Well, I got lucky with last week’s gamble. The old thick Ultimate Sole finish that I
laid on the sole in the aft cabin cured okay.
It did have a few runs and lumps in places, but I was able to sand them
fair. After learning of my plight, my
friend Marty gave me the remnants of a can of Ultimate Sole that he had that
was still in good usable condition. After
lots of sanding (the usual 120, 150, 220 drill), I rolled-and-tipped what had
to be the final coat of Ultimate Sole.
It came out just fine.
With the sole “done,” it was time to work on covering the
curved bare fiberglass section of the hull next to each berth in the aft
cabin. After much searching both online
and in stores, I finally found some suitable ribbed carpet mat in, of all
places, Target. It would do the job
nicely. It was as close a color match as
I would ever find, and the ribbing would prevent slipping on the sloping
surface while the carpet would still be kind to bare feet. I made patterns for the compound curves using
an old white shower curtain that Carol gave me.
With a few minor adjustments, the cut carpet fit well. A bit of trim and it will look great.
I also continued working on finishing the new cockpit
table. It was progressing well when I
had an unexpected problem with what was supposed to be the final UV-protective
coat of varnish over the epoxy. I had
used the Rustoleum Spray Spar Varnish that had worked well previously, but for
some reason it crazed in several areas as it dried. It may have been some chemical incompatibility
with underlying epoxy that might not have cured properly in a few spots
(unlikely, but possible), or simply that lower parts of the wood grain weren’t
sanded enough for the varnish to adhere properly to relatively slick epoxy. I’ll never know for certain. In any case, the fix meant sanding off all
the varnish and, in the process, making sure every square millimeter of the
underlying epoxy was completely and thoroughly sanded. I also decided to use a different
varnish: Cabot’s Spar Varnish, which I
had previously used with success. I
brushed it on with a foam brush. This
time the results were about as near to perfect as one can get outside a
controlled environment. Hallelujah!
I guess now might be an appropriate time for me to respond
to Salty Monkey’s question about my varnishing methods. I’ve evolved my own approach based on reading
and experience. (While experience is the
best teacher, it’s also the most expensive.)
This week I’ll talk about a few general principles that can trump
whatever techniques are used. Next week
I’ll get into more specifics.
First, be patient.
Getting good results takes a LOT of
meticulous and tedious prep work and MANY coats (usually sanded between each
coat). Being in a hurry and taking
shortcuts will always lead to poor results.
Get into the Zen of varnish.
Really.
Second, work clean.
Every speck of dust in a smooth glossy finish will stand out like a zit on
a teenagers face. Any contamination with
oil, chemicals or moisture will impair adhesion and/or proper drying.
Third, wait for the right day (Again, patience!).
Wind will inevitably blow dust and grit onto your finish. The hot sun will cause the finish to skin
over too fast, resulting in unsightly brush marks. Fog and high humidity can cause fogging or
improper curing.
Fourth, understand your materials and use the right product for
the job. There are many different
product types and brands out there. Each
has its strengths and weaknesses. Try to
match them to the requirements of the job.
If you aren’t experienced with a product, follow the directions on the
can. It’s amazing how much difference it
makes to simply read and follow the directions on the can. After all, the manufacturer wants you to be
happy with the results!
Finally, don’t be surprised or disheartened if you have a
few setbacks. Almost all mistakes can be
corrected with a bit more work. The end
result may even be better than it would have been without the “problem.” Oh, and don’t neglect the pleasure of sitting
back and savoring a job well done as you watch the varnish dry.
