Cosmetic Updates

[mjmccracken]

Newbie here but not with the Californian 34. We have owned ours for about 6 years. It is a 1983*with 3208 NA Cats and we cruise NC waters.

Many of the Californians I've seen*had some real aesthetic issues such as marine plywood floors with carpet cut by hand, dark wood grain counter tops and pitifully small sinks.

So, here are some cosmetic*updates that yes, aren't needed but sure make momma happy! And you know what they say...

 

[FlyWright]

Very nice, MJM. I have always liked the teak and holly floors. I have the carpeted version, just not the hand-cut version. I always thought the T&H floors would look classy and be easier to maintain. For now, I keep some comfortable oriental rugs for padding and protection.

Nice tables, too. Did you make those yourself?

We found the standard table a bit confining at the settee, so we did something similar with 22 inch rounds and local nautical maps under a layer of resin. Much easier to get into the seats. I recently added another table mount to the cockpit lazarette hatch to allow us to use one of the tables out back.

 

[Edelweiss]

Welcome to the Forum Mary Jane nice boat, love the floors.

Flywright

Your make that Nautical table yourself?* That's really cool.

Larry B

 

[FlyWright]

Yes, Larry. After a visit to Tap Plastics, I had all the supplies, instruction sheets and encouragement I needed to give it a try. It was a fun and easy weekend project. They're not perfect, but I enjoy them and our guests enjoy having easy access to charts of the area.

 

[gezellig]

I put in teak floors. I used square tiles from a lumber yard. I'll see if I can post a picture.

I also have a radar mast to which I added a spreader for flag halyards.

 

[FlyWright]

gezellig wrote:
I put in teak floors. I used square tiles from a lumber yard. I'll see if I can post a picture.

I also have a radar mast to which I added a spreader for flag halyards.

*Welcome, gezellig! This might help...

http://www.trawlerforum.com/t47288395/picture-posting/

 

[mjmccracken]

Nice tables, too. Did you make those yourself?

Yes we had the stanchions, got two pieces of cypress. Gave us a lot more room.
I like your table too. Local charts are a great idea.

 

[mjmccracken]

Has anyone modified the vee berth to make a one piece double bed? Or taken both staterooms and converted to one large stateroom?

Our vee has bunk bed on the port side and master has a small double (with filler) on port.

When the kids were younger it was perfect. Now we are debating whether
to keep the reliable boat we love and trust or move up to a larger boat.

Advice?

 

[Alaskahick]

Love the wood floors. I am planning on upgrading mine from carpet and padding that the PO had installed to control the engine noise. In fact, he installed padding in the bottom of the cabinets also due to noise. How did you deal with that issue?

 

[ARoss]

MJ, welcome to the forum. I am in Chocowinity, (Cypress Landing) across the river. From the view thru the windows in your boat pics I am guessing you're docked at Washington YC or McCotters?

Your boat looks great. My cosmetic repairs are 'way behind the quality of yours.. but I started with a boat 10 years older than yours and likely in much worse condition.

I have one question: How do you get anything to stay put on those little cocktail tables???

 

[FlyWright]

I have one question: How do you get anything to stay put on those little cocktail tables???

I sort of wondered how that would work while building them, too. Ours are 22 inch rounds and size has not proven to be a problem. We can feed two from each table with an extra chair used for seating. We also carry a 24" x 48" folding table in the ER for additional table space in the cockpit. It seats 4 easily or is available for a food buffet (or cleaning very large fish...don't tell the admiral!).

Occasionally I find myself picking up a pencil or TV remote that rolls or gets bumped off the small tables, but the size seems to be a good compromise to allow ease of access into the setee and through the cabin.

 

[Capn Craig]

MJ:
Has anyone modified the vee berth to make a one piece double bed? Or taken both staterooms and converted to one large stateroom?

Our vee has bunk bed on the port side and master has a small double (with filler) on port.

Mine has a similar layout except I don't have s bunkbed over the V. I bought the boat for a number of features but sleeping accomodations wasn't one of them. When I first looked I didn't realize how lousy it is. Admiral and I use the V-berth as the main since it is not so confining as the Mid. The fiddles that keep the cushions in place are hell to sleep on. I know better (thicker) cushions would help, but I will be studying to see if I can figure out how to redesign the two cabins into one. I didn't have a brain storm last year when I looked. I am not sure how structural the bulkhead between the two cabins is to the coach roof. It does house my airconditioning ductwork. I too would love to see a picture of a redesigned cabin

 

[FlyWright]

Can't help with converting the fwd bunks into a V berth because we haven't done that, but we did just add a memory foam mattress topper to our mid-cabin stateroom and added a leg to help support weight on the filler board in that stateroom. We found it on sale at Costco for $115 delivered. It's made a huge difference in bed comfort and stability. The foam might help soften the bed on top of the V berth fiddling.

 

[gezellig]

Can you send details of the leg suport you added?

 

[FlyWright]

Here's a shot of the leg in place.

The bracket is a Perko table leg bracket like this. The bracket design allows the leg to be removed without a large projecting piece to interfere with stowing the filler board below the cushions when desired.

The leg is a piece of oak cut to length and stained to match the mahogany.

 

[chc]

Really like the smaller tables. I have redone the V berth in my boat; I'll put some pics together tonight or tomorrow; camera is on the boat. Also installed small hatches in the cabin top above the V berth area; makes an amazing difference. Will try to include those as well.

 

[Fighterpilot]

Looking forward to seeing what the hatches are in the forward bunk area. Thanks

 

[mjmccracken]

Aross, Good guess. We are at wycc. Been there for the last 6 years. We have a lot of good friends there and love it.

 

[Restitution]

Flywright, I love the hinged table. I have same table. Did you cut, retrofit with piano hinge and stain the inside or did it come that way? If so, what type of hardware do you use for bottom?

MJ, also love the wood floors. I just finished our attic with wood floor laminate and have much left over. I will use it with my floor in salon as well. The one issue I need to resolve is that I have two large hatches and will need to picture frame "trim over" the hatches, as the flooring product I am using is a floating (no pun intended) floor product. I plan on making low profile trim by ripping and routering down oak 1x2 for this.

 

[FlyWright]

Sam,

To the best of my knowledge, that table was original equipment and came from the factory hinged like that. It was originally covered in a dark wood grain formica-like product. The PO recovered it and the counters in the light colored formica.

 

[chc]

Of all the updates/changes we have made to our LRC, the most significant has been the installation of 2 Bomar 12" hatches in the foredeck over the V-berth. Light & air in copious amounts. Since we don't have AC, it has been a lifesaver. Also installed a foredeck awning to help cool the forward cabin.

 

[FlyWright]

That looks great, chc!! We have a solid FRP hatch which is only open in warm weather for circulation, so it's often dark in the fwd stateroom. Circulation is also an issue for us.

A couple of years ago, I purchased a BreezeBooster to improve circulation and installed LED lights to improve the lighting.

Both help alot, but you have inspired me to add two vents to the cabin.

 

[chc]

Inspiration is making that first cut in the deck. Also insulated the forward cabin area (under the ceiling strips) according to the IR gun, seems to cut 4 - 5 degrees off reflected heat from the outside of the hull. Foredeck awning will cool it another 3 or 4 degrees. Easy to do; snaps to the bridge eyebrow.

 

[FlyWright]

...Foredeck awning will cool it another 3 or 4 degrees. Easy to do; snaps to the bridge eyebrow.

Do you also attach to the rails? Got a picture of the foredeck canvas in place?

 

[chc]

Attached, finally(sorry) are some pics of the awning for the foredeck area. pic #1 shows the snaps on ther bridge eyebrow; #2 shows the awning in the furled position, while the last pic shows it extended in the rain shedding position. Obviously there is a lot of flexibility in how you set it to allow air into the hatches, etc.

 

[Karl-FL]

Hi MJ,

I just joined this website recently and was surprised to see your thread. It's a pleasure to see the upgrades you did to Island Girl. Great job! I'm proud of you and her.

Karl

 

[mjmccracken]

Hi MJ,

I just joined this website recently and was surprised to see your thread. It's a pleasure to see the upgrades you did to Island Girl. Great job! I'm proud of you and her.

Karl

Thanks Karl,
We love her and plan to keep her for a long time. Our only complaints are the tight sleeping quarters. The next project is to get new mattresses. We would love a queen bed but guess that's out of the question...
MJ

 

[FlyWright]

Sorry, I did a little image housekeeping and caused the linked photos to disappear. Here are some of the pics from earlier posts.

Now if I can only find where I put that bed filler board leg picture...

 

[Capt Q]

Wood finish

What is the best product to use on the exterior teak?
One part varnish
Cetol
2 part urethane
teak oil
I live in Kodiak AK very wet and cold in the winter,
Q