The Renovation Saga
So you say you want a renovation?
When we initially purchased Island Eagle, we had planned on doing some of the more urgent jobs, such as replacing the AC electrical system. We knew that with some additional interior work the boat had incredible potential, but we'd initially planned on postponing that work for several years. However, when we discovered extensive rot in the pilothouse and upper deck we decided to bite the bullet and do all of the planned work at once.
There were six major projects:
The Pilothouse
The original pilothouse was pretty frumpy. That's OK, with just a bit of work it underwent a miraculous transformation. Check out the "before" and "after" shots:
Click here for details of the transformation.
Of course, that's just the interior. We also found some rot in the exterior of the pilothouse.... and then some more rot... and then some more. So in between the two images above the pilothouse looked like this:
If you're feeling up to it, read the saga here.
The Master Stateroom
The Galley
The
Past Updates
How did we get into this state? Read the following tale for details:
Fall 2003: After spending the summer of 2003 on the boat (working on the boat, that is), we decided that we should do just a few more things. We needed to finish the electrical system and the genset installation. The plumbing was really on its last legs. The old mechanical steering system was a menace and would need to be replaced by a new hydraulic one. A fresh coat of paint and some new carpet would make a heck of a difference. Plus the master stateroom bulkhead needed rebuilding from the hole we cut while removing old washer/dryer, and the pilothouse console was looking a bit raggedy. While it was very satisfying working on the boat ourselves, it was also attractive to think about actually using it, so we decided to hire a few folks to help us out.
January 2004: As we were working on finding the right folks to help us out, we came across the name of Tad Roberts (seewww.tadroberts.ca). Tad is a naval architect who was associated with Bruce King for many years and has recently moved back home to Nanaimo, just a few miles from Island Eagle. Since we needed some design work done, Tad went and had a look at IE in preparation for our trip out.
February 2004: After Tad visits the boat, he does what every great architect does: he starts talking to us not about the way things are, but the way they might be. I of course fell for this hook line & sinker (and we wouldn't have it any other way). Over the course of a month or so the "new paint and carpets" becomes a complete new interior for the pilothouse, a rebuilt master stateroom, new doors, and redone trim throughout the interior. It would be a big job, but it really would bring Island Eagle up to the next level.
March 2004: We decided to head out to the boat in the early spring and get work underway. We met Tad and lined up a great crew of folks to help us out. In a frenzied week of work, we tore out the old console and stairs, stripped the master stateroom, and generally got things ready for the work to come. The last night there we even burned the midnight oil and got the hydraulic steering installed. The rest of the crew was ready to get to work after we left (Below Scott, Tad and Bryan discuss the pilothouse).
Scott Tad and Bryan in the pilothouse
April 2003: We get the call that no wooden boat owner wants to hear: "we found some rot...". While removing some of the old acoustic tiles on the ceiling of the pilothouse, the crew had found some soft wood. They traced it out to to aft corners of the pilothouse, and then down the aft corner post, and from there forward in the sills of the house. And so started The Saga Of The Pilothouse, which I'm sure will be remembered in song and story for many a year among the Nanaimo waterfront folk.
June 2004: After what seems like an interminable period while the pilothouse is rebuilt, we head back to the boat. At this point, we were about 6 weeks behind schedule, but the good news was that we had a pilothouse built to take just about anything. There were a few more little details to deal with, like removing the old mast, but it looked like we were well underway. The day after we got there Scott started installing electronics and wiring the console, it it was from that position that he got to experience deja vu all over again as the crew (not being very original) announced "we found some rot". And so started The Saga Of The Upper Deck, And Of The Corner Posts, And Also Of The Funnel, which was just not funny any more. We spent another two weeks living in an extra-specially unenjoyable construction zone before coming to the conclusion that we would not be using the boat this summer.
July 2004: Can it get worse? You bet. The day after being warned by the Harbour Patrol to be careful about debris in the water, we arrive back at the boat in the evening to see a funny sort of shimmer in the water. Like oil. By our boat. Coming out of our boat! Scott jumps on board and dives down in the engine room to discover a leak in the hydraulic steering system. Fortunately, only about a cupful of oil overboard,mixed with bilge water, but it was quite a scare. Don't tell anyone, OK? Here's Scott that night, really enjoying his Yaachht:
August 2004: OK, it's not all bad. The painter has refinished the port side of the boat in beautiful Yacht White from Kirby Paint Company, and we decided to add a new blue strip on the rub rail. Take a look:
September 2004: Work continues, and while nothing's really exactly totally 100% complete, almost every project has been started, and many of them are getting very close to completion. Here's a picture to whet your appetite, the new pilothouse (click for a larger version):
You can also click here for the latest on the console and the upper deck.
December 2004: Finally! The end (or at least the beginning of the end) is in sight. I was on the boat the last week of November, and things are looking pretty fantastic. It's hard to know where to start, but here goes, from stem to stern and top to bottom:
The forward cabins are completely painted and refinished, and even have snazzy new reading lights. The electrical work is completed, and the heads are just in the process of being refinished with new sinks, counter tops.
The salon is coming along very well. In particular, we completed work on the new ceiling and lighting. Enzo (the Fabric Magician) has created beautiful new cushions.
The galley rebuild is going very well. New countertop and backsplash are in (see picture at left), new fridges and freezer mostly done, ceiling in place. Click here for details.
The new heating system is in progress, not working yet but should be fired up within a week.
The new mast has been test-fitted, and is now off at the powder-coat shop. Should be in place by Christmas.
he New Console
The pilothouse and console is the heart of the ship, and after discussing things with Tad we had to agree that the console in good old IE was perhaps a bit on the rustic side:
The 1970-era depth sounder was toast, the big bronze throttle hadn't worked in decades, and the old mechanical wheel had to go to make room for the new hydraulic system. Scott mocks up some ideas:
And before you can say "Use the Sawzall, Luke, use the Sawzall" the old console is gone and the crew has a mockup in place:
This is beginning to look like it should! Now a few months go by while we have a short break to rebuild the entire structure of the pilothouse, but once that little task is completed the console is once again the recipient of dollars and talent, with amazing results:
Still more work to do, but what a transformation! Note the fantastic wheel. This was an eBay find, which Scott's Dad Buster cleaned up beautifully. A custom bushing helped it mate perfectly with the pump for the new hydraulic steering system.
Of course, the new console would look out of place with the shoddy old table and settee that was installed, and anyhow that was torn out when we rebuilt the pilothouse. So, time for a nice new settee and table. And while we were at it, wouldn't it be nice to raise the floor six inches so we could see out the windows, and make one side of the settee 30 inches wide and 80 inches ling so we could use it as a day berth? In the twinkling of an eye (well, actually 4 months) we go from this:
To this:
To this:
It's a bleeding miracle. Now all we need is the table, some cushions, and oh yeah, some glass in the windows.
As of September 19th, we do in fact have glass in the windows, and much more too. The console is now complete, along with the side desks:
The woodworking around the settee is complete, and there are spectacular mahogany window frames installed:
Come December and lo, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a beautiful set of blue cushions. Not only that, but the new ceiling of yellow cedar and mahogany is also in place:
Finally, Dieter installed a new, slightly larger DC panel. But it has a clever twist: We used a Blue Seas AC lockout slide, and wired a backup supply from the genset battery. This means that even if we lose primary power, we can switch the pilothouse to backup power, thus preserving radios, GPS and navigation lights.
The Galley Refit
The original galley had a layout which was unusual, but understandable:
The biggest problem was the hot water tank, which was right smack in the middle of the galley. Originally, this had been a propane hot water heater, and had required a direct vent up through the ceiling. Later, when an electric tank had been installed, they just used the same location.
The next problem was the refrigerator. It was a massive 20 cubic-foot household model, and it took up most of the space when you walked in. It also completely blocked any sightline from the door to the galley.
Beside the refrigerator was a broom closet that was basically useless, in fact "hated" would be a good word for it. Forward was a locker/panty with flimsy doors and flimsier shelves. The other cupboard doors were also pretty rough, and looked every day of their 40 years.
The counters were tile, and though we understand that in certain areas of the world tile is considered an acceptable counter material, we both can't stand tile. It's dirty, it stains, and it's brittle.
Finally, if this was not enough, the freezer had been cleverly located up on the deck aft of the pilothouse.
The Solution
The galley refit started with a few basic ideas: We'd replace the doors and drawers with new ones of mahogany. We'd replace the countertop. And we'd do something about The Fridge Problem.
First, the doors: Here are a few samples, in the new style, showing some hardware possibilities (we chose the small handle on the right-hand door):
Next was the counters. After many hours of discussion, we decided on Corian counter tops. Although I am not particularly fond of Corian, the practicality (a single sealed surface, an integrated sink, a raised drip lip all around) was too hard to beat. We picked a colour which we really liked, Green Tea. We went with a stainless steel backsplash, which is funky but also practical. The sink is an undermount stainless steel one, and the faucet looks very expensive but is actually fromIKEA. We got Randall from Countryside Designs to fabricate and install the counter, which was a very interesting process:
The first thing we did was to completely clear the counter of all old finish, tiles, etc. Next, we installed the stainless backsplash. At that point Randall came in and made an exact template of the counter space, which he then too back to his shop and used to fabricate the counter.
Here he is, arriving with one of the pieces about 11:00 AM one morning:
They set it in place, then set the second piece in place as well:
They then carefully scribe the fit to the wall, and then use various tools (sander, planer, files, rasps, sandpaper) to perfect the fit:
The next step is to glue the two pieces together. But how to do it? The answer, temporarily glue some small blocks to the surface and use those as clamping blocks:
And here we are, 2 hour later, with the blocks knocked off and the joint sanded perfectly flush. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it is impossible to see the joint:
The Refrigerator Problem
As mentioned above, the previous refrigeration system was pretty sucky. The fridge was big, ugly and bulky (not to mention downright dangerous in a seaway). The freezer was located outside on the upper deck. And the space the fridge occupied was very valuable for other purposes.
Now, when we actually started to think carefully about it we realized that we had 4 (four!) refrigeration needs: A freezer, an icemaker, food refrigeration, and drink refrigeration. Our solution had to ensure that all of these needs would be met.
We decided to remove the old fridge and the broom closet, and in the newly-created space we'd install two undercounter refrigerators, one dedicated to drinks and one dedicated to food. Opposite (forward) from the new counter, we would install a half-height freezer with built-in icemaker.
The only question remaining at this point was which products to choose. We first decided that 110 VAC products would be fine, so we did not need "marine" stuff.
For the freezer, a quick bit of investigation found that while many manufacturers make undercounter freezers, and many people made undercounter icemakers, there seemed to be only one manufacturer who made an undercounter freezer with a built-in icemaker, and that was Sub-Zero. Actually, their name should be "Add-Zeros", because they are outrageously expensive. But hey, they were the only game in town, so we chose theSub-Zero 249FFI. One nice thing is that the door panel is customizable, so it will match the other galley doors.
For the refrigerators, we initially thought that it would be very nice to have drawers, rather than a door. Searching on the internet, we found that drawer-style undercounter fridges were made by Sub-Zero, but wereeven more outrageously expensive. Looking further, we found some reasonably-priced units from Summit Appliances. But: They were not available in Canada, the shipping was very expensive, and warranty would be a nightmare.
So, we finally decided to go with standard door refrigerators, and after looking at the various manufacturers we chose U-Line, For the food we got a U-Line 2075R, and for the drinks we got a U-Line Beverage Center.
In the pictures below on the left you can see one of the U-Line fridges in place, the counter top will be a big maple butcher block. On the right is a shot showing the new Sub-Zero freezer installed at the bottom of the pantry:
January 2005 Update: Everything is looking fantastic, and after spending two weeks cooking in the new galley we are very, very happy with the new design. The butcher block/fridge area is very roomy, and one person can stand there and make drinks / do food prep / make coffee / etc. without getting on the way of the main cook:
There are dedicated locations (and outlets) for the espresso maker, blender, toaster and bread maker. The microwave is up above, very solidly mounted, and there is good cookbook storage space inboard. Although you can't see it in this shot, the freezer and pantry look great.
The rest of the galley is also looking good. All of the new mahogany doors have been finished and mounted, and they look like a million bucks (especially once Scott mounted the snazzy new handles from Lee Valley):
Lighting
As you have probably gathered, we like funky lighting. The galley is no exception. For under the counters, we found a very cool product called Ambience, from Sea Gull Lighting. This consists of thick copper wire, which is then placed in a holder on the underside of the cupboard. You then push-fit little fixtures like this right into the wire. Normally, this requires a transformer to convert 110 VAC to 12 or 24 VDC, but in our case we could operate it directly from the 24 VDC ships battery. Here's what it it will look like at night:
Flooring
We installed natural cork flooring in 2" X 24". The results are beautiful, resilient, warm, and even inexpensive. Who could ask for more? The finish is a water-based urethane, and it's a bit slippery, but we'll be installing some clear 3M SafetyWalk tape to solve that.
Master Stateroom
Way back when we started the renovation, we had two simple goals: An updated pilothouse and a really nice master stateroom. The stateroom when we got it had a double bed made of 1/2 plywood screwed together with drywall screws, and while it held the mattress up off the floor it was not exactly elegant. Plus, it was not even fastened down, and it would be pretty frightening in a blow. Also, in order to remove the old washer/dryer from the shop, we'd had to cut a big hole in the bulkhead between the shop and master stateroom. Finally, at some point the walls had be "improved" with a layer of remarkable ugly wallpaper. All in all the master SR was looking pretty grotty:
First we installed a patch in the bulkhead (and this time we made it removable, instead of sealing it up with Bondo!!!). We also put sound insulation in the bulkhead at the same time:
The painter did a yeoman job removing the wallpaper, and then refinished the walls and floor. This was followed by a brand-new custom fitted bed with the head toward the new bulkhead and storage for 16 milk crates underneath:
Finally, the previously useless space under the side deck was opened up as a bookshelf:
All in all, it was a stunning transformation. Next comes the new ceiling and new carpet!
To be continued...
Pilothouse Structural Rebuild
The pilothouse, up above the saloon, was added to Island Eagle by her second or third owner, in about 1970. When we bought IE we noticed that the workmanship on the pilothouse was not of the same calibre as that of the rest of the vessel, and since it passed the survey OK we sort of didn't pay that much attention to it. As part of the pilothouse refurbishment we decided to remove the acoustic tile from the ceiling and replace it with yellow cedar, and the day that the crew pulled off the tiles I got a call from them telling me that they'd found a few soft spots in the roof. I told them to follow the soft spots and also to send me a few pictures of what they found. The next night I had the whole picture, and it was not a pretty sight:
The rot started in the aft corners where the roof met the wall, in both the port and starboard corners:
Water had also seeped down in the window frames and the plywood at the bottom of each bay was soft. As an added bonus, the fiberglass had been put on with polyester resin, which was ready to come off if you looked at it crosseyed:
Clearly, we had to do something. After consulting with the crew, we decided that it would be easier to just rebuild the entire pilothouse rather than to try and repair all of the damage. We would also take the opportunity to add a door in the aft bulkhead as well as to expand the aft window (the top original one was only 5' 6" off deck, which made it impossible to see aft without hunching down).
The problem with the reconstruction was that it would mean opening up the boat to the elements. The crew decided to build a canopy over the pilothouse to protect. Now, remember that IE is 60 feet overall, and the pilothouse roof is already almost 20 feet off the water. On top of this they built a structure which quickly gained the name "the covered wagon":
Once they were protected they went to work demolishing the old pilothouse and then rebuilding a new one (note the "Help Wanted" signs, the crew were having fun pulling my leg):
Sills are teak, all studs and beams are old-growth fir, and the entire structure was then covered with proper marine plywood and finished with glass and epoxy:
Here's the roof, before the final application of nonskid:
Finally, almost 6 weeks later than we expected, we were back where we began. Sigh.
When we initially purchased Island Eagle, we had planned on doing some of the more urgent jobs, such as replacing the AC electrical system. We knew that with some additional interior work the boat had incredible potential, but we'd initially planned on postponing that work for several years. However, when we discovered extensive rot in the pilothouse and upper deck we decided to bite the bullet and do all of the planned work at once.
There were six major projects:
The Pilothouse
The original pilothouse was pretty frumpy. That's OK, with just a bit of work it underwent a miraculous transformation. Check out the "before" and "after" shots:
Click here for details of the transformation.
Of course, that's just the interior. We also found some rot in the exterior of the pilothouse.... and then some more rot... and then some more. So in between the two images above the pilothouse looked like this:
If you're feeling up to it, read the saga here.
The Master Stateroom
The Galley
The
Past Updates
How did we get into this state? Read the following tale for details:
Fall 2003: After spending the summer of 2003 on the boat (working on the boat, that is), we decided that we should do just a few more things. We needed to finish the electrical system and the genset installation. The plumbing was really on its last legs. The old mechanical steering system was a menace and would need to be replaced by a new hydraulic one. A fresh coat of paint and some new carpet would make a heck of a difference. Plus the master stateroom bulkhead needed rebuilding from the hole we cut while removing old washer/dryer, and the pilothouse console was looking a bit raggedy. While it was very satisfying working on the boat ourselves, it was also attractive to think about actually using it, so we decided to hire a few folks to help us out.
January 2004: As we were working on finding the right folks to help us out, we came across the name of Tad Roberts (seewww.tadroberts.ca). Tad is a naval architect who was associated with Bruce King for many years and has recently moved back home to Nanaimo, just a few miles from Island Eagle. Since we needed some design work done, Tad went and had a look at IE in preparation for our trip out.
February 2004: After Tad visits the boat, he does what every great architect does: he starts talking to us not about the way things are, but the way they might be. I of course fell for this hook line & sinker (and we wouldn't have it any other way). Over the course of a month or so the "new paint and carpets" becomes a complete new interior for the pilothouse, a rebuilt master stateroom, new doors, and redone trim throughout the interior. It would be a big job, but it really would bring Island Eagle up to the next level.
March 2004: We decided to head out to the boat in the early spring and get work underway. We met Tad and lined up a great crew of folks to help us out. In a frenzied week of work, we tore out the old console and stairs, stripped the master stateroom, and generally got things ready for the work to come. The last night there we even burned the midnight oil and got the hydraulic steering installed. The rest of the crew was ready to get to work after we left (Below Scott, Tad and Bryan discuss the pilothouse).
Scott Tad and Bryan in the pilothouse
April 2003: We get the call that no wooden boat owner wants to hear: "we found some rot...". While removing some of the old acoustic tiles on the ceiling of the pilothouse, the crew had found some soft wood. They traced it out to to aft corners of the pilothouse, and then down the aft corner post, and from there forward in the sills of the house. And so started The Saga Of The Pilothouse, which I'm sure will be remembered in song and story for many a year among the Nanaimo waterfront folk.
June 2004: After what seems like an interminable period while the pilothouse is rebuilt, we head back to the boat. At this point, we were about 6 weeks behind schedule, but the good news was that we had a pilothouse built to take just about anything. There were a few more little details to deal with, like removing the old mast, but it looked like we were well underway. The day after we got there Scott started installing electronics and wiring the console, it it was from that position that he got to experience deja vu all over again as the crew (not being very original) announced "we found some rot". And so started The Saga Of The Upper Deck, And Of The Corner Posts, And Also Of The Funnel, which was just not funny any more. We spent another two weeks living in an extra-specially unenjoyable construction zone before coming to the conclusion that we would not be using the boat this summer.
July 2004: Can it get worse? You bet. The day after being warned by the Harbour Patrol to be careful about debris in the water, we arrive back at the boat in the evening to see a funny sort of shimmer in the water. Like oil. By our boat. Coming out of our boat! Scott jumps on board and dives down in the engine room to discover a leak in the hydraulic steering system. Fortunately, only about a cupful of oil overboard,mixed with bilge water, but it was quite a scare. Don't tell anyone, OK? Here's Scott that night, really enjoying his Yaachht:
August 2004: OK, it's not all bad. The painter has refinished the port side of the boat in beautiful Yacht White from Kirby Paint Company, and we decided to add a new blue strip on the rub rail. Take a look:
September 2004: Work continues, and while nothing's really exactly totally 100% complete, almost every project has been started, and many of them are getting very close to completion. Here's a picture to whet your appetite, the new pilothouse (click for a larger version):
You can also click here for the latest on the console and the upper deck.
December 2004: Finally! The end (or at least the beginning of the end) is in sight. I was on the boat the last week of November, and things are looking pretty fantastic. It's hard to know where to start, but here goes, from stem to stern and top to bottom:
The forward cabins are completely painted and refinished, and even have snazzy new reading lights. The electrical work is completed, and the heads are just in the process of being refinished with new sinks, counter tops.
The salon is coming along very well. In particular, we completed work on the new ceiling and lighting. Enzo (the Fabric Magician) has created beautiful new cushions.
The galley rebuild is going very well. New countertop and backsplash are in (see picture at left), new fridges and freezer mostly done, ceiling in place. Click here for details.
The new heating system is in progress, not working yet but should be fired up within a week.
The new mast has been test-fitted, and is now off at the powder-coat shop. Should be in place by Christmas.
he New Console
The pilothouse and console is the heart of the ship, and after discussing things with Tad we had to agree that the console in good old IE was perhaps a bit on the rustic side:
The 1970-era depth sounder was toast, the big bronze throttle hadn't worked in decades, and the old mechanical wheel had to go to make room for the new hydraulic system. Scott mocks up some ideas:
And before you can say "Use the Sawzall, Luke, use the Sawzall" the old console is gone and the crew has a mockup in place:
This is beginning to look like it should! Now a few months go by while we have a short break to rebuild the entire structure of the pilothouse, but once that little task is completed the console is once again the recipient of dollars and talent, with amazing results:
Still more work to do, but what a transformation! Note the fantastic wheel. This was an eBay find, which Scott's Dad Buster cleaned up beautifully. A custom bushing helped it mate perfectly with the pump for the new hydraulic steering system.
Of course, the new console would look out of place with the shoddy old table and settee that was installed, and anyhow that was torn out when we rebuilt the pilothouse. So, time for a nice new settee and table. And while we were at it, wouldn't it be nice to raise the floor six inches so we could see out the windows, and make one side of the settee 30 inches wide and 80 inches ling so we could use it as a day berth? In the twinkling of an eye (well, actually 4 months) we go from this:
To this:
To this:
It's a bleeding miracle. Now all we need is the table, some cushions, and oh yeah, some glass in the windows.
As of September 19th, we do in fact have glass in the windows, and much more too. The console is now complete, along with the side desks:
The woodworking around the settee is complete, and there are spectacular mahogany window frames installed:
Come December and lo, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a beautiful set of blue cushions. Not only that, but the new ceiling of yellow cedar and mahogany is also in place:
Finally, Dieter installed a new, slightly larger DC panel. But it has a clever twist: We used a Blue Seas AC lockout slide, and wired a backup supply from the genset battery. This means that even if we lose primary power, we can switch the pilothouse to backup power, thus preserving radios, GPS and navigation lights.
The Galley Refit
The original galley had a layout which was unusual, but understandable:
The biggest problem was the hot water tank, which was right smack in the middle of the galley. Originally, this had been a propane hot water heater, and had required a direct vent up through the ceiling. Later, when an electric tank had been installed, they just used the same location.
The next problem was the refrigerator. It was a massive 20 cubic-foot household model, and it took up most of the space when you walked in. It also completely blocked any sightline from the door to the galley.
Beside the refrigerator was a broom closet that was basically useless, in fact "hated" would be a good word for it. Forward was a locker/panty with flimsy doors and flimsier shelves. The other cupboard doors were also pretty rough, and looked every day of their 40 years.
The counters were tile, and though we understand that in certain areas of the world tile is considered an acceptable counter material, we both can't stand tile. It's dirty, it stains, and it's brittle.
Finally, if this was not enough, the freezer had been cleverly located up on the deck aft of the pilothouse.
The Solution
The galley refit started with a few basic ideas: We'd replace the doors and drawers with new ones of mahogany. We'd replace the countertop. And we'd do something about The Fridge Problem.
First, the doors: Here are a few samples, in the new style, showing some hardware possibilities (we chose the small handle on the right-hand door):
Next was the counters. After many hours of discussion, we decided on Corian counter tops. Although I am not particularly fond of Corian, the practicality (a single sealed surface, an integrated sink, a raised drip lip all around) was too hard to beat. We picked a colour which we really liked, Green Tea. We went with a stainless steel backsplash, which is funky but also practical. The sink is an undermount stainless steel one, and the faucet looks very expensive but is actually fromIKEA. We got Randall from Countryside Designs to fabricate and install the counter, which was a very interesting process:
The first thing we did was to completely clear the counter of all old finish, tiles, etc. Next, we installed the stainless backsplash. At that point Randall came in and made an exact template of the counter space, which he then too back to his shop and used to fabricate the counter.
Here he is, arriving with one of the pieces about 11:00 AM one morning:
They set it in place, then set the second piece in place as well:
They then carefully scribe the fit to the wall, and then use various tools (sander, planer, files, rasps, sandpaper) to perfect the fit:
The next step is to glue the two pieces together. But how to do it? The answer, temporarily glue some small blocks to the surface and use those as clamping blocks:
And here we are, 2 hour later, with the blocks knocked off and the joint sanded perfectly flush. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it is impossible to see the joint:
The Refrigerator Problem
As mentioned above, the previous refrigeration system was pretty sucky. The fridge was big, ugly and bulky (not to mention downright dangerous in a seaway). The freezer was located outside on the upper deck. And the space the fridge occupied was very valuable for other purposes.
Now, when we actually started to think carefully about it we realized that we had 4 (four!) refrigeration needs: A freezer, an icemaker, food refrigeration, and drink refrigeration. Our solution had to ensure that all of these needs would be met.
We decided to remove the old fridge and the broom closet, and in the newly-created space we'd install two undercounter refrigerators, one dedicated to drinks and one dedicated to food. Opposite (forward) from the new counter, we would install a half-height freezer with built-in icemaker.
The only question remaining at this point was which products to choose. We first decided that 110 VAC products would be fine, so we did not need "marine" stuff.
For the freezer, a quick bit of investigation found that while many manufacturers make undercounter freezers, and many people made undercounter icemakers, there seemed to be only one manufacturer who made an undercounter freezer with a built-in icemaker, and that was Sub-Zero. Actually, their name should be "Add-Zeros", because they are outrageously expensive. But hey, they were the only game in town, so we chose theSub-Zero 249FFI. One nice thing is that the door panel is customizable, so it will match the other galley doors.
For the refrigerators, we initially thought that it would be very nice to have drawers, rather than a door. Searching on the internet, we found that drawer-style undercounter fridges were made by Sub-Zero, but wereeven more outrageously expensive. Looking further, we found some reasonably-priced units from Summit Appliances. But: They were not available in Canada, the shipping was very expensive, and warranty would be a nightmare.
So, we finally decided to go with standard door refrigerators, and after looking at the various manufacturers we chose U-Line, For the food we got a U-Line 2075R, and for the drinks we got a U-Line Beverage Center.
In the pictures below on the left you can see one of the U-Line fridges in place, the counter top will be a big maple butcher block. On the right is a shot showing the new Sub-Zero freezer installed at the bottom of the pantry:
January 2005 Update: Everything is looking fantastic, and after spending two weeks cooking in the new galley we are very, very happy with the new design. The butcher block/fridge area is very roomy, and one person can stand there and make drinks / do food prep / make coffee / etc. without getting on the way of the main cook:
There are dedicated locations (and outlets) for the espresso maker, blender, toaster and bread maker. The microwave is up above, very solidly mounted, and there is good cookbook storage space inboard. Although you can't see it in this shot, the freezer and pantry look great.
The rest of the galley is also looking good. All of the new mahogany doors have been finished and mounted, and they look like a million bucks (especially once Scott mounted the snazzy new handles from Lee Valley):
Lighting
As you have probably gathered, we like funky lighting. The galley is no exception. For under the counters, we found a very cool product called Ambience, from Sea Gull Lighting. This consists of thick copper wire, which is then placed in a holder on the underside of the cupboard. You then push-fit little fixtures like this right into the wire. Normally, this requires a transformer to convert 110 VAC to 12 or 24 VDC, but in our case we could operate it directly from the 24 VDC ships battery. Here's what it it will look like at night:
Flooring
We installed natural cork flooring in 2" X 24". The results are beautiful, resilient, warm, and even inexpensive. Who could ask for more? The finish is a water-based urethane, and it's a bit slippery, but we'll be installing some clear 3M SafetyWalk tape to solve that.
Master Stateroom
Way back when we started the renovation, we had two simple goals: An updated pilothouse and a really nice master stateroom. The stateroom when we got it had a double bed made of 1/2 plywood screwed together with drywall screws, and while it held the mattress up off the floor it was not exactly elegant. Plus, it was not even fastened down, and it would be pretty frightening in a blow. Also, in order to remove the old washer/dryer from the shop, we'd had to cut a big hole in the bulkhead between the shop and master stateroom. Finally, at some point the walls had be "improved" with a layer of remarkable ugly wallpaper. All in all the master SR was looking pretty grotty:
First we installed a patch in the bulkhead (and this time we made it removable, instead of sealing it up with Bondo!!!). We also put sound insulation in the bulkhead at the same time:
The painter did a yeoman job removing the wallpaper, and then refinished the walls and floor. This was followed by a brand-new custom fitted bed with the head toward the new bulkhead and storage for 16 milk crates underneath:
Finally, the previously useless space under the side deck was opened up as a bookshelf:
All in all, it was a stunning transformation. Next comes the new ceiling and new carpet!
To be continued...
Pilothouse Structural Rebuild
The pilothouse, up above the saloon, was added to Island Eagle by her second or third owner, in about 1970. When we bought IE we noticed that the workmanship on the pilothouse was not of the same calibre as that of the rest of the vessel, and since it passed the survey OK we sort of didn't pay that much attention to it. As part of the pilothouse refurbishment we decided to remove the acoustic tile from the ceiling and replace it with yellow cedar, and the day that the crew pulled off the tiles I got a call from them telling me that they'd found a few soft spots in the roof. I told them to follow the soft spots and also to send me a few pictures of what they found. The next night I had the whole picture, and it was not a pretty sight:
The rot started in the aft corners where the roof met the wall, in both the port and starboard corners:
Water had also seeped down in the window frames and the plywood at the bottom of each bay was soft. As an added bonus, the fiberglass had been put on with polyester resin, which was ready to come off if you looked at it crosseyed:
Clearly, we had to do something. After consulting with the crew, we decided that it would be easier to just rebuild the entire pilothouse rather than to try and repair all of the damage. We would also take the opportunity to add a door in the aft bulkhead as well as to expand the aft window (the top original one was only 5' 6" off deck, which made it impossible to see aft without hunching down).
The problem with the reconstruction was that it would mean opening up the boat to the elements. The crew decided to build a canopy over the pilothouse to protect. Now, remember that IE is 60 feet overall, and the pilothouse roof is already almost 20 feet off the water. On top of this they built a structure which quickly gained the name "the covered wagon":
Once they were protected they went to work demolishing the old pilothouse and then rebuilding a new one (note the "Help Wanted" signs, the crew were having fun pulling my leg):
Sills are teak, all studs and beams are old-growth fir, and the entire structure was then covered with proper marine plywood and finished with glass and epoxy:
Here's the roof, before the final application of nonskid:
Finally, almost 6 weeks later than we expected, we were back where we began. Sigh.
