Installing deck hardware is a great couples job for a Friday after work. Jon had already made the UHMW polyethylene* plates for each piece, over drilled the bolt holes through deck and plates, filled them with epoxy, let them dry, then re-drilled to the right size. I arrived after work and we bedded each piece in adhesive-sealant (5200), then I secured the heads of the bolts while he threaded the nuts from below. Then we cleaned up the bedding compound with acetone (reminding me incongruously of manicures and nail polish remover). It took three hours from my arrival at the boat, so I’m guessing that the total installation time of these two winches and the windlass must add up to over 20 hours! Jon just says “it took a while”.
Most of the winches are back on, about 2/3 of the stanchions are installed, but we still have some more cleats, chain strike plates, and miscellaneous things to install. And faring and painting the hull, bottom painting, re-installing the day tank… I don’t think we will make our haul out on July 1, but sailors are the most optimistic of folk! 
And our other work? After we are done installing deck hardware, then the forepeak ceiling, shelves etc can be reassembled. The day tank reinstall is essential as we will need to motor. We could wait to put the chains back on board, but it seems safer to put those in – just in case we anchor in town before heading to our slip on the Canadian border. The cockpit cushions are underway – another weekend or two to finish. The deck painting and non-skid is planned for after we’re back in the water. The rudder extension is welded on but needs faring; the new feathering propeller has arrived but needs installing. Painting the bottom is just a day or so, but the hull painting will be at least two days plus time for the striping. The list goes on and on…
*Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene is a generic tern for a hard plastic. HDPE or High Density Polyethylene is similar, not as dense, and less expensive, but similar in performance. StarBoard is a brand name for HDPE. Here is what they say about HDPE, and is also true of UHMW polyethylene:
StarBoard® is the original marine-grade polymer and the industry standard. In marine and other outdoor environments StarBoard® has the ability to withstand the effects of salt water, moisture, and direct sunlight without rotting, swelling, splintering, de-laminating or discoloring like teak and other solid woods.
