Vira - Sailboat rebuild, Irwin Citation 34

Interior work  Main cabin varnishing . Temperature dropped a lot, so running small heater on the floor and and 20" fan blowing air through front hatch. First and second layer 1 hour scuffing, 1 hour cleaning, 1:30 painting (varnishing), 6 hours timeout,1:30 painting. 2 layers done, 4 coming. Photos will be after all done.   Third layer Monday: one more layer done of gloss Gleam. Next will be satin on most surfaces. I have too much busy look. Forth layer Satin varnish now. after 3 layers of gloss varnish all looks very rich, but too busy for eyes. Actually what happened, my gleam 2.0 originally was Satin version, but all flattening agent settled on the bottom of the can, and i did not realize that I have satin type until read it on the can.  I used gloss (top part) of varnish for first 3 layers and used about 1/3 of gallon from the can. It means if i just mix varnish with settled flattening agent  back to liquid I will have it "overdosed". I did a trick, carefull...

    Next story - Fixed ports https://irwin34.blogspot.com/p/fixed-ports.html

Interior Head door When I bought the boat, head door wad lost. Looks it is time to make it.  I am looking to design and build door similar one to airliners toilet doors. Folding door will fold inside the head room. I have prepared Door panels and vertical parts of the frame with installed hinges. assembled and dry-fitted it to frame, after some adjusting was able to install it. Door opened Door closed (from inside) Galley cabinet door installation. Last door installed  (after 2 failure attempts :-))   Main cabin wood varnishing (including prep) This day I did 2 additional layers of wood sealer on plywood and 2 layers on all bare wood in main cabin.   All trimming is recovered original teak and new made panels are meranti marine grade plywood.  After first layers of sealer they started to play different colors and make nice two color interior accents. Next week plan to do final sanding and start to put varnishing (Gleam 2.0).

 Interior Main cabin Patched all finish nails marks, and sanded trim. Cleaned over-paint on edges between painted area  and wood intended to be varnished. Put masking tape and freezer paper everywhere to protect other surfaces. Sure outlets and electrical panel will be removed on time of varnishing.   Nav table Installed link to display door to prevent screen to hit desk. Screw wall supporting nav table To desk and inliner.  Front cabin  Made prep work for glassing  small knee to mount plate covering hull over cabinet in front cabin. (no picture) Couple more problems need to be addressed.  :-( 1) Found fix windows leaking again. looks like it will be infinite fight if i do not change the design.  2) Small leak in toilet ceiling on the bolt holding cabin top handles. Tighten the bolt, likely it will fix this leak, if not... will need to open ceiling panels and redo all handles bedding. 3) Still see some water collecting in bilge after rains, howeve...

  New marina configuration.   Sport exercise after work on the week day. As you remember from previous post, marina moved docks and My boat transom appeared too colse to shore to get out and in to the slip. I agreed with marina owner to swap slips between my boat and one across the  the walk path. Boats swapped one day on the week. Thing I was nervous a lot went VERY easy. The challenge was turn Vira in very small space and go backward  all way through narrow  water (on right)  out of docks and return back to marina and tie to office dock. This part went easy. I worried about propeller walk  but it was not so bad how people talked.  Next step was to move neighbor's boat in place where was Vira. And we had to "walk" her over all dock using mooring hooks. It was an  exercise, physically. Was about 600 ft and  boat did not want to go straight :-). A couple of times we got too far away from boats and had to "fish tailing"  with...

Surprise  I am usually coming to marine early morning. Today I came about 7AM and..... did not see my boat, even more, I did not see THE DOCK where was my boat docked at the marine.    This what I saw when came today.   Usually, what I see when come to marina.   Try to call marina owner (no answer!?). Sure he do not answer 7AM on Saturday! Short story - they turned dock with all boats 90 degrees :)    5 minuses was a very hard for my feelings.... then I found my boat. Second surprise - no electricity on docks Third, boat appeared in the place where almost impossible to get out and come back. Distance from shore to transom about 10 ft. and about 3 ft from rudder to rocks. ;(.  Had conversation with owner later during the day. He authorized me  to swap my boat and another across the dock.  Will do on the week. But no electricity - you remember. So, I went home and pickup inverter and my LI 2.5kWh battery. Electrical work Inverter dry fit. ...

Interior Front cabin  Completed wiring and connecting over V-berth lights as well as bright top light. Pit trimming around all corners and gaps.  Getting closer and closer to varnishing step. Some details Starboard  Port side   Head (toilet).  Only part left on side is mast cabling area. I plan to close it later.   What it was and what it is now.   Some details  pictures Front and port wall to Starboard view Cables route to ceiling "box" in a corner Bonus Picture made from elevation where water was  in the moment when we bought the boat (Nov '21)