Sovereign Redux

[Zeppelinium]

I regret not documenting the Bambi, Caravel, or Overlander remodel projects, so I thought I'd cover the Sovereign ad nauseum. I'm thinking this will take a year, but I've been known to an optimist when it comes to projects.

This is a mid-bath 31' Sovereign with the kitchen and bath on the same side. Many of the plumbing decsions were greatly simplified by this existing floorplan. In an effort to keep the project within reason, I won't move the fridge or anything with a drain.

In the last month I've posted some of the early systems work--making the fridge doors fit, new PEX plumbing, and the Fantastic Vents--no documentation of removing a banana skin and tapping it back into shape or of sealing the aft floor where it touches the bumper locker cover (undo the belt trim and apply Vulkem along the bottom of the floor plywood). In that same month I started the interior by removing all the carpet (finding the original carpet under the newer layer!) and the bath walls. The aft floor was in good shape, but even though the front was still strong, it had lots of stain--evidence of many leaks from all the windows (new Vulkem applied along the tops of all window frames and along the joint at the bottom of the glass-to-frame joints of all the Vista Views, high and low). The view of the forward interior is strickly for documenting the current layout. This will change markedly, perhaps with facing couches and a dinette up front and additional countertop work space near the fridge (reversing the doors, of course).



I'm using Pergo-like hardboard to replace the carpet. The first decision was to create a bath floor separate from the main area. The intent is to be able to remove or replace this area easily. The "joint" lines between the bath and other floor will be covered by the base of new walls made from 1/2" birch plywood. Replacing the flooring, if that should ever be necessary, will require the removal of about 12 screws to get the walls out first. Once the floor was rough-cut and installed, the toilet was placed over the drain and a cutout was drawn around the base of the toilet. The objective here was to ensure that the toilet was a tight as possible to the drain (I hate the idea of slosh getting out from under the toilet). However, the hold down bolts don't precisely locate the toilet in this case, since it's not down on the drain rim. I found about 3/8" difference between where the PEX said the toilet ought to be and where the cutout placed it. Just be careful to get the toilet placed as perfectly as possible, if you decide this is a good way to go.



The white on the floor is alkyd/oil based paint. Another thread suggested this was a good idea and while testing the plumbing, drains, valves, etc. it turned out to be a very good idea. I think I soaked the floor at least three times in one day.

It really looks good [to me] when the toilet is installed. It's a nice fit and the flooring doesn't interfere with the operation of the foot pedal valves. Obtaining a good fit with the shower wall and smoothly under the pluming took a little time--about 5 hours for the whole bath. You can see some discoloration at the bottom of the plastic dome--TSP did a good job of removing the old goo off the walls, but on the plastic it seemed to "rain" gold-brown" gunk as it released the old oil and dirt (nicotine?). I haven't been able to get much of that out, although the surface feels very clean.



The exposed seam between the bath flooring and the main floor (under the sliding bath door, essentially) will be covered with a thin brass-colored threshhold. I had considered taking out the vent pipe in the corner of the bath and replacing it with a modern vacuum breaker vent, when I realized this isn't really a drain vent. It's a gas-production relief vent, which a vacuum breaker can't satisfy! The thought of the consequences of this near-error makes me shudder...

The remainder took about 3 hours. The uncovered area on the curb side will be in a hidden locker under the back side of the bed, once the bed frame is installled. This view from the kitchen aft documents the current closet arrangement. I can only think "what were they thinking" with two huge hanging closets. I'm in this to get away from suits and other hanging stuff--where are the shelves and drawers for jeans and boots? There will be major changes here, too.



The only down note so far is that when I put the Fantastic Vent in the back, the interior spots quit working, as well as the little bulb that was down in the locker served by the side access door. Crap, I must have cut a wire and not noticed it. However, after taking the Sovereign back to the storage yard last night, I did a walkthrough and noticed one was back on. All now work. Crap, an intermittent connection! Anyone know if there is a bullet connector for this set of lights and where it might be, approximately?

--- to be continued ---