Interior Tabbing Repairs and Modifications Complete

Previous posts in this series are…

What A Grind – March 6

Interior Tabbing Progress Report – March 13

Interior Tabbing Repairs Update 2 – March 25

We would dare not proclaim all Pilgrim’s tabbing repairs and modifications are complete.  We have quaterberth and engine compartment projects underway that will require new tabbing.  We have yet to thoroughly investigate the area aft of the engine compartment or forward of the vee berth. 

BUT…

We have completed the repairs to shortcomings and failed structures discovered in the cabin area of Pilgrim. 

In the quarterberth we addressed two areas…

We added fiberglass tabbing along the top, aft end, and base of the wall shared with the engine compartment.  We also added tabbing between aft bulkhead and the cockpit well.

Before...

Area prepped and ready for fiberglass mat to be applied.

After...

Future work in the area will include replacing the port, painting the quarterberth deck, and replacing the deck drain hose.

We also strengthen the upper wooden crossbeam at the entrance to berth.

Initial layer of light weight cloth applied.

Heavy 1708 cloth and a couple layers of paint added.

Ongoing work in the quaterberth can be followed via our the Quaterberth Refit – 2014 photo album.

In the galley we discovered the two port side partial bulkheads fore and aft of the sinks were intermittently tabbed to the hull during the construction process.

under the forward galley counter the partial bulkheads are tabbed intermittently to the hull.

We added tabbing to the missing sections and painted the area.

Ahh, fresh paint and a clean canvas upon which to install plumbing.

Additional modifications ongoing in the galley can be followed via our Galley Refit – 2014 Photo Album.

In the pilot berth, we removed the non-structural dividers below the deck…

We were very surprised to discover the dividers below the quaterberth deck were non-structural.

And replaced them with partial bulkheads tabbed between the hull and the seat back / aft lower chainplate anchor.

We are much more confident in the strength of the aft lower stay now that these partial bulkheads are tabbed between the hull the chainplate anchor.

This modification vastly increases the strength of the aft lower chain plate and adds additional storage space below the pilot berth deck.   Our progress in the area continues and can be followed via the Pilot Berth Refit – 2014 Photo Album

Under the countertop in the head we discovered intermittent tabbing along the bulkhead and failed tabbing intended to support the head pan.  The failed head pan tabbing was likely the work of the Morgan Repair Team.  Due to issues with sinking head pans Morgan issued a recall, circa 1980.  To the company’s credit they sent out Repair Team(s) address the issues.  On Pilgrim the repair team did a poor job.  They did not properly prep the surfaces prior applying new fiberglass mat.  Sections of the tabbing installed by the team have failed over the past 34 years.

Before…

Looking down into the area below the head countertop.  The wall to the right is the primary bulkhead on the port side of the mast step.  Much to our dismay this bulkhead was intermittently tabbed to the hull.

After…

Additional tabbing along the bulkhead.

additional tabbing and support structures link the bulkhead, mast bucket, sole brace, and head pan.

We have yet to paint the area under the head counter due to ongoing projects in the area.  Check out Head Refit – 2014 Photo Album to follow the progress.

The pre-purchase survey noted failed tabbing under the head door.

Tabbing intended to support the head pan failed due to poor design & installation.

Another failed effort by the Morgan Repair Team to add additional support for the head pan.  Rather than attempt to support the pan by adhering fiberglass mat to the vertical face of the support beam, I built up a brace from the hull and supported the beam from below.  Once braced from below, I added a layer of heavy mat between the hull and the face of the support beam.

I am confident this is a permanent solution.

Additional images from these repairs can be found in our Tabbing Repairs – 2014 Photo Album.