January 28, 2020

Scupper 229

Tuesday

I now had the final three stanchion bases on hand, so I got right to the installations, all three of which went fairly smoothly.

I was still waiting for the longer bronze bolts to finish up the main chainplates on the port side, but with the bolts I had on hand I could install the port aft chainplate near the cockpit.

Now that the forwardmost chainplates on each side were in place, I could reinstall the ceiling strips to cover the insides.

I applied a coat of gray paint around the depth transducer and on the sanitation pump mounting block to complete those areas.

I had to leave the shop soon on unrelated business, but thinking ahead to the next deck hardware installations, I went through the remaining bronze hardware–mooring cleats and chocks–and prepared backing plates for the cleats.  Since the forward cleats’ required location aft of the bowsprit would bring the fasteners through into the forward part of the forward cabin, I cut some 3/4″ cherry backing blocks for appearance, and after shaping and sanding sent them off to the finish room for their first coat of varnish so they’d be ready for installation soon.  Meanwhile, I cut two backing plates from prefab fiberglass for the stern cleats.

Total time billed on this job today:  3.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation: 32°, mostly cloudy. Forecast for the day:  Partly sunny, 35°