My 3/4" solid marine holly/teak sole going in this week >>>

[1911tex]

Sealed on bottom and all edges (one section under table not shown in photo). Monday Ladder refit, then working installation forward. Cost of material alone $900. Final finish high gloss varnish (varnish mfg. decision next week (or a gym type finish) after much research). I am having a life-long woodworker friend do the work with my non-professional assistance. Estimating final cost $2000-$2500. There is a tremendous amount of intricate work and no cost cutting measures whatsoever! Removed and refinished the moulding strip. Been a long slow job but thankfully, original sole not glued down and floor sections will be easily removable if necessary; best part...there will be no more trampoline effect down the center isle with the delaminating original thin ply/veneer with wood splinters/chips falling in the bilge !

 

[Christian Williams]

Lovely cuts.

If you have those (accursed) trim pieces along all the edges, I reinstalled them with one set of screws through to the TAGF, and left them unplugged. On my model the sole pieces were first screwed into the TAFG, then the trim was screwed into the sole--and plugged. This made taking up the sole a major job. Now it's just screws to remove.

I used bronze screws for looks, but would not bother with that again. Unplugged stainless looks fine to my eye. (I only redid the damaged forward sole, not the whole thing).

 

[Loren Beach]

Trivia - if you have the new screws, flat head, set flush with the surface or a gnat's eye lash below, consider using square-drive bronze. Someday you may be out sailing hard with the chute up or racing, and it's nice not have the possibility of snagging a bit of $$ spinnaker panel on the points on a phillips screw head when the boat is heeled over hard driving to weather and you are on the low side settee repacking it. That slippery cloth can get under a shoe sole pretty easily when the boat motion is 'frisky'.....

 

[1911tex]

Ah...what professionals are on this forum....such great advice I am now driving my woodworker bud crazy with your suggestions..which we WILL implement !!! Thank you!

 

[Loren Beach]

Ah...what professionals are on this forum....such great advice I am now driving my woodworker bud crazy with your suggestions..which we WILL implement !!! Thank you!

Snappy™ 3 Pc. Tapered Drill Countersink Set | The Woodsmith Store

Drill the pilot hole and countersink or counter bore for tapered screws or as a clearance hole for straight screws in one step. Made from thru-hardened alloy steel for long life.

thewoodsmithstore.com

Sure wish I had this set, purchased with a recent holiday discount, than the crappy one I was using from "Harbor Fright" (!) for many years... Makes setting fastenings into that sole much easier and more accurate. Plus, there are places where other Ericson teak trims will need renewing.

BTW, only a few of us here are actual professionals. But we know that a patient amateur (with shared advice from others) can do pretty darned good work... taking a LOT more time, unfortunately.

Welcome to the DIY ranks and as they say, be sure to keep posting and.... "pay it forward"....

 

[1911tex]

Loren: Always do and always will !

 

[David Grimm]

That looks like it was incredibly hard to cut. Did you template first?

 

[1911tex]

David: Yes we did a double template. First with clear 6mil poly taped tight in place every 6" or so and markered with a straight edge; second with flat sheets of 200# test cardboard cut 1/8" oversize to the 6mil poly template (again using a straight edge) and pressing in place, trimming with a razor any adjustments. I'm kinda anal so over detailed. My woodworker bud was laughing! Templates were only necessary when the original sole section fell apart after removal due to rot or poor fitment to begin with. Labor intensive, yes...but my labor is pretty cheap...I did the grunt template with kneepads. My woodworker bud did all, and continues to do all the precision work above my pay grade, which is everything else. He has some amazing woodworking equipment and makes everything look effortless, although I know better. Note: we made sure the fitment was not so tight as to make the ship groan with the waves or walking on the sole!

Note: Some Bilge covers not shown in above photo.

 

[GrandpaSteve]

Trivia - if you have the new screws, flat head, set flush with the surface or a gnat's eye lash below, consider using square-drive bronze. Someday you may be out sailing hard with the chute up or racing, and it's nice not have the possibility of snagging a bit of $$ spinnaker panel on the points on a phillips screw head when the boat is heeled over hard driving to weather and you are on the low side settee repacking it. That slippery cloth can get under a shoe sole pretty easily when the boat motion is 'frisky'.....

Square drive stainless seem readily available as well.

 

[Loren Beach]

Square drive stainless seem readily available as well.

True. If you use bronze and pattern them only in the teak strips, they become almost invisible to a casual glance. I prefer the subtlety of the dull bronze color to the shiny SS look.
Subjective, certainly.

 

[GrandpaSteve]

True. If you use bronze and pattern them only in the teak strips, they become almost invisible to a casual glance. I prefer the subtlety of the dull bronze color to the shiny SS look.
Subjective, certainly.

I will do this job when I retire, so I have a few years to contemplate the options.

 

[1911tex]

Here is the first 3/4" sole plank install...the ladder footing is next, then removing the old rot sole by the shoe (already made the templates and cut the planks). Looks like the stern most bilge cover is crooked...it's not, just the photo. Once ladder is set...it will be a breeze moving in and out. Very tedious work. The original sole, new...I don't think ever looked and fit as good. Walking on it is like walking on a concrete sidewalk. Solid. The trim pieces of course will be last. Still deciding on the top coating.

 

[Kenneth K]

Damn....that's a beauty....

 

[JSM]

When I installed my new sole I used square drive bronze screws. When the install was complete I realized I didn'tlike the look and ended up counter sinking them and putting teak plugs in. For the trim pieces I used the bronze screws with brass cup washers.
One thing I discovered with the bronze screws is that they break easily if over torqued.

 

[Cory B]

Here is the first 3/4" sole plank install..

Awesome job! Keep posting pics!

This is on my to-do-list someday. We suffer from "soft sole" next to the nav table because there was no factory cut drainage on our boat in that section of the TAFG. Water had accumulated in there unbeknownst to us and rotted out the plywood from the underside.

 

[Dave G.]

It's like a new boat !!

 

[1911tex]

I wish...

It's like a new boat !!

Another year or two it will be just another of many restorations that still has long, long way to go to make its Captain a happy camper. There are many, many on this forum that have far surpassed me in their updates and restorations, which I could never, ever pretend to compete and keep up. And like my Admiral says "keeps him busy and out of trouble...at least most trouble"!

I really most admire members who have had their sailboats since new, or almost new, or for many years and through those years made tremendous efforts keeping their ships in first class shape as part of their family (and keeping us informed). And those that have many adventures under their keels and continue via YouTube and posts on this forum keeping us excited. Now that's how I got started on this journey...and we all really admire and respect those folks!

 

[1911tex]

Little by little....a "step" at a time....this weeks progress. Next week moving forward >>>

 

[1911tex]

O/P continues: 3/4" Sole only 30% completed...Step footing in, partial trim only, forward bilge door finger hook, now finally working forward. Son beginning to refinish cabinetry...needs it bad:

 

[Filkee]

This may be on another thread but does anyone have safety tips for drilling the screw holes in the TAFG? Do they need to be tapered or threaded or stuffed with 5200? What’s current best practice?