Grab handles and toast rack...

In order to fit the Treadmaster we have to remove all the deck fittings, especially the grab handles and toast racks. So this morning before work I went down to the boat to start that. Before I arrived Tim had been there removing more anti-fouling. If all goes to plan he will remove the last of it on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

So... to remove the grab handles and toast racks on the foredeck you have to remove all the ceiling panels. That is an art in itself. In the for'ard heads you could not get at the nuts because there is a medicine cabinet there. So that had to come off. I don't think I had ever felt such a heavy and sturdy medicine cabinet anywhere.

Some of the nuts were difficult to shift but eventually all came off. In taking off the ceiling panels I saw that where the front vent comes through the deck from the dorade the previous owner had not sealed the deck panels so the balsa wood sandwich was exposed. That's another task for later - seal the balsa to stop damp penetration.

Having removed all the bolts I then set to to remove the grab handles and toast rack. Toast rack? These are the upright stainless steel rails around the masts that look like toast racks but are there to lean against when you adjust the sails. The toast racks were well and truly fixed solidly. I couldn't even move them 1 millimetre! The grab handles I chipped out the glue/Treadmaster under each bolt with a screw driver and then used it to lever them up. All except one. I exerted myself on that, twisted my back slightly and bent the extremely strong screw driver!

After work in the evening I came back with Tim. With his strength he moved the grab handle and with a heavy piece of wood dislodged and removed the toast racks. Well we know one thing now - when they are fixed in place they are good and solid to grab or lean against!