In the previous work session, I had tabbed the backstay knees to the hull and backing plate - which completed this portion of the boat's structure - and so now it was time to install the deck padeye, connecting the backstay turnbuckle to the mast. I drilled and tapped for 1/2" - 13 stainless steel machine screws, cleaned out the freshly tapped holes, and then prepped the padeye itself. The more critical portion of the padeye was the underside - having been previously bedded, the padeye was in need of a clean underside in order to accept new bedding compound - in this application I used Sitka Flex 291 LOT. I used 80-grit paper on a palm sander and made quick work of the bottom surface of the padeye. After the padeye was prepped, I buttered the underside of it and placed it into position. Next, I inserted the machine screws with a liberal amount of bedding compound near the head of the screw. I placed the washers and nuts on from below, within the lazarette, applied a bit of LocTite (blue), and with a socket wrench secured the bolts.
The backstay chainplate and padeye installed, it was time to move to the sidestays and shrouds. The same method was replicated for the three deck padeyes to starboard and three to port. The exception was that the washer and bolts would be installed 24 hours later, as the polyurethane cured the machine screw in situ. I made my way around the boat installing the six padeyes and machine screws, leaving the polyurethane squeeze-out in place and to be removed later.
With the padeyes as far as I could take them, I turned to the installation of the through-hull fitting at the base of the mast. The purpose of a through-hull installation in this location is to accept the mast wires, through a section of hose, passing into the head below. The through-hull allowed passage through the deck and now needed to be drilled out with a hole saw. In the previous work session, I had over-drilled and epoxied in a solid puck of fiberglass, serving to protect the surrounding balsa core. I acquired a hole saw with a diameter just proud of the 1.5" diameter of the through-hull itself and completed the cut. The hole was cut and surfaces cleaned up; however, the thickness of the deck rendered the chosen through-hull inadequate. I mused a few solutions, but in the end decided to procure an alternate that was of the appropriate dimensions. Installation to come later.
The last of the work today was to install a "rib" so that the forward ends of the starboard ceiling could be secured to the hull upon reinstallation. I sized a length of material on hand, prepared some thickened epoxy, and glued the "rib" into position. That would wrap up the day's work.

Total Hrs: 4.5