... and then I got looking at those little filler pads under the deck mounts and decided there was no way I could install them without painting them first. A coat of primer and two coats of paint and then the weekend was over.
Instead, I continued with deck hardware installation. I had to make up some more backing pads. I don't know how I got along without my band saw before - so much easier than cutting them by hand with the saber saw. Backing pads for the jib cleats, windvane deck mounts and the aft legs of the forward pulpit.
The jib cleats are the only noteworthy addition to my deck. Overall, not the most productive weekend.
I am also dealing with a new problem that is becoming more important as I get close to installing the final panels that make up boat interior. I have a leak somewhere and it puddles up right here on the cabin sole. The constant and often heavy rains of last week made finding the leak a priority.
What scared me is that the leak seemed to be coming down from under the non-structural bulkhead that defines the saloon from the head. The bulkhead doesn't actually touch the hull. There is about an inch gap between the bulkhead and the hull and the attachment comes from the fiberglass tabbing on both sides. My worry was that a toerail screw was allowing water to come down between the tabbings and filling up the area in between which will eventually rot out the bulkhead. So I started some investigation by pulling up some insulation under the head platform and digging out the settee front where it will later be covered with a veneered panel. I also took out the paneling that forms the back of the head storage locker. The water was definitely pooling up right there and spilling over after it had accumulated.
I had to make the plunge and cut some investigation holes in the bottom panel of the under settee storage area. I hated making the cuts but I had to find the source of the water. I made two cuts there on each side of a panel mounting block. All very dry.
So then I did some test holes along the inboard edge of the settee front. I found some water so I drilled some drain holes that will later be covered up easily. Once the water drained out I had no more puddling around the bulkhead so I am sure the bulkhead area is not the source of the leak. The inboard edge of the settee front is wet all along its length.
I have a sort-of bulkhead at the aft end because at one time I thought I would make the galley storage go all the way to the hull. The space I gained didn't justify the work in creating the curved bottom surface over the insulation so I later just covered the aft area there to match the settee seat. You can see the tabbing to the hull that goes around the whole settee seats. I did that mainly so that any water leaking down from the deck would stop at the seat and not go all the way down to where I am finding it now.
At this point I noticed that the temporary tabbing between the settee seat and the galley storage bottom wasn't too good. I tore some of it up to have a better look. The plywood was all wet. I suspected the missing stanchion mount above was funneling water down to where it would puddle and then finding its way down under the bad tabbing. That could be the problem. I filled the holes temporarily with sealant.
I am going to be really PO'ed if I went to all this trouble and made all this mess only to find out it was only because I was a bit too sloppy with a temporary tab and left a deck fitting off in a rain storm.
After another day of rain I found more puddling on the cabin sole. Maybe the leak was just draining out or maybe I didn't solve the problem. My next step isto cut a hole in the galley storage bottom and feel around. Its possible the water is coming from the cockpit area and finding its way through the original partial bulkhead between the cockpit and saloon areas. The tabbing looks okay and I really hope it is okay.
Now we have a week of near perfect weather and I can't confirm the leak so I am stalled out. I wish it would rain...
So that brings us to this past weekend (sorry about the delay - sometimes I just really don't feel like blogging).
Back to the windvane.
I installed the deck mounts with the now-painted filler blocks.
After laying the bent upper mounts tubes flat on a piece of plywood, the holes were easily drilled straight with a drill press at work. I bolted the tubes on just tight enough to hold them roughly in position while I got the windvane set up.
Then I slipped the windvane onto the tubes and tied the vane to the stern pulpit to hold it in position while I took a look, took a few measurements and put all the other bits and pieces loosely in place.
It became obvious that there were some dimensional errors with the mounts. The top of the lower blade is about 8 inches higher than the water line. It really should be four. Planning on a little cruising overload is fine but I think an extra 4 inches is excessive. The mount is also further aft than it needs to be. As close as practical to the stern is what the instructions call for.
So, I took the vane off and cut four inches off the upper mounts. Factoring in the angle that should lower the vane around 3 and a half inches and bring it a little closer to the stern. Now I have to drill new holes again.
I finished the weekend installing the last of the stanchion mounts and the foredeck cowl with a helper. I was planning on the final installation of the bow pulpit and all the little bits of hardware up forward.
The problem is that they all share one big (and rather ugly - I was new at this when I started) epoxy soaked plywood backing pad shaped to fit the undersides of the curved deck. The anchor roller is firmly mounted through this pad but everything else had been loose for a year. Now, I can't remember how well the wood filler block for the anchor roller is sealed (that was a year ago). Since I can't remember I have decided to take it off, clean it up and start with some new sealant; mounting all that stuff at the same time. I hate to do this but I hate that nagging feeling of doubt even more. Not that a leak would hurt much up under the anchor locker but someday it will really bug me. Especially if the wood filler block starts to rot.
So that's it. Another weekend wasted ;-)
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