Work in and around the cockpit continues. I hope to finish prepping and painting the area under the cockpit within a few weeks, but first I have to deal with the four cockpit drains. I don’t remember what I did with the original hardware/fittings, but it’s likely the they were beyond repair and I simply threw them away. Here is one of the four holes that accepted the original fittings:

I decided to fill and glass over each of the four holes, with was a multistep process. Here I’ve plugged the drain with some core material (a disc of marine plywood), added some fiberglass over the core material, and ground out a bevel to accept the final layers of glass.

Here the top layers of glass have been sanded, so now I have a flush surface.

I use a hole saw with a 1.5-inch outside diameter to bore the new holes.

I purchased 1.5-inch outside diameter fiberglass tube and cut four short pieces.

These were sanded and taped off on the bottom end.

Set with thickened epoxy…

…then cleaned up below and above.

I utilize the supplied-air respirator for sanding in the confined space under the cockpit.

My plan is to prep and prime one area at a time. Here we are under the cockpit on the port side of the boat, looking forward. Eventually I will have to decide on the layout for storage under the cockpit, but that comes later.

Meanwhile, I sanded and varnished the masts again.  This is the third coat.

Also, my new set of sails arrived. These are a new mizzen main, a new mainsail, and a new 135% genoa. I just ordered a 110% genoa, too, but none of these sails will be needed until summer 2020.