Friday
It was tough to come up with flowery prose to describe such a simple set of tasks on this day, so I thought I’d try a simple list:
1. Lightly sand the fresh paint in the cabin
2. Clean up
3. Apply second coat of semi-gloss enamel.
4. Watch paint dry.
Total time billed on this job today: 1 hour
0600 Weather Observation:
23°, mostly clear. Forecast for the day: sun and clouds, 40.
Thursday
I lightly sanded the fresh primer in the cabin, then vacuumed and solvent-washed the area. Afterwards, I applied the first of a couple coats of semi-gloss white enamel.
Total time billed on this job today: 1.5 hours
0600 Weather Observation:
32°, clear. Forecast for the day: sunny, 40s
Wednesday
The revamped stern light was all set and ready to go, so I finalized the installation, reinstalling the fixture in its original hole at the transom and making up the wiring connections.
While working on the mast earlier, I’d also taken the opportunity to apply maintenance coats of varnish to the tiller, and now it seemed the best place to store it was back in place in the cockpit.
I cleaned and polished the existing hull paint, removing dust and minor grime and improving its appearance, and touched up the paint in a few small areas that had been damaged at one time or another.
At this point, the work list was complete, though I awaited new standing and running rigging (currently underway), as well as new interior and cockpit cushions. New updates to follow as progress on these final tasks dictates.
Total time billed on this job today: 2 hours
0600 Weather Observation:
34°, clouds and drizzle. Forecast for the day; eventual clearing, 40s
Wednesday
In the cabin, I masked over the new varnish on the trim and bulkheads in the passageway and forward cabins, preparing the area for primer and paint on the remaining surfaces. Afterwards, I applied a coat of primer to these areas.
I sanded the previous coat of satin varnish on the drawer fronts and doors down in the shop; the first coat of this finish hadn’t cured correctly, and had been oddly glossy. Working with well-stirred product this time–I figured the new can of varnish I’d started for the first coat must not have been stirred up, so the flattening agents had settled–I applied another coat of the rubbed-effect varnish, which I was happy to see cured to the proper level of soft sheen by the morning.
Total time billed on this job today: 3 hours
0600 Weather Observation:
34°. clouds and drizzle. Forecast for the day: eventual clearing, 40s
Tuesday
The old boottop was looking pretty old, and I’d noticed while I painted the bottom earlier that it could use a freshening, so I masked it off and, after some basic preparation, applied a fresh coat of white paint. over the existing coatings.
Later, after sanding and cleanup, I applied a second maintenance coat of varnish to the mast and boom.
Total time billed on this job today: 1.5 hours
0600 Weather Observation:
32°, cloudy. Forecast for the day: cloudy, rain showers later.
Tuesday
With the varnish work on the interior trim and bulkheads looking good, I deemed it complete and removed the masking tape. I’d give the fresh varnish a little time before taping over it for the next painting steps.
I sanded and revarnished the loose doors and parts in the shop, this time with satin varnish, but found that it dried with substantial gloss for some reason, perhaps because it was a new can of product that I might not have stirred. So I’d do another coat on those parts next time.
Total time billed on this job today: 2.25 hours
0600 Weather Observation:
32°, cloudy. Forecast for the day: cloudy, rain showers later.
Monday
After a substantial shipping delay, I received the new sockets that I’d ordered to repair the existing stern light housing. The sockets were what I needed, but were just a bit of a loose fit inside the bronze casting of the stern light; the old socket that I’d removed had been a tight friction fit. To secure the new socket in a firm yet non-permanent way, I wedged it in place with some little sticks to hold it, then filled the bottom part of the housing around the edges of the socket with adhesive sealant, which would hold the light socket securely once cured.
Next on my agenda was the mast and boom, both of which were varnished spruce and required normal varnish upkeep and maintenance coats. The spars and existing coatings were in good condition. I lightly sanded the existing finish to prepare it, then strung up the spars between some supports so I could varnish all sides at once as required. I removed the spreaders and set them up elsewhere for their varnish coats.
With preparations complete, I applied a coat of gloss varnish to the mast, boom, and spreaders.
With most of the work on the boat complete, I took some overall photos of the cabin and decks.
Total time billed on this job today: 3.25 hours
0600 Weather Observation:
32°, cloudy. Forecast for the day: rain, sleet, freezing rain, 35. Spring in Maine.
Monday
With sufficient gloss base-coatage on the interior trim and bulkheads, my next coat would be the final (hopefully, or nearly so in any event) one, this time with the rubbed-effect satin varnish I used on the other parts of the cabin during the earlier phase. So after another round of sanding and cleanup, and other final preparations, I applied the satin varnish to all areas. A few hours later, the new coating had dried enough to bring out its satin texture, though in these photos a few wet spots remain, mainly on the little section of cabin sole.
The loose trim and cabinet doors and drawer fronts were one coat behind, still in the gloss base buildup stage, so after another sanding I applied the 4th coat of gloss varnish to these pieces.
Total time billed on this job today: 2.75 hours
0600 Weather Observation::
32°, cloudy. Forecast for the day: rain, sleet, freezing rain, 35. Spring in Maine.
Some small jobs, completed over various days as time and new arrivals dictated:
1. I secured the new stove to its sliding shelf with four screws through the bottom of the stove housing.
2. I repositioned the jack stands and painted the bottom patches beneath.
Total time billed on this job today: 1 hour
Friday
Once more, I sanded and revarnished the trim and bulkheads in the cabin, and then the loose parts down on the bench.
Total time billed on this job today: 2 hours
0600 Weather Observation:
15°, clear. Forecast for the day: clouding over, snow/rain showers in the afternoon, 30s