Aft side Repairs february 2 2011

The Aft Sides

This short description tells you how we have handled the sides next to the deck house of the aft cabin.

Since the same problems exists on both sides only one side, port, will be described how changes were made.

First step was to remove all hardware and document the position of all hardware on the deck.

Next step was to remove the toe rail of the deck, this all was done by removing the plugs where needed and removing the screws to minimize the damage to the original construction.

Following the removing of the hardware was to remove the bottom plank of the aft cabin which rests on top of the deck, also in this case the plugs were removed and screws removed were possible in case it was not possible to remove the screw carefully the head of the screw was drilled of the shank this way it was possible to slide the plank over the original screw.

Before the bottom plank was removed the windows and window construction were taken out.

Since the windows are placed in a unknown compound it was difficult to remove them but with the help of an electrical heat gun the compound became soft and the windows could be cut loose from the wood.

With all above removed it was possible to remove the teak deck in small pieces. This was done till from aft till the forward cabin,

After removing the teak deck, which will be replaced due to the bad condition, earlier repairs were revealed which shows that materials were used which are common in shore side construction but not in ships construction.

That the news ones would be in the same position a temporarily support frame was built under both beams and fixed to the hull frames.

The new blank wood in the next picture shows the temporary supports installed under the rotten deck beams.

Both deck support beams were than removed and new ones were made from pine.

The new beams were placed on the support frame and fixed in position.

To make sure that the construction of the new beams will support the deck and hull the inner was kept longer than the outer this to prevent that on the same position of the ship a weld was made of both beams which could weaken the ships construction.