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E38 Cabin Sole

Allen rooke

New Member
Hi everyone
can anyone tell me if the cabin sole on a 1988 or 1989 E38 is glued or just screwed down or, it would depend on who was doing that job on a given day at the factory?
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
My sole is held down by plugged battens around the edge, under which the sole panels are also screwed into the TAFG.

My guess is that if there are also plugged screws in the central area of the sole, glue wasn't used.

The sole of some 32-3s was glued down, but it is much thinner plywood and there were few if any screws at all.

Even so, the big stainless screws in my E38 sole, all of them plugged, make it very hard to get up. The screws in TAFG tend to break off. Ericson made "permanent" soles. Thirty years later they are all a project.
 
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doubleVision

Junior Member
No glue on my 1987 38-200

I replaced my cabin sole in 2011 - it was held in place only by screws (lot's of 'em! :esad:). When we bought the boat in 2004, the original sole had some soft spots around the mast, which continued to worsen even though it never got wet on my watch. The old plywood delaminated until it resembled baklava. I'd planned to use the old sections as templates but that proved infeasible. Because it was not possible to exactly match the pattern in the teak/holly veneer, we replaced the entire sole. It was a big project - about 300 hours, half I did myself and half by a skilled marine carpenter, the late Bob Haynes.
Here are a few photos from the project, before and after. I have loads more and would be happy to provide any more info I can remember.
 

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doubleVision

Junior Member
Cabin sole finish

Hi Herbert,
I looked back through my old records and found that I used Interlux's Goldspar Satin Varnish (https://interlux.com/en/us/boat-paint/varnish/goldspar-satin), which is a polyurethane interior varnish. I put down 2 coats, intending to do a third, which I never got around to (still on my todo list though). Even with just 2 coats, it has held up well for the last 8 years.

Also, we coated the underside and edges of all the new sections with epoxy to keep the plywood from ever getting wet. I remember well doing the finish - light sanding between coats, I started at the aft cabin with the companionway ladder removed and, keeping a wet edge all the way from aft to forward, finished up at the foot of the v-berth and climbed out through the forward hatch to let it dry.

Dave
 
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Leslie Newman

Guest
I replaced the sole in our previous boat, a CAL 33-2. For the finish, after first sealing the plywood bottom, top and edges with Smiths penetrating epoxy sealer (http://www.smithandcompany.org/) I used Jamestown Distributors TotalBoat GLEAM varnish (chose satin finish). Was really easy to use varnish. Fast drying and you can put on four coats in a day. I did a total of 8 coats. I was very happy with the results.

SoleComplete4.jpg
 
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Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Agree, a fast-dry varnish is a boon for the first six coats or so, after CPES to seal the new teak and holly ply.

My choice for final finish is two coats of Interlux Schooner varnish, high gloss, although any such varnish of choice is equivalent.
 
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