Coreless Cabin Bits

[Ethanknox]

After a series of events that have landed me and my ‘69 35-1in a slip outside Deltaville VA for the winter, I’ve decided to dive in on a long overdue internal refit (well, decided in the way you “decide” to put a cast on a broken arm). As I’m moving all my stuff over to my friend’s boat a few slips over (where I’ll live during the process), I’m starting to investigate what I’m working with in the cabin top.
The previous owner had a vinyl headliner installed that has not aged well; there is also painted ply under the side decks that has seen some major water damage. All this is coming out, but I’m wondering what exactly I’m working with under there? For example, cutouts in the front of the cockpit look like a thick layer of glass, a thin layer of ply, and then the foam headliner backing. I know this is probably a ridiculous question, but, is this the construction for all the verticals in the cabin? I have cores in the top of the deck and the side decks, right? I guess I’ll find out either way, but I’m trying to plan as much as possible while I wait to get moved out next week, the more I can anticipate the better.

 

[Christian Williams]

Bryan Reed took on this monster job.

Fairing, sanding, and painting the deckhead

A brief pause while you retrieve your jaw from the floor or keyboard... In the midst of a major refit of running gear, I started removing the headliner on Rumour. Abhorred by a million and one rusted staples, a series of complex folds, and a lot of mold, I started thinking there's gotta be a...

ericsonyachts.org

Martin King as I recall revised handsomely his headliner. He may be able to direct you to photographs, if that applies.

https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/interior-rehab.4500/\

There are more such projects if somebody can locate them.

 

[David Vaughn]

On our E31 Independence, a previous owner used beadboard panels about six inches wide to replace the vinyl headliner. They glassed 3/4” plywood strips from side to side and screwed the beadboard to those. In the v berth they added insulation in between the gaps.
Looks like this:

 

[peaman]

but I’m wondering what exactly I’m working with under there? For example, cutouts in the front of the cockpit look like a thick layer of glass, a thin layer of ply, and then the foam headliner backing. I know this is probably a ridiculous question, but, is this the construction for all the verticals in the cabin? I have cores in the top of the deck and the side decks, right?

Most of our boats have a number of different assemblies, depending on the specific needs. Deck areas are typically fiberglass sandwiching a balsa core. Where greater strength is needed at any fitting like stanchions or tee-tracks, plywood is used in place of the balsa. The hull is solid fiberglass. Interior bulkheads are commonly plywood with veneer.

For every penetration through a sandwich assembly, whether plywood or balsa core the hole should be over-drilled and filled with epoxy before making the final penetration. That way, if water should find its way into the hole, the epoxy will prevent the water from reaching the core, where it could cause damage.

 

[Ethanknox]

Bryan Reed took on this monster job.

Fairing, sanding, and painting the deckhead

A brief pause while you retrieve your jaw from the floor or keyboard... In the midst of a major refit of running gear, I started removing the headliner on Rumour. Abhorred by a million and one rusted staples, a series of complex folds, and a lot of mold, I started thinking there's gotta be a...

ericsonyachts.org

Martin King as I recall revised handsomely his headliner. He may be able to direct you to photographs, if that applies.

https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/interior-rehab.4500/\

There are more such projects if somebody can locate them.

This is super informative, thank you, I'll dig through it in depth.