Altamira Aft Cabin Work May/June Update

The bulkhead support posts and plywood inserts are fabricated, epoxy barrier coated/painted, and installed. Inside cabin surfaces are awaiting cabinet/cupboard installation and finish paint. Port and starboard berths are complete – ready for finish paint and teak trim, and fresh water tanks (under berths) are installed, braced against movement, and are in use. Custom made shore power panel installed to right and operating.

Bulkhead, berths, and cabin floor

The midships plywood insert (photo above – shown with latches) will be epoxied into place after the lazarette hatch work is complete. The hatch work will restore the hatch(s) to hinged, opening configuration (they are sealed into place now), renew the mitered aluminum trim stock (covers/seals the gap) around the exterior perimeter of the hatch, and install hatch gutter drains at the forward end of the hatch gutter.

Support/insert top joint – inside lazarette

In the photo above we are looking forward inside lazarette showing supports, cleats, and rear face of plywood inserts. Horizontal joint at top of inserts will be taped and epoxied. The strength and moisture resistance of these pieces as tied together. is a testament to the strength of epoxy.

Lazarette, looking to port

Above, in this view of the lazarette, you can see the transom to the left and the new supports/inserts to the right. At the top, one of several existing deck beams, now supported on the forward end by a new support. At the photo rear (port side of hull at transom) is the break where the old partition was – I kept the partition below the lazarette floor boards – the top edge is visible. Temporary FW fill and shore power cables shown. The B bank inverter batteries are below the floor boards at right – the A bank batteries on the starboard side are configured similarly.

You can see how narrow fore to aft the lazarette was – virtually impossible to wiggle down there to do maintenance on the steering or paint anything.

Port side 48V 165 aH inverter battery bank (Bank B)

Port side inverter batteries – one nut on the threaded rods holding the securing bar to the partition at left is visible – the securing bar is 1″ x 1″ teak, leftover from the cabin demolition. The 3KW inverter and circuit breakers will be located amidships inside the cabin, inside the new amidships cabinet. It appears that most of the existing 48 VDC and 120 VAC conductors and cables can be reused.

Port side berth, ready for paint and teak trim

The port berth (75″ L) foot ended short of the new bulkhead because of the narrower locker at the head of the berth. The front face of the new amidships cabinet (blue line on white floor) finishes this – will also be a new storage area. The starboard berth is 75″ long – the foot is right at the new bulkhead. Cozy.

Next comes the lazarette hatch work, build and install cabinet and cupboard, (re)install 3KW inverter and connections, sand, fill and prime surfaces work, and finish painting. There are sufficient finished boards and trims to cover the water damage at the aft companionway. Plan for floor covering is Berber synthetic carpet cut to fit, and removable for access.

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1 Comment

  1. This looks like quite a fun project! Looking forward to seeing pictures of the boat in action! Much luck to you!

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