Jib Sail Track Project (Part I)

Finally posting our Jib Sail Track Project (Part I)! We first started this project back in August 2017 after we re-bedded all the cleats on deck with backing plates which made them a lot stronger than the small washers we had before. 

Of course, Alex wanted to do the same for the jib sail track (which makes total sense). If you've read our previous posts, you might've seen all the rotted wood we dug out from our deck core while re-bedding the other deck fittings. I knew it's something we had to do.. but did I want to do this too? Hell, no. And did that stop us? Hell, no..

First thing he did before working on it was to build a temporary dam with wood and plastic sheets to keep the water away {it rains every day in Trinidad during the wet season!}.

Here we go..

Removing the screws from the jib sail track

One of many corroded fasteners

The underside of the jib sail track (in the cabin)

Marking up the borders of where to cut through the deck

That's the fuel tank inlet just below the jib track

It's an orange kind of day..

Alex carefully cuts the deck with a hand saw

Gently peeling off the top layer of the deck (at this point we still thought we might re-use the fiberglass ... we didn't!)

The stains look pretty nasty

Alex using a chisel and hammer to remove the balsa core

Close up of the wood

Rotted balsa sections

Some parts were worse than others

Nicely chiselled and wood removed

What's this? A ninja star?

Alex made this to efficiently and evenly remove (about 20mm of) the balsa core - quite clever wouldn't you say?

Fits onto the end of the drill

It worked very well! Watch the video below

Volia!

✓ Removed the jib sail track
✓ Cut out strips on our deck
✓ Dug out the rotted wood

Next, we'd have to dry it out as much as we can (on sunny days) before we fill it with foam and fiberglass, making it slightly raised from the deck before re-bedding the sail track and adding a backing plate as well.

Hop on over to our next post on Jib Sail Track Project (Part II).