Alex.
Nice job. I can see from your photos that your deck should be solid and leak free. I too hope to keep my ama dry. Before the renovation it was a damp smelly home for mold.
Here is my progress in replacing the ama deck. The new deck was removed from the mold after adding reinforcement beams to the underside. I also glassed in some sockets for the life line stanchions. Now I am working on glassing the joint between the hull and deck.
I'm going to see if I can set up some sort of positive ventilation arrangement for when I'm sitting on the mooring in a drying breeze ... some kind of wind sail, maybe, for each ama.
I was really struck by how quickly things dried out on the day we cut out the old decks - a bit of sunshine and a breeze for a few hours.
HUSH's ama ventilation system is extremely simple. One of the previous owners drilled 4 holes, about 1.5 inches in diameter, above the continuous fender line and close to the point where the ama lines bend around to face the central hull. Into these holes fit a standard plastic plumbers 90 degree elbow available from the likes of B&Q. They are secured to the hull with rubber washers each side and a plastic nut - all of which I think come with the elbow. There can then swivel to face forward, backwards or upwards. They can't face downwards, except at a slight angle, as they sit on the the continuous fender. The open end of the elbow is stopped by rubber door stops, again available from a hardware store. They make a very snug fit but only last a season or so. For sailing, the elbows face aft with the bungs in and for ventilation they face forwards and slightly down with the bungs out.
They look quite neat and are effective. I'll photograph them and post on Thursday as the boat has to come out of the water to fix a dreaded keel box leak - Waa.
The new ana deck is completed and the boat is back in the water. What a job! I am happy with the result no more spongy deck and best of all the ama is dry.
Just have to do the other one next year.
Andre
