Project coming along slowly but surely. Fiberglass man had to lay off ALL his workers due to the dismal economy and is finishing up mine and one other boat before having to move out of his facility. He is old school and OCD when it comes to sanding, fairing, and finishing and has told me three different times that the paint process would begin by the end of the week. I feel bad for his situation, but feel that I will benefit greatly from him doing most of the work instead of others that don't have to put their name on it.

That sucks Bradford, aren't you using Adams here in Richmond Hill? At least it's in competent hands.

Little progress has been made. I am swamped with work and working during the weekends to get caught up. I had a couple of hours to spare today so I worked on the pop-up cleat area.

The boat originally had a 6" cleat that connected to the bow eye via a threaded rod. The cleat was a toe stumper for sure and caught the cast net up a lot.

I cut the top cap around the cleat and removed a little bit of rotten wood. I put a nut on the threaded rod and screwed it below the deck. I then took two washers and cut a slot in each of them to make a c shape. I put them above the nut below deck and installed another nut above deck. Tightened the nut below deck to secure everything as one. I bed the top nut in epoxy glue making it part of the deck.

I did some glassing a fairing of the area today.

Bradford...keep the patience up...easy for me to say, but sounds like you got the right guy on it and it'll payoff in the work you get back...

Curapa, thanks for the tip on tape pulling...sounds like a small item, but imagine not knowing, waiting til dry and then effin' up a paint job...you do good work...like the cleat install...:clap:

I got the white Kiwi in today so I did the hatches for the top side. Around the top cap will be white, then cream on the deck.

Man...yer good...:clap:...I like to texture of the Kiwi Grip...enough to be effective, bit not too aggressive to be uncomfortable...looks like bare feet in the summer will be OK...

Thanks Reel, the product just makes me look good. Definitely bare foot friendly.

I am close to painting the topside now, just some fairing in the splashwell area left. I can't wait! I wanted to be done with this by the end of Sept. to use it for this prime fishing time. Oh well, looks like early Nov. instead.

Curapa I have a few questions. What O.D. emt did you use? did you get the pre bent 90 degree elbows? is that a plumbing fitting you used for the mounts on the console? appreciate the info!

I got the first coat of paint on today. I did not spray where the non-skid will go on the topside because I felt it was a waste. I will be spraying the deck white but I did not have enough daylight for that today.

Here are some pics of what I have been up to.

Got the glass going on the top tonight.