Winter Project - Cockpit refresh

[cariedl]

Work started last week on a cockpit refresh. All the gunwale panels will go and be replaced with fiberglass, new engine boxes and eliminate the void between the outboard side of the engine boxes and gunwale, similar to the set-up on FBC. Repair deck and then smooth it all out for PlasTeak. I love the look of teak, but definitely don't have time to maintain it as required, plus it gets too hot and my girls will be unhappy. Paint and fill, fix leak around the windshield. Hoping to add a new mahogany door and and extra wide helm chair and co-captain chair. My girls are getting too big to sit on me and not quite big enough to run the boat without me. Some before pictures and some of the tear-down. More to follow as the marina gets to work.

[Carl]

Looking forward to seeing the pictures as project progresses. Some big items on your list, its really going to update the boats look.

I agree with your Teak deck opinions...looks great but its a commitment, its hot and that first bucket or cooler to slide across the floor leaving a gouge is a heart ache.

[Yannis]

Cariedl,

Flexiteak is said to be lighter and doesn't get as hot. Perhaps you could take a look at it too.
Have no idea about prices.
I’d gladly do the flybridge one day, only I have other priorities and this covid thing doesn't help.
Good luck.

[Tooeez]

I re-did my cabin sole with the PlasTeak in 2014. It lives up to all the advertising claims, but it gets hot if the sun is beating down on it through the open cabin door--way too hot to walk on with bare feet.

[EarleyBird]

Well Capt. looks like you have your work cut out for you, but, when it’s all said and done, they’re worth the facelift. I to have a few Winter Projects going on, try to post a few pictures of my 48 year ol’ Girl. Good Luck, have fun, they are certainly worth the TLC. EarleyBird

[cariedl]

Making progress. Lots of repair and reinforcing the gunwales. Engine boxes and forward panels should start today. Leaving a lot of access points to get behind the panels if needed.

[Tony Meola]

That is going to come together nicely. A lot of work there. I like the way you are laying out the access points.

[John Swick]

I put that in the cockpit of my B25 Bahia Mar ~5yrs ago.
I looks great and is holding up very well, considering all the crap that gets loaded onto it every weekend.
However, once in the sun for awhile it does get too hot to stand on comfortably in bare feet.
Have to pour a bucket of water down on it to cool it off.
Very durable surface though.
John

[cariedl]

More progress, everything has been test fit and glass has been laid on almost all the panels.

There will be no seam as it currently looks in the forward panels, that will be one solid panel, but they don't make sheets of anything big enough to fill that in one piece. Also still need to cut forward storage locker and "glove box" next to helm




hard to see from this picture but the engine boxes will have a slant on the backside, similar to what the old factory boxes looked like, everything will be rounded/softened on the boxes.

[Yannis]

Cariedl,

In the second pick, I thought those De Walt guys were hyper smart!

How could they think of such a useful tool, whereby you can have two different diameter drill bits on one single tool, albeit at a 90 degree angle!
Then, as I zoomed in I got frustrated...they are two drills, d@mn it!

[EarleyBird]

Nice to see another ol’ Girl getting some cockpit lovin’! Best of luck. Looking forward seeing your progress. Have fun, they are well worth the time and energy. EarleyBird

[Tony Meola]

Are you using 3/4 ply on the engine box's. That will be a heavy box once you are done, especially if you add sound proofing.

[cariedl]

Tony - it is 3/4 ply, I am going to live with it for this season, it will only have 3 sides, but you're right, it will be heavy. The idea is to ultimately run an actuator and have it powered at the helm. The helm redo, wiring and clean-up will be a next year project and we will figure out a solution then so I don't have to open and close them manually.

[Tony Meola]

If you figure out an actuator to open it up, that would be cool. As we get older it would be a help, plus I am out a lot with my wife, if I need her to ever open one, she would struggle with it. so an actuator would be ideal.

[cariedl]

Rear panels are all glassed in, painting started on gunwales, wet sanding, buffing and non-skid still needs to go down. Forward panels should be mounted and glassed in early next week, engine boxes will be assembled and installed next week.

[Carl]

Looking good!

[cariedl]

All panels are in, engines boxes are fit and the remaining painting should start this week. PlasDeck people are coming to measure for decking. The current decks have been planed, repaired and all the screws have been counter sunk. Starting to take shape. Wiring for new speakers and courtesy lights is all. I'm moving horn and antenna mounts off the side of the boat and up top to continue the clean up. Thanks to Lin Spears for the antenna mount and grab handles.

[cariedl]

Paint! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. Primer, sanding, filling, fairing and 4 coats of paint are all done. Painter is cleaning up imperfections and really putting in the time on the make it perfect. Non-skid will go down on the topside of the gunwales and then onto decking, cushions helm seats and electronics.

[Tony Meola]

Nice. Big difference. Looks like she will look be head turner when you are done.

[cariedl]

Thanks Tony, going to be a difficult summer looking at the helm, but that project with all the wiring etc was too big of a lift for the budget this time around. Seeing others on the board dive into that project I decided to wait and live with it for this summer and replenish the boat bank account and hopefully tackle helm/electronics next winter.

[Carl]

You have a whole summer to layout exactly how you want to tackle the helm. It will come around quick enough.

Looks great!

[Yannis]

Beautiful, even with the old electronics. Or even without!

[cariedl]

Progress continues, the engine boxes were test fit on Saturday, they will be mounted this week. The upholsterer was out yesterday too to template the boxes for new cushions. The deck will be templated this week as well. The new cabin door and seats are in progress, being made by friend who made my swim platform and step box. Speakers, lights and windshield will go on this week too. Hoping to have her in the water in the next month.

[trace elements]

Sorry if I missed it. Are you using gelcoat or paint, you said you were buffing?

[cariedl]

It is paint, Chroma Premier, which is basically Imron, DuPont has made getting Imron very difficult in selling to Axalta. It went down really nice and because the painter put down a number of coats of primer and then 4 coats of the paint he has been able to wet sand and buff it to a near mirror finish. First pass with the paint his spray gun wasn't dialed in the way he wanted so he put down a few more additional coats so he could work the paint a bit. I'm really pleased with how it has turned out.

[Carl]

Sharp! Real Sharp looking!

You should be very happy.

[cariedl]

Things are coming to a close and hope to splash her later this week. I'm finishing up a refinish of the swim platform and helm chairs are progressing. Still waiting on new decking material, but the template has been test fit and revisions are being made. Down to punch list and ready to start the season.

[MarkD]

Really nice work all around. Very impressive.

[Tony Meola]

Looking good getting there.

Is that going to be the chair for the Wheel side?

[cariedl]

Tony - the chair pictured is going on the helm (starboard) side, it is 32 inches wide at the base and there will be a single armrest on the left side of the base. We set two pedestals for the helm chair. Port side will have a single ladder back with armrests for the port side.

[Tony Meola]

NIce chair. You did a great job on building it.

[cariedl]

The helm chairs are progressing and I thought I would share some updates of the incredible work my buddy who is building them has done. These are his first attempts at helm chairs, I'm biased, but I think they are going to be incredible.

The first "rungs" were not to his liking (or mine) so he ripped them off and redesigned new ones. The difference is subtle but really improved the look the of the chairs. Once they are done, I will add a cushion to the seat and leave the back as is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DavQDwL3goY

[ktm_2000]

Those helm chairs look amazing but I am somewhat concerned with the strength of the ladder backs, the amount of force which can be generated by moving weight can be considerable. My thoughts are a that a 200# person sitting on the seat or hanging onto the ladder back getting tossed by a wave could generate a huge amount of force which could break the joint where the ladder back joins the seat base.

this is my opinion but I would consider the side pieces to be more robust as there is more surface area to connect them to the seat base than the ladder back supports. I also believe more force could be applied to the ladder back than the side pieces due to the fact that they are easier to grab on to or press against.

My recommendation would be to augment the design with a piece of wood going from the side pieces to the ladder back or some type of metal to reinforce the ladder back support joint.

Here's a commercial model - all their models have metal braces to reinforce the joints
https://www.arrigonidesign.com/product/ ... -helmseat/

[cariedl]

I think the chairs will likely be ok, each upright post has four 1-1/2” screws holding it in place in addition to West System 610. The tensile strength of the epoxy is 6,440 psi with an elongation of 7%. The tensile strength of teak is 595 psi so even if there is a high amount of force generated the likelihood the is higher that the teak will snap in half above the glue before the joint failing.

If the chairs do fail adding the bracket is unlikely to be the reason preventing that. The chair KTM shared does not integrate the upright arms into the seat, so big stainless brackets are needed, I'm hopeful the design on the chairs I'm putting in won't require it. I plan to keep a very close on them and any signs of stress will lead to design modifications.

[CamB25]

Those seats are gorgeous!

It might fail in shear, not tension. The joint is fine, but the wood holding the joint in place to the base and the back stiles is the concern. The strength of the wood is highly dependent on the grain direction supporting the load. Years ago I made a set of mahogany seats for my 13 whaler. No joint, the shape was made from one piece of wood, and very wide at the point of maximum bending stress, L-shape. I stared at that bend after I made it....thinking I should reinforce it with stainless or aluminum plate...but I ran out of time. First time out it failed almost instantly along the grain lines..duh! Sent me flying backwards. Later I glued the broken pieces back together and epoxied aluminum plate on both sides. Strong like OX! Worked for years and they are probably still in service.

Yours is different, but the stress will be much higher do to the height of the back. If it fails, it will not give you any warning.....snap! Long way to fall backwards on your boat.

[cariedl]

The "winter" project is almost complete, just in time to start thinking about the end of this season and thinking about what the next project will be. The deck was installed and I'm really happy with how it turned out. I decided to go with a MarineMat which is like SeaDeck or any other number of foam style composites. It feels great on bare feet and isn't slippery. My wife chose a teak and navy caulk stripe (which is also foam). The only thing left is the cabin door which should be done this week.