A slightly shorter and very wet Friday working on Vida yesterday. Still some good progress.
Aft cabin
We tested the foam mattress on our bed. Minor adjustments and the covers can be done (it was very comfortable). Also cut down the edges that hold the cushions on so that we can make a double bed infill that doesn’t have bits of wood sticking through you.
There is a slight slope as one side of the bed is 9mm higher than the other. The infill will mask this a bit.
Aft head
Continued to strip out the old stuff to create more space. Discovered another bolt missing and a loose bolt in the steering system hidden below the basin (the wood frame on the left of the picture).
We need to think about what to build the new “furniture” with and what to cover the walls with in this heads. Thick ply covered with formica has lasted well but when the screw heads are covered with the formica and wood trim is nailed on it makes access difficult (eg to check that steering bolts are ok).
We certainly don’t want to buy hardwood for trim due to the deforestation issues.
Thin plastic sheeting held on by velcro provides an easy to clean and easy to remove for inspection covering for the headlining and walls. But is plastic. Currently wondering if bamboo panels or veneers might be an option.
Wheelhouse
We removed the headlining and the rooftop grab rails to prepare to fit the solar panels. The grab rails will be replaced when we have refurbished them. Found hundreds of flies hiding behind the liner. Going to be in the far future before we replace this lining as many more important jobs.
Leaks
The very heavy rain allowed us to find new leaks. Lots of the windows are leaking but for the most part the water goes behind the headlining. We are going to have to remove quite a lot of that and might leave it bare for next year as it is a big and tricky job. We do have replacement windows on order so fitting them will be our highest priority (going to need well over 200 new bolts through the cabin sides).
The 2 “transparent” deck hatches both leak. We have on the list to replace the very crazed acrylic for aesthetic reasons but will need to make it a higher priority now we know they leak. Hoping to refurbish the frames.
Also the forehatch (ventilation/emergency exit in the guest cabin at the front of the boat) leaks. Hoping we can fit a seal to stop this.
Onwards
Although the scale of the leaks was more than expected (it was very heavy rain and strong winds) it hasn’t changed our plans much. We already have the windows on order and the hatches will give a lot more light when sorted.
The progress on our cabin is nice. Soon going to be a very comfortable retreat from the rest of work space during the refurbishment. Getting rid of the old toilet and plumbing has already made a significant difference to the smell (not that it was particularly bad but the difference between the two head compartments is now very noticeable).
Sustainable Sailing 