While on the hard in Terceira, we decided to take care of some boat projects that we had been toying with tackling “someday”. First was repaint the whole boat, second was refit the head, third is refit the galley, and fourth is re-finish the entire inside of the boat (a lot of varnish to do this one).
The boat is being painted, the head is under deconstruction, so it’s time to get the wood for the galley!
The plan is to replace the Formica and plywood countertops with edge grain mahogany butcher block. In the Azores, the prices all seem rediculously low, which is what spurred our desire to tackle the refit here, even though our visa to be there and work on the boat only grants us 90 days in a 180 day period.
Oddly enough, there is no logging on the island, and all their wood is imported from Africa. As a result, wonderful African hardwoods are readily available at a very low price! We ended up paying €250 for all of this wood, including the delivery and milling!
Sadly, the quality of the woodworking on the island does not match the quality of the wood that they import, so finding the right kind of wood glue for the project proved impossible. I want to use Titebond III because it is waterproof and permanent. I have used it before in the construction of Tooth II, and those seams had zero leaks!
When I asked around for wood glue, I was offered Elmers Glue and local wood glue that specifically said “temporary holding, not for items that will get moist”. When I told them I need something that is waterproof, they offered me Silicone. I promptly left that establishment and began to worry about what all wooden construction on the island was glued together with!
I looked into special ordering a proper wood glue but the cost of delivery and limited time left on this visa proved to be too much. So, the wood for the galley will remain on the cabin sole until we January, when we return and begin the reconstruction phase of the refit.
