Prefabricating the front cabin walls

Wherever possible Tom and I prefer to completely build and assemble flat walls with their hatches prior to fitting to the boat. The two main advantages are: that it is easier to work down-hand with routers, jigsaws, epoxy and glass; and the epoxy work can be carried out in an air-conditioned room.

The front cabin walls were candidates for this method. Like the back cabin wall, instead of building mullions to reinforce the wall between hatch openings, we figured it would be neater and more efficient to make each front cabin wall with two thickness of 13mm Duflex. A good thing about keeping a journal and photos is that we can revisit earlier processes to remind ourselves of how (or how not) to do things. From this information I created an list of the steps to make these walls, and have reproduced it here with photos.

1. Using 13mm Duflex, cut one wall panel for each the port and starboard side

   

2. Mark position of the 2 hatches on the forward-facing side of these panels

   

3. Position and screw in hatch routing template and rout out 19mm trenches

   

   

4. Fill trenches with runny epoxy/silica
5. When cured, sand back any overfill so that it is flush with remaining panel surface

   

6. With a jigsaw, remove the centre piece of Duflex, leaving a 507mm x 507mm cutout

   

   

7. Test that the hatches fit
8. With these as templates, make the other 2 panels
9. Mark position of the 2 hatches on the rear-facing side of these panels
10. Position and screw in hatch routing template and rout out 19mm trenches

    

11. Fill trenches with two loops of rolled up uni 2040mm long, ends cut on a 45° angle 100mm long

    

12. When cured, sand back any overfill so that it is flush with remaining panel surface

    

13. With a jigsaw, remove the centre piece of Duflex, leaving a 507mm x 507mm cutout

    

14. Trial fit all hatches and mark location of hinge screws – remembering that no two Cule hatches are the same
15. Using a 25-30mm diameter fresnell bit, decore around the screw marks and fill with epoxy/silica
16. When cured, sand back any overfill so that it is flush with remaining panel surface

    

17. Glue the pairs of wall panels together, with undisturbed laminates facing outwards

    

    

18. Place hatches to mark screw positions

    

19. Drill holes for screws

    

20. Turn panels over and counter-bore hatch screws using 15mm wood casten bit with stopper

    

21. Prior to fitting, rout the inside forward-facing vertical edges using a 38mm round-over bit

    

The following photos show the panels in position, awaiting gluing and taping.