Just like a majority of the country, Maryland is in the midst of a heat wave.
Buster Poindexter said it best:
While trying to keep cool, I’ve noticed something: The hotter it gets, the more our companionway slider sticks. The companionway is the Plexi-glass pieces that slides open and then lift out to enter the boat. You can see it here:
The Companionway
My hypothesis is that as the boat gets hot, the hull expands and the companionway rubs against the “turtle shell” that covers it. So, now I’m removing the “turtle shell” to grind an 1/8″ off the base. You can see how the “turtle shell” is rubbing on the slider here:
Note the White Gelcoat Streaks
I have my reasons, the heat is unbearable now, but the A/C in the boat is still working. When we go cruising, the A/C will be off, and therefore the hull will be even hotter (expand more.) I’m afraid that the slider will stick to the point that we can’t move it!
Now, removing the “turtle shell” sounds easy, except for the fact that I have to remove the traveler first. (Traveler is the gray thing with lines running through it in the photo above.) Once again, not a problem, but to get to the nuts that hold the traveler down, I have to remove access hatches in the headliner of the boat. One side is easy, seen here:
The Easy Side
The other side requires me to take off headliner pieces to get to the nuts, seen here:
Removing the Headliner
I’ve done it before (yes, I should have ground the 1/8″ off at that point) and it’s not too tough…when I have help. Unfortunately, Sabrina is out of town so the only help I have is a kitty that keeps attacking my screws as I pull them out:
My Helper
So, as you can see, a simple 1/8″ adjustment can spiral quickly out of control. But now the nuts are removed and the headliner is replaced, everything is back to normal. Except for the unbearable heat.
Back to Normal
For the blog followers, I’ve also added my first post tag, “DIY.” This post tag will most likely fill up quick, but should help to remind me of what I’ve done, and how I did it. Hopefully I can also help others out as they are working on their own boats.
Wow! Working hard… I see Nermal is also a construction kitty…. ours are too.
The hard work isn’t the problem, the heat is! I’m trying to do tasks that keep me inside, every time I walk outside I’m instantly covered in sweat. Taking out the recycling was a monumental task….