Vira - Sailboat rebuild, Irwin Citation 34

Bow roller Bow roller installation at 100F weather was a challenge call itself.   Main problem was that i had to disconnect fore stay to be able to drill and tap thru the bow plate to install the roller.  Roller mounted with two screws at back and one at front. As soon as front screw maintains only side load and no way to mount put nut from below I tapped buw top plate and put screw in it. Back screws are drilled thru the bow top and nuts are from the below with big washers. also I added SS plate the same thickness as bow plate in between deck and roller to align surface because front of the roller sit on bow plate, and back is in the fiberglass. I wish to have backing plate but  there two reasons to put just wide washers. First surface from below is not equal, and it has kind of bump on middle what will make stress point and make installation with back plate put all stress on small area. Second   reason the windlass can make only 600lb  o...

 Fuel tank Building solid fiberglass lid to be able to make it solid glassed part of the tank to be sure it is hermetically bonded to fuel tank "bathtab", and no more leaks will happen any more there. Thickness goal to have 5-6mm fiberglass thickness it be able to support itself.   Main idea to have tank independent from plywood under sit board.   Lid build. As base to build I used original lid. covered it with mold release and built FG board.  First step -laminated two layers of 1708 and two layers of copped mat to get initial 3mm board. using polyester resin (it is just cheaper). Then, on  "bottom side" I glassed one layer 9oz Fiberglass Woven Mat using fuel safe epoxy. and covered with two "glassing" layers of epoxy to avoid any viods or bobbles in the surface allowing fuel to get to polyester resin board.   Masking tape shows where must be edge of the lid. Lid internal surface is nice and shiny. (still not fully cured to let chemical bonding ...

   Chain locker Box is ready for installation.    And opening is ready as well  New thruhull  on the place. 5mm FR4 backing plate set on thickened epoxy to hull. I know, this wire splice looks wrong,  it will be fixed later. Chain box installed. I decided to make it "kind of" removable. It set on 3M 4000UV adhesive and  9 1/4" bolts, also it sits on  cone shape profile, so bolts just to keep it on place. Even without them i was able to stand in the box. sealant is feeling gap in between original surface and box sides. Later I plan to sand surface around and put couple layers of glass cloth just to make it 100% sealed and level surface. Yes, thick wall clear  PVC 3/4" hose, drain speed is faster than I could fill by city water hose. One clamp only, it is over the water line and no pressure there. External view. old hole patch exterior sanding and fairing. She is ready for priming. Fuel tank Resin is ready to glaze.  Visually here a...

 Fuel Tank Sanding geloat down to make epoxy skin stick well to original laminate. Easy to say, but it is 3 hours of work in Fiberglass dust environment. All gelcoat removed. Tank is ready to start build back. One more view. patched all voids Opened crack on the tank bottom, and glassed bottom corner with 3 layers of 1708 glass using west systems epoxy. First layer of glass, Epoxy is red due to old hardener stored in metal can. 3 layer done. should be about 4mm thickness. About 4 inch in both directions extended. Laminated from narrow to wide to eliminate stress point.  Chain locker. This is what i have got from mold. Yes, I decided do not play with gelcoat due to it is internal part and likely will not be exposed to sun, however I want it looks like good. so smooth surface will be painted by bilge paint.    as you remember I built "interface" part to make sure box will sit tight on place.   Now is the time to connect box and "interface".  I bonded i...