Saturday, June 23, 2007

A lot of work done

I have been spending way more time working on the boat than blogging about it, but since it is raining I will post an update. I don't know where to start, but here is a quick summary of what has been done since the last post:

* cabin sole close to completion: new balsa core installed, fiberglass skin installed, seams glassed, currently fairing the seams
* starboard deck repair completed and faired.
* entire deck faired with epoxy fairing compound.
* rubrail removed, insert soaked in cleaning solution (hot water and Simple Green), insert scrubbed with synthetic steel wool
* cockpit sole issue addressed: core gone here too (didn't know that); not going to replace it b/c I want to sail, instead I drilled many holes and injected epoxy, faired these repairs flush
* entire boat sanded multiple times, wiped with Interlux 202 wash and primed with PreKote
* PreKote primer sanded with 150 grit, washed withe Interlux 333 and primed again
* Second coat of primer sanded again with 150 grit, wiped with 333, and the first coat of Brightsides applied.

This is where I'm at right now. Again, the weather has been my main adversary in this process. I get prepared to put the final coat of paint on and then I hear the rumble of an approaching thunderstorm. I have to wait for a weekend morning to finish the job, but the end is near! I can feel it.

Here are some pics (they were taken with my phone so they are poor quality):

The balsa core installed


The solid epoxy ring I created surrounding the inspection port. This was the source of the original water intrusion, so I made sure that wouldn't happen again

The cockpit prepared for painting. The "swiss-cheese" holes that were filled with epoxy can be seen:

The cockpit after one coat of primer