Well this should be fun, four years (winters really) of repairs. The repairs began as soon as we got off the boat back in 2011 at Salt Creek. The gelcoat below the waterline had started to fail and allowed small blisters to occur so the boat was "peeled" - all the old gelcoat removed (using a tool similar to a planer) and the hull was allowed to completely dry out over the summer. Repairs were also made to the bottom of the keel where we discovered voids in the fiberglass; a result of a poor original lay up job.
That fall the bottom was covered with three coats of a high-build epoxy barrier coat to seal against any further water incursion and then several boats of bottom paint were applied. We then moved the boat south to a covered storage unit where the real fun began.
The first order of business was ripping up all the old teak decks, removing the fiberglass deck where we suspected rotten core, replacing the core and then re-glassing the decks. Here's an example from the bow were we cut off the old glass and pulled up the rotten core. We did this in the bow, the entire stern deck and about a third of the way up the sides of the boat.
Once everything had dried out we installed new core and then glassed that in and reattached the old glass.
And then applied 'epoxy fairing compound' and primer.
We did the same thing for the side decks and aft deck. Except for the aft deck we discovered the original mold had a hatch in the center that had been inadequately covered up and required the whole deck to be strengthened with beams below and totally re-glassed with multiple layers of glass and woven-roving.
We had to do similar repairs to the cabin overhang where we discovered rot and voids..
All told we went through 5 gallons of polyester resin, 6 gallons of epoxy, yards of fiberglass mat and roving, and pounds of fairing compound. We also painted all the teak window trim by first applying thinned epoxy and then epoxy primer.
That was enough for 2012! The following winter we started the final sanding and finishing and then started applying several counts of epoxy primer and final coats of Awlgrip marine paint.
After we got the cabin painted it was time to tackle the non-skid on the deck. You apply a finish coat of the Awlgrip paint (horribly expensive stuff I might add) and then immediately scatter a fine non-skid material to the wet paint - a two person job. Then vacuum up the non-skid that didn't stick and apply several coats of finish paint.
And then finally back in the water to see if it still floats after being on land for two winters.
Spent some time using the boat, then re-hauled that spring for another summer of storage and then back in the water for another winter (2014) of fun. We had new canvas made for the upper steering area, tackled the interior rot now that it no longer leaks, and installed new davits for the new dinghy.
We also spent significant time in the engine room, moving the house battery bank toward the rear, installing new battery charger, new hot water heater, new water pump and pressure tank, replacing oil pan on the generator, new oil coolers on the engine, rebuild the raw water pump and cleaning the heat exchangers as well as replacing all the coolant hoses while we were there.
We even managed to actually take a week long cruise down towards Captiva and Ft. Meyers Beach.
And I even found time for a beer at the dollar-bill covered Cabbage Key bar. (Hey, who's that behind me?)
The it was back to the covered storage for another summer.The next winter (2015) we tackled the upper steering station. First the teak decks were sanded then we reamed out the old caulking (a miserable job), sanded any remaining caulking out of the grooves (by hand) and then taped off the wood and filled the grooves with new teak decking caulk (12 tubes altogether).
You re-caulk a section, let it dry about half an hour, and then pull the tape. Then do another section. Nine rolls of tape later the deck was done. Wait three days and then re-sand it all smooth.
Next up, repair and repaint all the fiberglass.
Yes sir, that's how we have fun!
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