Interior refit 1970's kit sailboat questions

[GILow]

I can certainly relate to “in retrospect I should have tackled this repair first”. I felt the same way a number of times with the Swanson refit.

Stop reading this, back to work, you’ve only got a week!

[Spot]

Originally Posted by GILow

I can certainly relate to “in retrospect I should have tackled this repair first”. I felt the same way a number of times with the Swanson refit.

Stop reading this, back to work, you’ve only got a week!

Matt-for a week, in a month, not in a week...regardless I need to get after it.

Epoxy and glass arrived this week.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Spot

Matt-for a week, in a month, not in a week...regardless I need to get after it.

Epoxy and glass arrived this week.

Remember, a week’s work on a boat takes a month. (At a minimum). So stop slacking!

[GILow]

Which reminds me, I’d better get back to it…

[Spot]

Originally Posted by GILow

Which reminds me, I’d better get back to it…Attachment 261044

Wow! Is that the KP? Are you going to refit a stock-ish layout or do something different? How heavy do you do your tabbings to the hull?

I went out to work a bit and tried to remove a wasps nest. They got in three or four good licks before I was able to disembark. I was trying to use a more natural remedy (soap, water, peppermint oil) at closer range, looks like I'll need to use something with longer range. Might try the remedy in a Hudson type garden sprayer. Don't really want to spray the storebought petrochemical 'big can' in the boat and then have to wear a respirator and clean it up...

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Spot

Wow! Is that the KP? Are you going to refit a stock-ish layout or do something different? How heavy do you do your tabbings to the hull?

I went out to work a bit and tried to remove a wasps nest. They got in three or four good licks before I was able to disembark. I was trying to use a more natural remedy (soap, water, peppermint oil) at closer range, looks like I'll need to use something with longer range. Might try the remedy in a Hudson type garden sprayer. Don't really want to spray the storebought petrochemical 'big can' in the boat and then have to wear a respirator and clean it up...

Yep, that’s the poor old KP. [emoji853] You can see the sludge where the PO used to drain the engine sump into the bilge. I kid you not! It took a bit of work to find a waste transfer station that could handle the resulting sludge of engine oil, diesel and ferrous oxide, over 100 kg of it in the end. (Not to mention the 200 litres of goodness knows what in the port side fuel tank.)

It’s all clean now and I started the matrix that will form the cabin sole and water tanks, but I had to stop because I just wasn’t happy with the colder temperatures giving me a proper cure of the vinylester. Work to resume in about three months.

Fitout will be pretty different to the original. No V berth up forward, stealing that space to make a much larger bathroom and moderately larger galley. No nav station, bigger settee. Lots of other odd stuff like ballast tanks either side, etc, etc. Aft bathroom to go and aft bed to be remade with better access. (Currently needs a ladder to get into bed.). The whole lot done in foam core sandwich. The KP enthusiasts will be horrified.

I use continuous tabbing, made from one or two layers of 400 gsm fibreglass tape (biaxial?) and epoxy. It’s how I did the Swanson and I was delighted with how quiet the interior of the boat becomes when you eliminate all that movement.

I haven’t had to deal with wasps though, that’s one complication I can do without. I applaud your humane approach, I suspect I would not be so eco-friendly and gentle in your shoes.

[GILow]

Rough mock-up of the tank matrix.

[GILow]

Of course, the view from the dock keeps me motivated.

[Spot]

Originally Posted by GILow

Attachment 261060

Of course, the view from the dock keeps me motivated.

That is a nice looking vessel. Thanks for sharing the pics and plans.

[Spot]

Turns out as I was trying to spray the egg-sized wasp nest in the bow, there was a much larger one right above my head, starboard side berth, and most likely the source of the swarm that got me. I did not see it until early this morning as I prepped to spray the boat for them before sunrise. A couple sessions later and the score was 2 nests gone and 24 to 4 in my favor and I got 2-3 stragglers along the way. I kept an eye on the boat and only saw a couple fly in an out. I also ran a noisy 12v fan, hoping the vibrations would decrease the property value to the winged stinging varmints. A pop-up storm dumped some rain into the boat and I vacuumed it out without incident.

[GILow]

Ah… the boating life. [emoji23]

[Spot]

Originally Posted by GILow

Ah… the boating life. [emoji23]

Yes indeed!
I took a break from mine and worked on the kid's 1960's 'late model' dinghy.
I thought I could use it as practice with thicker laminates and sanding old polyester.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Spot

Yes indeed!
I took a break from mine and worked on the kid's 1960's 'late model' dinghy.
I thought I could use it as practice with thicker laminates and sanding old polyester.

If it’s practice you want… boy have I got an opportunity for you!

[Spot]

Originally Posted by GILow

If it’s practice you want… boy have I got an opportunity for you!

I would love to draft my resignation letter saying that I have been convinced to travel to Australia to help repair boats. Will they let me in the country? Are there waterfront accommodations? Is there a stipend beyond snack and beer? Can we take out the Swanson?


I decided to cover the repair above in plastic overnight to keep the bugs and leaves off of it and any morning dew. Turns out it rained hard overnight so I am glad I did. I probably should have done something with the removed chunk of hull to brace or contour the repair, it is a little concave . Or maybe just slap some Bondo on it like the last people did? Or maybe get the kid involved with filling and fairing with the right materials

[Spot]

The floor are cut out and the keel has been braced to counteract the 3/16" (4.5mm) sag that was discovered between the hull and sample floor template after sitting a couple days. The kid stopped by and did some patches on that boat, fun to have extra hands when slinging cloth, CSM, and resin. Last but not least, some 'swatches' for Matt in case he gets me an audience with the interior team at Swan...