TechMate Cabin Sole Restoration

A 22-Year Old Cabin Sole is Restored—

Buying or Selling?

Visit the extremely

likeable guys at

W.J. Kolkmeyer

Yachts

in Milford, CT. All brokers are NOT created equal. These guys will go the extra mile for you. We highly recommend them!

Other Friendly

Local Marine Links:

Milford Boat Works

Port Milford Marina

Milford Landing

Milford Yacht Club

These floorboards from a 22-year old C&C 35 which had been raced hard, have seen their better days. The new owner is now hoping to fix the boat up for family cruising. The interior wood and floor can make a huge difference in the overall comfort below. Our charge is to do our best to create an inviting feeling below with the limitations we have to work with, part of which is this floor.

Read about

our namesake,

the Swan 46,

Winner 1999

Marion-Bermuda Race

1st Place Overall!

(more)

Marine Industry Marketing Assistance

Based in Milford, Connecticut, serving Long Island Sound, with availability from New England to the Caribbean.

After removing the entire cabin sole from a 1985 C&C 35, we moved it all to our shop for what will be a challenging restoration. (The photo at right shows the sole laid out on our shop floor.) These floorboards are in poor shape, but salvageable, albeit with some “character” still visible expected upon completion. They were screwed down with too many fasteners, far more than were necessary. We will use only a few required ones upon reinstallation. The remaining holes will be plugged.

The bottoms and side edges of many of the floorboards had begun to absorb water and in some areas have some wood damage, including minor rot and ply delamination as shown in the next photo. In addition to restoring and refinishing the top surfaces, the damage to the bottoms and sides will need to be repaired and protected from future water intrusion as part of this process.

Before any finishing or repairs can be attempted, the wood must first be dried out. They will be placed in a warm, dry area within our shop for weeks. A moisture meter will be used to test them for moisture content. When the levels drop to an acceptable range, only then will we consider applying any finishing products.

Stay tuned. This project is now under way. A photo sequence will be available in the coming weeks. Check back soon.