Watch As We Conquer The 863 Stages Of Crafting Our Cockpit Stairs! (MJ Sailing - Ep 326)

Working with foam and fiberglass has so many more steps than plywood and screws. Because of resins and cure times, our new cockpit steps have received 2-3 hours of attention each day for the past week.

When we first ordered our 3D module kit from Max Cruise, it came with ALL the foam we would need to build out the interior, including a few very large sheets of foam cored fiberglass to cut into whatever sizes we needed. Those we use to store next to the tent and cut down here and there as we make smaller bulkheads and pieces for furniture.

The reason I mention this is we should have had enough foam for all of our projects, yet somewhere along the way, that pile of spare foam kept growing smaller, and not all of it was being used by us. We had no idea where some of that extra foam walked off to, but we weren't left with enough for ourselves, and for projects like building our cockpit steps and doors.

Now that we have ourselves set up with a large (flat and level) 4x8 table in the tent though, we've been able to start making our own pieces for these projects. Which means we can finally move forward with the cockpit steps!!

Follow along with Matt as he goes through the arduous task of turning our plywood mockup steps into the real thing. First is making the new foam sheets to act as side bulkheads, and then measuring and cutting the steps themselves. Applying them one level at a time to keep everything level, he is then able to attach the side bulkhead (which will be one side of a cockpit locker).

Before they can go into place, the backside is glassed together, and after sitting overnight, the front can be done. Then as one solid structure, the entire piece gets bonded into the cockpit and then glassed in.

We knew this would be a long task...something that has gotten a few hours of attention each day, and will continue to do so through blending it in to the surrounding areas. But it gets us one steps further in the remaining glass work for this build!

In this episode, Matt also gives updates on our new freezer installed under the settee, and we see what Jessica has been working on and why it hasn't deserved much camera time.

We hope you enjoy!

P.S. If you have spring projects on your own boat and would like 5% off your purchase of Total Boat products, make sure to use our link here!

https://www.totalboat.com/MJSailing

Much love,
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

Link to our boat: https://maxcruisemarine.com/


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910 Kentmorr Road
Stevensville, MD 21666

Thank you!, Matt & Jessica

Videos made by Jessica, featuring Matt and Georgie.

00:00 - Transferring our plywood form, to foam core
03:08 - Shaping it one step at a time. Literally.
07:08 - Glassing the structure's back side
08:00 - We added expanding foam to our freezer
12:35 - Extra strength! Glassing the front of the steps
15:30 - What has Jessica been working on?
17:42 - Our cockpit steps get bonded in place!!
19:52 - Closing

Music:
Broken Clouds - Tellsonic
Lets Give a Damn - OTE
Middle of Time - Sebastian Winskog
Ruins - Origo
The River's Gonna Cry When You're Gone - Loving Caliber
Pandemonium (Tribute Version) - The Mondays

Camera equipment used:
- Google Pixel 7
- GoPro Hero 8
- DJI Osmo Action 4

Previous Boats: 1983 Trisalu 37 - custom aluminum, built in Quebec (Elements of Life) Where we've been: 2.5 year refit in Indiantown,
Florida; Abacos, Bahamas; St. Barth's; St. Maarten; Antigua; Saba; Azores; Ireland; Scotland; Norway; England 1989
Sabre 34 Targa (Serendipity)
Where We Sailed Her: U.S. - Bahamas - Jamaica - Cuba - Cayman Islands - Honduras - Guatemala - Belize - Mexico - Bermuda - Azores - Madeira - Canary Islands - Sint Maarten - BVI's - USVI's

Editing software: Adobe Premier Pro
Website: http://www.mjsailing.com

Facebook: / mattandjessicasailing

Instagram: / mattandjessicasailing

& / mj_wayfaring