Wooden Door Frames Wouldn’t Have Given Us This Much Trouble (MJ Sailing – Ep 345)
# Focus on Finishing the Interior of the Boat
## Making Door Frames for the Catamaran
As we focus on the finishing of the interior of the boat over the latter part of the summer, our attention turns to making door frames. In our catamaran, there will only be three swinging doors, each opening to one of the two heads. Matt built a basic mold from 2x4s, covered it in packing tape, and glassed on multiple sheets of fiberglass to create the straight vertical edges leading up to the radius at the top of the door.
One side had already been bonded into the frame of our master hole, and fairing was done around the edges. Now, it’s time to turn our focus to the guest wet head to get the frames installed and fared for a finished look.
## Putting the Trim Around the Doors
To put the trim around the doors for the guest head on the port side, laminated six layers of fiberglass together to create a solid glass trim. While heavier than desired, it is still lighter than wood trim. Rather than making molds for each door due to size differences, flat panels were cut out and rounded off for a quicker installation process.
## Bonding the Frames to the Bulkhead
With an epoxy primer already sprayed on the surface, Matt mixed up some total boat epoxy and thickened it with collidal silica to bond the fiberglass frames to the bulkhead. This ensured a secure attachment for the swinging doors in the catamaran.
## Finishing Touches and Fairing
After finishing putting the frames around the doors, attention turned to the finishing touches and fairing of the fiberglass frames. Multiple coats of fairing compound were applied to smooth out rough edges and prepare the frames for painting. Sanding and additional coats were applied to achieve a polished look.
## Finalizing the Frames
With multiple coats of fairing compound and sanding completed, the frames around the doors were nearly ready for installation. Attention was given to straightening out filler lines and ensuring a smooth finish before proceeding with the final steps of the door frame installation process.
In conclusion, the process of making and installing door frames for the catamaran involved precision, attention to detail, and dedication to achieving a polished final look. Each step, from building the molds to applying the final coats of fairing compound, contributed to the overall finish of the interior of the boat.
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