December 27, 2023

Calliope Girl 30

Wednesday

After some minor surface prep to lightly scuff the fresh epoxy fillets securing the settee fronts, I prepared a small batch of the filleting material and filled in the several areas where the temporary glue blocks had been installed.  While that gelled, I cut, then wet out and installed, two layers of tabbing along the full lengths of both settees.

While it was on my mind, I took a moment to apply some fairing filler to the top corners of the new mast step structure, filling a small gap between the fiberglass on the top and the tabbing on the two vertical faces–this just as a cosmetic concern, to avoid a sharp edge or gap that would tend to attract debris.

Next, I installed a full-length cleat along the top edge of the starboard settee front to eventually support the berth top and provide additional stiffness to the structure.  I attached this with glue and screws from inside.  I had a twin piece cut for the port side, but for the moment decided to focus on the starboard side.  Afterwards, I installed a short vertical cleat to support the divider bulkhead, then finished the layout of this bulkhead by securing it to the cleat with two screws, squaring it to the settee front, and marking the hull accordingly.  To hold and align the divider during installation, I installed a temporary hot glue block near the outer edge.  Finally, I used a level to mark the top edge of the divider, after which I removed the panel for final trimming, epoxy coating of the edge grain, and then installation with glue and screws against the support cleat, and epoxy fillets along both sides where the bulkhead met the hull.  I left this to cure for now, and planned to install tabbing next time, once the epoxy cured.  I left a sizeable limber at the base of the divider (and also a space for hoses to run later), and provided a wiring chase at the top edge for the existing wire run through the space.

I continued work on the starboard side berth top, partly because I was anxious to have a flat work surface as soon as possible, and partly because the still-curing tabbing on the port side precluded work on the divider bulkhead there, as I’d need to release the large wire bundles in order to lay it out.   With some basic measurements of the space, I cut a template panel from junky plywood, which fit surprisingly well given its rough initial layout, but still required scribing and a second cut to match the curvature of the hull properly.

Once I was satisfied with the outboard edge of the template, I transferred the shape to a piece of the 12mm okoume and cut out the actual berth top, leaving it a bit wide so it hung over the vertical settee face for now.  I’d trim that to final size later, and there was still work to be done beneath, so it’d be a bit before I completed the final installation of the berth top, but at least now I’d have somewhere to put tools and such while I continued on the opposite side.

Total time billed on this job today: 5.25 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 37°. light rain. Forecast for the day: Light rain, showers, and overcast, 42°