Interior refit 1970's kit sailboat questions

[GILow]

Hang on… where does the cow skull go?

[Spot]

Originally Posted by GILow

Hang on… where does the cow skull go?

Exactly!



Back in the front yard where it won't impale me on the boat...

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Spot

Exactly!



Back in the front yard where it won't impale me on the boat...

So, not a figurehead for the boat then?

[Spot]

Originally Posted by GILow

So, not a figurehead for the boat then?

Sadly. no...although I could see some sport in having a 'dinghy rodeo' with it being used as a masthead where crews would have to tie dinghy painters into lariats and rope it in so many seconds.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Spot

Sadly. no...although I could see some sport in having a 'dinghy rodeo' with it being used as a masthead where crews would have to tie dinghy painters into lariats and rope it in so many seconds.

Sounds fun but forgive me if I anchor a fair way off.

[Spot]

Boat is covered for winter and we have had our first few inches of snow. Not 100% outcome-happy with my progress on the 'big' boat this year but made some decisions to focus on other people and things so it's just a part of the bigger picture at this point.

Trying to line up a garage stall for at least a week where I can do the epoxy-glass-plywood work related to the framing and let it cure for a week above 60F (15 C) per manufacturer's advice before forcing it to bear the keel's weight.

Here's the local forecast if anyone needs to cool off mentally:

[Adelie]

Ahh, back in the old country.
We’ll be there at spring break but heading north to see in-laws.

[Spot]

The cover is off, let the boat work begin!
(Okay, once nighttime temps >50F / 10C to support full curing of epoxy)
Any tips for keeping wasps and hornets out of the boat?
I sprayed some of the soap and water and peppermint oil mix from last year around possible entry points.

[wyb2]

Is the boat right in your driveway?

Nothing magic, but I’ve found that as long as I step into the boat a couple times a week, I can catch the nests just as they start. At that stage there only seems to be one wasp working on it, and it doesn’t seem to defend it too vigorously. If the wasp is around I’ll kill it (I lost all mercy the time I got stung in the face), but if not I just pluck the tiny nest and toss it out on the driveway. They don’t seem to immediately rebuild on the same spot.

I do live in fear of the one that avoids my detection in some hidden corner long enough to get big though.

[Spot]

Thanks WYB2.
Yes, boat is a 'trailer sailor' so it's in the driveway except when heading to or from water.

I imagine my 'patterns of occupancy' have changed. I used to board and work on stuff all the time, but last year I had a short season as I tore out some framing, so less in and out, and also had a stinging incident where I was spraying one nest and did not see the other directly overhead...so I share your aversion to them.

My thoughts for the framing are to basically re-install the new marine plywood as-was but using epoxy and biaxial+mat. I will also try to better address the areas that were prone to any pooling water. The bilge is not deep enough to allow for a nice bilge pump and limber holes set-up.

[Spot]

Getting ready to do the keel repair. Does this order of business seem plausible? Hoping that a plan and deadline allows me to achieve this 'stretch' goal

1. Finish removal of old keel framing, sand, leaving keel bolted to hull with spacers to maintain current hull shape.

2. Make and mark and drill new keel board, make 4 new floors.

3. Unbolt keel and epoxy keel board to hull, replace keel bolts, tighten, and let soft cure.

4. Epoxy and screw floors into place, let soft cure.

5. Fill in small gaps under floors near keel board with 'window' grade expanding PU foam.

6. Trim foam and mask off keel bolts (still in place) from capping epoxy.

7. Cut and wet out capping layers, place into boat over floors and keel board.

8. Peel ply, bag, and vacuum (have the technology, overkill?)

9. Remove bagging materials and let cure 7 days per epoxy directions (outdoor temps should support full cure) and identify/fix other must-do's before rally including improving the keel retain system on the trailer.

10. Unblock and drop keel and rebed to hull (which goop? I have Loctite PL Marine adhesive sealant rated above and below waterline)

11. Splash boat, enjoy first boat rally weekend (meaning epoxy needs to be in by May 24th and keel rebedded by the 31st to rally on June 2nd)

12. Congratulate the team!

[Spot]

Here is the plan as a spreadsheet, looks like I'll be busy through the 24th:

[Spot]

Got to mess around with the boat for 3 hours today, finishing as the sun set. Last remaining traces of keel board were removed, and the mess is already in the covered dustbin. It's amazing that the last 6" (15cm) of plywood were still damp at each end even though they have been high and dry for almost a year. Listened to some music via FM radio on the boat's handheld VHF while working. Current thought is to prep the area by removing some of the pooled resin at the old board's edge and making the contact surfaces for the new boards as flat as possible. I suppose I could rebate the new board to clear some of that resin too, not sure which is more desirable. Looking aft has the yellow cord with 2 bolts, looking fore has the 6 bolts showing.

[wyb2]

Plan looks good. At first I thought you were glassing over the keel bolts (nuts) with the capping layer, but you are rebedding the keel afterwards, so I guess not.

I have no experience with Locktite PL Marine. I’m using the venerable 5200 for my deck/hull joint, and it seems to be working well, but don’t have much to compare it to. I do know it is commonly used to bed keels, if you just want to go with the ‘standard’.

Good luck with the getting it done. When a spreadsheet gets made you know things are getting tight.

[Spot]

Thanks. The nice thing about a spreadsheet is that you can update it at work, and they think you're really smart and keeping busy. Or maybe I need a Gnatt chart...

I am going back and forth whether to predrill the keel board or to bond it and post drill. I have a concern that the hull could oilcan if I fully loosened the keel and bonded the board without having the bolts acting as clamps. I could add some internal bracing as a countermeasure. I think they installed the board first then drilled originally. I would like to treat the holes against water intrusion as well.