April 2, 2023 - Sunday

Still getting used to having a properly functioning stove.  It is a welcome adjustment though!

My first project today is to mix epoxy to fill the holes in my deck - the ones I drilled as well as the original holes.  Eight in total.  I masked them off yesterday to protect the work area.  I also taped them off in the cabin so they won't drip inside.  After putting on water for coffee, I put the epoxy in the fridge to cool, then made breakfast.

The only epoxy catalyst I could find here was the fast cure type.  Fast cure wasn't the best option for this project.  It sets up faster and can get pretty hot in thick applications.   To offset this and have more working time, I cooled the materials before mixing them.  I also added some thickener so it wouldn't be too runny. 

I mixed the materials, then went up on deck to fill the holes.  I used a large syringe to inject the epoxy into the holes.  After filling them, I went below to check for leaks.   Everything looked good,  so I returned to the deck and topped off the holes.  Once it started to set up, I peeled off the masking tape on deck.  So far so good! 

Next up:  Backing plates.  I needed two backing plates for the bolts to spread the load on the cabin ceiling.   I bought some 1/4" aluminum flat stock for this purpose.   I cut two pieces from my 3" wide stock.  I trimmed the corners and drilled the necessary holed.  A little filing and sanding and they were ready.  Stainless steel would be better, but I chose aluminum since I can work that material with the tools I have here.  They may not be pretty, but they are functional.

Later in the day I removed the inside tape below the holes.   The epoxy was set up and everything looked good.   I'll wait a day or two for it to finish curing before drilling out the holes.

I also finished cleaning, sorting and repackaging the aft port storage area.  I was able to get rid of some items to save weight and free up some room.