Refitting forward cabin tape, glue or something else?

[Nicks]

Hi Guys,

I have a few projects for the boat today, one of which involves the sides of my forward cabin.

On top of the insulation there's a white fabric which has come loose.



This is from when I picked up the boat, as you see there are a couple of airbubbles already here.

Turns out that the entire thing was just held together with a piece of duct-tape on top, behind the wooden edge. Due to humitity etc. the ducttape has now completely falled off and the white fabric is now just hanging down.

What's the best way to refit this? Using some sort of double-sided tape, glue or a third option??

Bonus question: I had a nice bottle of Venezuelan rum sitting in the boat and when I went to pop the cork it tore off leaving half of the cork in the bottleneck (humidity?). What's the best way to get that cork out and enjoy the rest of the bottle?

[knottybuoyz]

3M makes some good double sided tapes. See what your local hardware store has. I'm kind of partial to 3M Super 77 spray adhesive but it can be messy.

I'm afraid the bottle of rum is ruined. You can send it to me and I'll dispose of it properly for you!

[JPA Cate]

^^^^
Good one KnottyBuoyz! Thanks for the chuckle.

To the OP, try a wine cork remover. Or, knock it down through, and use an old wine cork that you have shaved down a bit to re-seal it.

Ann

[Steadman Uhlich]

What I would do for the Cork if stuck in a wine bottle:

Take your shoe off. Put the bottom of the bottle into your shoe (heel area). Hold bottle and shoe so that bottle is horizontal. Go to a firm upright surface like a wall of a building or stone wall or pier piling. Tap both the shoe and bottle in a horizontal motion again and again against the solid wall. The cork will slowly begin to exit the bottle.

As odd as this sounds, it really works. You can see a video on youtube that proves it.

[svhydra]

hello from vancouver island; a few years ago i went through the exact same thing with my v berth. after trying double sided tape and adhesive spray out of frustration i peeled and sanded all the offending materials off right to the fiberglass. then i faired a smooth finnish with epoxy filler, sanded and simply painted. it looks great. the area is brighter, more cheerful and can be cleaned easily. since most of my cruising is done in the summer, the v berth is now cooler and more comfortable than before. all the best; R

[neophytecruiser]

Keystone also produces a premium spray adhesive specifically designed for upholstery applications. As was stated for the 3M spray product, it can be messy to work with and you should also provide good ventilation. You're v-berth area looks very nice, BTW.

[Kalinowski]

When I refitted our yacht down below, I used a marine carpeting on the insides of the exposed deck and hull. For adhesive, I used a contact cement. The beauty of this product is you paint it on (roller/brush) both mating surfaces and let it dry. Then, starting from the middle of the piece, press them together and roll out to the edges with a roller. Of course, you have to have the piece roughly cut first. Once it is glued, you can use a razor knife to complete final trimming. No mess! The job looks professional and has held up for the last 6 years with no problem.

[jkindredpdx]

Steady Hand's wine cork technique works...

I'd remove the cloth in the V berth and line the hull with horizontal wooden slats. I'd make sure face of the insulation meeting the hull hasn't molded... if it has, IMO, remove that too and don't replace it.