Instrument Box... Gunk

[AJ]

This past weekend I was working on cleaning everything out of the old engine room to prepare for the new inboard and decided I'd take a look at the condition of the instrument box in the forward end of the cockpit. The instrument recess had been covered with a white painted board screwed into place. From the electrical box access I could tell the old A4 gauge cutouts had been patched over, but I wasn't expecting to find this mess:



The entire inside was coated in sloppily thrown on glossy brown crud. I'm assuming this is some sort of epoxy over fiberglass mat. I tried to see if it might peel off by reopening the cutouts but the stuff is stuck on there well. Are there any options for getting rid of this terrible patch job other than sanding? Any types of solvent to loosen things up? And if I have to sand it off, what mini-sanders do people recommend to get into spaces like this? (The box is about 5.5" tall and 18.5" long.) And sandpaper of which grit would be best suited for the task?

AJ

[Jason K]

Looks like epoxy thickened with fairing compound to me. At least it isn't colloidal silica. It should sand easily (if it is what it looks like). Also, it looses the gloss and the deep color when it is sanded, so that should make it a little more palatable. Then just paint it white and call it a day. I assume you're going to recover it with a new instrument panel?

[Rachel]

Geez, who would have thought THAT would be behind an innocent little white-painted board.... Ish.

It's going to be a relief when you post the "after" photos on that one. Hopefully it won't go too badly, once you get started.

[Tim]

You're going to want 40 grit or coarser to start cleaning that up. Once you get it smooth, you can start switching to finer papers to finish it up. Don't fool around with wimpy paper for a job like this. Get in there with the hardcore stuff and get it done.

If you have air power, a small right angle grinder-type tool might help get into the tight spaces, or one of those rotary sanders that takes 1" discs. If you have a 5" DA, you can get that in there too for the bulk sanding, and use a finer tool for the corners.

You'll probably have to do some hand work in the corners. Choose coarse paper in small bits to grip with your fingers, and go for it. It sounds bad, but it's not as bad as you think.

Alternatively, you could install a flat panel right over the bottom of that opening to cover all the mess, and install your instruments on that.

Good luck!

[AJ]

Looks like epoxy thickened with fairing compound to me. At least it isn't colloidal silica. It should sand easily (if it is what it looks like). Also, it looses the gloss and the deep color when it is sanded, so that should make it a little more palatable. Then just paint it white and call it a day.

Thanks, Jason. Sanding it is then. I'll hope for it going easily as well!

I assume you're going to recover it with a new instrument panel?

I was hoping to have the mostly white background of the box intact. The instrument panel (AB model) for the Beta Marine diesel is 5.5" high (so it will fill the full height of the back wall of the box), but is only 7" long. The rectangular gauge cutout you see in the center of the photo is 7.5" long so I'm going to have to figure out something to properly fill in that cutout around the edges since the BM instrument panel won't fully cover it. I have all the instruments that used to fit in the box and I'm going to reinstall the instrument that goes in the circular cutout on the right and the triangular instument on the left side for decoration.

Geez, who would have thought THAT would be behind an innocent little white-painted board.... Ish.

It certainly wasn't the happiest discovery of the project! ;-) The center of the white board was cutout in order to mount a Rule Aquamenter compass. I still have to figure out where to reinstall that on the boat. I suppose the side of the companionway is the most common place, although, for some reason I can't put my finger on, I'm really reluctant to idea of cutting a hole there. Maybe it's just the idea of cutting a hole in my boat at all.

You're going to want 40 grit or coarser to start cleaning that up. Once you get it smooth, you can start switching to finer papers to finish it up. Don't fool around with wimpy paper for a job like this. Get in there with the hardcore stuff and get it done.

If you have air power, a small right angle grinder-type tool might help get into the tight spaces, or one of those rotary sanders that takes 1" discs. If you have a 5" DA, you can get that in there too for the bulk sanding, and use a finer tool for the corners.

You'll probably have to do some hand work in the corners. Choose coarse paper in small bits to grip with your fingers, and go for it. It sounds bad, but it's not as bad as you think.

Thanks for the tips and encouragement, Tim. I'm sure to an old hand such as yourself this must seem a very minor thing to do!

Alternatively, you could install a flat panel right over the bottom of that opening to cover all the mess, and install your instruments on that.

That's definitely an idea to consider.

AJ

[Rachel]

I still have to figure out where to reinstall [the compass] on the boat. I suppose the side of the companionway is the most common place, although, for some reason I can't put my finger on, I'm really reluctant to idea of cutting a hole there. Maybe it's just the idea of cutting a hole in my boat at all.

Well there is the hole-cutting thing; but also there is the fact that the companionway bulkhead can often be really nice to lean back against when sailing along or relaxing at anchor. You've got to plan for that :-)

--- R.

[Jason K]

I have some HDPE (basically generic starboard) left over. I always thought it would make a good mount for an instrument panel and gauges. It routes and cuts fairly easily and it has a nice surface. You could mount the gauges and panel in the HDPE and that would make it easy to connect everything as you could run the wires and cables through the existing holes. Then just secure the HDPE instrument panel in the recess and add teak or mahogany trim.

If you want me to send you some, let me know.

[Duncan]

...a Rule Aquamenter compass. I still have to figure out where to reinstall that on the boat. I suppose the side of the companionway is the most common place, although, for some reason I can't put my finger on, I'm really reluctant to idea of cutting a hole there. Maybe it's just the idea of cutting a hole in my boat at all.

Looks like the previous owner of the Alberg 30 in the classifieds had the same sort of issue:




I suspect it's always going to be in the way, and it's never going to be in the right place - that's what wheel steering is for, right?

Mine are:
1) removeable on a bracket, aft side of the bridgedeck - highly visible and also just great for stepping on and snagging lines
2) in the centre of the lowermost companionway washboard - again perfect for steering, and kind of a pain otherwise.

I think that's why they usually end up on the bulkhead - it's not an ideal spot, but it's better than the rest?

[Rachel]

I think that's actually the "factory" location for the compass on an Alberg 30. I remember seeing it in Yves Gelinas' film about sailing his A-30 around the world (great film, btw).

--- R.

[Duncan]

I think that's actually the "factory" location for the compass on an Alberg 30.

I stand corrected, thanks!



It's not a bad idea at all, got me thinking about a disappearing lid (slider) made of teak...