The gaff boom had been removed to redo the jaws and touch up the varnish. This was laced back onto the sail and the halyards attached. I was amazed with this mess of lines I had no serious tangle issues. Lots of spider nest to brush off the sails.
When spending any time 'below decks' it was obvious there is very poor air circulation. The companion way boards and hatch can be opened but without another opening to the outdoors air flow is minimal. To address this I purchased a Sea Dog 3" low profile cowl vent with jaunty red interior.
The stressful issue here was determining where to cut the hole and I decided to locate it within the companionway frame. This spot is protected from deck action and would not interfere with the sliders as the hatch is never pushed that far forward. A 3.75 inch hole was drawn out and my trusty jigsaw did the rest.
The cut was then cleaned up with 180 grit sandpaper and the raw plywood sealed with epoxy. Silicone sealant was applied to the vent base and this was then attached to the cabin top with stainless screws.
The vent was then attached to the base and when I went below a fresh breeze was detectable from the slight wind above.
