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

Preparing for Sailing Season 2011
The Windows Removal and Resealing Project
Part II — The Challenge Continues . . .

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That low pressure storm is still stalled and spinning out there just offshore, relentlessly whipping us with its backlash. The temperature is stretching into only the 50s, but I caught a break this afternoon and jumped on it. With the shelf trim pieces off and the starboard windows out it's the perfect time to clean up the shelves. After removing the starboard window shades to make the windows installation easier, I used acetone then heavy-duty rubbing compound to remove the stubborn rust spots from the shelves, then waxed them.

The intermittent problem with my Nikon D90 DSLR camera reached critical mass. The shutter sometimes doesn't work and became a serious nuisance this afternoon. So I closed up the boat and called Nikon, then shipped the camera to them for repair.  Naturally, as soon as the cabin was closed up and again covered with the tarp the sun came out.  (May 12, 2011)

A glorious day today — sunny and in the low 60s — so I was out early to uncover the cabin and get those windows in. I masked off around the window holes in the trunk using the marks I'd scribed around the frames. (I shot these photos with the Olympus StylusTough 8010 pocket camera while the Nikon D90 is away being repaired.)

This time I applied the 3M 4200 bedding compound very generously around the frames, then added a few more squeezes from the caulking gun again where it even might be needed. Remounting the windows into the trunk seemed easier this time; I guess "practice makes perfect." The trusty "custom window frame installation tools" came in handy once again for the final touch seating them.

After letting the 4200 cure for a few hours, I loosely fastened the frames inside the cabin; I'll crank down their screws tomorrow, after the bedding compound is better cured.

Finally I remounted the curtains and — at last — screwed on the newly-refinished teak cabin shelf trim.  (May 13, 2011)

Early this morning the weather forecast for the week ahead gave me just today to finish up the windows project — before the next storm moves in tonight. The rain and downpours will be with us at least through the coming week into next weekend, as far out as they can foresee. It's another too-typical New England spring, better known hereabouts as "monsoon season."

Last year's freak perfect spring and summer sure spoiled us, teasing with a false hope that the sun could shine in April and May for more than a day now and then. Yesterday was that day between storms. Today was supposed to be another but the sun was a no-show. The temperature reached only the high 40s with the gusty northeast wind still chilling.

I got out early and put the frames to bed with a few final love taps all around, removed the masking tape and excess sealing compound, then torqued down the inner frame screws inside the cabin. The starboard windows are installed, again. With the coming week's deluge, I won't have to wait long this time to learn if they're watertight!  (May 14, 2011)