When I bought my “starter boat,” a 1978 Hunter 25, I knew there’d be lots of fun and enjoyment with just having access to a sailboat and the water. I also knew there’d be some work involved in making it more enjoyable with regards to spending some weekends on the water. The prior owner had neglected her for the past several years and that neglect led to water leaks and the subsequent deterioration of the interior carpets and wood.
As I mentioned, this is my starter boat…one that I’ll use for a few years until I retire and then I’ll sell her and upgrade to a larger boat more suited to my desire for full-time cruising and voyaging.
I’m really a do-it-yourself kind of guy, so spending some time and elbow grease is something I don’t mind at all. I like projects. My project today was to remove the old, moldy, smelly carpet that lines the interior hull walls of the v-berth. It actually went pretty well. I donned my gloves and goggles and went to work. The carpet and most of the padding underneath came off fairly easily. Once I got closer to the front of the boat, I discovered what I believe to be the most significant source of the old, moldy smell. The wooden wall shelves were rotted and falling apart. From what I can tell, the water is coming from the anchor locker, so that’ll be added to my list of to-do’s.
Here’s a couple of photos of the before and after, and then a quick video documentation.
V-berth before demo
V-berth after demo
Rotted wood near anchor locker
Here’s a quick video: