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Project Log:  Sunday, March 20, 2011

First thing, I removed the bracing and clamps and paper and tape from the cherry panels covering the cabin sides in the forward cabin.  Then, I used a router to trim the plywood flush with the openings in the fiberglass, and also trimmed the bottom edge of the panel flush with the underside of the deck.  I made a flub with the router and chipped some of the cherry veneer at the forward end of the starboard side, but fortunately this area would later be covered by trim.

    

Some of you with sharp memories may recall that long ago, I wondered aloud whether or not to replace the ports in the forward cabin, which were of a different design than the remaining ports.  Clearly I decided not to make substantive changes to these ports, though I'd already researched replacements and determined that I could install new versions of the rather decrepit ports I removed without reworking the openings.

Onwards.  I anticipated the forward section of this paneling to be the most difficult to install, as I'd have to bend the plywood into a (relatively) sharper curve than any of the other panels installed so far; there was no port opening, so no way to clamp the panel in place at all; and in addition the forward side of the cabin trunk sloped at an angle, further compounding the challenge of bracing the panel in place tightly and securely.   

This anticipated challenge was the main reason I'd not tried to install this panel at the same time as its port and starboard compatriots (in addition to poor access with all the clamps and bracing in place for the side panels).  Waiting for a new day turned out to have been a wise decision.

To begin, I prepared the panel for installation by cutting to shape and taping into place some corrugated cardboard over the face of the panel.  I chose the cardboard this time around because I knew that I'd require more aggressive bracing pressure to hold the panel tightly to the necessary curve, and thought the extra protection would be worthwhile.

Inside the boat, I dry-fit the panel and measured for some bracing, which I cut from scrap wood.  As expected, bracing the plywood into position tended to cause it to slip downwards under the pressure, so I prepared some stops that I planned to install temporarily to the underside of the foredeck, and which I hoped would hold the panel from sliding downwards.

I applied plenty of adhesive to the back of the panel, and put it into place.  With the adhesive in place, the panel refused to stay in its proper vertical position at all, once I'd put the braces on, and the horizontal stops I'd hot-glued to the underside of the foredeck weren't beefy enough (they were just glued up of several wooden stir sticks, an abundant supply of which I had on hand in the boat)to hold the panel where it needed to be, bending downwards and allowing the panel to slip.


Therefore, I had to hurry and measure/cut/install a pair of vertical braces, running from the panel to the water tank beneath, in order to properly support the panel; afterwards, I identified a need for two or three additional braces to the bulkhead behind, in order to press various corners of the panel tightly into place, so I cut and installed those.

         

It would be at least a couple days before I could return to the project, and I'd leave the bracing in place as long as possible.

Total Time Today:  2.75 hours

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