Schedule a Meeting · Talk to a real woodworker: +1 937-890-5197 · 8:00AM – 4:30PM ET

Using a Shop Smith Mark V on a Chris Craft Roamer refit

roamer46

It took two weeks for the repair crew to fix all of the Nor-easter damage to the hardtop. I took advantage of the opportunity to fix a problem caused by what I believe is a quality control failure at Chris Craft 50 years ago. Both the shiny Awlcraft 2000 and nonskid on the hardtop have now been restored to their pre-storm condition.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Fixing the Nor'easter Damage

Cheers,

Q

Before

Fiberglassed

Faired

Fixed

Fresch

Love the big CC boats, get it in the water already! ;)

Keep at it I know you can't wait to get her wet too.

roamer46

I know! I know! I'm trying!!! lol

The crew wrapped up repairs from the Nor'easter damage and we took advantage of the boat being taped off to put the final coats of clear on the mahogany toe rail. It turned out nice. Hopefully, this is the last time I'll have to do paint repairs. Gotta get this thing splashed!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Fixing the Nor'easter Damage II

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

With the paint repairs done and hurricane season on the way, I peeled off the shrink wrap tent skin (it was covered with abrasive overspray), adjusted the roof frames down as low as possible, then reskinned the tent. I'm getting too old for this stuff. That's hard work!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Re-skinning Tent Model XXX (for the last time?)

Cheers,

Q

Before

After

Hobbyman2

The wood work looks very good , how do you protect it from the salt? is there a gel coat or some thing or just varnish /polly coat /wax .

rcplaneguy

You mention two more years in the tent ...🙁

roamer46

Thanks, Hobbyman2!. In the blog article linked from the post with the pix of the wood, I explained that the toe rail is coated with 10 coats of DuPont MS1 topped by 3 coats of Awlcraft 2000 clear. But upon further reflection, I believe it was 12 coats of MS1 and 4 of Awlcraft.

rcplaneguy...I know. I'm trying to be realistic. It could be sooner, but...

roamer46

I'm back at work inside the boat, finishing up the inside of the salon cabinet. It's brutally hot and humid though, so there's a limit to how much I can do since I'm working with wood. Dripping sweat makes it hard to get the job done. But I'm making progress and should be able to wrap this up soon.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Back Into the Starboard Salon Cabinetry

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

I spent more time than I wanted to inside the cabinetry again, cleaning up the engine room blower outlet. Water had gotten under the barrier coat, so there was a lot of aluminum oxide to clean up before I coated the whole thing with epoxy. Once that was done, I was able to install another insulated plywood panel inside the cabinet. I've only got one more to go, and this part of the project will be done. Boo

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Still Inside the Starboard Salon Cabinetry

Cheers,

Q

Before

After

algale

I continue to follow this project and must say that I am impressed with your work and even more so your determination to see this project to its conclusion!

roamer46

Thanks algale! I had to laugh when I saw Gale's Law in your sig. It's TRUE!!! lol

I wrapped up the last insulated plywood panel install inside the starboard salon cabinetry. I am sick and tired of spending the weekend inside cabinets, so the timing's perfect. All of the other insulated panels in this cabinet have been just clear epoxy coated...a fact I wasn't thinking about when I mixed up a big pot of epoxy and tinted it white for another panel. I figured I'd do all of them at the same time. It was only when I went to install it that I realized this is the only white insulated panel. It won't matter since they're up inside the cabinet and will probably never be seen by any guest, but still, I laughed when I realized what I'd done.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Wrapping Up the ‘Behind the Scenes’ Starboard Salon Cabinetry

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

I dove back into the V-berth to button up one of the holes through the hull, specifically, the AC raw water outlet. As long as I'm installing a hose there, I decided to just get the raw water supply hose and all of the electrical done at the same time.

"Pro-gress"

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Back Into the V-Berth

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

I got most of the ducting installed for the V-berth AC, which was the only thing holding me up from installing the last mahogany plywood panels. I used 4" insulated flexible duct going to the main outlet at the front of the V-berth. But because of the limited space crossing over to the starboard side, I decided to use 2" PVC as the duct supplying the head. I'll use a booster fan at the head AC outlet to pull more air through, but that'll happen later.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: V-Berth Air Conditioner Ducting

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

With the ducts, wiring, and plumbing installed, the last step was to install the final mahogany panels in the V-berth. I have to say...I think they turned out pretty good!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Final V-Berth Mahogany Panels

Cheers

Q

How's that for some tight, complex joints?!!

roamer46

I got the wiring and plugs in the V-berth cubby cabinet installed, so that section of the boat is close to being done. There's one more coat of ICA clear coat to be sprayed, and the headliner has to be installed. But all of the woodwork there is done. Booyah

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Final Install of the V-Berth Forward Bunk Cabinet

Cheers,

Q

JPG

Fix link.

This works - https://1969chriscraftroamer46.wordpress.com/2018/08/30/1969-chris-craft-roamer-46-refit-final-install-of-the-v-berth-forward-bunk-cabinet/

Interesting 'diatribe'. :)

roamer46

I fixed the link right after posting. You're quick!!! lol

I'd also advise getting a Shopsmith, but the cost of entry is a bit higher than just taking on an abandoned boat, where the cost comes later and more gradually!

roamer46

I was getting sick of spending every single weekend in the boatyard, so I took the Labor Day weekend off and spent time on other hobbies of mine. It turns out that many of the same skills and abilities used in cabinetmaking also come in handy gunsmithing!

Anyway, after a long weekend away I got busy in the aft stateroom laundry closet next, which had the benefit of being lower in the boat and, therefore, much cooler while summer winds down. I did some woodworking, then installed 8/4 cable to a breaker sub-panel that will power the big appliances back here--the washer, dryer, and AC unit.

"Progress"

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Back Into the Aft Stateroom

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

I got the laundry closet ceiling panel fitted and the backside insulated. There was a bit of a hitch along the way, but everything turned out OK.

This is coming along nicely!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Fitting the Laundry Closet Ceiling

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

After making the box for the dryer vent that will fit into the back wall, I mixed up some white-tinted epoxy and coated the visible surfaces. They turned out pretty good!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: More Progress in the Laundry Closet

Cheers.

Q

« Previous Page Next Page »