Job done

I bought a small hatch for the head last year. As I have an aversion to cutting holes into boats it stayed in it’s box until this year. But it is not only my live-saving fear of drilling holes, it is also politeness to my fellow sailors that has kept me from installing the hatch.

There have to be Golidilocks-conditions to do the job.

• no rain for a day +
• no neighbours to disturb
• electricity

Since these 3 come seldom in pairs, I decided to start the job while Akka was still on the hard in Ramsmora. Cutting the hole was a rather long-winded affair. Mostly due to measuring the cut-out area 20 times before I dared to take the drill and saw to it. In the end it worked out fine and I set to scraping the balsa core out. The next day I epoxied the gap and this was the part that surprised me.

I used the West-system Epoxy which comes with little pumps the get the ratio between epoxy and hardener right. But for some reason it took ages to cure. Only after 2 days it was no longer sticky and that’s why I delayed the mounting of the hatch.

After another day I was happy that the epoxy would cure OK, I installed it with copious amounts of Sika. Obviously my tools, jumper and all around me got covered in the stuff but I am proud to have had the courage to finally do it.

Job done – smell gone!

(Ahem, inside wooden frame to do to make it all pretty again)