The never-ending project to fill my hole in the ocean while bailing it out

Preparing for Sailing Season '08
The Teak Trim Refinishing Project
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Description

Aw geez, I thought it was done, but reluctantly concluded now's the time to do it right.   The slack between the cribboards and the vertical tracks in which they slide has bothered me since trying them out.  I decided to remove the tracks and attempt to better fill the space with strips cut from the gasket material remainder.  After prying them off (and again filling in some new holes ripped from the fiberglass beneath, to which the 3M 4200 had already bonded), I set up my makeshift workbench in the laundry room again.  After slicing narrow, carefully measured strips from the gasket material with an Exacto knife and metal yardstick, I was ready to proceed.   (Apr. 22, 2008)

One surface at a time, I spread a thin coat of Gorilla Glue over the entire length then applied the gasket material.  Next, I used two lengths of narrow pine on the outsides of the gasket strip and opposing teak and clamped it all.  The track on the right is ready to reinstall; on the left it needs its second strip.  After gluing the first strip of gasket to the first track, I discovered the pine had scratched the teak finish from being clamped (polishing compound removed the scratches) so I sandwiched  a strip of masking tape between to protect the finish.

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This afternoon I rebedded and reinstalled the cribboard tracks.  There's still a significant gap in the slot between the cabin trunk and face of the tracks.  The cribboards are still too loose but good enough for this season.  Next fall I'll remove them again and have the length of the surface that butts against the trunk cut a bit on a table saw or planed it down to fit tighter.  The port-starboard slack is improved, but still a little too lose as well.  All in all, I didn't gain very much from this exercise -- but 3/32 of an inch and a few more photos.

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Okay, this time the Teak Trim Refinishing Project of 2008 is absolutely done.  (Apr. 22, 2008)

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And lest I forget, the new IdaSailor tiller with its six coats of Cetol.  This morning I compounded the finish then polished and waxed it.  It too is ready to go when I hang the new rudder.  The pin sticking up is for the tiller pilot connection.

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The tiller mounted to the rudder.  (May 24, 2008)