Ariel #414

[mbd]

I'm still debating on removing the companionway hatch and trim. It'll make painting a lot easier if I do.

The supplies are bought and I'm watching far too many other boats going into the water to wait much longer. In the next couple of weeks, I'm going to take some time off work and go at it with a vengence during the days - the season is just too short.

[tha3rdman]

I'm just a little ahead of you, I have pictures just haven't posted yet (keep forgeting to bring the camera home) I decided to postpone the recore till winter, and just rebed all the deck hardware in the meantime (bedding - drilling a 5/8 hole in the top skin digging out as far back as i can and filling with thickened epoxy, after that I had planned for "Lifecaulk" for a sealant . . . but the river ate 7/8 of my tube.

[mbd]

I was actually able to leave the boat uncovered over night. I must say, the coamings add a LOT to these boats.

[mbd]

I split one of the *&$@# coamings because I pulled at it before I had really broken the butyl's hold. A PO used lots of butyl when reattaching the combings.

Now I need to build shelves in the garage so I can use the workbench...

[mbd]

A less than pristine cockpit and the tools used for removing the coamings...

I'm thinking I'll save the companionway hatch and windows for another season and just paint around the edges the best I can.

[mbd]

I opted to go for a "small" area and just tackle on side deck. Using a circular saw I cut a line up the starboad side deck along the toe rail, then back down along the cabin. Then I divided it into 4 good sized sections by cutting across the other way. I finished the cuts off with a dremel with a metal cutting bit which worked very nicely.

I went after the section I thought had the most problems. Not much delamination here, and it was a real pain to peel off and clean out. I spent the better part of the afternoon chiseling and hacking the not-so-bad core out of the area...

[mbd]

After clearing everything off the decks because of an afternoon thunderstorm, I thought perhaps I should try and hone in on the known bad spots. So, just forward of the section I just did, I made another cut lengthwise to try and just get the area around the chainplates.

Bingo. It was nice to see some bad core. (Did I just say that?) In any event, it was way easier to remove the material for these "sub" sections.

I'm already planning on replacing my chain plates, and looking at these soggy gaping holes in the side deck has me thinking about external chain plates again. Besides three less holes in each side deck, I think they look pretty shippy too. I'll have to hit the "search" button.