When I arrived in the NW on Jan 14, there was a serious cold snap going on. In fact it was the only time I remember it being colder in winter here than it was when I left Maine.
Then it snowed..
Good thing I'm used to driving in the snow
It took a while to warm up the inside of the boat a bit. However, when you're in a paper suit and dust/noise protection gear for interior grinding, it's actually good if it's cold.
Now that I'm up to the front of the cockpit and bridge deck, there was a lot of paint, epoxy, corrosion, and assorted goo to get sanded off. Where the backing plates/etc. were located under the old jib sheet turning blocks was a mess. I wasn't looking forward to tackling this area but the winter is the time to do it. So I tented off the area forward of the aft cabin but aft of the main cabin as best as could. It's amazing how sanding dust can find its way through nearly invisible leaks...it took a lot of taping and still a fine layer of dust sometimes oozes through somehow to the main cabin (AKA OceanPlanet Energy's west coast office). Not too bad, I just need to keep it clean enough to work on the laptop and eat lunch...;-)
Anyhow, there was a lot of major grinding to do. In addition to the aforementioned old turning block areas, there was some shaping to be done of some beams my dad had installed years ago under the bridge deck:
There was some filling to be done where the engine throttle/shift controls used to be. There will be control lines for that elsewhere, so no need for the old cutout:
Coming up soon will be some actual painting in the area, and epoxy on wood spots that I want to highlight by leaving natural. Also soon will glue in some spruce beams and plywood backing plates under where the primary winches will be. Here's some shots of one of the beams propped into place for fitting:
Thanks to Russel Brown of PT Watercraft in Port Townsend, for the spruce for the beams and chainplate beams, etc.!
BTW, I'll be at the Seattle Boat Show on Saturday Feb 3rd, hanging out at the Northwest Rigging booth with my friend Quinn Olson. He's asked me to bring a guitar, but I'm not sure I'll actually play it...;-)
More soon...not long before I fly back to Maine on Feb 12!
PS: Before I flew out west, did some video recording...one was a keeper:
Smooth seas
Bruce
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