25 May 2009
The trim around the companionway is a mess and needs to be replaced. After trying to salvage the port trim, it broke. The piece got stored in the garage and now it is lost. After trying to refinish the existing trim (a fruitless effort) I decided to epoxy a 1/4" layer of teak over the existing wood. Is this easier? Is anything easy. The majority of the trim was shaped with a pocket knife and all hand sanded. This was an ideal opportunity to ease the sliding hatch so it would open and close without muscle strain. I chose to do it this way because it was the holiday weekend and I didn't want to make any noise with power tools. Side note: It is always redeeming to know that what could have taken only minutes to do with power tools, took days to do by hand.
I wouldn't really call it "bright work", it is more like "dull-work" or "rot-work".
Close to finished, or finished enough.
5/25/09 Not quite finished but at least it is a start. A little sanding and some filler will really make a difference from what it use to be. The teak was wiped down with acetone and then a coat of epoxy was applied.
5/25/09 More stuff.
5/25/09 even More stuff.
6/25/09 Second coat on the trim. The teak trim is hand sanded and formed since I didn't want to use power tools in the moorage. Now I can finally start painting the cockpit.
Companionway
14 Jun 2009
The hatch that came with the boat was/is a piece of 3/8" plexiglass with a solar film applied to it. It offers plenty of light even though it is scrathed up and warped and does not fit too well at the top where it meets the sliding hatch. In order to make more work for myself, I have decided to replace it with a wood version. This project has been on my list for many months, waiting for the weather to change, and now it has changed.
Starting with 1/2" plywood, edged with 1/2"x 3/4" mohogany and attached with epoxy and polyurethane.
Bar clamps are a wood-butcher's best friend. I have quite a few of them, but not enough.
After sanding the mated edging with 100 grit.
The mohogany was taped off so that I could apply wood stain to the plywood without it bleeding into the mohogany.
First coat of epoxy to the exterior part of the door.
Test fit, mismeasurements and back to the shop for some trim and recalculating. I am pleased with the change from plexiglass though.
Another test fit and then epoxy putty for the trim repair on the port side. Things are taking shape.
July 3 2009 - I decided to install the companionway hatch after the first coat of paint dried in the cockpit. The 80 degree weather today was a great help in getting the cockpit on the way to completion.
