BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - Can someone help with an interior finishing guestion please?

Evan Gatehouse[_2_]

wrote:
A good place to start would be the library / book store. Consider
'Fiberglass Boats' by Hugo Du Plessis or 'Upgrading the Cruising
Sailboat' by Dan Spurr.

If you're truly going to 'gut' the interior, and you don't want to
spend a lot of time, stop. No point in proceeding. If you've got 6
months of 8 hour days, it's likely a matter of removing all of the
interior fittings, plumbing, joinery (cabinetry), tanks, electrical
wiring and devices, etc. It's unlikely you'll be able to reposition
the engine, but this would be a good time to consider re-powering
(especially if the engine is from '72) which may also mean
reconfiguring the engine bed (motor mounts),

With all of this removed, you'll likely be down to full (structural)
and partial bulkheads - probably plywood - which have been 'tabbed'
onto the hull with a layer or two of fiberglass strips. If done
properly, the bulkheads actually rest on a foam /balsa beveled spacer
(see Du Plessis) that prevents the bulkhead from forming a 'hard spot'
where it contacts the hull.

Now comes the fun part. With a large grinder equipped with a sanding
pad and 24 grit paper and you wearing eye, ear and lung protection,
grind away at the junction of the bulkhead and hull-side (carefully)
to cut away the tabbing, thus freeing the bulkhead for removal.

If it's a structural bulkhead (one that is attached to all points of
the hull and cabin / house) consider adding temporary bracing fore and
aft of this bulkhead prior to its removal.

If the hull is cored above the W/L, it's likely balsa (...'72) which
should be inspected for water ingress / rot.

Good Luck.

Mike Worrall
Los angeles

Having just gutted a galley down to the bare hull, can I suggest using
a cut off wheel in the grinder to cut through the tabbing into the
plywood? Lasts a lot longer than a 24 grit disc. After removing the
bulkhead and as much tabbing as possible (polyester tabbing peels
easily with a chisel, THEN you go at it with the 24 grit disc to
smooth out the hull.

But Bob, it sounds like it's just the dinette that is troubling right
now. Looking at it, it seems like the galley opposite is the limiting
factor; you aren't going to have a 2 seat armchair arrangement AND
somewhere to eat by converting that dinette AND leaving the galley
alone. The galley should be left alone (no need to redo good work) -
but you're really stuck with a relatively small amount of room in to
work with in the dinette area.

Maybe getting rid of the mouldy cushions and replacing them with new
ones that have some leg support (fuller at the knee) and angle to the
back cushions would make it a lot more comfortable. It would be tough
to sell a 42' boat down the road with 2 convertible chairs and dinner
seating for only 4.

Maybe start with Beneteau's interiors on their web site (though most
will be beamier than your boat). Lots of different size boats, maybe
you'll get inspired there. Hit the library for a bunch of books on
yacht interiors. Dan Spurr's book on boat interiors, Bob Perry's
collected Sailing magazine reviews... I think in your case, pictures
may help more than interior plan layouts.

Evan Gatehouse