After clearing the painting supplies off the work area I took some measurements at the transom and started cutting plywood. Normally I would make patterns, but since all the measurements were working out evenly I decided to go with it. I cut the port side panel first and then as usual, the starboard side was a mirror image.
I've been thinking about where to mount the batteries and I decided to put them back in those empty spaces and correspondingly cut two small shelf pieces. One edge will rest on top of the Versalam, the other on a wood strip glued to the back of those panels.
I thought long and hard about how to access those spaces and decided to cut long narrow doors, hinged at the top. For that I would need a piano hinge, so a trip to Home Depot was in order.
Along the way I stopped at Western Auto to purchase two battery trays, a Blue Seas battery switch and charging system and three fuel tank filler necks with hose clamps.
Once back at the shed I carefully cut out the doors and then attached the piano hinges. The doors were cut with an inward slant on the sides and bottom. This way I don't have to put a backer strip on and water will flow outward and downward.
I drilled holes in the battery shelves to match the battery trays. Then cut a piece of 3/4" plywood 6"x11" with the corners trimmed off. This piece of plywood will be epoxied to the transom on the starboard side. The battery switch and charger will be screwed to this piece of plywood. There will be nothing screwed into the hull itself at this point, lessening the chance for water intrusion.
Next up was building pieces for mounting the fuel filler necks. Most boats have these mounted in the shelves, but I saw a really cool way of dealing with them on a locally built Tolman. That builder inset them in the cabin sides! Doing them this way gets them away from a flat surface and gets them off the walking surface. Cut some plywood, drilled some holes, a little glue and a couple clamps and they're ready to go.
I'm really focusing on making sawdust this weekend as I'd like to start painting next Monday. Paint and epoxy are compatible, paint and sawdust are not! :-)
8 Hours