Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

[oscarvan]

It's amazing how much faster (and better) I've gotten at working with these materials through this process.

Yes, on my last "glass" project (mat and resin only) I was getting pretty smooth about halfway into the third gallon of Raka.

[rustybucket]

Well, if any good comes out of the Corona Virus it will hopefully be finishing up this project!! We started fairing this weekend. Got the top and sides of the bridge 80% done, got under bridge 50% done. My bother's company is shutting down person to person operations for 2 weeks, so he is heading over to the boat mid-week. Hard to pass up free labor!! woot woot!!

The weather this weekend was awesome! Perfect for this type of work.







We've got about 4-5 days left of fairing/final shaping, then my final fairing crew is coming down in 2 weeks to do a final skim coat/fair and prime. At that point we will be in line for the paint booth.

We were planing on hauling out in late april/may but with this influx of labor we will probably be able to push that schedule up some. At haulout we need a few coats of bottom paint, adding a big thru-hull fitting to replace the tiny 3/4" fitting used for the air conditioners and other onboard raw water needs, replacing several bad underwater lights, and adding more underwater lights.

[rustybucket]

Just wanted to post an update. Spent some time over the last couple weekends fairing and cleaning up some areas I was not happy with. We also mounted a new fighting chair pedestal. The old pedestal was bolted to the deck with a plate. The new chair pedestal goes all the way through the floor to the hull.

The final fairing crew should be down next weekend so we will probably haul out mid-late next week and start prepping for paint and knocking off items on our haulout list.

We got the adjusted props back and did a short seatrial and hit all the right numbers! Hitting 2350 at WOT with a heavy load now. The engines seem WAY happier with the new wheels.

A few hours after the short seatrial and an excellent weather window, we decided to go ahead and do an 'extended seatrial' and head offshore to test out the new features!

One really odd thing we ran into about 30ish miles offshore was a cruise ship with the words 'We will be back' lit up on the sides of it through the porthole windows. There were people onboard, not sure if they were guests or only crew but it was REALLY creepy/strange thing to come across in the middle of the gulf at night.



Overall the boat did great, we didn't use the baitwells at all but we did make use of the fishbox and was quite impressed with how well it held ice, especially granted we don't have the lid seal/gasket installed yet. The fishbox kept ice for 48 hours and still had a considerable amount remaining when we got back to the dock, I had to hose it all out, which allowed me to test out the 3" drain we built into the fishbox. It was so dang nice being able to wash entire ice cubes out of the fishbox.

The water was beautiful, the weather was great, been too long since I've been out here!!

We had our limit of 8 blackfin tuna (10-15lbs/each) and a 40lb yellowfin and the fishbox still looked empty lol.

[rustybucket]

120 miles out in the gulf!





Last blood on the deck before the paint booth!

[Canyonkeeper77]

Great stuff here! We are looking at a 1989 Hatt 52 Conv that needs some loves. We mainly cruise but fish for Bluefin off of Montauk/NE. With this the Mezzanine is my number one dream for the boat.

[SKYCHENEY]

How did all of the upgrades work out? Anything you wish you had done differently?

[rustybucket]

How did all of the upgrades work out? Anything you wish you had done differently?

We've only done one trip with limited functionality but as of right now everything was perfect, I wouldn't change a thing.

[rustybucket]

Wow, what a whirlwind over the last few weekends. Wanted to post an update to try and bring everything current.

About 2 weeks ago we hauled out for final fairing and paint. Lots of stuff happened very quickly, so much progress it makes my head spin lol.





Her home for the next month or so.


Installed new window coverings the night before haulout. The first afternoon of haulout I happened to walk into the salon as the sun was setting. The window coverings are solid hatteras white in color. The light from the etched aft window shines through and perfectly paints the window coverings like a canvas.

[rustybucket]

Rod holders removed, gunnel balsa core removed, 3/4" coosa bonded and glassed into the gunnel.



The young lad receiving instruction from a seasoned pro on blister grinding and filling. The bottom was in great shape but always a good idea to keep on top of these!


He put on a mask after this pic, this was the first one ground.


Aft cockpit hatch used to be a 2 piece lid, it has been joined into 1, will be put on a hinge and gas strut.

[rustybucket]

Mezzanine was final faired and primed with high build primer.

Then the high build was sanded and the inside of all compartments with their first coat of light blue gelcoat. These will all receive 2 more coats of gelcoat so they have a nice thick layer.



The gaff tube compartment and flying gaff / harpoon dart holder turned out fantastic!


Freezer and drink box lids molds were made and the parts were molded.