Two new bronze ports have been installed. The 6 inch deadlight in the cabin top fills the hole made for the 4" stove pipe for the wood stove which has been removed. I think the teak joinery came out well there, and covers all the epoxy (West System of course which was needed. The 7" opening port required repositioning the Autohelm instruments, which improve their visability in the cockpit (see hatch pictures below).
As part of the refit a teak handhold was installed in the companionway. Two more were added on the exterior, and two were mounted in the cabin on the forward bulkead.
Thick walled brass pipe now supports the table, and the whole assembly is very sturdy. The pipe is attached to the cabin top by heavy bronze flagpole sockets mouted on round teak pads that are temselves mounted on 1" blocks epoxied to the cabin top, and flush with the liner. Sturdy constuction I think.
The three center sections have been completed and came out well. They were made up of cherry tongue and groove with the edges trimmed in teak, over 3/4 inch marine plywood. I decided to use the West System epoxy here and it all went together fine.
Not yet complete but well underway! A stove and grating are still major projects to complete.
Refinishing the Hatch and trim and adding teak handholds does make a difference. Note the Bronze Port and new location of the Autohelm instruments. The glued seams were cleaned out with a saw and the primed and caulked with black Life Caulk. The hatch was then sanded, and all was finished with 3 coats of Armada. Compare the finish with the hadrails. Not bad at all!!
