Installing More Tri-cell Edging

Every cut edge of the Tri-cell panels used in the interior construction have to receive a wood or filled-epoxy edge treatment. All the openings that are visible in the finished interior, or that will be fitted with doors or drawers, are trimmed in teak, as shown in the previous post. The photo below shows the teak casing that is used to trim the top edges of the Tri-cell panels in the V-berth. These are visible when the bed is lifted for access to the compartments below.

There are also exposed top edges in the vertical panels that make up the dinette. The newly installed teak edging can be seen in the photo below.

This is the small hanging locker forward of the dinette, also showing the teak edge casing we've just installed. The two horizontal sticks of wood shown in the opening are actually wedges pushed into place to hold the casing firmly while the epoxy sets.

In this view looking into the compartments below the V-berth, you can see we have cut three new openings in the forward most bulkhead to allow easy access to this storage space. The edges of these two triangular openings and the one central rectangular one, are filled with epoxy, rather than teak, as all this area will get painted. Just aft of this bulkhead with the openings, you can see two shelves, port and starboard, to improve the organization of this storage area.

Trimming Tri-cell Edges

This first photo shows the complete table pedestal assembly mentioned in the previous post. The 6-inch PVC leg will be covered with wood veneer to match the rest of the cabinetry. You can see the access openings through the ring frames at the base. There are two pieces of steel angle on either side of the pedestal tube, drilled for a 1/2-inch through bolt that goes right through the tube and locks the table in place, yet is easily removable when the table is not needed.

This photo looking into the galley shows how we are fitting solid teak filler blocks into all the openings cut into the Tri-cell panels. The core is routed out and the teak block goes a half inch into the edge.

In the galley you can see the tall opening to the left side of the central cabinet that will house a bank of 4 drawers. The microwave fits on the shelf just to the right of these drawers.

This tall opening is also for drawers, and will house five small ones when finished.

Assembly of Components and Priming for Painting

The V-berth is built and has been primed for painting.

Here is the galley area, with a view at the bottom of the cabinets showing the toe-kick area under the cabinet faces. The opening to the right is the refrigerator cabinet with guide rails installed that will insure a snug fit.

This view of the dinette seating area shows the ring frames upon which the foot rest ledge will be built. The ring frames create openings in each side of this landing to allow access to the table pedestal mounting bolts. The hole in the sole between these two ring frames is the receiver for the pedestal, which is made of 6-inch PVC pipe laminated over with veneer.

This view of the foot ledge with the face installed shows the toe kick space beneath on the inboard side.

The small cabinet here with primer inside is located behind the toilet.

This is the vanity cabinet assembled, showing the blocks routed into the outside face to receive the door hinges.

Cabinet Components

Below are the parts that make up the cabinetry in the head compartment. To the right is the cabinet that goes behind the toilet. The unit in the foreground and the tall unit behind it are the two parts of the vanity cabinet, where the sink will be installed. The smaller low piece in the back ground is the riser that fits beneath the vanity to provide a toe-kick space.

This view of the forward part of the dinette shows the cut-out in the seat back to port, where the edge of the table leaf fits in under the seat cushion when not in use. Beyond the dinette, you can see the aft face of the V-berth. The large cut-out in this panel will be fitted with drawers (removable for access to the bow thruster motor through the access panel below).

In this view of the storage space below the V-berth, you can see a perpendicular wooden bracket mounted on the forward side of the bulkhead separating the drawer space from the below bunks storage lockers. This bracket is the mounting location for an electric rack & pinion lift that raises the bed to allow access to this storage space.

Beginning the Interior Fit-Out

This is a view from the outboard side of the galley. You can see that the epoxy fillings at the edges of the bulkheads and shelves where they meet the hull interior have been sanded flush with these surfaces. The solid wood pieces loose on the shelves here are juniper blocks that will be installed at the top of the cubbyhole openings to take the hinges for the doors.

Below is the teak frame for the shower door opening.

This frame will finish out the opening and a shower curtain will be hung from the inside.

In the V-berth area we are installing plywood blocks to take the drawer slides.

These drawers will be fitted in the aft end under the V-berth for convenient storage. Beneath these drawers is access to the bow thruster motor.

In the forward end of the V-berth there is more storage beneath, accessed through lift-out ports. The clamps below are holding the rims upon which these lift out ports rest.

From the Hull Back to the Shop for Finishing

The fitting of the interior to the hull it is being built for has been completed and the interior assembly is now back in our shop for the trim and finish work. To give the reader a better idea of how we temporary fit and then remove the interior, the following photographs were taken while the assembly was in place in the hull.

This first photo is an exterior view of the hull itself.

Here you can see the interior and where the main cabin bulkhead will be from the perspective of what will be the cockpit.

Looking past the bulkhead into the port side of the interior, we have a view of the dinette beneath the rough outline of the portlights in the coachroof, which has also been temporarily fitted.

Here is the galley counter and cabinets, in the starboard section of the interior across from the dinette.

The head and shower compartment, along with the electrical trunk can be seen in the aft end of the starboard side, looking through from outside of where will later be the main bulkhead.

Here is a view of the V-berth and the compartments beneath it, as it will be fitted in the forward section of the cabin.

With adjustments made and our thickened epoxy mating surfaces intact that match up exactly to the hullsides, we can now return to the shop with confidence that the finished interior will drop right into the hull when it is time for the final installation.

Below is a view of the assembly as it arrived back at the shop. This wide load of a roughly boat-shaped object with no sides and bottom must have surely turned some heads on I-95, but the main thing is that we got it back in one piece despite losing a tire on the trailer right before arrival.

Here is another view of the interior assembly as we prepare to back it into the shop. If you click on the photo to view the large version, you can see the epoxy mating surfaces along the edges of the bulkheads and shelves.

Here the interior is being lowered back to the platform in the rear of the shop where it will stay until the final finish work is done. Lots of details will follow soon as we begin the process of installing veneers and trim.