Winter Improvements.

[Nasher]

Although I’m trying to use my RIB as much as possible over the coming months, winter is the traditional time to carry out any improvements or modifications to any boat, in addition to all the usual service and maintenance jobs on boat and trailer.

My major projects for this Winter are detailed below, what’s everyone else doing?

Install Tacho and re-prop current engine ASAP.

Remove outboard remotes and install Surface mounted lever.
Remount ignition, and Kill-switch in console.

Create dashboard insert to tidy up console. Remount all instruments, switches etc.

Clean tubes properly and glue ‘pads’ on top to protect scuff areas.

Fabricate some detachable footpegs for the Jockey seats to make them more comfortable for my children. Their feet don’t quite touch the deck, and they slide about a lot.

Rubber line the anchor locker to replace the old car mats the anchor and chain currently live on.

Replace deck cleat in Bow with stainless Sampson Post.

Install Jam Cleats for elephant trunk lifting ropes

Prepare for next winters installation of new engine.

This is just what I think I can get done this winter, I’ve already an equally long list for next winter.

Nasher.

[MeMe]

..........going to be spending quite a bit of time either in the garage or as cold as a fish on the drive. Sounds Great

Originally Posted by Nasher

Create dashboard insert to tidy up console. Remount all instruments, switches etc. I've jus done this, it's easy and just requires the right board, some nice carbon fibre sticky back plastic (or whatever turns you on) and a lot of patience. The one bit of crucial advise I would give is, make sure you really label you're wiring up well so you know what came of what and into which socket/instrument it needs to marry back up with. It's very easy to forget and just as easy to get confused.

Clean tubes properly and glue ‘pads’ on top to protect scuff areas. Cleaning is tiresome and time consuming yet, extremely rewarding. However, may I question your motive to add additional "scuff pads" ? I can see this all going horibly wrong with the potential of looking a little messy and perhaps detracting from both the nice lines of the tubs as well as resale value. 1. A buyer may think you are trying to hide something. 2. Unless you're have a lot of experience with glues, patches and curing methods it could turn out a messy job.

Fabricate some detachable footpegs One idea that springs to mind would be motorcycle pillion pegs which spring up out of the way when not in use.

Rubber line the anchor locker to replace the old car mats the anchor and chain currently live on. Good Idea, make sure you don't glue the mat down as orrible things manage to get underneath and make the most god damn awful smell if left too long.

This is just what I think I can get done this winter, I’ve already an equally long list for next winter. A man after my own heart

[Nasher]

Thanks for the comments MeMe

The Wiring is pretty well labelled already, as when I brought the boat one of the first things I did was gut the console. The wiring was a fire hazard, so I made a separate switch panel with a fuse box on the back and a front panel made of alloy with some of your carbon sticky sheet on the front. This may go back in.

I’ve been thinking of splashing out on actual Carbon Fibre sheet for the dash, but as its so wide it’ll cost a fair bit. I will probably resort to what I’ve used in the past. 4 or 6mm dark smoked polycarbonate sheet sprayed on the back with Silver paint, it looks very good.

I was going to make a removable fitted liner for the Anchor Locker from 15mm expanded neoprene sheet. You can cut it to shape, with angles on the edges and glue with Wet Suit Cement.

As for the kids footpegs, I’d toyed with the idea of motorcycle pillion pegs too, I actually have several in the garage. Trouble is they would still stick out even when folded up, so I would have to recess them into the Jockey bases. What I think I will do is to create an adjustable harness from webbing that fits over the jockey with adjustable stirrups fitted with alloy bottom plates.

So who else has some plans?

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by Nasher

.........Fabricate some detachable footpegs for the Jockey seats to make them more comfortable for my children..........

Have you seen the stainless steel mast steps made my Barton http://www.bartonmarine.com/html/sailHandling.htm, They would work and fold flat.

Failing that blocks of wood screwed to there feet
Des