With the V-berth moldings and transom mahogany panel varnished, next I installed the transom panel.
Cutting an access panel in the back wall
The transom navigation light connections shouldn’t need maintenance, but I’d rather have an access hatch built-in than having to make one later on after it’s all assembled. This little Master Mind 3″ plunge saw is great for these kinds of tasks.
Next, I cut Buffalo Batt non-woven fabric insulation to fit
I’m using Buffalo Batt on the backside of all panels that face the hull. It provides R3 insulation value, and even without AC on the boat it makes a HUGE difference in how quickly the interior heats up in summer. With a blanket over the salon entryway and all of the windows closed, by noon it’s 20°F cooler inside compared to the aft deck. Eventually the heat works its way inside, but the difference the insulated panels make has allowed me to put in longer days during this scorching hot summer.
Epoxy the backside of the panel, lay on the insulation, and press it into place
Next day, put moldings on the transom light access hatch
That’s a lot of clamps for a tiny little hatch
That turned out nice!
The moldings don’t just cover the plywood edge, they also cover the joint, sealing it up to keep heated or cooled air on the inside and outside air where it belongs.
Time to glue things up using US Composites epoxy resin and 2:1 hardener
Behind the dryer box, you can see the back panel is installed
Looks good!
Once this base coat gets sanded and the whole area gets sprayed with the top coat, it’ll look even better,
Transom light access hatch
Ready for the ceiling panel
First, apply epoxy to the contact surfaces
Push sticks, clamps, and backing blocks hold the ceiling panel in place
I use shrink wrap tape as the backing blocks when clamping things in place. That way, if I miss any epoxy residue, it will contact the plastic tape instead of wood. Since epoxy doesn’t stick to that type of plastic, the blocks pop right off when the push sticks and clamps are removed, even if there was sticky epoxy.
That’s a wrap for today
Next up in our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Aft Stateroom Transom Panel
1969chriscraftroamer46 