Update on Trawler refit

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Woodsong

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I thought you all might be interested in hear how the refit process is going on our "new" trawler. We hauled the boat out right at about 30 days ago. bottom was sanded down, blisters ground out/opened up, epoxy filled, ready now for new paint.
We had a soft spot on the foredeck that wasn't super noticeable was was definitely there. As well, the bridge deck had a sizeable soft spot on the aft portion of it behind the helm seating. The foredeck was opened up last week, old coring removed, and new synthetic coring installed along with new fiberglass. We thought about going back with marine plywood or something for the coring but synthetic is so much better and a lasting fix so we went that route.

Picture from the other week when they first cut open part of the foredeck:
OldDeck.jpg


Pictures of the foredeck after a few layers of new glass:
NewForedeck4.jpg


NewForedeck2.jpg


NewForedeck3.jpg


newforedeck1.jpg


The coring in the foredeck was highly delaminated in the center section just behind the windlass. Outside that area it was probably ok but we had ordered enough synthetic coring to do the entire aft bridge and entire foredeck and I didn't want to do it half way so we opened up the entire foredeck to make sure we got it all. The pics above are from last week- they've added a few more layers of fiberglass since then and about ready for the last steps.

The foredeck was ripped open yesterday, about 2/3 of the aft portion. The remaining 1/3 will be opened up after the first 2/3 is recored and some glass down so that there is someplace to stand while working! :)
The bridge coring was pretty shot...from what we can tell it appears to have been due to poor sealing where the mast ties into the aftmost portion of the bridge deck. This was mostly, it seems, due to poor sealing at some wiring some previous owner had drilled through the deck. Luckily from the built in seating forward the coring is good and solid and dry and no delamination at all so we did not (thus far at least!!) have to remove the flybridge. I went up today to check in the progress. At noon they were just about to start installing the new coring.
Some pictures....
Aft bridge, port side:
bridge1.jpg


Standing on the trunk deck over aft stateroom, facing forward towards bridge. Holes in foreground are where the mast goes.
Bridge2.jpg


On bridge, facing aft, standing next to built in seating. Piece of the new coring visible in foreground.
Bridge3.jpg


Bridge4.jpg


This is the underside of the aft bridge fiberglass skin that was cut out to get to the coring. The old coring, as you can see, consisted of small 4x4 squares of 5/8" plywood. The square hole in the center area of that deck was test hole that was cut to confirm thickness of the coring, etc.
bridge5.jpg


So far no real surprises which is good. We should be ready to splash her again in about 2 weeks. Between now and then all the fiberglass and non skid should be finished, bottom with 2 coats of paint (going back with the blue like she used to have which I think looks good on her instead of black), hull buffed from caprail to waterline, and topsides fully prepped for painting (actual painting we'll do in the covered slip as a roll/tip job since NO WHERE on lake lanier allows spray!!).

We're also doing some electrical work and will be installing the granite countertops after we resplash, along with doing new canvas/eisenglass to enclose the bridge.

oh, I think we may be changing her name too but we are not 100% decided on that yet.

Stay tuned!
 
Tony that is what my neighbor at the marina did with his Marine Trader. He removed the teak and never re-installed it just anti-skid over the new glass. He still has the teak trim around the windows which he also removed, sealed the windows and then put the trim back on. You got me thinking with your PM but my wife and I decided to purchase a new pre-fab rancher for the North Caroilina property. After we are done with the house I'm either going to re-power my Mainship (diesels) or I have found some really nice 42 & 44 NOVA trawlers. So I have at least another year to make up my mind.
If I were you I would start thinking about the electrical systems and especially installing a nice maintenance free house battery system with an inverter/ charger.
Please keep us updated on the progress with the Monk.
Bill
 
good work, how will you match the deck non skid pattern??
 
Bruce he might do what my neighbor did redo all the non skid.
Bill
 
Bruce,
The previous owner had painted over the original nonskid pattern with a new nonskid texture that is easy to replicate. I would have preferred it to have the original nonskid but we found in the 4 weeks we used the boat prior to hauling out that it worked very well and gave good traction and seemed very durable. Thus, plan right now is to just match the same footprint of the old nonskid and use the nonskid to match the rest of the boat. At least that is the plan now...things change here and there so we will see what we do. I say "we" but I am not the one doing the fiberglass work- hired a 2 man crew here on the lake that are top notch craftsmen when it comes to fiberglass repair. Some things i am happy to write a check for to speed things along and this is one of those times...much rather pay someone to knock it out quickly vs. me fussing with it all winter and probably not doing near as good of a job. I don't want to be fooling with a project boat for the next year- we want to hit these projects, large and small, immediately so that we have a boat we can use and enjoy right away. Plan is to resplash in about 2 weeks and next goal is to have topsides painted, new eisenglass and canvas at bridge, and new galley granite countertops before Lake Lanier's Parade of Lights which is the first weekend of December. That should give us plenty of time to get all the major stuff done and be able to decorate her, have family and friends out, and show her off decked out in lights. After that, I am sure i will have some smaller stuff I'll play with here and there....new stereos, figure out my lower and upper helm electronics, wire up the direct TV (ok, that item may get done during the canvas/paint phase), etc.
RE: Inverter....I am really debating on this item! I am not sure the cost is worth it to us right now. I need to double check some more but it seems some of the electrical outlets are already wired for 12v. If this is true, it will allow us to crank up the margarita machine without the generator. :) I need to figure out the best battery configuration and whether we should do an inverter. I am sure at some point I will be putting one in...just have to decide if I do it now or later.

We're toying with the idea of changing her name from "Poco A Poco" which is spanish for "Little by Little" and possibly changing it to "Living Light". Not sure on that yet.
 
Wow! Big job, great info. Thanks for the pics. She'll look like new when you're done.

I've never seen coring like that before, but I haven't seen much coring either. Is it common to use 4" squares to make the core?
 
quote:
Originally posted by FlyWright

Wow! Big job, great info. Thanks for the pics. She'll look like new when you're done.

I've never seen coring like that before, but I haven't seen much coring either. Is it common to use 4" squares to make the core?

Click to expand...


Yes, it is pretty common. What is uncommon is that usually it is 1/2", sometimes 3/4" but mine is neither- it is 5/8"! :)

But yes, the small squares are pretty common coring materials for the 1980's tiawanese made trawlers such as mine. I am not sure why they would use it instead of larger sheets since labor would be so much less for larger peices but then again, asian labor was cheap and larger sheets probably more $$ but who knows why they did it that way?

She will hopefully be looking like new or nearly new when we are done.

My next big job to tackle is to figure out what is up, if anything, with the fuel tanks. Seller told me he thought port fuel tank was leaking but I have confirmed beyond a shadow o a doubt that no leak is present anywhere, at least at the current fuel levels. There was a leak at the fuel injector pump and one of the injectors themselves and I see some evidence of a small leak at the inspection port of that tank so I think (hope!) it was a combo of a leak from the bad gasket at the inspection port and then the injector leak. Only way I can think to test it, short of filling up the tanks and watching what happens (NOT going to do that!), is to pressure test the tank???
Worse case, tanks are holding about 75 gallons just fine right now without leaking so that is about 30-35 hours of engine time so if it is too much to mess with the tanks right now I can at least run with it at that amount of fuel without a problem. Gotta love 2 to 2.5 GPH fuel burn!!! :)

And then there is the debate i have begun pondering...bow thruster or not? I determined in the month we had her in the water and going out every weekend with her that i could dock her just fine without one if I go bow in. However, in reverse, with the single screw, she has a serious prop walk to starboard to where she acts like she wants to go in a circle. A thruster sure would help with that issue.....decisions decisions.
 
Tony consider a large charger/inverter with a remote to set the battery type, charge and capacity. You won't regret it if you upgrade to a larger house bank. I think you are a lot like me in that you want things to work and be able to forget it when you are done, with batteries the most practical way is with a high quality AGM battery bank. I recommend Lifeline's.
Then choose your 12 volt devices based on their current draw. I decided everything on my boat but the Microwave, Stove and AC units would be 12 volts. Even the fans and lighting were replaced with Caframo (fans) they move lots of air using very low current and all lighting is LED. I have never regretted the decisions I made early on with the house battery system. Every battery on my boat all 11 are AGM's they are a true dual use battery.
Bill
 
Do the thruster once again it gave me the confidence in docking. I don't use it as much now however it is there when you need it (think strong winds). I would highly recomend Vetus.
Bill
 
I really would not be in a hurry to get a thruster. I can only think of one time I really could have used one. And that was only because I was young, being pig headed and trying to dock in a summer squall with a 25+ knot cross wind instead of waiting for it to pass by.

Other than than, get used to the walk and learn to use it and your spring lines to your advantage.

When backing into the slip you just have to get used to using the rudder at times to control the walk or kick the stern over the other way with a bit of throttle. Of course depending on to which side it walks and which way you have to turn to back into your slip, you may not even need to turn the rudder other than hard over to one side. So all you have to do then is back into the slip at an angle that lets the walk pull your stern into the slip while straitening up the boat at the same time. You just bump it in forward as needed to kick the stern the other way a bit. If that makes sense.
 
Capt. Bill1, yes, that makes sense. To recap, I am fairly certain that what you were saying is "just keep pulling into the slip bow first because that is really easy to do."

;)
 
Adding to what Bill said. The prop will usually over power the rudder but if you have decent size ruddrr try to get the boat moving then reduce power and the rudder may gain some control. In wind though all bets are off without warps.
Nothing wrong with bow in.
 
Careful, now you are starting to sound like some of my passed charter clients. :-)
 
Backing with a single engine trawler isn't bad - my Mainship has the same starboard kick in reverse. You need to just line up with the slip, put your rudder hard over starboard then start to back in. Toggle between reverse and neutral. When she starts going too far starboard, go to forward just long enough to push the stern back to port but not long enough to stop your reverse momentum. This is a pretty easy trick to master with some practice - no bow thruster needed.

-Ron
 
Tony you have children and your wife on the boat don't take this the wrong way but they can be additional distractions. Unless you only go out with no or low wind I don't know why you wouldn't install the thruster now? Get all of your wish list items done now while the boat is laid up.
You won't be second guessing yourself when you relaunch, but enjoying the boat.
I have a thruster and even though I don't use it often when I need it I'm glad I have it.
Bill
 
quote:
Originally posted by Capt. Bill1

When backing into the slip you just have to get used to using the rudder at times to control the walk or kick the stern over the other way with a bit of throttle. Of course depending on to which side it walks and which way you have to turn to back into your slip, you may not even need to turn the rudder other than hard over to one side. So all you have to do then is back into the slip at an angle that lets the walk pull your stern into the slip while straitening up the boat at the same time. You just bump it in forward as needed to kick the stern the other way a bit. If that makes sense.

Click to expand...


backing on one engine is something good to practice on TWIN engine boats as well. it's harder since the running engine isnt' on centerline but it's the same technique. keep the rudders hard over and ready to kick the stern with a burst of forward prop wash. no need to turn the wheel back and forth once you realize the rudders dont' do anything when backing up slowly.

back to original topic... nice job and indeed worth doing a larger area once you are ripping the old deck. surprised they used plywood, it's a lot heavier than balsa as a core material... especially when wet :)
 
Looks like good quality work. Removing and renewing the core is the only real way to repair "soft core/soft deck". There is a company call Gibco at Eagle Mountain Lake, near Fort Worth, TX that makes molds for just about every type of non-skid pattern ever made. I'm met the owner and seen his operation and he provides the molds for about 95% of the non skid in this country and a very large percent of the world wide non-skid pattern. He can match just about any pattern you need or make up a custom pattern. His ad runs in Professional Boat Builder magazine in the back section, I don't have his number in front of me, but he is the non-skid man to go to. Good Luck
 
A good friend bought a 31'er that has a thruster...no kidding. The previous owner loaded the boat with satellite, nu-teak floor, genset, etc, etc. One day (his b-day) I was the designated driver. The thruster gave me confidence to put the boat anywhere, even when the wind kicked up. Most times I did not use it (went to three different watering holes) but knowing it was there is awesome. With twins, it's easy to control the stern. I'm not saying I would get a thruster for my boat (I'm too cheap) but as they say "those with them never complain".
 
That old coring looks like some kind of glued together interior plywood - not marine stuff! I'm sure that they used it because it was cheaper than the right stuff. Once it gets wet, it turns to mush!

You are doing the right thing getting rid of it. Looks like they are doing a nice job, keep posting pix of the progress.
 
quote:
Originally posted by HOGAN

That old coring looks like some kind of glued together interior plywood - not marine stuff! I'm sure that they used it because it was cheaper than the right stuff. Once it gets wet, it turns to mush!

You are doing the right thing getting rid of it. Looks like they are doing a nice job, keep posting pix of the progress.

Click to expand...

I believe it's pressboard Mike. In other words compressed cardboard.
Good move getting rid of it Tony.
Bill
 
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