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When I first started repairing inside Windchaser, one of the jobs was the wooden covers for the access holes to storage underneath various berths and seats. The covers were made of ply, the varnish long since gone. In places the ply was chipped and delaminating. Overall, they looked very dismal.

Using epoxy, I glued where it was coming apart and with epoxy and some filler powder, filled where edge bits had broken off. Then, after sanding the main surfaces, I coated with two or three layers of epoxy and sanded flat. Wet and dry sandpaper used wet on a block seemed the best for the final smoothing of the epoxy. By coating with epoxy, the board was stronger and seriously waterproof.



After a coat of Botecote Aquacote primer then several coats of Aquacote top coat, using roller as I like the dappled finish, the job was done. Well, until now.



I had noticed several of the covers did not fit their corresponding access holes very well. The corners of the ply were not quite rounded enough to sit down properly. While they did not sit up far enough to be a problem, the ply was supported by the corners and with weight on it flexed down in the middles before touching the supports. Consequently, recently I notice a crack across one end of one of the covers.

I found I could flex the ply and the little crack would open and close. The top layers of ply on each side had split and the central layer was still holding. The reason it cracked was weight on the cover flexed it between the corners and eventually it cracked.

Using a grinder with sanding disk, I carefully removed a bit of the corners. Also, I ran the sanding disk at a high angle along the crack to make like a 'V" or "U" along the crack each side of the board.

Not only did I do the cover that had cracked but did the corners of another one that didn't fit as well as I wanted.

Mixed up a small amount of epoxy. Using the mixing stick, I drizzled a line of epoxy along the crack then with gloves on, I flexed the ply and massaged epoxy into the crack. Amazing how much ends up squeezing in. I had to drizzle more epoxy along the crack several times before I guessed enough had been pushed in to glue it properly.

The corners I had sanded, I did the same approach. Put epoxy on and with a gloved finger, pushed the epoxy into the wood. The ply is a bit porous so it is worthwhile squeezing in the epoxy. Once set, I lightly sanded to shape the surface and prepare for sanding. I epoxy the corners as it strengthens them, prevents delamination, strongly waterproofs them.





Where I had glued the main crack, I didn't end up sanding it as smooth as I wanted as I was doing the work on my boat and did not have my orbital sander with me. While I tried hand sanding the epoxy flat along the crack, I knew the orbital sander would have done a much better job.

Then after a light sand of all the painted surface, I painted with several layers of Aquacote. Both lids now sit down flat in the recess and the ply is strong again. The only remaining problem is that the one with the crack, I can still see the line under the white paint where the crack was epoxied and is not as flat as it could be.



I may end up bringing the board home and sanding and repainting it. Then again it is strong and sealed and hidden under the cushions so maybe I won't. : ( As I say, first I try and get something seaworthy (in this case sitting properly and not cracked) then I try and get it looking good. If I can't get it looking good, then no big deal but it has to be working properly.

troppo

What a neat job, well done.

Just had a look over a Compass 29 for my cousin. Lovely boat, but a lot of this kind of work to be done. I think he's going to pass on it and look for something a little better.

It's a wonderful feeling to see a finished job work out well.

You must enjoy restoration work, Troppo. However a locker lid is not an antique, so why not just make a new one out of marine ply? Would be a lot quicker and easier, and you would have sound material in the core.

Hi Ian, I am crushed, I thought my locker lid was an antique. Dang!

When I first bought Windchaser and was deciding what to do with the lids, I was thinking of just using them as templates and cut out new ones. The lids being hidden under cushions, I don't even need to paint them, just use bare ply with sanded edges. They don't get wet regularly so marine ply would last ages. However, I was wanting to experiment with what epoxy could do and I was wanting to improve the look so I went with coating the old panels with epoxy and painting. I could have cut out new shapes and sanded and epoxied and painted them but just went with the old ones. They have lasted well apart from that one with the crack. Again, I could have simply cut a new shape out of ply but went the restoration path. Perhaps I do secretly enjoy restoration.

The point you make regarding restore or replace is a good one. Sometimes much quicker and a better result to just replace. Restoration of stuff takes time which there may not be enough of for one reason or another.

troppo

When I got Seaka all the covers were very thin [racing and weight?]

I just took them ashore and made new ones and varnished them before they went back.

Give them a coat of varnish just before a voyage.

Had three coats now.