Tropical Depression Beryl is looping WNW between Jacksonville, FL and Valdosta, GA, as this is being written. It is raining here in Augusta. Then it is not. The sun is shining. Then it is not. Here comes another impenetrable shower. There it goes. This is why there are no pictures of the new top with the beautiful rails that Jim and I installed today.
Other than frequent rain delays, the rails installation came off without a hitch.
There was a problem with the bond between the top and its underlying framework, however. When I removed the ratchet straps this morning. a 3-inch-long, 1/4" wide gap appeared in the corner over the steering wheel. There was a similar, smaller, separation in the aft inside corner on the port side. Everything else was cemented solidly.
Perhaps these separations were caused by insufficient adhesive at glue-up, or maybe we torqued something cockeyed when we tightened down the six straps last Wednesday. Anyway, we cleaned out the gaps and shot more 3M 5200 adhesive in from the inside and the outside. Then we re-rigged wide straps over the affected areas and ratcheted down until adhesive squeezed out. I will leave these straps in place, under tension, until I can't stand it anymore-- maybe at least until Friday.
Meanwhile, I need to find out how to glue in the little teak bungs that go in the tops of the rails over the rail fasteners. These bung holes are full of rainwater now, so this project will have to await some clear, warm, dry weather.
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