Buckingham 20 restoration, formerly Plant Pot

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

Hi all, at last i have done a little bit to Wet Dreams, not been able to do a whole lot as with the weather and dam cats it has put me back a little, also my own mistake. I was going to laminate in the bow eye bolt beam first off i forgot to cover the front deck holes where the mooring bollard will be refit, there fore rain water has gone threw onto the timber so until that dries i cant do that, not the weather for things to dry to quick.
Also CATS for god sake they do my head in, i like them but not when its like living in a cats home, had trouble in the past with them pooing all over the garden and drive, i sorted to much expense, now they have been walking on the tarp, well looks like they jumped on and then thought `eck its slippy` so claws out and they put claw holes all over the tarp and i have had to wait until the rain stopped and i could dry it before repairing it., I wasnt impressed as also after sanding the boat down it has opened some tiny pin holes from old repairs that have also let water seep through to the inside where i was going to insulate it.

So after a bad few week and recent days i have cut out the rear deck hatch and sealed all the wood with resin as usual. oh yes before that i fixed the damage in the tarp.

i think thats all in have done since the last update, and sorry no pics but i will get some asap.

As always when i plan things they go **** up, i booked a week off for this week so i could finish the rear deck, as in the lockers, , rear deck drains and then onto the interior and insulation. Andy ( Cheshire Cat ) very kindly dropped off some 15mm copper pipe i needed to finish the locker drains, which i will be doing this week as the temps have gone up again from the weekend.
What has held me back is the weather, the rain has been so bad i have found new leaks from the windows, better now though than later, this stopped me from fitting the insulation due to the water running down the inner hull, I had to cover the windows up with some of the DPM i got for the canopy, so now i will have to let it all dry out, will take weeks if not months before i can fettle them.
So yesterday i cut the insulation ready to be stuck in place with expanding PU foam, i got this of ebay cheap aswell , i like cheap now 5 can with cleaner and gun for £28. enough to do the lot and fill gaps here and there. I have managed to get half done today, nice easy clean job with the gun, them tubes you get on the canisters along and plastic tube are murder and no good once used a little all has to be used, with the gun it can be cleaned quick with no mess and reuse the canister later on if need be.
I held the insulation in place with short battens screwed into the inner ribs, this helps it keep level and flush for when i line it out with 4.5mm ply next. Feels good to be doing a bit again, I can honestly say i was getting a bit peeved and feel is it worth it as i hate to slack on a job, you can lose motivation.

Another thing i have been doing is debating over heating for the boat, i need to decide now as soon i will be setting out the frame work for the head and galley along with seating/berths. I just love stoves and was fitting one to my last cruiser a while back, now this one is a bit of a smaller boat but not to small for a stove aslong as it is fitted properly, years ago i spotted a Pip Squeak stove, nice looking and small and cheap, but no good control and build quality is not as good as another i was told about, a Boatman Stove, now these dont look as nice as the Pip Squeak, but a lot better built and better specs, higher max heat output, so no need to have it fully blazing to keep it toasty.
Now then the debate, a good size cupboard/cloths storage space and boiler cupboard or a stove, i have 2sqt for the either. If i go stove then i have found that i can turn the front bow locker into clothes storage and the likes, bigger aswell and dry as that will be insulated and lined. Now where to fit the boiler, mite has a new spot but need to look a bit more into that.
The stove will fitted on tiled area of the 2sqf and have a 15mm cavity against the lined out hull then 25mm fireboard or 25mm cavity filled with vermiculite. This will be on three sides unless i sit it on an angle. just planning it now infact. I will draw a plan up and see what you guys think.

Oh i need pics, ill be back

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

I have pics of the rear deck locker. All sealed with resin. Not going to rot for a long time this boat.

Its gona be cosy well best had be. near finished the insulation, just got the cabin top to do with 25mm, mite as well while i am at it hey. I was using battens to hold the sheets/sections inplace but it was to much of a faff so i invested in some adjustable props to make life easy, they do slide around a little as you get to the bow, but to keep in place i just pushed 40mm screws into the insulation to stop the feet sliding out of place.
There are few spots here and there that need finishing, next step is to decide on the wiring, I have decided to fit the fuse box to the port side as you step down into the cabin, from there i am going to fit plastic conduit down the bulkhead to run the cable, and under the gunwale to the bow. this will then be filled over with expanding foam to hide it, there will be access points here and there and it will be a good size so in the future more cable can be run with the help of a length of heavy cable. you never know if you will want more cables, and still i will feed more spares cables down.

Once that is done it time to line it out with 5.5mm ply, but not to the gunwales as i cant fill that area until the top rubbing strake is fitted next year, only a 4 inch strip of ply.

So i keep doing bit and bobs as i can and when,
Pics

Oh yes i got the locker drains fitted, this was a week or so back. I just sealed some 15mm copper pipe in the holes i drilled int he transom and filled with resin, a little ran out but just needs filling later, i messed up the locker seats to they need doing again, one good thing is the drains work well as i spilt a pint into one of the lockers and it ran out, wasnt happy but at least i know it works lol.

Lots to come yet, so keep watching.


I need to ask, do folk read this or just look at pics?

 

[Andy Bav]

Re: The plant pot

I need to ask, do folk read this or just look at pics?

A picture paint a thousand words, but an explanation does help ��

 

[Otter]

Re: The plant pot

Enjoying reading the explanations of how you solve the problems, keep it coming

 

[Croftie]

Re: The plant pot

Enjoying reading the explanations of how you solve the problems, keep it coming

Well said, a great thread.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Re: The plant pot

I am reading the explanation as well keep it coming

Dennis

 

[lionelz]

Re: The plant pot

Well this is just fantastic. You are turning what was a pile of junk into what is going to be a usable boat. What has been the time frame from buying the boat to where you are. Makes me feel very lazy and useless seeing you do this work, well beyond my skills. You are wasting your talents as a driver when you can do this (meant as a compliment)

 

[SimonA]

Re: The plant pot

This is the best thing I've seen on this forum, loving it!

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

I will keep up with all the then It takes me so long at time to type things out as i need to recheck it all as my fingers are quicker than my brain lol. You may of noticed some spelling mistakes etc and a few spaces in the wrong place, but aslong as you understand it.

Well this is just fantastic. You are turning what was a pile of junk into what is going to be a usable boat. What has been the time frame from buying the boat to where you are. Makes me feel very lazy and useless seeing you do this work, well beyond my skills. You are wasting your talents as a driver when you can do this (meant as a compliment)

Well it was at in the field until mid May last year and end of May i brought it home after a real faff with the old owner to get into the field to remove it, task in itself. And now at the stage above ( last update) it was Mid November 2015, i was cracking on well with it until the new job i also started in March 15 messed things up with giving me more hours so am/was doing 12-13 hrs days, got a bit tired to put a few hours in after work but do what i can when i can.

As with these kind of projects, unless you have room undercover from the elements and time they can be alooooong term project. Oh and loads of money, i better fill the hole in the hull soon, the money seems to be pouring through it a bit fast now lol.

If i could work for myself, or even a boat yard i would love to, i just love boats and fixing/making and designing things, driving is easy ( not that i am lazy ) and at my age at 42 it is not easy to get into other things, i really want to get out know already from this job, been messed around so much but wont go into that. Thanks for the vote of confidence


As you know i made a canopy so i could keep going, near lost the lot though.

As we know we have had a bit of bad weather recently, a few days ago i noticed that the roof of the canopy had dropped and i went to have a look, well to my surprise, or OH **** i found the support i had fitted had fell off of the central cross member, yes i forgot to screw it in place and this was found,
I am chuffed that my bodge up of a canopy could hold all that though,

I had a bad cold and at long last died off a little and left with a chesty cough so having waisted all xmas sat sulking i though i would get off my back side and do a bit, just a bit mind you.
With not being in the boat for a few week i first went in for a tidy up and only to find the god dam ******* cats had been in the boat peeing everywhere, not just in the cabin but around the rear deck, so that was first clean up, next will be let our Ziggy play with them next time when i catch them sick to death of pee and poop of them and owners welllllll.......

So one cleaned up a little i did an easy bit of cutting back the insulation so the water tanks can fit back in snug as with the insulation being fitted i lost 50mm on the lower edge which pushed the tank out to far. As i said it was an easy job with an hand saw

This is one of the leaks that are in 2 of the windows, i have found, i hope, what is causing it and that is the sealant that i used when i rebuilt the frames hasnt fully sealed it properly. What i need to do is wiat for it to dry out fully then only way i can get in to add some creeking crack cure is to get a Dremmel or the like sand remove as much as i can then use the CCC and more sealant. then hope it works, they are not coming out again that is for sure, i think T would give me a Viking burial on the drive if i remove them windows again lol.

Oh and i just love this boat, i have found myself another wee job ( oh i am not Scottish by the way lol i do seem to wee a lot ) i havnt a clue when they built these boat to just twin skin the rear third of the cabin top with 18mm`ish foam, this has gone all soggy and now de`laminated. This is the section, about 1500mm x 1150mm section, easy job i reckon, just a matter of cutting all around the edge which can be seen in the pics then scraping all the mess out and then bonding new insulation up and possibly bond the cut out section of inner GRP back up.

Best go, work to do to top up the boat funds

have a good day all

 

[KevB]

Re: The plant pot

Not being picky... well I am but can you go back to the bigger pictures rather than the smaller thumbnails please.

Excellent work.

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

Just for you Kev, the pics ended up small s i got a new phone and i couldnt work out how to make them bigger, but i have sorted them now I now what you ean though, the small pics are no good really.

You will need to click on the pic to enlarge it, sorry. Photobucket is be a pain in the arse.

Now nothing to shout about but i am doing what i can, more blooming insulating.

I left the rear cabin to dry out before i could sane it back better then insulate, a reat old mess. I keep saying this, but i think this is the last of the dusty messy bit, well but for sanding the hull below water line down in a few month.

So upto now i have done the hull sides as shown before, the rear bulkhead cabin top...and i think that is it, so 59mm sides and 25 mm top and above gunwale, this is to save on head room, i am 5`6 and just stand up in the rear area which will be the galley and head/wet room.


I am unsure what to do here, as always i cant make my mind up, i want to prevent as much condensation as i can. One idea is to line out with ply and again stick it down with poly expanding foam then carpet over, or line out straight on top with carpet, but in the past once had a boat with the later done and the areas of contact, mainly seating, were dinted a lot due to a soft backing ( just insulation ) i think i have answered tat one myself.
Now a better idea is to use 6mm hardwood ply to line out with and varnish but then its cold on the inner surface even if insulated. Now to maybe fix this problem i could fit a solar vent to keep air circulating constantly if needed, mainly at night.




its not working now, i hate PC stuff. take me all my tie to load a pic lol.
bear with and i will see what i can do.

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

Sorry you will need to keep clicking on the pics for now, they do come back to normal size later though.


I was going to make the front window frames from plywood, but nah, needs proper wood i reckon. These are attached to the window frame bolts, only 8 of them though, the rest have been cut back.



The inner frames will have PU foam sprayed behind them to join in with the surrounding insulation, this will also protect the wood from condensation and damp etc a bit more if it is sealed in the insulation. The inner side will be covered with the lining ply and carpet.

That was as far as i got with that as the temps dropped again so no gluing or insulating could be done.

Now that was a week or so ago, in the last few days i have started to make the cabin door, i was wanting to go with solid wood, Sapele, a great affordable hardwood with good looks, the infact as the rubbing strakes i have made. Only trouble is that the bulkhead is slightly out of square so it would be a faff and look odd, to me anyway, so the choice was to go with a GRP door, which is a small benefit from it being also insulated, i have made it from 25mm PU foam sheet. This way i can make it so it takes on the off set of the frame and look no different.

The door frame has a raised edge as can be seen here.




What i did was to press the board onto the raised edge to get a mark where i need to cut the grove i need for the door to sit into.
Once marked out i used a straight edge and a 12mm drill to cut out the grove, not all the way but to about 10mm deep at most, it is easy to control if the drill is held at an angle of 45 deg ~. Once done all around i used my finger then a wood chisel to give a nice shape, doing it bit by bit to the depth needed.



To hold the board down while i laminate the first two i screwed a few battons inside so i can screw the board down,



So next step was to lay another three layers of the same 650grm matt and a final tissue to help smooth out,

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

So its been a struggle getting things done really, dont have much rime after work due to longer work hours, weather has been not to kind, temps to low for me to do what i ant, i like it to be above 5 deg at least for laminating and using resin etc, just bonds better in high temps, close to 20 is best, lol i think i will move abraod for my next project them smile.png
I am not sure if i mentioned but i found two small leaks/drips from the cabin top which i found i think, hard to do now it is all lined out with insulation, and then i had to wait for it to dry out to fettle the areas and then for it to pee down again, which it is now so lets see what will happen.

Now what has been done recently is to do the fine detail sanding around the tread areas, find more areas where when the boat was moulded it was a bad job, little holes here and there. I have a tub of TOP STOP Gold for the fine holes and scrapes, it is a very fine filler, like the P38 filler just smoother.

Catch up on the door i am making.

I fettled the inner side of the door, another 3 laminations of the 650grm combo matt and surface tissue, Oh yes, but before that i shaved back the edge so it still fits in the door aperture. As once all laminated up it will be around a 12mm added to the width. Then i added some 18mm thick timber for the roller dead locks to fit to. Although i am now only fitting one rooler dead lock to the lower half and a twin shoot bolt to the top so as better security as this is hinged on the top and will also hold down the loer panel, you will see what i mean further along in this post.






These are the hinges i have used, they are UPVC door hinges, just need to snap of the small locating tabs and carefully mark them in place, difficult part is that the hinge bolt holes are behind the pins so you need to mark the holes before you put the pins in.
I like them as they are strong and slimline. I have fitted them temp with wood screws and once ready i will use M5 SS screws.



So door in place and cutting in half and roughly inplace., it is nice and solid now with the inner side laminated.

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

A few bits and bobs have been done, just to add to the unfinished job list due to things going wrong, For one it raining in as the dam cats have made the canopy like a bloody sieve, I was going to get the rear deck seating area finished, but as it got wet i had to take wat i can into the house and let it dry out before i seal it, so that will be asap and then i can get on with that and trim it etc.
The other thing is a drip, just one but one to many, it is a pin prick hole near te base of the hatch, and it is getting in a few feet back where there is matting showing through, this came about as i as finishing the sanding and an old repair had failed. I knew about the capillary action in GRP work, but for it to seep through that far i was supprised. So the the whole front cabin top is covered to dry out before i repair it. Will be weeks if not a month or so.

Anyway, what has been done, i got some of the electrics delivered the other day,

Would you believe thiese few parts cost more than the boat did lol, so for those thinking about why i dont have a cost sheet for this project, this is the



Cable as of, 60m of 2mm for the lighting and power/USB points etc and 3mm for the horn, front deck light and the hihg amp points. All within good limits for Volt drop, around 3.5%.

I decided to put the fuse box just inside the cabin door, reason for easy access and is it is close to the battery/batteries which will be under the cabin entrance step which is what is needed, closer the better. The box that holds the fuse box needs SS screws, as for now it is a temp fix using standard



Now as i like to make life hard i thought why not make a new dash instead of the basic flat bulkhead. I want a can holder for a start, happened to find an empty can lying aroundto see where i wanted it to go smile.png and somewhere for a compass, oh and a few pencils, for......not a clue lol.



Its not fully desgined yet a si was just messing with ideas,but once decided on it willbe finihsed as the doors have been.

Oh yes the doors, they are nera done, just finla touchs, as here, i gave them a coat of primer to show up any defects, not to many, just a bit more stopper and they are good to hang, i found some SS CS bolts for them in the tool box, bonus saved a tenner lol smile.png

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

Bit more done today, not that theres much to see, the locker seats are in place now and sealed and dry, along with the trim ready to be trimmed back and laminated over. I am having trouble finding aluminium Z section/profile for the locker hatchs and deck hatch, if cant find any i will make some from Sapele.



I did a little more on the dash, its near ready for the laminating, i was going to do it today but bit tiered and this insulation is messy and gets in all nook and cranny when its sanded.
Cant think of anything els ei ant to add to it so i will do more this week when i get time.




No pics but i started to channel out the insulation for the cables to run, these will be taped over later to hold the cables in place untill i ply line it. Cant line it all yet but a good start will be done. The head/wash room will not be done just framed and that will be last to be done.

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

Its been a carcking day weather wise so this morning i popped over to my GRP supplies as i ran out of matting, well infact Ziggy shredded it sad.png, stupid dog. So i got a few meters of 300grm CSM for the dash and 25l of more resin, i got 25l as i will be sealing the whole deck and engine well soon befor ei paint it. Treated myself to a mini roller/paddle for doing the dash aswell.
As soon as i got home i removed the dash from the boat as i stuck it down temp with duct tape and done the finishing touchs on the corners etc. For now i have just added two lamination as when it is set i want to lay a few more on but with a few lips around the edge to screw it donn to the bulkhead.

No pics of the upto now laminations of it, but nothing much to see. yet anyway.



Now this bit i am chuffed with, i have near finished the engine well trim, just a little filling to finish it to a better standard and i will then prime it all to find the defects that need more filling. I have been looking forward to this step for ages as it feels a step closer to the outside complete. But for the resin coat and paint etc it is done....i think lol.

Oh i treated my self again, seen these sanders in Lidl and thought it would come in handy, sure did, cheap thing but is great to use, just need to find more sanding wheels.



And the good bit



I have decided to make a set of bilge keels, reason is that i really want to take it to sea, just inshore but this way we can stay on it overnight without rolling out of bed when tide goes out. I need to get this done before i complete the fit out really so this will be during the start of the fit out as the new kele will be fixed to the out edge on the hull, just inside lower chine, could be better on the chine infact for better strength, i may never take to sea but while i am at it i mite as well do it now, no big cost either..

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

Now i made a reat mess of the dash when i was trying to fit it on the bulkhead when i was laminating it in place i thought it was held in place with the silicone i used to hold it temp, but when i turned around when finished the whole lot slid down and made an easy job twice as hard as i had to remove it when it was just going green, near set. NOT hood,

At that stage Murflyn i didnt get any pics, my hands were literally covered in resin.

Well it needed loads of sanding back as it was as ruff as a bears rear end. Then a trim back again and this time i set it in place with resin/fillet. Then i just filled and fettled it all. I used the props to hold ot in place, no chance was it moving this time.




The helm is fitted and the edges are blended in, just a little more final filling with Stopper for slight imperfections ( has to look nice ) and then ready to prime. I has to fit captive nuts for the helm mounting plate as it is a tight squeeze to get in, all i did was use bridging filler to hold the nylocs in place, worked a treat

Oh and the drinks holder to be made and slotted in place and all done, but happy as we are.



Few bits done this weekend, filled a few scratchs pin holes etc in the deck in readiness to prep and paint in a few weeks i hope. I would of got more done if it hadnt started to rain today. I will see in a day or so if the cabin top leak has been found as i resin up the damaged areas and filled, Fingers crossed i have sealed it.

I got some fitting months ago as i want deck drains on the rear deck for washing it down. Muddy dog and all lol.


Another small job was that the front deck has a bit of flex in it when you stand on it, easy enough job but darn messy, rsin all up my arms etc etc. even in my ear, dont ask. My hair will stay in place anyway lol. well what there is of it.

Just a bit of foam again and laminated inplace with three layers of 350grm CSM and one 650grm combination. I stuck it inpace first with bridge filler and then laminated it in. i will give a few days so before i try it to make sure it is fully set.

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

What a naff bank holiday weekend for working on the boat, Was nice Saturday but we went to collect the windows for the top screen, and i couldnt help mooching around the boat yard and moorings, nice spot, i was tempted by them as cheap but tidal as on the river Wyre, Skippool creek near Thronton. Had a meal out aswell so by time we got back ddint have much time spare. All i did was remove the galley window again and reseal again
Sunday did nothing but sulk as it was peeing down all day and i couldnt play out.

Today though got a little done once it stopped raining, but while it rained i finished the cup holder and made a better fuse box case.

I just used a bottle,in fact the PVA Blue bottle to get the size i wanted for the holder, cut it out of more foam and added PVA blue as i poured into another container first.




Thats that done, then as the rain was on and off until later afternoon i thoguth about making a new fuse boc case, i didnt like the bodge up i did first off so more call for more laminating.
Well would you believe more foam, i have to thank Steve for it again, it has gone a long way and more to go no doubt.

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

This weekend gone i removed the heads window, oh that was after i removed the galley window stripped and cleaned it for the third time and refitted it, And as it would happen it hasnt rained when i wanted it to lol. So i hosed down it for a while and no leaks smile.png but hose and rain is a different matter so still not getting to giddy.
I removed the heads window as that was also leaking and i had enough so i did this instead.

I used a sheet of polycarbonate to blank the aperture, plenty of PVA Blue again as in th last jobs, the ploy sheet peeled of real easy with no need of water to dissolve the PVA. Think that could of been the help of the poly sheet.

screwed tight back all around to get a good edge/seal then laid up inside with three 650grm CSM and in the middle where the port hole is going another two more from the off cuts. I did forget the surface tissue but it is fine.

laid up

set out for the cut, and to kill a jigsaw blade

Will be fitted soon just need to clean the port hole up.

blades and GRP dont mix well lol

 

[waynes world]

Re: The plant pot

I have been off work today as i have a virus so not easy being a driver and feeling like hell. Back in tomorrow though as need the boat funds topping up.
Saying that i have an update, with not one for sitting around i chose an easy job to do and as we have a porthole now i thought it needed a bit of spit and polish.

The item to be refurbed



Just an matter of a strip down and the polish up, i use a well used drum sanding attachment for the drill.



Next bit was to seperate the inner frame which holds the glass, easy, just a matter of using the impact /driver, i used this to help crack the seal where the ally has seized up. only problem there is if you snap off the screw, which didnt happen this time


So all stripped, polished AND would you adam n eve it i have a short length of window U channel seal that fits perfect



Now for the new rivets i had some ally nails which once again were spot on.



As it was this side is near preped so i primed it for the trial fit, still need ti get a new outer seal for it, i fact just ordered one, then bolt it in with a little Sikaflex.

Looks good if i say so myself