I have been having fun this week building my arm and back muscles up. Using both a 4.5" and 7" grinders to get through many coats of bottom paint and the gel coat. The large one does a great job, but I can only swing that beast for short periods of time, the smaller one is far more manageable. I have lots of pox to get through and I plan to get through all of it, then start the multiple washes and let the hull dry for most of the winter.
One person at a commercial yard I was talking to thought that leaving the hull bare for a period of time was a bad idea. Every thing that I have been reading says that letting the fiberglass dry over a long period is a good thing before sealing with epoxy. Here in the Northwest it rains a fair bit during the winter months but the boat is tarped off and I don't think the hull will be particularly wet.
I have now gotten the entire cabin sole removed. The wing area back by engine were the last bits out. No more vermiculite except for some small bits back under the engine I can't reach, but they no longer form a dam. Next is to give the hull under the sole a light grind to remove the last of the vermiculite residue. If this area turns out to be dry I will epoxy seal it and move on. Survey is Tuesday and I have cleared everything out of the boat removed the light plywood bulkheads, and all of the storage covers.
I have been eyeing the water damage inside the hull that has come from the leaking toe rail. My inclination is to pull out all the cabinetry to get better access and then get after that toe rail. I have to believe the best fix is to waste the old toe rail and then glass that joint over and replace the toe rail. I don't see how trying to just reseal the toe rail will provide much relief. We want to get the ash strips on the hull looking good and as long as there are leaks there is no chance.
I should also mention that I just brought home several Bubinga boards that will comprise the new cabin sole. Going to be seriously cool to look at and was $11 per board foot compared to $28 for teak. I think that when it is encapsulated in epoxy the life will be more than adequate and will be a visual focal point for years to come. This will be just one of a few things we plan to do to really make this interior be a little more interesting.
