What Should I Do With This Mess ?

[unbusted67]

We are living aboard our boat this winter so obviously the quality of the interior is going to have a lot to do with our moral. Our boat came from the factory with a horrible headliner that became unstuck from the ceiling, as headliners are prone to do. The previous owner was kind and wise enough to take that headliner down and replace it. He did a nice job on the ceiling using that plastic stuff you see in fast food joints and nice mahogany trim (it looks better than it sounds). But the real bum-out is the sides of the cabin top. I think he ran out of steam and painted them an ugly yellow. They are raw fiberglass with paint on them now.

The way I see it I have two options:

1. I could insulate the area with cork and then cover it with white linoleum or marmoleum. I would either glue the insulation and linoleum or screw it to epoxied-in studs. This seems like a difficult project because of the hatches etc that I would have to cut around

2. Or I could just fair it with some kind of fairing compound and paint or gel coat it white.

What would you do? How would you do it? What materials would you use? We have used 3m's epoxy fairing compound and it stinks! Don't forget we are living aboard and would rather not get cancer.

[atoll]

easiest to do is with imitation leather vinyl,using contact adhesive.
make a template first with stiff card.

alternatively glue thin battons on with 5200 and using 6mm ply wood add a facia

4mm cork in sheets 1m is also easy to use,and can be stained and varnished after

[callmecrazy]

fair it and paint it...

Insulation is a good idea if you're going to be insulating the rest of the cabin top. If not, it probably won't help a whole lot.

Mine is (from the factory) covered with some type of oiled hardwood. I have a few rotten spots under the ports, so I'm planning on cutting out sections and replacing it, and just covering the joints with teak trim. Wouldn't be much more difficult to do the whole thing that way...

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

fair it and paint it...

Insulation is a good idea if you're going to be insulating the rest of the cabin top. If not, it probably won't help a whole lot.

Mine is (from the factory) covered with some type of oiled hardwood. I have a few rotten spots under the ports, so I'm planning on cutting out sections and replacing it, and just covering the joints with teak trim. Wouldn't be much more difficult to do the whole thing that way...

I hadn't really thought of the wood/moisture thing. I am going to call that another vote for fair and paint.

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by atoll

easiest to do is with imitation leather vinyl,using contact adhesive.
make a template first with stiff card.

alternatively glue thin battons on with 5200 and using 6mm ply wood add a facia

4mm cork in sheets 1m is also easy to use,and can be stained and varnished after

I don't really understand the cork sheet thing. Is there a cork sheet that doesn't look like cork board from a classroom? We just insulated our v berth with 1" Cork panels and those are far from what I would call an interior grade finish.

[atoll]

you need to get the fine grade stuff available from specialist suppliers,comes in 20mx1m rolls normally in 3,4,6,8 mm thickness,not your diy floor panels.
gasket manufacturers used to use alot of it.

most of it comes from spain

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

I hadn't really thought of the wood/moisture thing. I am going to call that another vote for fair and paint.

Well, keep in mind this is 37 year old wood I'm talking about, and the moisture damage is pretty minimal considering the windows have been never been re-bed, and have been leaking for an unknown number of years.

Fair/paint would be easiest. Wood would be prettiest. insulation and covering would be sort of an in-between but with the added benefit of the insulation. Cork would be OK, but if I were insulating anything I'd use a real foam insulation sheet type of thing.

I have cork floors, it's not the prettiest, but it's held up considerably well for its age. I have no idea how well it insulates, but I know this boat does not hold heat well at all

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

Well, keep in mind this is 37 year old wood I'm talking about, and the moisture damage is pretty minimal considering the windows have been never been re-bed, and have been leaking for an unknown number of years.

Fair/paint would be easiest. Wood would be prettiest. insulation and covering would be sort of an in-between but with the added benefit of the insulation. Cork would be OK, but if I were insulating anything I'd use a real foam insulation sheet type of thing.

I have cork floors, it's not the prettiest, but it's held up considerably well for its age. I have no idea how well it insulates, but I know this boat does not hold heat well at all

Cork makes an awesome insulation and is totally non toxic. As I mentioned before we just insulated our v berth with it and are totally toasty here in Boston in January.

[atoll]

these guys supply fine grade cork sheeting in the usa

Sheet Cork - Roll Cork | mantoncork.com

[Lagoon4us]

I would glue cork tiles on, use 300x300 cut fit and glue as you go then in future you can change decor by overgluing Frontrunner carpet on or vinyl of a colour to suit.
That way you always have the insulation factor of the cork ... cheers Frank

[unbusted67]

Anyone know where I could find some vinyl?

What about the fairing method? Does anyone know of a good fairing compound that doesn't make you grow a flipper the minute you open the can?

[Lagoon4us]

For what you are doing just rough up the area with sandpaper and use car filler then sand when its almost gone off. Just be sure to thouroughly rough up the existing surface.
Go to a auto/marine upholsterers they usually have heaps to choose from. cheers

[David M]

Were it my boat I would fair it out some and paint it white. It would not look too objectionable then.

Originally Posted by unbusted67

Anyone know where I could find some vinyl?

What about the fairing method? Does anyone know of a good fairing compound that doesn't make you grow a flipper the minute you open the can?

Yes, its softer and therefore easier to sand than Bondo.

http://www.iboats.com/Marine-Epoxy-F...view_id.163168

[atoll]

some i did earlier with cork sheeting,complete with satisfied customer!!

the best ting about sheeting is it keeps your joins to a minimum,and 3mm will go around a fairly sharp bend.
use a skill knife for cutting,really easy to use.
makes no mess at all apart from off cuts

unlike fairing and sanding if living onboard!!!

[colemj]

That is a very rough and difficult surface for fairing and painting. I suspect you will be a long time at that job, have a bad-looking bit around those ports, never get that transition edge from vertical to horizontal correct, and not be happy in the end. To do it with any reasonable hope of looking good, you will need to remove the ports.

You are way overstating the health dangers of fairing compound, particularly as it relates to smell. But you will create a disaster area of dust, and will need to take precautions for that. I would not undertake that project in the winter, while living aboard.

I find it hard to believe it came from the factory that way. Have you contacted any other owners or owner groups to find out what used to be there? I suspect there was a fiberglass liner that was removed by the PO, as this was typical for these types of boats back then. I think your best choice is the vinyl mentioned or get some doorskins (very thin wood veneer) and make a pattern. Use a 90* edge trim along the transition to hide the join. You may be able to grind a bevel on the transition to allow the doorskin to make the bend on the radius.

Other ideas are the same as doorskin, only with fiberglass sheet like is put in shower stalls or putting monkey fur on it. I wouldn't use cork - you won't be happy with that in a couple of years.

Mark