final two layers, and install all four on each side.

As per usual, I began my day with the sander, working on both sidedecks to sand the new laminate and clean up the edges along the adjacent decks as needed.  I also sanded the nearby nonskid areas, starting at the aft end of the foredeck, to reduce the molded nonskid texture and prepare the decks for additional work and fairing in the repairs.  The molded nonskid pattern was heavy and deep, and sanding it completely smooth would have removed far too much material and taken eons, so I sanded it heavily to remove most of the texture, but stopped well short of the decks being completely smooth.  I’d skim-coat and fill the remainder to achieve a reasonable balance.

The skidmark-looking things on the deck are just that–skid marks from the bottom of my vacuum, which feet had worn through the cloth I maintain over the bottom to avoid damage.

At the same time, I prepared a few areas for additional repair work, using a grinder to remove material around a pair of deck fill openings on the port deck, and to prepare the forward part of the obsolete port track fasteners for a strip of fiberglass over the top.  I also lightly sanded the one layer of fiberglass on the bow repair that I’d started last time.

Next, I made preparations to fill most of the fastener holes in the sidedecks.  I’d already opened up most holes with a 5/8″ Forstener bit, removing the core within, but now I went around and drilled out a few holes I’d missed before, and used a large countersink to ream the tops of the holes a bit to increase bearing surface for the filler.  Inside the boat, as needed I masked over some of the holes to prevent any epoxy from dripping through into the cabin or lockers.  After final preparations, I went around the sidedecks and filled all these holes with a mix of epoxy and high-density filler, leaving this to cure over lunchtime.

With the epoxy gelled sufficiently, I installed fiberglass patches over the deck fill openings, and one layer of fiberglass over the jib track holes (and a nearby test hole).  Then I patterned and cut and installed two layers of fiberglass on the foredeck repair.

During the sanding session in the morning, I’d fine-tuned the cuts at the small sections of toerail on either side of the cockpit, where the original winch islands had tied in, cleaning up the cut lines at the top edges and bringing them back enough to accept a layer or two of fiberglass later, which would bring them back to the necessary width to match the other areas.  The open area within was quite shallow and also uneven, with tabbing (now exposed on one side) pressed into the space in uneven ways.  Over the past weeks I’d been considering how to proceed with these repairs, and now I filled the shallow voids flush with a thickened epoxy mixture, troweling it smooth to the top edge and a line I struck at deck level, which lines I’d masked to to ensure a clean line when all was said and done.

My plan was to bring the first layer or two of fiberglass up and into this now-flush space to tie the toerails back in and return the inside edges to their more-or-less final shape (fairing notwithstanding).  I expected to require two layers of material over the core, to bring up the height properly, before installing a final two over the whole area plus the adjacent deck edges, but that was for a time in the immediate future, just not now.

Finally, I applied a coat of epoxy fairing filler over both sidedecks, including the adjacent nonskid and all repaired areas, to begin to smooth and tie these areas all together.  I stopped a bit short of the aft ends to allow room to tie in the material outboard of the cockpit later.  This skim coat mainly filled the existing nonskid and new repair laminate, as well as began to incorporate the molded deck edges (the nonskid pattern stood proud of the molded borders), but the overall profile on both sides was largely fair in an overall sense, with no significant hollows to fill.  The epoxy in the fastener holes, and even the fiberglassed repairs on the port side, had gelled enough by this time that I could fair right over the top as needed.

The first order of business was to remove the weights and plastic, then wash and lightly sand the newly-cored areas to prepare them for the next steps.  Along with basic smoothing and scuffing, I spent some time to round over the coaming edge outboard of the cockpit to later accept new laminate wrapping over from the deck onto the inside coamings.

After cleaning up, I pressed on with the sidedeck and foredeck patches, leaving the areas outboard of the cockpit for later attention.  Before I could laminate the new top skin, I had to take care of the chainplate slots in a couple areas, as I’d left the core out from around the slots and now needed to fill the areas with an epoxy mixture.  I prepared and installed plastic chainplate analogs to keep the slots intact during the epoxy work.

Afterwards, I lightly skim-coated the core on the sidedecks, which had the effect of wetting it out before the fiberglass, and filling any small voids here and there leftover from installing the core.

While that cured slightly, I cut the first layer of fiberglass for the patches, using the core patterns I’d made earlier as the first layer would sit directly over the core without overlapping in order to bring the core and environs up flush with the adjacent decks as needed.  Then, I wet out and installed this first layer.

Once that was done, I continued cutting two more layers of fiberglass for the sidedeck repairs, using the paper patterns I’d made last time.  As needed, I prepared staggered joints between the layers so no joint ended up above another.  Then, I wet out and installed the two additional layers in epoxy resin; at the ends of the jib track repairs, forward of the cockpit, I held the new material back as needed so the eventual laminate outboard of the cockpit could overlap as needed.  I hadn’t yet made a pattern for the foredeck repair, other than the first layer, so even though it was ready for the next two layers I waited that for next time.

I removed all the clamps and sandbags from the core and other new work, then water-washed as needed to prepare for sanding.  I used a chisel to lightly scrape away the hot glue and support sticks from my inner-skin patches, but unfortunately the patch at the port aft tank fill opening failed; it was clear from its appearance that it had never stuck to most of the area around the opening in the first place.  I made alternate plans to cover this smaller hole.

Next, I lightly sanded the fresh core and other areas just to remove any hard spots or epoxy ridges and to prepare the cored areas for eventual fiberglass.  I cleaned up the fiberglass patches over the round holes with a small rotary sander, and then, while I was at it, used a grinder to remove gelcoat and taper the laminate inside the cockpit in way of the edges of the old winch island areas, preparing these areas for eventual laminate.  My plan was to wrap a couple layers of the new top skin over the inside edge of the cockpit, tying it into the laminate below.   There’d be a bit more work ahead on this corner later,  once the core was in place.

To finish off my sanding of the moment, I prepared the exterior side of the three through hull holes in the counter as well.  Then, I cleaned up the boat and shop to give me good working conditions for the rest of the day.

Once I’d cleaned up, my first order of business was to pattern the core for the two small after sections, just forward of the transom.  With that done, I could go ahead and fill the patches flush with the surrounding inner skins, and lay a strip of thin fiberglass over the 2″ tank fill opening from the top; there was ample room in the space for the fiberglass without affecting how the core would sit.  I also filled flush the similar repair at the stem, though I apparently didn’t take a picture.

While that material gelled, I worked to finish up the prep on the new core for the areas outboard of the cockpit.  I dry-fit the pieces once more to ensure they fit properly with the new fiberglass edges now in place, then marked the winch locations on the starboard core, as I’d done before with the port, so I could omit some of the core where the winch stands would land.  To ensure a consistent measuring datum, versus using the cut line from the old winch islands’ removal, I determined these positions with the tape held against the bottom of the molded coaming block at the forward end for later duplication.  Then, down on the bench, I cut pieces of 1/2″ prefab fiberglass to appropriate sizes, and cut out the core in the various areas to accommodate the fiberglass, including sections in way of the forward stern pulpit bases on the two smallest aft pieces.

After final preparations and cleanup, I installed the new on both sides outboard of the cockpit, along with the piece on the foredeck.  I happened to need to change my gloves during the process, leaving me clean and able to take a few pictures right after epoxying the core in place and before covering and weighing down.  I didn’t have enough sandbags to  cover the foredeck section, so I used whatever weights I could conveniently find.

To round out the day and week, I finished up by making paper patterns for the fiberglass laminate over the previously-cored areas on the sidedecks.

While I was working nearby, I happened to notice this oddity of note at one of the old snap locations for the existing dodger on the side of the cabin trunk:  a cheap plastic drywall anchor.  I’d seen many things over the years, but this was a first in my experience.

I got started by cutting the core for the starboard sidedeck.

Afterwards, I made final preparations to both sidedecks, then installed the new core in the sidedeck repairs and inboard genoa track areas.  One section at a time, I wet out both sides of the core with epoxy first, then the decks themselves, then applied epoxy adhesive to accept the core, weighting it down to hold in place while the epoxy cured.

The bow repair, along with both after sections near the transom,  required patching of the inner deck skin in way of now-removed round deck plates.  With poor or even no access from beneath, I chose to use small sections of 1/8″ prefab fiberglass sized to fit through the holes from above, then epoxied in place.  I installed a temporary screw to use as a handle, and, once I’d inserted the epoxy-buttered pieces through the openings, used stir sticks and hot glue to hold them securely while the epoxy cured.

Next, I laid out some solid fiberglass edge pieces in the areas outboard of the cockpit coamings, along the inside edges against the cockpit, and beneath the open section of the toerail where I’d cut away the original molded winch islands.  At the inboard edges, the 1/2″ thick, 1″ wide material would establish the proper shape and height for the new work, and somehow it just made sense to me to install solid fiberglass against the edge beneath the toerails.  I didn’t take photos of the dry layout (photos of the installation further below), but did mark the inner skins at the edges of the solid pieces, which I could use to pattern the balsa core for the remainder of the open area.

With patterns complete, I cut and dry-fitted the core, showing the gaps at the edges where the solid fiberglass would go.

Now I measured one of the original winch islands to relocate the winches on the new core.  The original locations were centered 7-1/2″, and 51″, respectively, aft of the forward edge of the islands (at deck level).  I transferred these marks to one of the sidedecks for now so I could determine the approximate locations, then laid out the newly-arrived bronze winch stands upside down for now to simulate the installation.

Using a 12″ long test winch handle (intentionally a very long handle to maximize clearances), I roughed out the clearance required for the forward winch; the after winch had no clearance issues and I intended it to stay in its original location.  But to make room for dodger wings at the forward end, it would behoove things to move the forward winch aft a bit, to increase clearance and keep all options open as much as possible.  However, a further limiting factor was at hand:  the stanchion base, located just a bit aft.    I didn’t want any conflicts between the stanchion and proper use of the winch handle, so, with the handle mocked up to estimate sound clearance, I repositioned the winch stand as far aft as I could, which turned out to be about 5″ further aft, or 12″ from the leading edge of the original winch island.  I drew arcs on the core representing the approximate throw of the long winch handle to illustrate clearance.  The new location forged a balance between clearing the stanchion (critical) and the dodger wing (important, but more flexible).

Satisfied with the placement, I used the winch islands, held in place in their proper orientation, to mark the core in way of the deck bases, which was ultimately the purpose of this exercise now.  I’d remove blocks of the core beneath these marks in order to replace it with solid fiberglass.

But for now, I set the core pieces aside and turned my attention to the fiberglass edges, which I wanted to epoxy in place before the end of the day.  Along the inboard edges, I could use clamps to secure the fiberglass in its epoxy bedding, though the clamps only worked in the orientation shown.  Along the outer edge, beneath the toerail, clamps didn’t work–I’d thought they would–so I hurried to come up with some hot glue blocks and wedges as needed to hold the fiberglass into the curvature as required, and to hold it flat when it wanted to twist up at the inner edge near the after end.  I left this arrangement to cure overnight.