v-berth reno

[Troppo]

The v-berth was where I started renovating about, um . . ., 2 years ago : (. Problems included: deteriorating ply, storage doors roughly built, some storage doors with sticky gum to keep them closed and others using door holders, ceiling very lumpy, bow end section water damaged and needing replacing, cracks, needing paint, windows crazed, wooden reinforcing under stay bolts not painted at all, leaks from rain, doorway wood not varnished, missing floor cover.

Old v-berth

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The end section came out. Notice the vent hole? There was an accompanying vent hole in the anchor-chain locker but I was concerned if I got water over the front it would just pour in.

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All the wood came out, see the pic for some of the problems. Varnish and excess glue was sanded back, edges re-routed to make straight, ply re-glued where delaminating, re-varnished and ply was painted in epoxy then two-pack paint.

Note the glue and the edge on right. A nice job spoiled by these problems.

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Roof was very bumpy. After sanding forever by hand, I got a small generator which was fantastic.

Roof still showing bumpy surface even after much hand sanding.

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[Troppo]

Little by little I made progress in the v-berth.

Fairing and sanding took fooorever.

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Eventually, I got the fairing finished, the storage areas sanded (much wet hand-sanding to ensure the new paint would grip properly) the cracks repaired, holes filled, main areas painted, and woodwork started to be sorted.

New woodwork being designed.

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The colour scheme is a little different to what it was. A satin white with light sand plywood covers on storage but with same Monocel stain & varnish as previous but more coats. The whole bow storage area is white (sanding and painting it was a nightmare) and the anchor well has had the vent sealed. The bits of purple in the bow area is masking tape as I put it there and was measuring and marking for installing a shelf there.

Progress is being made.

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Doors have been reinstalled, using stainless hinges as the old ones were rusting, and cutting the screws short so they don't poke into the storage areas and rip holes in stuff including fingers like the old ones used to. Double magnetic clips hold them closed but I don't know how good they will be. The white block on the left of the pic on the ceiling used to be just ugly old bare ply.

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I still have not replaced the windows and I am not as happy as I could be with the finish on my varnishing and with some of the paint. However, it is much more serviceable than it was and the prep work was sound. Oh, the ceiling is not as smooth as I wanted, the topcoat showed more lumps than I realised were still there. The cushions are now back in, washed clean and smelling fresh. Just hoping I get a chance to actually use it.

[Phillip]

Wow Louis!

That's looking really good.
I'm about to start painting once I reseat two stanctions and both jib tracks.
Hoping to get the same finish as you have.

Well done!

[Killick69]

Troppo you have done some great work there. It is amazing what can be done. Just takes lots of time and planning is the key to a successful job.

Phillip, I would be keen to hear about the staunchion rebedding you are about to start on. Staunchions are next on my TO DO list. I have just done the pulpit. Did the pushpit last year after 2 of the 4 bolts broke when someone big just leaned on the pushpit. I cut the washers off the pulpit and had new washers and bolts welded on. I Took the opportunity to fit new nav lights (LED) and run the wiring inside the stainless tubing and straight into the area forward of the vee berth. Before I cut the washers off the ends of the stainless tubing I made up a wooden frame that the pushpit fitted into and used this a the jig when welding on the new washers and bolts to get the pulpit to fit back onto the boat easily. I turned out reasonably well. The washers never sit quite flat on the deck. Before I removed the pulpit the washers were not sitting quite flat and I noted their orientation and made adjustments to the frame work that I made.

Any advice on rebedding (and straightening) stauntions will be welcome. Mine are bolted onto nuts that are glassed in (nuts not visible from below, but dimples where they are embedded are visible). I am thinking of drilling through and placing ply backing blocks under the deck, before putting on nuts from below. Replacing life line will follow.

Cheers, John

[Phillip]

John,

I'm only resealing two stantion bolts that leak.
On the Mk 1's the forward two stantions have one bolt each through the ribbing under the foredeck.
What's happened is that the pine timber has rotted out around the bolthole, thus making it impossible to get a seal, even with silaflex!
What I've done is to remove as much of the rotten timber, the ribbs are encased in fibreglass, around where the bolt goes through and replace it with fibreglass.
I will next re-drill the hole and then replace the bolt.
But also this time I will insert a washer, between the deck and the stantion, to allow the silaflex room to do its stuff.

To back this up I removed the cabin roof handrails today and found no evidence of all the silaflex I had used to seal them some years ago.
So, I'll also be putting in a washer there when I relace them. Had to take them off as I discovered my paint work on them was pretty poor. Photo tomorrow!

My Pullpit has nuts and bolts, so no issues with breaking bolts! I'm also placing nav lights up front [for when I'm steaming] and will run the wires inside the tubing.

To straighten a stantion, easiest to replace it!

[Phillip]

This is what I found under my cabin deck handrails.
Seems there was very little stopping the water coming in.
When I refit them, presently have them home for stripping and painting, I will place a washer on the fixing screw
so that I at least leave a little bit of silaflex under the handrail for a seal!

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[Troppo]

When I redid my handrails and various other deck fittings, I used that butyl mastic stuff [have done posts on this previously]. I used an Australian white butyl ribbon used for holding plastic dam liners together. It's been working well. However, I have just bought a box of the USA butyl mastic that is often talked about in forums. Haven't had time to check it out yet. Here's the link that tells about using the tape for sealing deck hardware. Not all tapes are the same. Some don't stick or 'flow' well enough for marine use.

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/rebedding_hardware

In the pic of my handrail, you can see how the butyl mastic tape has squeezed out a bit under the rail. The beauty of the tape is that it never sets. If the seal is broken then it will rejoin itself when pushed back together. It will re-seal. The bad thing is that since it never sets, the bit that squeezes out can collect all the dust and dirt. However, the excess can be rolled off or trimmed off but it might squeeze out a little bit for a month after installing.

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[bornfreee]

Troppo if you had used gel coat on your roof it would have filled in the imperfections saving you HEAPS of sanding and leaves a very nice finish

[woodsy]

Nov. 2013
Handrails broke during removal, the day b4 going sailing.
Only wood I had was a piece of pine , just long enough.
Using the original remains as a template, I traced the shape & managed 2 handrails from 1 piece.
Cut carefully. No router, so machine planed, to curve the edges.
Sandpaper the lot & 2 coats of Timbagard.

Next morning reinstalled using gal. roofing screws from inside the cabin, into the rails. A squeeze of sikaflex on the underside of the rails, inside the pre drilled screw holes & around the head of the screws.
Fiddly to do reinstall without someone assisting from the outside but I managed.
Felt ok, looks ok.
Will see how long it lasts. ..........
Dec. 2014.
It turned black after 4 months, so I removed, sanded & coated with 3 coats of "Weather shield''. Looks fine & lasting well so far.

[Troppo]

Will see how long it lasts. ..........
Dec. 2014.
It turned black after 4 months, so I removed, sanded & coated with 3 coats of "Weather shield''. Looks fine & lasting well so far.

Dang, don't ya hate those jobs that go like that. Thanks for the feedback on ya repair. Useful to know these things.

I am using some Intergrain Ultradeck on my handrails to see if that lasts longer than the previous similar product Cabot's Aquadeck.

troppo