27 June, 2015 More projects, stove, cabinet door, bug screen, etc.

      The big job for today is to remove and re-mount the cook stove as one of the gimbel pivots is loose and the counterweights drag against the shelf so that the stove can't swing properly. As usual, more needs to come apart as tolerances are very close. Once apart it is a matter of replacing a split block of wood that is sandwiched between the stove bulkhead and the galley draw cabinet. Of course all hidden from view, because that's the way you do it on a boat. Out of my stash of wood blocks hidden away in the battery box, is the right piece, just needs to be shaved a bit and presto, in it goes, the re-mount the gimbel and re-assemble the works.

      Next on the list is a holder for some small cylindrical galley supplies, olive oil, vinegar, a couple spice jars, and most important, hot sauce!. I angle cut six short pieces of 2” PVC conduit that we picked up in Clayton, NY, and glue the six PVC pieces together, side by side sort of like a small rocket launcher.

      While that glue was drying I filled about an eight foot piece of nylon garden hose, (that I got out of a dumpster in Onset, Mass), with lead shot left over from re-ballasting the Dawes several years ago. The lead filled hose will become the weight which will hold down the mosquito net for our forward hatch.

      Now for the cabinet door. (now Willard owners take note). This cabinet door and casing was I think originally installed 2 inches too low, and when opened, it hits the permanent step to the pilot house. As installed the door can only open 90 degrees, and it would be so handy to be able to open it 180 degrees.  Then you could sit on the step and paw thru the cabinet.

      What to do, remove the whole door and frame and re-cut the opening, and then how to cover the raw opening at the bottom. Nope, cut the bottom of the door clean off, 2 inches worth, make a nice clean cut, then glue the cut-off to the frame, re-mount the door, and presto, now the door opens all the way. Kathy won't even see the cut, and won't she be surprised when the door opens full swing! Wait til you see the picture, I'm pretty proud of this one.

      Now, glue some of the mosquito netting to the lead filled hose, messy work, and then glue the rocket-launcher to the inside of the fully opening cabinet, and voila, a place for six items to be up and out of the way, and safe from falling out or rolling around.

 Phew,  another full day at the boat shop.