New oak hatchboards with an inlaid trivit

[copcardrvr]

I made new hatchboards for my last sailboat 6 years ago from white oak. I gave them 3 coats of Sikkens and 3 coats of gloss and even though the new owner hasn't touched them in that time, they still look great. When I started my CP-19 restoration project, the boat only had a one-piece plywood hatchboard that was delaminating and peeling so I made new ones out of white oak boards I got at Menard's (my go to store for everything boat related) Do not, I repeat, do not use red oak (see this link for why not)

http://youtu.be/L6t2AZubF8U

After measuring and cutting, I wanted to add something to dress them up a bit. I found an old brass trivit (a thing you set hot pots and pans on so they won't scorch your counter top) It was a butterfly enclosed in a circle with 3 rubber feet on the bottom. I took a hack saw and cut off the feet and the circle. I laid it on the oak board, traced the outlines and then used a Dremel with a router base attachment to inlay the trivit so it was flush with the wood. A few coats of Sikkens and I think it adds a nice touch to the cockpit. I also routed the boat's name beside the trivit. I just selected a font I liked, supersized it, printed it, cut it out with scissors and traced it on the board. I then routed it freehand with the Dremel (very easy to do since the router bit is so small it doesn't have the torque to get away from you. The companionway will have 3 boards, but I haven't finished the top one yet. I made some name plates too but I haven't decided where to mount them yet. Maybe on the side of the doghouse between the ports?

You can see pix of them here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/lby3uzsvki0k9ju/AABUr1LRC2RTWgRRfzACLaEla

[tmorgan]

Very nice job and a neat idea!

[deisher6]

Hey Copcardrvr:
Great reference on white vs red oak.  Nice work too.

I am making a dresser for a daughter and have used them interchangeably and even in gluing up wider boards like for the top.  I do not think that it will effect the durability of the dresser, but I will not do it again.

Get that boat in the water soon.

regards charlie

[copcardrvr]

I'm paddling as fast as I can Charlie, but having CRS Syndrome (can't remember s##t) doesn't help. Yesterday I laid the new rub rail in the sun to soften it up for installation. I took one of the stainless corner fittings with me to see what angle I needed to cut the end of the rubrail and then set it on the table in the yard. When I was finally ready to install it, I spent a solid hour looking for that fitting in the garage and even had my wife help me look for it. She says she's married to an idiot.