You're right Joe. I'm should have stipulated two hours plus dicking around time, which can include any number of different unrelated vices. Not two hours real time, if there really is such a thing... t On Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 3:29 PM, Joe Murphy<seagray@embarqmail.com> wrote:
I totally agree with the concept. I will probably do something along those lines when I need to do the next varnishing. Maybe this is something that Bob E might be interested in incorporating in his next 17's. To answer your other question, it seems like every project that I think should take less than two hours takes just about all day... Like my lazy jacks that ate up about 5 hours. But it was hot and I got thirsty and bla... Joe Seafrog M17
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Smith" <openboatt@gmail.com> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 5:58 PM Subject: M_Boats: Instant Gratification
Big fan of it. Probably made most of my decisions in life based on it. But enough about me...
I was fooling around with my M17 yesterday, adding bow skene chocks so dock and anchor lines would be easier to run and chaff less and all that. And got to thinking, what projects have people on the list done that take two hours or less to accomplish that are very useful and fun and not too hard to do. Just adding equipment doesn't count.
So I'll start by talking about drain holes in my teak toe rail (you thought I was going to talk about the bow chocks, didn't you?). I got tired of the spooge that accumulates between the toe rail and the coaming when the boat sits in its slip for a week or so. Though lovely to behold, the sheer line of the M17 is such that moisture pools in that area, and dust and pollen and eventually, green stuff. Sure, you can wipe it out, but even instant gratification can be too instant.
So I started with the lowest point where moisture accumulates and drew a shape two inches long and a half inch high on the outside of the toe rail, beneath the genoa track (you have to split the difference between the bolts that attach the toe rail, but you're still going to be very close to the area that pools). I drilled inside the 4 corners, being careful not to notch the gelcoat at the bottom, then used a broken coping saw blade to carefully cut out the unwanted material (I tried a dremel, but a guy can do a lot of damage with one of those things). I captured the outside end of the blade with a vice grip---made sort of a mini keyhole saw out of it. When you cut the top and sides of the drain hole, you can knock the chunk out with a couple careful taps with a hammer and punch.
When you have the rough hole you have to clean up the caulk that sealed the toe rail, and I carefully radiused each end of the hole with a round file for a more nautical appearance. File and sand the lot smooth and use a Q tip to coat it with Cetol or varnish or whatever.
You can probably do one drain hole in less that one hour once you get the hang of the process--so two hours for both sides. I've got 5 per side now, and will probably do one more per side because I'm an even number guy.
Next? t
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