This post is out of sequence, since in my excitement I already posted about Day 1 of dismantling Tent Model XXX. Anyway, I mentioned before that I had to remove the tent top to install the handrail. But the top also had to come off as part of the tent disassembly process, so it’s a win-win. There’s a lot of stuff that may appear to be coming together quickly, but actually it’s just a lot of things I worked on previously that I knew would one day have to happen. And when the day came, everything sort of fell into place.
Like the mast.
Rechromed parts got reacquainted with the OEM mahogany mast back in 2013
Sikaflex 291 LOT (Long Open Time) is a great product
Most caulks kick off pretty fast…sometimes too fast. And once they kick off, there’s no turning back. What I like about 291LOT is that it stays workable/cleanable for around an hour. No other caulk does that. When it cures, it’s like any other caulk. So if you’ve got a caulk job that’s complex, I highly recommend spending the money on Sikaflex 291 LOT.
That’s a seriously caulked mast
Rechromed OEM hardware slides right in place
A little squeegee work and it was ready to pull the tape. I make my caulk squeegees from Harbor Freight bondo spreaders, which I cut down to ~5/16″ width with a razor. They make a nice, clean edge, and they’re cheap, so as soon as the squeegee stops performing you toss it and use the next one.
NICE!
Rechromed mast base is next
I used fine-line tape for the mahogany and chrome
Nice!
Tool of the trade: the Makita grinder makes a great buffing platform
Mast reflector has seen better days
Somebody made this after the Roamer left the Chris Craft factory. It’s a nav light reflector that keeps the forward steaming nav light from lighting up the cabin top…a good strategy for not losing night vision.
New wires for the nav and anchor lights
Caulk on all of the metal-to-metal joints that could bring water into places with electrical connections
Coming together in 2019
These rechromed mast parts are seriously gorgeous
Fast forward to June 16, 2023, and it’s showtime!
That’s been a long time coming
Tef-Gel on the set screw for the pivot pin and the pin itself
Because…why not?
Nav, anchor light, and horn wiring get the pig-tail twist treatment for flexibility
Adhesive-lined shrink connectors finish the wiring
Last up is the mast holder-upper
As always, I use my Vix hinge drill bit to center each screw hole.
Sikaflex 291LOT in mahogany will seal the screw holes
The mast holder-upper works perfectly!
Finally, with the tent top gone, the mast can stand proud
That’s a good looking mast
Keep in mind…
This is what we started with
Next up in our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Retiring Tent Model XXX part II
1969chriscraftroamer46 