[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK3wAEcybUw[/url]

[url]http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infcountertop/infsolidsurface.html[/url]

Based on the above links I think your worst fears are real. You must have a corian counter? I'm surprised as I would have thought 1991 would be the same as 1990.
Perhaps it would be a good question back to Catalina to see if the have a blueprint of the assembly. Most of the blueprints I have seen from them are somewhat process oriented. I'm not sure I would risk cutting it out, just yet. When you look at this video it does show you how they installed it. I suspect the counter is held in place with some epoxy. The post is not a very big item as it is screwed in from unter the counter and loose at the top(rests in the frame). I had to run a wire thru mine for an overhead galley light.
I suspect it appears intimidating but I'm sure it can be done.

In the event that you decide to cut the sink out, I would suggest two possible tools. Rotozips are similar to a dremel tool but are bigger and beefier. They sell a metal cutting bit that is supposed to cut 18 guage, but I don't know how it would do on stainless. They also sell steel cutting discs that go on their right angle attachment.
If you have access to an air compressor, I would use a small air cut off tool with cutting discs. Similar to the Rotozip but higher speed. These can be had from Harbor Freight for $10-$15. In either case I would cover things well so you don't have hot shaving landing everywhere, and would cut slowly and gradually so that you don't damage your counter top edge with heat.
[url]http://www.harborfreight.com/3-inch-high-speed-air-cutter-47077.html[/url]

Be patient, I know this subject has come up here before and I know someone has taken on this task and will be able to shed some light on the subject.

I have not completed this task though I would think a router would be much easier to use to trim the Formica back to the edge of the sink on the inboard and outboard sides, not sure if there is enough clearance fore and aft for a router. A dremel could work if you have a very steady hand or use a metal guide taped to the counter top to avoid that Whooooops that has you replacing the full sheel of Formica anyhow.

Mike,
I think you should be able to use an angle grinder to cut the sink out. Yes, it's coarse and crude, but you are not trying to save the sink (are you?). If you cut along the top of the vertical sides of the sink, and remove the sink, you should be able to pull out the lip that remains from between the plywood base and formica top. I doubt very much that the lip is fastened in any way to the plywood base. Possibly a bit of caulking, but that should be easy to overcome. The lip will get bent and mangled, but again, I don't think you are trying to save it. As mentioned before, make sure you put dropcloths all over, as the metal dust can make a mess of your cushions and the rest of the boat. Even if you make a few slips and mark up the edge of the formica, it will be covered over by the new sink. Good luck with the project, and make sure to take some pix!

Mike,
Thanks for the picture it was worth a thousand words as they say. Your best bet is to go the way you are thinking and just follow the contour around the lip of the counter. The metal is not all that heavy albeit SS A good dremel tool or air tool as suggested would be what I would choose. Perhaps build a box frame around the sink with the front open for access or tape plastic around would keep the debris from flying all around the boat.
Good luck and I'm glad I only have to pop mine out when it comes time to replace. It is on my list for the future.
Gary

Good discussion. It's occurred to me that if you remove the edges of the old sink that are underneath the fiberglass you might have a little "dip" since it does take up a space there. If you cut out the sink and leave the old edger there, the new sink overlap would cover it anyway. If you remove the countertop itself, you'll be able to see.

As far as removing the countertop, one of our guys did his: [url]http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-counter-top.html[/url]

Given the similarity of the vintage of the boats, I'd say your construction would be similar, just on the opposite side of the boat! :) It's for a top mounted sink, but might give you some ideas about whats underneath.

Mike:

I also have a 1991 (hull 1133) with the identical set-up and the identical challenge, which I've been mulling over.

Based on Jerry Douglas' advice, removing the counter sounds like the better way to go, IMHO. Then again, you're the one who has to do it! Whatever happens, I'm sure all of us will want to hear about the project, as it unfolds. I will be looking at the same project myself, sooner or later.

--Nelson Lee

[I]My only remaining question was whether the counter is done in sections or in one huge piece. Reading the write-up Stu provided, it seems it is one huge piece. Damn! That's a big job[/I]

Mike
Just a thought, if you are going to spend some time cutting could you divide the countertop up right along the edge of the stove. The divider, fiddle or whatever one would call it for the space under the cabinet would have to come out. I would not be surprised if the counter is seperated there anyway. I have never looked in detail on the 36 but I know the Cat 30 was as I used to take the whole cabinet and counter out in one piece to get open access to the engine.

Mike:

I took a closer look at the counter situation on my boat (sort of a sistership to yours) this weekend, and have revised my thinking about the counter removal idea, as well. I could not determine either whether the counter continues in one piece all the way across to the area under the cabinet, or whether it is cut underneath the fiddle/divider that runs fore-and-aft under the cabinet. Even if it is cut, you would still need to remove that divider, and probably some other trim. Removing anything with bungs covering the screw heads starts to involve some work, both in the removal, and the reinstallation.

As I looked at the situation, your original idea of cutting the sink out started to look better and better.

--Nelson

Ordinarily I am the last person to be concerned about work safety, as I think I always know best, but in this case, attacking stainless steel with a dremel, I would certainly want to use safety goggles. Cutting wheels for dremels are very fragile. I have experienced several wheel disintegrations on projects I've done. You wouldn't want to lose your ability to sail (or drive, or read, or...) just because of a sink project gone awry.

In fact, I am wondering whether a dremel will have enough 'umph' to allow the job to be completed before the sailing season begins. As already suggested, an air-driven metal cutting wheel might be more appropriate. A small air compressor and the air tools are relatively inexpensive at harbor freight, and I'm guessing that it would be a useful addition to your garage tool inventory.

We're all looking forward to your JibSheet post-mortem. Takes lots of photos.

Looking at the span of suggestions and the potential for this project to go sideways, I would suggest putting a sanding disc on your dremel, sand out the rust pits, polish your old sink. Put the new sink on Ebay, have a beer and go sailing.

Photos of beer drinking and sailing or maintenance activities are both acceptable.

Steve

The Dremel does a nice job of polishing, but you may need two or three extra polishing wheels.

(So I have this theory...given a cutting torch, a Sawzall, a Dremel, and enough time, I could probably tackle just about any demolition project you could name and be successful. Any takers? When the New Carissa was aground on that Oregon beach they somehow overlooked my name.)

[QUOTE=dejavu;12303]...so I took to the internet. Apparently with the popularity of stainless steel appliances, there are now a host of products and techniques able to restore stainless steel to a mirror finish.:D I may have to face the fact that my earlier polishing attempts were too tame. Before I go any further, I'm going to investigate some of these other methods. Keeping everything in place would definitely be a winner. I also like the beer and sailing part, Steve.:)
[/QUOTE]

Mike,

I was understanding your issue to be a really rotten sink, as some have reported, rather than just a "dull" one.

BarKeeper's Friend, Softscrub and many others come to mind for use before removal...

Good luck.

Mike,

Not sure how deeply pitted your sink is, I would guess the sink in 1/8-3/16 thick, it is stainless through and through not a surface coating. You can sand out the pits and repolish the area, I would not recommend much more the 25% of the material to avoid cracking in the future. But worse case if you sand to the point of seeing daylight, your just back to the point you are now, what do you have to loose, how hard can it be?

We await pictures, beer & sailing or drudgery and frustration.

Hi Mike,
This weekend I looked at my counter top and it does have a seam running right along the edge of the stove under the divider under the cabinets. Feeling around under the counter there are screws from the bottom up to the counter to hold it down. What I found though was that over by the icebox the screws disappeared for the divider rail which in MHO would have to come out. I did not see any teak plugs in the divider from the top. I suspect if you can get to all the screws and remove the divider and the pole you could lift the whole top off.
Gary

[QUOTE=dejavu;12198]The galley sink on my 1991 MK I is badly pitted from rust.

Thanks, Mike[/QUOTE]

Mine had the same issue and after having issues getting the right part number and fearing the worst on the replacement job, I elected to try repassivating the stainless sink with Citrisurf 77 PLus (about $30 shipped from [url]http://www.theruststore.com/CitriSurf-C64.aspx[/url]) last weekend. It took the rust off in 30 minutes with a little scrubbing with a scotchbrite pad while soaking. The sink has a new silvery luster but only time will tell if that lasts AND it works to stop the rust from reappearing around the pits in the sink.

My 1993 has the same sink setup so please tell me the part number and cost of the sink as Ken was not able to identify the proper part. If the Citrisurf doesnt work, I guess I'll have to go the same route.

[QUOTE=dejavu;12308]Those are the kinds of things I tried, to no avail. The You Tube videos I've been watching are using sandpaper, polishing compound, polishing wheels on a drill, etc. Much more heavy duty than what I've tried so far. My sink is not rotted, but is dull and pitted from rust (remove the rust, the pitting remains). It is such an eyesore when compared to my otherwise (he said, humbly) gorgeous interior.:D My baby deserves a shiny sink.

Mike[/QUOTE]

I believe it was the barkeeper's friend that scratched my sink in the first place. It may remove the passivation layer off the sink surface, which is what causes stainless not to rust. Check out stainless passivation on the web for more on that. Ultimately, I am testing Citrisurf 77 now. Will report the results.

[QUOTE=dejavu;12612]Hi Stephen. It is a Sterling sink (a Kohler company) and is model # 102120 . I got it from Catalina Parts Dept before they moved and I got the last one. I believe Catalina Direct sells them.

Mike[/QUOTE]

I'll let you know if the Citrisurf helped prevent more rust.

Thanks!

Galley sink replacement source:

[url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6882.0.html[/url]

Don't know if it's the same sink you skippers have, but it looks close.

One week after treating with Citrisurf, the new luster is still there and zero rust has appeared in the sink. *The has not been the case before - usually I had many areas of surface rust appear on the sink around damaged ares in one week's time. I can still see the areas where the surface was damaged, but nowhere near as noticable as it was when we would get to the boat and have brown spots around every nick in the surface.

the first mate thinks the sink "looks markedly better - where it always looked dilapidated before" and she is a designer by trade. Only time will tell, but so far - much better than anything else I tried.

certainly worth the 30 bucks,

Addendum 4-16-2012: This weekend I had the chance to discuss passivation using Citric Acid with another vendor ([url]http://www.spotlessstainless.com/[/url]) at the boat show in Oriental. I think both products use similar chemistry. They suggest that 'depending upon quality of the stainless' that the application may last 12-14 months in our climate, half that in tropical climates. They do not like the passivation term, as they feel it is not consistently understood, but have a product as well.

Addendum 5-30-12: 7 weeks since CitriSurf application and no sign of rust in the sink. Previously, rust spots would begin in one week, and in 2-3 weeks the sink would look terrible. I have to say, the Citrisurf is definately better than anything else I have tried to date.

I have now applied it to the head sink and am considering doing the exterior stainless with it as well.