[alberg30] ceiling for A30

[alberg30]

From: "alberg30" <alberg30 at planet.net>

Slat ceiling is on my list of secondary projects for #499. There's an
excellent explanation contained in the book "This Old Boat" by Don Casey,
page @ 193, even has a nice diagram. I will copy it and mail it to anyone
who wants it. The book is @ $35- worth the money, but I actually bought it
just for this topic. It also has great article on adding an extra forestay
to older plastic classics.

Presently we have a wood grain-looking peg board on the walls below the
shelves in the main salon and vberth. I replaced the original pegboard with
this stuff approximately 18 months ago and it has not stood the test of
time. Too much moisture in the air causes serious mold, bubbling in
laminate,and it looks cheesy too. 

I think slat ceiling is the way to go. Job doesn't seem to be too
complicated, and it will offer a great way to brighten the interior. I like
my interior  especially dark, complete mahogany with evergreen cushions
etc. I love an interior that feels like a cave,  thats just me, but a
lighter contrast on the bulkheads would be nice. Regarding ceiling, I have
some thoughts, though:

1. I plan to install some type of insulation between the ceiling and the
bulkheads. When we lived aboard, we wintered over and froze our asses off.
It was particularly difficult to keep heat inside the vberth throughout the
night. We also had major condensation. That is until I put 1/2" Styrofoam
insulation between the peg board and the bulkhead. Made a huge difference.
But I went the cheap route then. I once saw some insulation that  was
flexible and had a foil covering at Loews, was about 100 times more
efficient than Styrofoam, but it was kinda expensive at the time- like $10
a foot or more. Thats what I plan to go to this time. Trick will be making
sure you don't see the insulation behind the ceiling.

2. I also plan to put tight nap outdoor carpet inside the cabinets and
shelves and maybe above the shelf in the vberth. I have seen this done on a
Lancer sailboat by a friend, and it made a great difference for
condensation. Looks good and keeps the clothes etc dry that are stowed
there. Trick is to secure temp with contact cement, while waterproof glue
dries permanently. Also bulkheads and topsides need to be relatively
watertight. I think the more fiberglass I cover with the carpet or
insulation, the less condensation I will be likely to get on the liner.

3. Since you've got the vberth in disarray anyway, why not adjust the
shelves on the bulkheads. I originally followed the A30 manual article on
turning the vberth into a double bed, but I didn't raise or reduce the
width of the shelves like was suggested. Thought it was too much work, and
I didn't realize what a difference a few inches make. The results were I
banged the hell out of my knees, elbows, shoulders etc when I slept there
with my wife. Plus I never had sex. (Could have nothing to do with the
shelves, I suppose.) I'm thinking about modifying these shelves, to
increase the "elbow room" in the vberth. not sure how, though. Looks like
the shelves might come off pretty easy. Present design doesn't stow much
stuff, well, I think. Clothes and things "slide" fore and aft along the
shelves, or fall onto the vberth. In the winter the clothes collect monster
condensation due to proximity to  fiberglass bulkhead. Maybe shelf two
inches narrower and half as long, ending at the forward lower shroud knees
would open up "shoulder room." Maybe even sliding cabinet faces  would keep
the clothes and stuff stowed better, and again reduce condensation. Any
thoughts on this? 

Joe
"One Less Traveled"#499


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