March 5, 2020

Scupper 256

Thursday

After a light sanding, I applied another coat of semi-gloss white enamel to the liner cover plates, and another coat of varnish to the tiller.

I finished up the toilet installation by connecting the fresh water intake line behind the toilet, and installing the other end of the discharge line to the fitting on the holding tank.  Then I ran the toilet wiring (for the intake and discharge pumps) into the engine room, where I secured it and made the connections as needed to the toilet control box.  I applied the little cover plates over the toilet bowl fasteners, and finished up work in the head by installing the panel to cover the holding tank, and cleaning up the space.

Unclamping the screen frame, I lightly sanded the new assembly as needed and test-fit it in the opening.  The screening would come later, but for now I went ahead with a sealer coat of varnish–and on the solid swashboard as well, as I didn’t want to leave the plywood unprotected, and since the companionway was small and vertical, a varnish finish on these pieces would last a long time, and provide an accent to the exterior of the boat.

After a lunch engagement, I got back in time to finish up a couple more items, in and around cleaning up the boat as I continued the transition from project to completed vessel.  The owner’s new tiller pilot arrived, and although the mounting brackets I needed were not yet on hand, I could go ahead and install the power supply, choosing a spot in the cockpit coaming just aft of the tiller pilot’s expected mounting location.  I’d planned ahead and already had a 14 gauge wire pair led to the area from the panel, so final connection was straightforward.

Finally, after a light sanding, I applied two-part epoxy primer to the fresh fiberglass reinforcement beneath the starboard cockpit seat, which would allow me to apply the final gray paint next time, one of just a few minor tasks remaining on my list.

Total time billed on this job today:  6 hours

0600 Weather Observation:  3o°, clear. Forecast for the day:  Sunny, 45°