Dept of Interior

[cbadmin]

From: kenonBlue-C (Original Message) Sent: 12/13/2002 4:33 PM
Today I removed the overhead eletronics shelf and did a little modifying. It now has four inches less depth, left it the stock depth on the ends so it would still tie into the roof grab rail hardware. I think I like it a bunch, less head banging + it places my VHF in a better position (so I can see who I'm talking to)


From: LesLampman Sent: 12/16/2002 7:25 AM
Hi B~C,

That's about the same as the factory's "short shelf" version (now standard), only they don't leave the ends wider; it just uses the foward two handrail screws for mounting. I always order them short for the same reasons you found.

Les

From: Mike Sent: 12/29/2002 3:53 PM
Les or anyone who knows -

When I got the fuel tank install kit, there were two panels that cover the front of the tanks. The panels are made of some sort of white, dense, plastic with a semi-rough textured surface. The plastic is solid; that is, it is one piece all the way thru and not a sandwiched foam construction.

Now then, here's my question: What is that material called? Is that this Star Board I keep hearing about?

It looks like it would be real handy for interior stuff. My first plan is to attach a 10" x 72" piece to the side wall running from the helm bulkhead, above the galley counter, to the rear cabin bulkhead. A minimal number of screws and some 3M 4200 should hold it just fine. If I get real handy with a sabre saw, I can cut it to conform to the wall area and make it look like it belongs. Then I can hang Kay's gizmos on that section of wall using screws into the plastic only. I got a couple of gizmos of my own I want to hang there, too. Marine plywood would work, but there will always be a likelihood of moisture between the wall and the board, so the plastic stuff is the best. It looks pretty good, too.

The only white plastic material I could scrounge up at work is teflon, and it wouldn't look so great.

Mike

From: Mike Sent: 1/5/2003 12:18 PM
Well, never mind about the StarBoard info. That stuff is too expensive, anyway. Home Depot has plastic lumber. What a concept. It is white, dense, should hold screws well, and is finished. I got a bunch of it, and if I ever get some time for myself, I'll do a couple of the projects I have in mind and post some pictures.

Mike

From: C-LionRay Sent: 1/6/2003 1:49 AM
Cool, I was going to mention that stuff. I must hage gotten side tracked.
Let us know how it works. I might use some of that to make my davit support when I get a crab pot puller.
Thanks Mike,

Ray on Sea Lion

From: kenonBlue-C Sent: 2/2/2003 10:40 AM
Went down to Home D and bought about $30 worth of oak sticks and made some little racks for maps, pillows, fishing regs and anything else that needs and nook or crany to call home. It was a pretty cheap and easy way to add a little storage in out of the way places. Glued the overhead racks to the roof, the top of rack under the dinnet sticks out about 6" from the hull yet doesn't interfere with leg room....stuck some pictures in the B~C album over at the pub

From: Mike Sent: 2/2/2003 1:21 PM
B~C -

I knew you were going to get too fancy for a fishing boat. Is the white jacket next? Looks really good, and handy too. The shelf above the dinette is in progress for me, but I am using white plastic. Us unartistic types can't be messing with finishes and the like. Probably do the under the table thing, too. Tim made something similar on the Lynn Marie. Makes use of otherwise wasted space. Probably put the durn dog toys in it.

Seven photos of B~C's handiwork are in his album on the C-Brats, starting here.

For the splash board, I just finished lining the entire wall section from the rear bulkhead to the helm. I glued on 1/2" square plastic stock, and covered it with a one piece sheet of white 1/4" plastic wallboard. It has a cutout in it to recess the fancy Costco clock, and Kay will be able to hang her doodads on it without driving screws into the fiberglass. All the blood washed off it just fine. I'll get some pictures one of these days.

Looks really good, Ken.

Mike

From: kenonBlue-C Sent: 2/2/2003 2:10 PM
Thanks Mike, that set up you're spilling blood over sounds interesting, can't wait to see it (that back splash I stuck on can come off just as quick). There are so many odd spots in these boats that a person can utilize as storage with a little epoxy fume induced imagination.
Got to get the B~C ready for the REAL boat show, Olympia, March

From: Mike Sent: 4/1/2003 7:31 PM
Hey B~C -

Any regrets about cutting out the chunk of the overhead shelf? I have mine down right now, because the rails are off the cabin top for refinishing. Holy cow, the cabin looks a bunch bigger without it up there. I am thinking of cutting mine down just like you did. Or maybe even a little deeper. I like the idea of leaving the ends full depth - never know what I might want to screw into it someday.

So, talk me into it, will ya?

Mike

From: kenonBlue-C Sent: 4/2/2003 5:34 AM
Mike, no, none, zilch regrets. That shelf is not good for a whole bunch other than head banging. You can't reach anything that migrates to the back of the shelf which makes it poor for storage, it is a good spot to hang electronics. I whittled 4 inches of mine and would have taken more but then I would have had to relocate a fuse block. Les says that the optional short shelf doesn't tie into the four handrail bolts, they just whack it off straight, I'm to cheap to buy new shorter bolts so I gave that space age radiused look and used the 4 OEM bolts. Go for it, your head will thank you + you can actually stand next to the helm and drive without hunkering down.
BYTW, I edged it with some foam insulating tape, M doesn't like the look of it but like the idea of having something soft to bounce my head off of.

From: Redƒox Sent: 4/2/2003 6:51 AM
I'll second that! and it does seem less stuffy in the cabin when I cut mine back about the same amount years back. I left it the same length on the outside to. Anything heavy, is mounted towards the side so it does not get so rattled by the flex in the middle. Another good idea would be to glue a little support board in the middle against the cabin top, to help defeat the flexing... or "resonating" that happens when pounding your way into sloppy water!



From: Mike Sent: 4/2/2003 11:03 AM
New plan. I stuck a piece of 1 x 8 up for the shelf and left the original out. You'll never guess what material I used. Yep, plastic. It is the same dimension as lumber (3/4 x 7 1/2), and I rounded the ends and whittled them to fit. Kay likes it. I like it. The dog hasn't seen it yet. I just used the forward most screw holes, and shortened the other two screws up. Now I'm going to fit a piece between the forward edge of the shelf and the ceiling so stuff won't get shoved off, and maybe put a small ridge on the other edge. That will stiffen it up considerably, and if it looks like it needs some more stiffening, I will use RF's suggestion to glue in a center upright.

From: kenonBlue-C Sent: 4/2/2003 5:22 PM
Cool, now all you have to do is yard out the seat...I'm liking the seatless look...more comfy too

From: Redƒox Sent: 4/3/2003 10:53 AM
Nice job Mike, I love it. I once had a 4 inch wide piece of hardwood up there, it worked great, had no problems with it. I went to a wider one when I got radar, needed the extra mounting room there.

From: Mike Sent: 4/6/2003 5:57 PM
I stuck six new pics in the Cabin/Interior Detail Pic album. The first of the six shows the replacement electronics shelf, and the following pics are other storage spots. I sure do like that white plastic building material.

[Tom&Marge]

We have just returned from a wonderful 3 week trip on the ICW up the East Coast. Before the trip, we built a little storage rack with "sticks" from Home Depot and glued it to the ceiling over the dinette. We used 3M 4200. This is the neatest thing we've done in a long time. We went through some pretty rough water and it stayed right there on the ceiling. Now we're thinking up other places to glue more racks. We'll probably put a vertical rack on the port side bulkhead in the V-berth, also some kind of storage under the table and against the hull beside the driver's feet.
We would like to know how the rest of you deal with the kitchen garbage. Any great ideas on that?
Thanks,
Tom & Marge

[Captains Cat]

Tom and Marge - Welcome back. I took a shorter trip last year, from mid Chesapeake down to Portsmouth and the Dismal Swamp Canal to Albemarle Sound - Across to the Albemarle Canal and then back up. Just didn't have enough time. A great trip!!

How about some pictures of your creations??

Charlie