Installing New Tabbing In the Ice Box Compartment

Part One – Removing the Original Ice Box

Part Two - Dissecting Ice Box Reveals Morgan Construction Shortcomings

Prior to cutting any cloth for tabbing, we filled the gap between the two aft bulkheads with expanding foam.

Adding expanding foam between the two aft bulkheads.

Next we filled the voids under the aft bulkhead, mid-ship panel, and forward panel with expanding foam.

Adding foam under the aft bulkhead, mid-ship panel, and forward panel.

After cutting away the excess foam, we dry fit sections of 1708 cloth tabbing  along the various surfaces.

Dry fitting 1708 cloth between the hull and vertical panels in the ice box compartment.

The forward and mid-ship panels have one layer of cloth.   The cut out in the fore and aft bulkheads will allow the ice box drain, bilge pump discharge hoses, and the propane line for the stove to pass under the ice box.

Multiple layers of cloth on the double bulkhead aft.

We plan to capitalize on the discovery of the double bulkhead by laminating the two ½” bulkheads together to form a  single stout rib along the hull.  The achieve the additional strength this area received two to three layers of cloth.

Anne suited up for wetting out fiberglass cloth.

Wetting out and laying up large sections of fiberglass is always a team effort.

 

Looking forward from the cockpit locker at the new tabbing.

Looking down through the ice box lid at the heavy lay-up over the double bulkhead.

Another sign of Morgan’s hasty construction is the lack of bulkhead on the inside of the cockpit combings.   

Morgan did not extend the bulkhead between the cockpit locker and the galley did into the inside of the cockpit combing.

While we were in the neighborhood we filled the opening  at the top of the bulkhead between the cockpit locker  and the galley with a ½” The plywood insert .  We also added tabbing between the bulkhead and the underside of the deck.  Our additions should add strength to the hull and deck. 

Plywood insert extends bulkhead.  Tabbing bonds bulkhead to deck and combing.

Ultimately we plan to re-mount the Alder-Barbour condenser unit in this vicinity along with a vent into the galley for circulating air around the condenser.   

TO BE CONTINUED…

Here is a link to additional images and notes – Ice Box Rebuild Photo Album