January 8, 2022

Lyra Phase 2-9

Friday

After briefly working on a small, unrelated varnishing project at the shop, I got back to work on the deck sanding, picking up where I left off at the port foredeck.  Over the course of the day, I continued the sanding operations, using 40 and 80 grit paper to remove the old paint from the foredeck, down the starboard side, and around the poop deck.  This completed the bulk surface prep, though I’d soon continue with hand work in the tight areas and additional rounds of finish sanding over the entire deck.

After cleaning up the boat and shop a bit, I set up a flat plywood panel, covered in plastic, on which to laminate the new bottom skin for the coachroof deck repair.  I drew the plastic tight and wrinkle-free as possible since this surface was acting as a mold for the new laminate.  Then, I wet out a single layer of 1708 material cut somewhat oversize for the task ahead, approximately 28″ x 60″.  A single layer of the 1708 would be thicker and far more durable than the original inner skin, but I refrained from adding more simply to ensure that the panel remained amply pliable to curve to the shape required for the deck once cured.  I left the panel to cure over the weekend.

Total time billed on this job today:  6 hours

0600 Weather Observation:  Cloudy, just beginning to snow, 28°.   Forecast for the day:  Snow, 3-7 inches forecast, 27°