Backrest and leaks

     Today I worked on the backrest for the port side.  The first step was to sand down the whole backrest to make sure it fits properly.  With that done I moved on to what will be behind it.  I built shelves for the two front sections and left the aft one as one large area.  I used cardboard to make up some templates and traced them on to the old backrest to cut out.  Much nicer to reuse some of the old stuff rather than having to buy new.  I made sure to get the scribed 234 from this on the bottom side of the front shelf.  Maybe forty years from now when it is being redone someone will get as excited about finding it as I did.  Sorry about the dark picture, the sun was shining in and causing some problems. 

     After these were cut out they had to be trimmed up and sanded to get to fit properly as well.  The inside hull of the boat is nowhere near straight so this took awhile.  I installed them on supports and screwed them in to place.  Everything got a coat of primer, including the back side of the entire backrest.  More than likely I will finish all of this off with the same paint I used under the galley and in the engine box.  After the primer dried I used some marine sealant to fill the seams between the shelves and the hull, as well as the vertical supports and the hull.

     With everything inside drying I moved outside.  It was nice and sunny there for a bit so I figured I should use it.  I removed a couple of pieces of hardware that were leaking and covered them up with some duct tape.  I need to buy some epoxy and fill them, but money is an issue right now (stupid tenants leaving early).  The picture to the right shows the leaking pieces next to the cooler entrance.  I'm pretty sure they are to run a rope over top of the hatch to keep it in place.  I don't think I will need them once the insulation is installed, but I can always redo them later.  I also removed a couple of similar pieces up near the front of the boat.  Every time it rains I get puddles on the shelves in the v berth and I think this is where they were coming from.  I'm going to have to wait until it rains again to be sure.