New Helm station

[RicM]

Trying on some new electronics for size, so I tried out my paper mockup today (it was 50 degrees in RI ). Furuno 1920 (10" gps) all new Faria gauges, and a Furuno Navpilot. My buddy Dave, the wood worker, is making 2 cherry panels to match the wood in the cabin, one for the dash at the helm (pictured), and one for the navigators side to extend the space for my old 7" Navnet Radar unit, radio, and stereo remote. Maybe a cherry wheel next...



Spent the afternoon with the grinder and compound, and got about 3/5's of the hull done and it looks great! Can't wait to get to the REALLY oxidized starboard side, but it was too windy on that side today.
This 3M stuff works great....

[jcollins]

Ric,
I have been following your posts about which products you are using. I'm going to use the same on my hull since I decided not to paint this year.

What type of pad are you using to apply the rubbing compound? Then you are switching to what type of pad to take if off?
I see in the picture "super duty rubbing compound". Is that the Perfect-it III Extra Cut or different?

The dash looks great. I added a mahogany wheel to mine last year.

[Cape Codder]

Ric,
That dash looks fantastic!

Good to hear the 3M is working well. That what I'm going with too.

January is gone, now let's get rid or February!

[RicM]

John:

I was using a terry cloth bonnet to apply and massage, then terry bar rags to wipe clean ( I get the bar rags at the local restaurant supply for half the cost of crappy rags at West Marine. They make great bait rags also). This is the first round with the 3M Super duty. I plan to do a second round with 3M Finesse It which is their high polish stuff. Then a couple of layers of Rejex.

[RicM]

Bob:

I really think the key is a powerful, high speed buffer/grinder. I got that one from Harbor freight for $49. Their power tools are not great quality, but for something you use once a year for 6-8 hours it's fine. The Perfect It Extra Cut is more aggressive than the Super Duty. You have to be careful you don't burn through the gelcoat. If your boat is older, it may have been compounded once or twice already, and you may not have much to give. My boat is a 2003, and judging by the level of oxidation (high) it was probably never compounded or even cleaner waxed. I have plenty of thickness left to remove. One way to know is if you have scratches in the gel that are all blue (no white in the scratch) you can polish down to the level of the scratch.

[Cape Codder]

Ric,
I have been on the Whaler's owner website for years. (continuouswave.com)
Over the last few years, there has been a lot of discussion and praise for the Porter Cable 7424 Buffer. Many have said the quality is really good, and it isn't the regular grinder wheel, but it looks like one. It's actually a random orbital type.
As you cautioned, I don't want to remove too much gelcoat, and the 3M is agressive. This random orbital is designed to help prevent digging too deep.
I bought two bottles of Finesse It II, to use after 3M super duty.
I'm ordering the Porter Cable 7424 and a selection of pads too.
I've seen pictures of the results on the whaler owner site, and they are impressive on some pretty darn old boats.
My boat is your twin. 2003 and flag blue. I only want to do this heavy duty ONE time. I know I'm in for a lot of work. It doesn't appear its been done before. In fact, I think that much of the hull, like the transom and bow area may only need the Finesse It for preparation
Although I'm a Collinite fan, I'm going with 3M all the way. Final coat or coats will be with their new Scotchgard with UV inhibitors.
If the 3M holds as well as they claim, then it will only be reapplying and buffing in the future years. (sounds nice eh?)
I'm doing the same procedure on my 13' Whaler too.
I'm going to practice with the buffer and products on the Whaler first, and get the feel for how agressive it is.
I'll keep you posted in results.

[RicM]

Nice day in Wickford yesterday, but a little too cold to compound (they say at least 40). So what's the next best thing to do? Cut a big hole in your boat!

As part of the electronics upgrade we tackle one of the few design flaws of the 28 TE, the inadequate real estate for big screen electronic gear. While my helm area layout (see post above) looks good it is displacing my VHF radio and a Furuno 1733 Radar/Plotter that works fine. Moving these two items to the Mate's side seems to make sense. If you see this man near your boat with a sawzall, run away:


Of course no project of this scope is without it's setbacks. We could not see around the turn at one point and a couple of wire's got knicked. The bad one is the main AC from the shore power connector.



Oh well, I was going to install a Galvanic Isolator in that circuit anyway, it will just happen sooner rather than later.

The finished cut:


It will be covered with another cherry panel (matching the helm side) with the 1733 (7" Radar GPS) and VHF radio mounted in it, along with (eventually) a high water alarm.

One question I have is rerouting the Furuno Radar cable to the port side. Is there any reasonable way to get this massive connector off or do I have to detach the cable at the radardome and work backwards?




There is nothing like a project like this to learn more about your boat however! Finally found the alarm system guts and good spot for the galvanic isolator ( behind the cup holder on the port side). Most of the wiring goes though the bilge area ahead of the batteries and through the area under the quarter berth, making access, if not easy at least understandable.

[SpaceCoaster]

You are a brave soul. When I looked at the first picture my heart took a leap. I thought... "is that huge hole where I think it is?" But upon further review what you're doing really makes sense to me as that space is virtually wasted. It's nice to know that there's space behind that surface to fit some skinny electronics. What is the depth by the way?

Jorge

[Capt Ron]

Ric,
I can't tell you how happy I am to see that photo of the guy (you?) with the router grinning like a crazy person! My friends all think I'm nuts when I say I love drilling and cutting holes in boats! They just don't get it. I'm forwarding that photo to all of them! Thanks, Ron

[Capt Ron]

Ric,
I can't tell you how happy I am to see that photo of the guy (you?) with the router grinning like a crazy person! My friends all think I'm nuts when I say I love drilling and cutting holes in boats! They just don't get it. I'm forwarding that photo to all of them! Thanks, Ron

[DougSea]

Ric,
I can't tell you how happy I am to see that photo of the guy (you?) with the router grinning like a crazy person! My friends all think I'm nuts when I say I love drilling and cutting holes in boats! They just don't get it. I'm forwarding that photo to all of them! Thanks, Ron

I'll second that one! It takes a certain kind of person to approach a pristine fiberglass bulkhead and plunge a router or hole saw into it! And the smell - it smells like Victory!!

[RicM]

Oh no that's not me. That's Dave, the guy with no fear. He bought a 1965 37' Egg Harbor and has made into a floating palace. He attacks upgrades on my boat with a confidence that I could never muster. You need a mad man like this in your life to show you the posibilities!

[RicM]

But the smell of VICTORY! that is special! It smells like napalm in the morning! No, victory smells like Napalm in the mourning!

[Capt Ron]

Ric,
Dave looks mighty familiar. Did he happen to have a sailboat in the Atlantic Highlands, NJ for a few years?

[RicM]

I don't think so. He's a power guy, 1965 37' Egg Harbor that he has pretty much completely restored. He has crewed on a couple sail boats in races. Top notch wood worker and Mr. Fixit. His full name is Dave Bond. We went to high school together in Somerset, MA many moons ago. I think he looks pretty much like a lot of 50+ year old guys with a pirate complex! He has more tools than I do and and a lot more cojones when it comes to boat improvement projects.

BTW there is not a lot of room behind the panel on the Nav side (see cut wires above). Dave is building out the bottom of the panel so it will slant back (about 15 degrees) like the helm panel. That will allow additional space for the Furuno 1732 which is about 6" deep with no connectors attached.