[Public-List] cockpit floor job

[Mel Martin]

Gord,
Thanks for your description of recoring the cockpit floor. I have the  
same job to do on mine (as soon as the weather gets a good deal  
warmer) and your description pretty much matches what I plan to do  
(and reassures me that I am not completely insane for attempting it!)

One question though: Did you brace the underside of the cockpit before  
making the repair? The reason I ask is that the underside of my  
cockpit has a noticeable sag to it. The cockpit itself has a  
depression where water pools rather than running down the drains.

I also plan to get rid of the inspection port at the forward end of  
the cockpit (the ultimate source of the damage to the floor) and  
replace it with a watertight hatch which will allow access to the  
stuffing box.

Any suggestions or things to look out for?

thanks
mel
hull # 452




> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:25:16 -0500
> From: Gordon Laco <mainstay at csolve.net>
> To: <fongemie at gmail.com>,	Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all
> 	<public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
> Subject: Re: [Public-List] foredeck compression, (and bedding deck
> 	hardware)
> Message-ID: <C95DF64C.A8E1%mainstay at csolve.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="US-ASCII"
>
> OK -
>
> I'm in the US warehouse now and in front of a computer.
>
> The cockpit floor job was completed last spring after years of being put
> off.  It was easy.
>
> I cut the top of the cockpit sole off using a large dremmel-like tool, being
> careful to only go through the top laminates and not past the balsa.
>
> With not too much trouble I was able to rip the intact top layer off...
> Where the balsa was reduced to mush it came off easily, not so easily
> elsewhere.
>
> With a wide chisel and a scraper I removed all the balsa and mush, and
> excavated an inch or so under the undisturbed top layer.  I then sanded and
> vacuumed both the removed top layer and the upper surface of the bottom
> layer of glass.
>
> That was the work of Saturday morning.
>
> Saturday afternoon I 'painted' the excavated under edge areas with raw epoxy
> then with a spatula forced in a paste of thickened epoxy - it was about like
> peanut butter.  Then I painted the whole exposed top surface of the bottom
> glass layer ...   In the mean time I had prepared a piece of marine plywood
> cut to fit the removed balsa, complete with 1" diameter holes in a close
> spacing.    I smeared the bottom of the plywood with the thickened epoxy
> then pressed it into the sole cut-out.  I poured epoxy into the holes and
> around the edges until no more would go in... Then I went away and had
> supper.
>
> While eating supper it occurred to me that the plywood might float up on the
> epoxy so I dropped my fork and rushed back to the boat with waxed paper and
> a few bricks.   I put the bricks on the waxed paper so they wouldn't stick
> to the plywood.  (it hadn't floated...)
>
> Sunday morning I sanded the top surface of the plywood, vacuumed it then
> painted it with raw epoxy.  I prepared the old top laminate of the sole with
> thickened epoxy on its undersurface, then pressed it in and piled the bricks
> on them.  I then kept pouring raw epoxy in around the cut edge seam until no
> more would go in... Then covered that with masking tape to prevent epoxy
> from flowing out.
>
> Monday after work I went back, sanded the tape off, masked out and painted
> off-white over the glue as a sort of finish... Put the tiller head and its
> fairing back on... Presto.
>
> Gord #426
>