I thought you all might be interested in hear how the refit process is going on our "new" trawler.* We closed on her about 8 weeks about and we hauled the boat out right at about 30 days ago.* bottom was sanded down, blisters ground out/opened up, epoxy filled, ready now for new paint.*
We had a soft spot on the foredeck that wasn't super noticeable was was definitely there.* As well, the bridge deck had a sizeable soft spot on the aft portion of it behind the helm seating.* The foredeck was opened up last week, old coring removed, and new synthetic coring installed along with new fiberglass.* We thought about going back with marine plywood or something for the coring but synthetic is so much better and a lasting fix so we went that route.
Picture from the other week when they first cut open part of the foredeck:
Pictures of the foredeck after a few layers of new glass:
The coring in the foredeck was highly delaminated in the center section just behind the windlass.* Outside that area it was probably ok but we had ordered enough synthetic coring to do the entire aft bridge and entire foredeck and I didn't want to do it half way so we opened up the entire foredeck to make sure we got it all.* The pics above are from last week- they've added a few more layers of fiberglass since then and about ready for the last steps.
The foredeck was ripped open yesterday, about 2/3 of the aft portion.* The remaining 1/3 will be opened up after the first 2/3 is recored and some glass down so that there is someplace to stand while working!*
The bridge coring was pretty shot...from what we can tell it appears to have been due to poor sealing where the mast ties into the aftmost portion of the bridge deck.* This was mostly, it seems, due to poor sealing at some wiring some previous owner had drilled through the deck.* Luckily from the built in seating forward the coring is good and solid and dry and no delamination at all so we did not (thus far at least!!) have to remove the flybridge.* I went up today to check in the progress.* At noon they were just about to start installing the new coring.*
Some pictures....
Aft bridge, port side:
Standing on the trunk deck over aft stateroom, facing forward towards bridge.* Holes in foreground are where the mast goes.*
On bridge, facing aft, standing next to built in seating.* Piece of the new coring visible in foreground.
This is the underside of the aft bridge fiberglass skin that was cut out to get to the coring.* The old coring, as you can see, consisted of small 4x4 squares of 5/8" plywood.* The square hole in the center area of that deck was test hole that was cut to confirm thickness of the coring, etc.
So far no real surprises which is good.* We should be ready to splash her again in about 2 weeks.* Between now and then all the fiberglass and non skid should be finished, bottom with 2 coats of paint (going back with the blue like she used to have which I think looks good on her instead of black), hull buffed from caprail to waterline, and topsides fully prepped for painting (actual painting we'll do in the covered slip as a roll/tip job since NO WHERE on lake lanier allows spray!!).
We're also doing some electrical work and will be installing the granite countertops after we resplash, along with doing new canvas/eisenglass to enclose the bridge.*
oh, I think we may be changing her name too but we are not 100% decided on that yet.
Stay tuned!
*
We had a soft spot on the foredeck that wasn't super noticeable was was definitely there.* As well, the bridge deck had a sizeable soft spot on the aft portion of it behind the helm seating.* The foredeck was opened up last week, old coring removed, and new synthetic coring installed along with new fiberglass.* We thought about going back with marine plywood or something for the coring but synthetic is so much better and a lasting fix so we went that route.
Picture from the other week when they first cut open part of the foredeck:
Pictures of the foredeck after a few layers of new glass:
The coring in the foredeck was highly delaminated in the center section just behind the windlass.* Outside that area it was probably ok but we had ordered enough synthetic coring to do the entire aft bridge and entire foredeck and I didn't want to do it half way so we opened up the entire foredeck to make sure we got it all.* The pics above are from last week- they've added a few more layers of fiberglass since then and about ready for the last steps.
The foredeck was ripped open yesterday, about 2/3 of the aft portion.* The remaining 1/3 will be opened up after the first 2/3 is recored and some glass down so that there is someplace to stand while working!*
The bridge coring was pretty shot...from what we can tell it appears to have been due to poor sealing where the mast ties into the aftmost portion of the bridge deck.* This was mostly, it seems, due to poor sealing at some wiring some previous owner had drilled through the deck.* Luckily from the built in seating forward the coring is good and solid and dry and no delamination at all so we did not (thus far at least!!) have to remove the flybridge.* I went up today to check in the progress.* At noon they were just about to start installing the new coring.*
Some pictures....
Aft bridge, port side:
Standing on the trunk deck over aft stateroom, facing forward towards bridge.* Holes in foreground are where the mast goes.*
On bridge, facing aft, standing next to built in seating.* Piece of the new coring visible in foreground.
This is the underside of the aft bridge fiberglass skin that was cut out to get to the coring.* The old coring, as you can see, consisted of small 4x4 squares of 5/8" plywood.* The square hole in the center area of that deck was test hole that was cut to confirm thickness of the coring, etc.
So far no real surprises which is good.* We should be ready to splash her again in about 2 weeks.* Between now and then all the fiberglass and non skid should be finished, bottom with 2 coats of paint (going back with the blue like she used to have which I think looks good on her instead of black), hull buffed from caprail to waterline, and topsides fully prepped for painting (actual painting we'll do in the covered slip as a roll/tip job since NO WHERE on lake lanier allows spray!!).
We're also doing some electrical work and will be installing the granite countertops after we resplash, along with doing new canvas/eisenglass to enclose the bridge.*
oh, I think we may be changing her name too but we are not 100% decided on that yet.
Stay tuned!
*