Lifting foredeck :~(

Today had been set aside to help Steve to repair the shroud plate on Papillon.  Due to a poor weather forecast Steve decided to put this of for a later date.  I dutifully used the time to flat the topsides on Jelly Bean ready for a fresh coat of paint.

Pic taken after bow roller was strapped down to trailer.

Things were going well until I got to the bow. One of the neighbour saw me outside and popped over for a chat. While we were chewing the cud I noticed the sealer above the rubbing strake was showing a gap. I put some of my considerable weight on the bow roller and the gap closed. I had that sinking feeling that a major repair had jumped up and bit me while I was just getting to grips with one of the nice jobs.

Close up of the CSM that was covering the bow roller nuts.



 I strapped down the bow roller to the trailer to a) close the gap and b) hold the mast up while I chopped out the damaged GRP.  Once the chain locker was cleared of all the junk that had accumulated there I could get a lamp and my head in there to assess the situation. Initially I couldn't see where the movement was as all edges seemed to be bonded however with a bit of prodding I could tell that the very front of the join had never been made properly. The matting was dry and had no strength. It also had gaps in it and had sagged away from the underside of the deck.

After the loose dry matting had been removed.

 I chiselled out the bad GRP and used a bit of paper to make a template for a backing plate. I don't want the nuts for the bow roller and rubbing strake to be inaccessable so I will get longer bolts for the bow roller that will reach through the backing plate giving greater stiffness to the forestay attachment.

Folded paper template.

Marine ply backing plate

I now have my backing plate with cut outs for the rubbing strake bolts and bow roller bolts. Tomorrow I will buy new bolts for the bow roller and beg borrow or steal a dremel so that I can clean the edges to be joined.

I'm really lookiing forward to getting really really itchy :)