just some wood work

5/7/12

we did this project same day as the bow rails. it was a very clear and hot monday with no wind for sailing so we decided to get busy with projects.

these are the two pieces of wood holding the electrical circuit panel to the wall on the inside of the cabin. the one on the left is the original from when i bought it. it was cracked and spilt plywood with 2 rusty screws. very ugly and decrepit. we're replacing them with what is on the right.

i find wood over by the dumpster all the time. i am a proud dumpster diver. i keep a stash of useable stuff in my dock box. for this project i used a solid piece of wood, i dont know what kind, my guess would be walnut or maple? no clue. 

i cut them to fit exactly as the old ones did. sanded them really well and rounded the edges so no one gets hurt. taped it off and painted a teal stripe on it with my tractor paint. lacquered it with helmsman to keep it from rotting in the sun.

let all the paint and lacquer dry for a day. removed the old supports and put the new ones on. pretty simple and quick project. practically free too. scrap dumpster wood, four stainless steel washers and screws, plus utilizing my blue paint for some appeal. i think it looks way better, and at least its not rotting away anymore. it feels good to replace all the decaying and neglected parts of the boat. as i'm going through with it, i can't believe how much was done using screws, bolts, nuts, and washers that were not stainless steel. seems weird to me not to.

thats the old compass on the left. it kind of works but the water has leaked out to just above the center, so the compass is barely floating. i ordered a new one and its in the mail. just wait and see what i have going on, its awesome. and then the knotlog (tells how fast we're moving in knots) it turns on and works, i just need to purchase a new reader which hooks under the boat near the keel. it spins and sends the speed to that little robot screen.