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

[roamer46]

Well, the work has begun to repair the damage from the big Nor'easter. Unfortunately, the insurance company is already starting to play dirty. Last time (after the big burglary in 2014), they didn't get nasty until the end. This time, they've got the surveyor telling me the labor estimate is high by 60%. When I told that to the estimator, he blew up and got mad at me! It took 10 minutes of talking before he finally understood I was simply relaying what the surveyor had said. So now, just like before, I'm spending a ton of time going back through old records to demonstrate that the surveyor is full of it and that he previously concurred on comparable labor hours for repairs from the burglary. What a buncha lyin' pieces of.....!

Anyway, I've also made more progress weatherproofing the boat. The starboard engine room vent panel is now installed. Booya.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Starboard Engine Room Main Vent Panel

Cheers
Q

[roamer46]

I thought I'd wrapped up the exterior paint work in 2013, when the boat was first painted. Then I thought I'd wrapped it up again in 2015, after the big burglary repair. Yet here we are again in 2018 once again in full bodywork and paint mode. Two steps forward, one step back... I'll do a series of articles on the repair once it's all done.

In the meantime, the original electric panel is turning out very nicely, if I do say so myself.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Refurbing the Original Electric Panel

Cheers,
Q

Before


After

[nuhobby]

I love it!
Takes me back to my installation of Stewart Warner gages on my first car. It just made me feel like the captain of my ship!

Chris

[charlese]

Very nice looking panel!

[roamer46]

Thanks guys!

I used brown colorant in that thick US Composites epoxy to finish the backside of the electric panel. That 150 series epoxy has a 1:1 resin to hardener ratio, and its even cheaper than their regular 635 series epoxy. But I've learned that you can only use it in the summer. If temps go below 65° or so, the stuff is so viscous that bubbles won't float up and pop at the top. Below 50°, good luck mixing it at all. But above 80°, which is a daily thing in the tent during the summer, it mixes well and flows out very nicely. One heavy coat and you're done. It cures hard in less than 24 hours when it's warm, too. So parts are ready to be handled if I come back the next day.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Refurbing the Original Electric Panel II

Cheers,
Q

Before


After

[roamer46]

Repairs from the Nor'easter damage are continuing, and while that's being done I got a ceiling panel installed inside the starboard salon cabinetry.
"Progress"

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Cutting and Fitting More Starboard Salon Plywood Panels

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

I am spending waaaaay too much time with my head stuck inside cabinetry. Fortunately, I'm not claustrophobic! I've been working on the last salon bilge vent duct, and it's turning out pretty good. Not a particularly exciting post, but it's all 'progress.'

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The Starboard Salon Aft Bilge Vent Duct

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

I got the interior of the bilge duct box fiberglassed, so it's completely waterproof. Then I put a heavy coat of white-tinted epoxy on the exterior to seal that up. I've got a couple more steps to go, and it'll be ready to install.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The Starboard Salon Aft Bilge Vent Duct II

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

I took some time away from the Roamer project around the Independence Day holiday, but last weekend got back at it and installed that bilge vent duct I've been working on recently. It turned out pretty good. I hope I never, ever have to mess with it again! I'm getting tired of spending weekends inside cabinetry! LOL

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Starboard Salon Aft Bilge Vent Duct

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

I'm shifting gears over the next week or so to write about the repairs from the Nor'easter damage in March. To kick things off, the boat got washed and the tent was reconfigured so the repairmen could work up on the hardtop.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Repairing the Damage from the Big 2018 Nor'easter

Cheers,
Q