Roof Cleat work, Dorade Boxes and Gallows Pole

Roof Cleats and Dorade Boxes

I finished epoxying all the roof cleats and have started to use a block plane to get the angles correct to install the roof. I don't have any pictures to show, but I am about 1/2 of the way done. I have been using a hand plane and it is taking some time to do. I plan on using a sander to do the final shaping. 

Below is where I was glueing the blocking to the inside of the Dorade boxes. This will provide something to attach the mooring cleats to at the end of the build. I still need to get a hole saw to cut the hole through bulkhead 2. 

 

Dorade Box Mooring Cleat blocking

In between working on other tasks, I applied 3 coats of epoxy to the underside of the roof. I am thinking if I want this natural or whether to paint it. I still have a little time to decide.

Gallows Pole

I have been thinking a lot about the pole installation for the boom gallows. I purchased the hardware kit from CLC and was concerned about the poles lining up to the flanges that are installed inside the lockers on the seat backs. I figured it would easier to do any work in the locker without the seat backs installed. In my case I was right.  I made a temporary boom out of a 2X4 using the pattern provided.
I then held it up and determined where I should drill the holes for the poles on the blocking I installed.  Per the manual you need to cut off one edge of the flange (see below), so that it will fit properly in the locker.  To do this I tried a cutoff tool on my Dremel tool, but that didn't work very good. I decided to use a hack saw, which was a lot of work, but I got the job done. To hold them I bolted the flanges to a scrap piece of wood, so I had something to clamp down.

Flange bolted to scrap wood. 

End result with edge of flange cut off. 

 I next installed the boom with poles through the new holes that I had drilled in the seat back. Unfortunately, even with the edge cut off of the flange, they did not line up properly. They were not straight vertical. I then decided to cut a small piece of blocking to raise the flange and that did the trick. I then had to sand through the finished painting I had done and then I epoxied the blocks in place. I have already applied multiple coats of epoxy and 2 coats of primer as well as applied epoxy to the inside of the hole I drilled. Once I epoxy the seat back tops, I will just drill a hole from underneath and use a route to expand the 1" hole in the top.

Doing a test fit of the gallows. 

Blocking to raise the flange.  

Hole drilled and flange painted. 

 I will put a couple coats of Brightside top coat on the blocking and then I should be ready to install the seat backs.