1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Painting the Throne Room (AKA the V-berth Head)

The V-berth head is finally painted. This has been a long time coming. It started with me taking measurements of the space and then working out the interior concept in 3D with the free version of Sketchup CAD software. Then I installed the galley bulkhead, which is also one of the main walls for the head. After getting the forward head wall installed, I applied spray foam insulation. And then, in March 2016, I finally dug in and made the walls, ceiling, and built-in cabinets, as well as the dais for the toilet. Along the way, I was insulating the back side of each panel to keep things more comfortable once the refit is done. Once the plumbing and electrical was done, I fiberglassed the ceiling panels  since the entire throne room will be a big shower room. Next, I took all the bits and pieces and assembled the whole thing, including installing the throne dais. The last wall panel got done next, followed by fairing and installing the ceiling panels. Then things got really serious when we fiberglassed the throne room walls and floor.  Fairing came after that, followed by fillets and priming with Awlquik. Then I made the mahogany cabinet moldings, sanded them and had my painter spray them with ICA clear before installing them. I installed some more moldings and finished the cabinet access panel, then my painter sprayed the last coats of Awlgrip 545 primer. And then…finally…after all that…we got another break from old man winter and got the final paint prep work done. All that was left was final wipe down and spray…and we now it’s done.

ISO 6-level clean room

We wiped down the sanded surfaces with Awlprep T0008 then did three passes with tack cloths to remove every hint of dust. Then I fired up the compressor and refrigerated air drier, flipped the air supply so the dried air goes through a Devilbiss QC3 filter before it hits the paint pressure pot. We suited up, donned booties and respirators, and flipped on the fume extractor. Then my Boatamalan* painter worked his magic while I kept the hoses from touching anything.

*Boatamalan: Noun. Joking portmanteau referring to my painter’s Central American origin (boat + Guatamalan). In fact, the Boatamalan is from Honduras, but Boatduras doesn’t roll off the tongue like Boatamalan does. 🙂

No longer an ISO 6 clean room

But dang…the paint sure is pretty.

The paint was still tacky when I took these pictures, so I was doing my best not to move the plastic too much. Using the window opening to duct air out via the fume extractor worked really well. The air was drawn in via the porthole openings on the opposite side, so the overspray evacuated nicely. Visibility was surprisingly good while the painter was spraying.

Good looking throne room!

Nice fillets…and how about that reflection!

Looks even better than the concept drawings!

“The Throne Room Plan”

There were a lot of steps along the way, but getting this paint work done is a huge leap forward. It’s the last of the interior Awlgrip work. Everything else will be naturally finished mahogany sprayed with ICA clear. So now, I can convert the salon from the fiberglass and paint prep area it’s been since the spring of 2016 into a wood shop. I really look forward to cutting the mahogany wall panels for the V-berth. But first, it’s time to wrap up the exhaust system.

Next up in our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Finishing the Exhaust Riser Installation

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Priming the V-berth Head

We got a brief break in cold winter weather, and my painter was able to come in and finish fairing the V-berth head followed the next day by spraying the final Awlgrip 545 primer. I’d hoped for this to be done back in May 2016, but you know what they say about the best laid plans. Now we just need two days in a row where it’s above 50°F and my painter’s schedule is open to get the 545 sanded and then finally spray the Awlgrip topcoat.

Final fairing touch-ups

Fairing around the door opening at the floor

The 1708 biaxial fiberglass we used in this unit bath/shower made it difficult to make smooth transitions at the corners, ceiling, and floor. The floor, ceiling, and walls each use one piece of fiberglass cloth, but they had to overlap where they join to yield a monolithic FRP surface that won’t crack. Making those double-layer joints smooth was challenging because they are in the very short straight sections before the door opening. If somebody stares at these areas for a bit, they’ll notice that the surface isn’t flat. But I don’t plan on inviting people on the boat who are that picky. 🙂

Fairing near the ceiling corners

Come back tomorrow to sand then spray the primer

Next day–ready to spray primer

My new fume extractor and filter box does a great job pulling overspray from the interior and getting it out of the tent, but without overspraying boats nearby.

And after a few coats…

Nice!

Shower drain turned out good

The “Throne” Dais

Nice fillets, and the door opening looks pretty good, too

Nice door opening transition

After we got the 545 applied, winter came back with a vengeance, so we couldn’t sand the next day and paint the day after. We’re waiting for another weather window that matches my painter’s schedule. Can’t rush Mother Nature. Either way, this is good progress and I’m glad to see this getting closer to done.

Next up on our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing More Stainless Rub Rails

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Fairing the “Throne Room”

It’s hot. Too hot to even bother going to the boat this weekend. We’ll take our little Chris Craft Commander 42 out and go swimming instead, I think. But before the big heat wave came in, we got the fairing work done on the Roamer’s V-berth head (AKA the Throne Room).

Spendy stuff…but good!

This Interlux Interfill fairing compound is what they’re using over at Weaver Boatworks in the showers on their latest multi-million dollar sportfishermen, so my Boatamalan painter recommended using it on my boat. He said it sands better than the AlexSeal product we used on the aft stateroom head, and it’s intended for use in wet locations.

Spread on the Interfill

It took a few hours to trowel on the Interfill, then we came back to sand the next day.

Sanded and ready for fillets

For some reason, I only took the one picture of the sanded fairing compound. I’m blaming heat exhaustion.

Expensive dust

That Dust Deputy vortex prefilter is awesome. It saves a lot of shop vac filter changes.

Next up in our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: “Throne Room” Fillets & Primer

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Back to the V-berth Head (AKA the Throne Room)

It’s hot. 100°F and humid this weekend and it’s going to be miserable in the tent, so I’m not even going to bother going to the boatyard. But before the scorching heat arrived, we made pretty good progress on the V-berth head. When I last wrote about the Throne Room, the walls and ceiling panels were installed. Next, I need to put a hole in the floor for a shower drain.

316 stainless shower drain and the hole it will go into

Drain circumference marked off

Scrap plywood makes a good router guide

Routing out the inset for the drain

Pretty good fit

The space I routed out is oversized a bit so there would be room for the fiberglass and filler that comes next.

Fiberglass molding tape protects the drain from resin

A heavy coat of release wax helps pop the drain out later

Two layers of 18oz fabric should be enough

Fairing compound goes on first

Wetted out fiberglass goes on next

Wet out the hole, push in the drain, and screw it together

Pop out the drain once the resin sets up

Done!

With the walls, ceiling, and now the floor of the V-berth head done, it’s almost ready for fiberglass. All I have to do now is finish making the door opening.

Next up on our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: the Throne Room Door Opening