Changes to Core Sound 20 mk3, #2, Windependent 2 (AKA Southern Express)

[Don Silsbe]

As many of you already know, I bought Jay and Carol Knight’s lovely boat from them last November.   After a brief  cruise in the Everglades last winter, I settled into making a bunch of minor adjustments to her, including renaming her.  I liked the name I picked for my  CS 17.1 so much, I carried it over, adding a “2”.  Her nickname is Two Windy (or Too Windy).  As with any 11 year-old boat, there were a few maintenance items, as well as changes for personal preference.

About a month ago, I had a little issue pop up— literally.  The hatches on her are built up strips of White Oak.  They are gorgeous!  But some water seeped into a crack, and buckled a couple of strips on the forward hatch.  

I’ve been ruminating over how to attack this.  If I took the Rambo approach, I’d replace the entire companionway/hatch system with something similar to many other 20.3’s.  

But I like the look of the current design.  Besides, right now I want a boat, not a project.  I’m going to try repairing it.  If it looks ugly, I’ll consider a more extreme course of action this winter.  So far, so good!

After I fill the cracks, I’ll apply a barrier of 4 oz glass to this and the aft hatch. That should prevent further intrusion.  Stay tuned for the results.  It’ll be a week or so, since I have to entertain the doctors for the next week or so.

 

But I did get to take my “grand-neighbors” out for a sail last week.  It was the girl’s first sail, and she loved it.

 

 

[Steve W]

FTR, the hatch you see is pretty good. It was my second try. I didn't like the tip up hatch. I think it looks great, but Paul Stewart's looks really great and the one I'd recreate.  

[Don Silsbe]

@Steve W— I agree that Dawn Patrol 2 looks like the way to go, if I go in that direction.  Alan plans to measure up what they did.  My current plan is to sail now and work later.  (With a few exceptions.)  I won’t do anything like that until after the Messabout this fall.  That way, we can all inspect my repair job.  LOL

[Don Silsbe]

I’m done with my fix, except for a few coats of varnish.  It’s not perfect, but it is good enough for now.  We’ll see what the future brings.  This and the companionway hatches also got a layer of 4oz glass.  This should prevent any more intrusion.

[Andy B]

Looks like you used the original wood?  And what filler did you use?

 

FWIW, I love the look of this--just enough aging to give it some character!

[Don Silsbe]

Yes, Andy.  Jay used White Oak throughout, which is abundant here in the south.  I had some of that in my scraps, so It matches rather well.  For the white strips, I used epoxy and WEST 410 filler.  That filler was less white than the micro balloons I have.  Not perfect, but better.

 

My big mistake was not rinsing the blush off of the panels before applying varnish.  It wouldn’t dry fully!  I had to strip it off with lacquer thinner, and apply new varnish.

[Don Silsbe]

HELP!!!

 

I happily applied a second coat of varnish to my hatches.  One of them got very ugly, indicating soft epoxy or blush beneath.  

 

I’ve removed the varnish with mineral spirits (it was still wet).  I took lacquer thinner, a Scotch rite pad and a cabinet scraper to the panel.  There is still some residual goo.  Any suggestions? 
OK, there’s a holiday on the third panel in the video.  I’m not worried about that.  What the heck am I gonna do?  Use 120 grit sandpaper?  I hope not.

[Hirilonde]

So the areas with blush have all the soft stiff scraped off and what is left is hard and still yellowed/foggy?

[Don Silsbe]

I think I’m in the clear!  My cabinet scraper and I had some quality time this morning.  We got rid of a lot of spongey material.  Then, I gave it a coat.  Looks like I’ve solved my problem.  The video showed all three hatches, taken about 45 minutes after application.  The first hatch in the video was the culprit.  It looks a whole lot better now, except for a few scratches left by my scraper.  (Not my go-to tool.)

[Don Silsbe]

Not so fast!  The varnish is still tacky on the troublesome piece.  I varnished the other side, and it is just fine.  I’m letting it bake in the sun, but I don’t have high confidence in that.  What do y’all think?

 

I believe my next steps are:

1. paint stripper

2. Solvent wash

3. Soap and water wash

4. A bit of sanding. (220?)

5. Varnish

 

Am I wrong?  Is there a better way?

[Captain Tim]

A heat gun with a scraper can help with stripping old finish and messed up epoxy 

[Don Silsbe]

Two days in the sunshine seemed to help some.  I’m gonna wait and see.