Lackey Sailing | tim lackey

Sunday

With the cockpit box securely glued, I removed the zip ties–most of them slid out, but I cut and abandoned the rest–and then lightly sanded and rounded over all the corners of the box to prepare for fiberglass. Afterwards, I installed tabbing over all the seams, leaving the field areas for another time since I had no appropriate fiberglass on hand at the moment (it was on the way).

Total time billed on this job today: 1.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 15°, cloudy. Forecast for the day: Cloudy, 29°

Saturday

Now that the wedges were securely glued in place beneath the new holding tank platform, I removed the clamps and coated the plywood edges and bottom with epoxy. These areas would never be seen once the platform was in place.

Using some guide marks I’d made up in the boat during a tank test-fit earlier, I made a relief cut in the portside divider from the holding tank compartment, which would allow clear passage of the inlet and vent hoses to the tank. I made the opening larger than it had to be because there was no reason not to, but left the bottom edge higher than the top of the tank so it could possibly receive a cleat to help secure the tank, or to support a shelf above. Afterwards, I painted both sides of the divider to prepare it for reinstallation soon.

In addition to the large deck box underway for the coachroof, the owner had also requested one in the cockpit, at the aft end, to hold the spare propane tank and whatever else might fit. I was building these one at a time at the moment because I was juggling two projects at the same time, and now was a good opportunity to begin the next box. (There’d be two additional, smaller boxes for the coachroof to come as well.)

The cockpit in this boat was already small, and with virtually no good storage spaces. The space in which the new box was to fit was at the aft end of the cockpit, which was angled steeply because of the shape of the boat herself. To maximize useful space and make the box fit as well as possible in the cockpit, I planned for it to be angled to fill the available space, and after some measurements started with a cardboard template of the bottom. The new box would be roughly as high as, but not higher than, the adjacent seats on three sides, and the aft end of the box could tuck into the molded recess at the aft end of the cockpit. The small propane tank would fit nicely in the angle at the aft end of the box, and while it would take up the bulk of the room in the box, there’d be space for other small items, and possibly a removable shelf above the tank for additional storage.

Satisfied with the template, I transferred it to some 9mm plywood and cut out the base, along with a slightly larger version that would eventually form the lid for the box (I set that aside for now). Using some plywood as temporary stand-ins for the sides and back, I located the propane tank on the base and marked the circle at the bottom of the tank on the plywood, for later use in attaching some cleats that would help secure the tank within. That was for later.

Then, I made up the four sides of the box. Allowing for 3/8″ high “feet” beneath the box (to keep it clear of the deck), and the 3/8″ (9mm) top of the box, and erring on the short side, the side pieces ended up 15-3/4″ tall, all of which would ultimately fit within the 17″ high maximum space (the height of the nearby seats). I secured the pieces of the box together as I went with small holes through which I tightened zip ties.

Now I test-fit the tank in the box, showing a roughly 4-5″ space above the top of the tank for an additional shelf. Then I checked the fit of the box in the cockpit. The floor space the box used up was not particularly valuable, and in any event the owner had kept the spare tank there in past years, covered with an overturned bucket, so this was only making better and cleaner use of the already spoken-for space.

With the box dry-assembled, I installed epoxy fillets on the insides of the box over all the seams. These would hold the box together and reinforce the joints along with the fiberglass tabbing I’d later install on the outside.

I thought I’d finish up work for the day by permanently installing the fittings in the new holding tank. Of course this ended up being a tougher job than I’d expected, and harder than it had been doing various dry-fits, but I got it done and was happy to have it so. I started by making up the diptube for the discharge, using trial and error to eventually get a length of hose (with bottom cut at an angle) to just about reach the bottom of the tank.

I thought I’d be able to put this hose on the internal hose barb once the main fittings were in place, so I applied 4200 sealant to the bronze discharge fittings and installed them through the tank, only to find that getting the hose on after the fact was impossible thanks to the right fit over the barb and the more-limited-than-you’d-think-it-would-be arm and hand access/dexterity through the inspection port and to the corner of the tank, so I had to remove the threaded barb fitting and put the hose on outside the tank. Then, I couldn’t get the threads started again–once more, a simple task when dry-fitting, but somehow impossible once the sticky stuff was in play and suddenly the whole thing mattered.

So with some mutterings of displeasure, I removed the top fixing nut (covered in goop), then the entire assembly so I could thread on the base fitting with the hose, and install that whole piece (hose, hose barb, and threaded neck) back into the tank. This worked, but it was all messier and more time-consuming than it had to be. I threaded on the bronze tee and tightened it before finalizing the installation so I could ensure it ended up facing the right direction.

With the hard installation out of the way, the remaining two fixtures were much easier to install, also well-bedded in 4200.

After cleaning out the inside of the tank, I saw no reason not to install the inspection port and remaining fittings. Once work on the new platform was complete, I could install the tank and finish up the work on the head system.

Total time billed on this job today: 4.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 2°, mainly clear. Forecast for the day: Mostly sunny, 23°.

Friday

After a light sanding, various low spots remained on portions of the long deck box, so I applied additional fairing compound to these areas.

To cut the wedge shapes on the now-cured laminations I’d made up for the holding tank base, I used a long, narrow scrap of plywood to create the simplest possible taper jig. The wedges were designed to be full height at one end, and tapering to nothing at the other end, so I screwed the blanks to the “jig” in an according orientation, then ran them through the table saw. I set the offcuts aside in case they might be handy during the tank installation.

I set up the four wedges along the bottom side of the new platform, more or less evenly spaced across and designed to support the tank evenly, and glued them in place with epoxy, clamping everything securely.

With that work complete for now, I turned to the tank itself and prepared to install the various fittings required. Key to this whole exercise was the large aluminum inspection port, which would allow access inside the tank to install the three new fittings. I used one of the supplied gaskets to lay out the large opening (6″), and then the bolt holes that secured the two sections of the inspection port together and formed the liquid-proof seal. The inner portion of the assembly came in two pieces to allow fitment through the circular opening. I test-fit the inside piece with attached threaded studs both ways (from inside and outside) to double-check the bolt hole layout, but for now I set the inspection port aside since it’d be easier to work on the other fittings before its installation was complete.

Now I needed to install three fittings: One for the tank discharge (including options for shoreside pumpout and legal overboard discharge using the new pump I’d installed earlier, and using a bronze tee fitting); the tank vent; and the tank inlet.

The discharge fitting would require a shop-made diptube (hose extending to the bottom of the tank), which required a hose barb on the inside of the tank; the top side of the tank required threads to which I’d attach the bronze tee fitting. Since no such hybrid fitting existed, eventually I made up the required piece using the threads from one through hull fitting (after cutting off the mushroom head), two fixing nuts, and a female-thread tailpiece. I had to make my own threaded nipple from the through hull because the only bronze nipple available (and it is handy at times) is a close nipple that wasn’t long enough to hold the fixing nuts and required fittings on both sides.

To ensure that I could make the required hose connections, before beginning any installation work I took the tank and the discharge and intake fittings up to the boat to test the fit and possible positions. The height of the discharge pump on the port side, and the position of the tank, required that the discharge tee be turned 180°, facing away from the pump: This allowed the hose to connect between the two with a wide bend. There was no way to do this more directly given the juxtaposition of the two required hose barbs. This is nothing unusual in boat plumbing.

The inlet was more straightforward. With the existing hose from the head, I could estimate a clean pathway (I’d have to cut down the plywood divider some) to the elbow fitting I planned to use for the inlet near the front port corner of the tank. I marked these two positions on the tank and returned everything to the bench.

Now I cut the holes (1-7/8″) through the tank for each fitting and dry fit both. I cut the stem of the intake fitting down a couple inches to reduce its height. Then, in between the two, I installed the 3/4″ fitting for the new vent.

The tank itself was carefully dimensioned to fit easily through the forward hatch, since both the pilothouse door to the cockpit and the passageway leading to the forward cabin were too narrow for a reasonably-sized tank and fittings. I was prepared to install all the fittings with the tank in the boat if need be, but I much preferred the idea of installing them on the bench, so although a measurement suggested the tank and fittings would fit through the 19″ opening, to ensure the fact I brought the assembly up to the foredeck to check the fit physically. It fit with room to spare even with the tall tee fitting and plug only loosely fitted, and I could easily leave the plug off (though it wasn’t necessary).

To make up the diptube for the discharge, I found a length of suction-proof hose (i.e. hardwall and wire-reinforced) in my leftover bin and brought it down from the cold attic to the shop to warm up before I tried to work with it. By now, it was late in the day, so I left final installation of the fittings for another time.

Total time billed on this job today: 3.25 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 0°, clear. Forecast for the day: Increasing clouds, 23°.

Friday

In the cockpit, I sanded as needed all areas where I’d applied fairing compound last time, and, anticipating the final stages in the near future, I sanded all surfaces with 80 grit on a finishing sander. The final grit required before primer application was 120, but I’d await that for a bit since there was still some fine-tuning required on some of the fairing, mainly at the two largest patches.

With the contours close, but not quite there, on the icebox hatch and lazarette hatch, I applied additional fairing compound as necessary. Most of the cockpit sole fillets had turned out well, but the corners and especially scupper areas required additional work as well.

At the forward hatch opening, the new cutout had exposed the beginnings of core in the adjacent deck, on three sides of the opening, so to prepare for installing the new frame soon, I reamed out some of the exposed core along the edges as needed, then filled the gap with thickened epoxy to seal the core from this opening.

Meanwhile, I continued the varnish base on the new hatch frame with the 4th coat.

Total time billed on this job today: 3.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 0°, clear. Forecast for the day: Increasing clouds, 23°.

Thursday

Continuing work on the deck box, after a light sanding I applied another round of fairing filler to all four sides.

The new holding tank I’d ordered had arrived recently, and now I began preparations for its final installation. The owner wanted to use all bronze fittings for the hose connections to the tank, along with a large inspection port, so we’d ordered the tank with only two small threaded fittings on one side, which the owner would use for winterizing and casual inspection. The remaining fittings would all be installed here at the shop.

I began by test-fitting the tank in the space to ensure that the dimensions all worked out as planned.

The owner wanted to install the tank at a slight angle so that the discharge side–the left side in these photos (port side of the boat)–would be lowest, making it easier to drain the tank as completely as possible for winterizing and such. So my first task was to build an angled platform to support the tank above the actual floor of the locker. After measuring, I cut a piece of 12mm plywood to the correct size for the space. I figured raising the starboard side of the tank about 1-1/2″ would provide sufficient angle for drainage, and planned to cut a series of wedges to both angle and support the platform properly. I didn’t have any suitable scrap wood on hand for this, so instead I milled a series of 1/2″ x 1-1/2″ strips from leftover plywood, and glued up four blanks that I could use to make the wedges. I used temporary screws to clamp these assemblies while the epoxy cured, and would be able to continue work on the platform next time.

Total time billed on this job today: 2.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 9°, mainly clear. Forecast for the day: Becoming sunny, 24°.

Thursday

Back to work in the cockpit, once more, for another round of sanding. Now I’d reached the point where I was only using a finer grit of sandpaper on the patches as things inched towards completion for this stage. The two largest repairs–to the icebox hatch and the lazarette opening–would require some additional work to take care of remaining low spots, but most of the rest of the cockpit was in pretty good shape, other than some fine-tuning.

After cleanup, I applied additional fairing compound to the two larger patches, then focused mainly on forming new fillets at the edges of the cockpit sole to create smooth curves where the cockpit well met the sole, and at the corners, particularly the forward corners at the scuppers. Finger-sanding loomed ahead.

The transducer housing required one more light sanding, by machine and then by hand, after which I called this complete and ready for transducer installation (later in the project once the bilges and interior had progressed somewhat) and paint.

With the approaching end of the substantial cockpit structural repair work and surface prep, I looked forward to getting going on the interior paint, which would be the next focus after an intensive cleaning session. Most of the remaining jobs on the work list for now required that the cabin, lockers, and bilges be painted first.

For now, I wrapped up the day’s work with another light sanding and third coat of varnish on the forward hatch, and spent the afternoon working on another ongoing project at the shop.

Total time billed on this job today: 4 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 9°, partly clear. Forecast for the day: Becoming mostly sunny, 24°.

Wednesday

After lightly sanding the first round of fairing filler on the deck box, I applied a second layer, this time using a wide trowel to span the entire height of the box. Because the box was fairly lightweight, I’d noted the last time that tended to move about when working on the sides, so now I filled it with some scrap lumber to help weight it down; this worked well to allow me to trowel effectively.

Total time billed on this job today: .75 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 0°, clear, 2″ or so of snow from yesterday. Forecast for the day: Sunny, 28°.

Wednesday

Back to work in the cockpit, I started off the morning with a round of sanding, cleaning up the first round of fairing filler in the cockpit areas and lightly sanding the fiberglass patches on the inside surfaces of the cockpit and icebox hatch.

After thoroughly cleaning up, the cockpit was ready for a second round of fairing compound, this time mainly concentrated on the two larger structural patches (icebox hatch and aft lazarette), and the corners where the cockpit sole met the cockpit well sides.

After a light sanding, the transducer housing was nearly complete–just a few pesky tool marks remaining, but the overall shape and profile was where I wanted it.

Later in the day, when I had some fairing compound leftover from another job, I filled these small voids.

After giving the forward hatch frame a light sanding, I applied a second coat of varnish, a process I’d continue for the next several days.

I quickly cleaned up the verdigris-coated bronze chainplates (original equipment, complete with Merriman logo) so I could better judge the metal’s condition. I didn’t bother cleaning the chainplates completely, as my goal was just to get an inspection efficiently. Getting past the idea that these chainplates seemed impossibly puny by today’s standards, the fact was they had (and still were on some sisterships) worked fine for 60 years, the bronze didn’t appear in terrible condition, but there was some discoloration suggestive of a metallic reaction, and various other signs of cumulative corrosion-related damage in the sort of topographic, dark-colored swirls seen hither and yon.

Total time billed on this job today: 5 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 0°, clear, 2″ or so of snow from yesterday. Forecast for the day: Sunny, 28°.

Tuesday

After a light sanding, I applied a round of epoxy fairing filler to the deck box, the first of a few required to prepare the exterior for the final paint finish.

Total time billed on this job today: .75 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 8°, cloudy. Forecast for the day: Cloudy, light snow in the afternoon, 21°.

Tuesday

Continuing the cycle with these things, I began the day with a round of sanding to prepare the various fiberglass patches I’d completed last time: The icebox hatch; vertical lazarette hatch; gauge holes. As needed, I removed the backing tape and molds from these repairs and prepared the back sides for additional work where necessary.

With a 1″ hole saw, I reopened the cockpit scuppers so I could continue work creating and cleaning up the top edges for finished appearance.

With a jigsaw, I slightly opened up the opening for the new cockpit sole hatch, as the solid fiberglass I’d installed around its perimeter overhung a bit on the forward side. With 1/8″ or so of trimming, the hatch fit properly once more. Meanwhile, I cut the opening for the forward hatch to the final size, following the lines I’d traced from the wooden hatch frame.

After final preparations, I added layers of fiberglass to the back sides of the icebox hatch repair, the engine gauge area, and the blower hole. I installed small fiberglass patches over the insides of the two old through hulls in the engine room as well.

In the cockpit, I applied the first layer of fairing compound to the repairs, as well as a skim coat on the cockpit seating areas and new cockpit sole, plus filling the various screw holes and other areas requiring minor repair and filling.

On the hull, I lightly sanded the first round of fairing filler on the transducer housing, then applied a second coat to further fine-tune the shape and fill the minor low spots.

To round out the day, I finished up the milling work on the new forward hatch frame, rounding over the top outside corner for appearance and to hold varnish, and sanding the whole piece through 220 grit. Then, I applied a thin sealer coat of varnish to the piece, the first of several coats I’d apply before installing the frame permanently on deck.