Ariel #24

[Westgate]

Tim,

Picture two reminds me of a soup I ate once

I was surprised how "shallow" the new space under the old laz floor appeared. I always figured there was more room down in those nether regions. Maybe it's the perspective??

So are you going to glass in a new sub-floor or just leave it as is?

I think the wonder bar is one of the best tools ever made and your clever use chalks up yet another application!

Great job and really nice pictures.

Andrew

[Tim Mertinooke]

That exact wonder bar and hammer were responsible for 90% of the demolition involved for our new kitchen.

"are you going to glass in a new sub-floor or just leave it as is?"

As is. I don't like unknowns, surprises or nether regions. I envision some sort of insert to keep my tank level and that's it. Also, there is a drain, but it in an awkward place that you can't inspect or reach when the engine is in the well. I'm not sure where or what, but a new drain of some sort is in order.

[ebb]

Could put a oneway drain into the OB well at your inside's lowest point. Could build that low point up a bit with epoxy filler so that low point will always stay drained. How about a teak or mahogany slatted deck replacement so you can have a place to sit gas cans, lunch hook, line, OB wellhole lid. etc?

I remember the pungent odor of gasoline when the lazarette deck was being removed!

You gotta seal that bulkhead there!!!

If you are not racing, where does the OB live when not in the hole?

[Tim Mertinooke]

"Could build that low point up a bit with epoxy filler so that low point will always stay drained"

Read my mind. I'll put that West System to good use :>)

"If you are not racing, where does the OB live when not in the hole?"

It fits sideways in the motor lazarette and at 55 pounds it should be no problem to take it out. There have been outboards stolen where I keep the boat in the past and a little lock on a lazarette cover will not deter a determined thief. If the lazarette is locked with the plug in the motor well, it should remove the temptation for the cancers in our society who take others' things.

"How about a teak or mahogany slatted deck replacement so you can have a place to sit gas cans, lunch hook, line, OB wellhole lid. etc?"

Yeah, I'm still working it out in my head, but that's the idea. I've started to draw up some ideas and I like the versitility of open compartments (slats.)

[Tim Mertinooke]

"You gotta seal that bulkhead there!!!"

Do you mean the plywood bulkhead between the cockpit the lazarette? I peeled off the laminate and there is a large area of wood exposed. I think I'll let it dry out for a while then figure out what to do. Maybe one layer of cloth saturated in epoxy? I want to paint the inside of that lazarette a nice white so that it is smooth and easy to clean. Bilgecoat or something else? What did you use Ebb?

[ebb]

I'm crazy and I overbuild (see the Gallery.)
On 338 that bulkhead was VERY badly fitted. I had access under the cockpit and could wedge myself up close it. The factory had glassed it badly as well. They had bridged gaping edges with tabbing, or not at all - I found still raw (white) fabric and roving under the inside of the deck. They had only tabbed it, the rest was unseald plywood. No rot.

I glassed the surface and retabbed the inside,
[where I also reinforced the rudder tube.
I believe water also got in at the under cockpit sole/rudder tube join. There was NO reenforcement there.]
Now that I think about it: The cockpit sole flexes, therefor seal that joint with rubber.

Also did the same in the laz.
Can't remember if the bulkhead was glassed over or just tabbed. I think DFO's trired to seal it with doubtful remedies.

While I noted some rot-like deterioration of the plywood decking in the laz, none was found on the bulkhead - even where the sodden foam was. My suggestion for this phenomenon is that there was prpbably saltwater encapsulated under the decking - but the little deck was more prone to fresh water accumulation.
It should be glassed imco, especially now that you've open it up to expose the 'V'.
I'm for glassing to tie it all together and extra epoxy sealing insurance.

Found that I could reach up thru the well hole standing outside. That helped...sort of... could see up under there, get an arm in - instructive! Scrape out ancient dribbles of frozen snot, find where the top of the paper pattern should be, or push sticky wet fabric in place. Cuss-n-carry on.

Like I say, I believe in paper patterns which allow you to cut the glass fabric pretty precisely. And I like the X-matt stuff because it stays stiff like cardboard when dry - and if you decide to put it in wet, if you're carefull, it will keep its shape. Even if darts have been cut into it to get it to fit in corners. Totally different thing than woven fabric. And if you've marked reference lines on it you can position the stuff exactly how your paper pattern said to, wet or dry.

That end of the cockpit bulkhead has had a history of leaks for OB people on the Forum - it is an always wet lazarette It even leaks across the TOP under the sheet traveler bridge. So I double sealed the damn thing.
I also incorporated the whole end of the cockpit inside - since I believed the cockpit could use some more support - by closing off most of the space between the cockpit well and the bulkhead. Crazy, I know!

But leaks now? HAH! Don't think so!

[bill@ariel231]

Ebb

I had the same experience with a loosely installed bulkhead between the lazarette and the cockpit. On one particularly breezy day I ended up with a bilge full of water from the outboard well drain finding it's way around&over the bulkhead and into the bilge. water was above the cabin sole before we noticed the problem.

folks who still have outboard wells might want to make sure the bulkhead is sealed right up to the deck. a small gap at deck level was the path from my outboard locker to the bilge....

cheers,
Bill