March 28, 2023
Further 77
Tuesday
Continuing work on the coamings, I milled edge details (roundovers) on the top edges and inside lower edge, then sanded the coamings smooth and clean to prepare for finishing. To speed the process of applying varnish base coats, I secured the coamings from beneath to some wooden strips that helped them stand upright, so I could access both sides at once. Then, I applied a heavily thinned coat of varnish to all surfaces.
On deck, I reassembled the companionway hatch and slides, then dry-fit the sea hood, aligning it with the four screw holes I’d used several weeks ago when I temporarily installed it for the dodger template. I drilled the remaining screw holes then, removing the hood, milled countersinks at each location before applying a heavy bead of sealant and installing the sea hood with its numerous screws all around.
Finally, with some black paint I found in my inventory, I touched up the bottom paint at the waterline where I’d sanded it away during hull preparations much earlier, completing the final appearance of the boat.
Total time billed on this job today: 4.5 hours
0600 Weather Observation: Overcast, 37°, dew point 26°. Forecast for the day: Mostly cloudy, 44°