April 18, 2013

It was a very busy week, but a lot got done.  I made a bit more progress on the last bits of trim for the aft cabin, Hector finished the cockpit enclosure, Ron made the patterns for the new aft cabin berth cushions, I finished the new cockpit tabletop, and Jordan and I did the first round of sanding all the teak in the cockpit/doghouse.

With the first outrigger race fast approaching, I’ve also been paddling hard five days a week.  No wonder I’m beat!  I guess part two of the varnishing discourse can wait....

April 11, 2013

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.

April 4, 2013

It was one of those weeks when the accomplishments don’t seem to reflect the time and effort expended.  That was somewhat the result of being unable to go into the aft cabin once I had laid a coat of varnish on the sole (floor).  I did get the fourth coat of Epifanes Rapid Coat on the sole and sanded, however I took a big gamble when I decided to use the old and thickened remnants of my last can of Ultimate Sole floor finish over it.  (It’s no longer available).  I hope it will fill the grain despite having some lumps and runs to sand down.  Of course it has to cure properly for me to be able to do that, and worrying that it might not will keep me up for the next few nights while I’m at Carol’s.

Since I was kept from the aft cabin by the wet sole, I decided to work on the new cockpit table I’d been contemplating for some time.  I had a left-over piece of teak-and-holly plywood that was big enough, but it was pretty beat up.  If I could salvage it, it would do nicely.  After much sanding, the veneer was looking pretty good, so I bought the necessary pre-milled teak edge molding/fiddles.  Gold is cheaper.  To protect the table surface, I put on a coat of penetrating epoxy followed by three coats of West System epoxy.  Still need to sand it and overcoat it with varnish.  The edge molding has been cut to fit, sanded, sealed with penetrating epoxy and a first coat of varnish applied (sprayed).

I’ve been working very hard outrigger paddling, training for the opening of racing season, hoping I’ll get a seat on the team.   Exhausting, but perversely fun.

My buddy John is a happy sailor this week because he finally got the West Wight Potter he’s wanted and it wasn’t a stolen boat this time (but that’s another story).  He now has six sailboats of various sizes.  I would say that qualifies him as an addict.

March 28, 2013

I completed the bulk of the finishing of the wood trim in the aft cabin with the sixth coat of RapidCoat.  I will probably dress things up a bit more by putting on several coats of high gloss varnish on selected areas.  In the meantime, I started refinishing the sole (floor).  After much sanding, I found there were a couple of spots that were stained all the way through the veneer. Fortunately, they were along edges where they can be covered by new pieces of trim that won't be in the way.
Carol came up for a visit and we took a little trip out to Filmore where there was some kind of special event going on.   There were antique cars on display and they were running the old steam train as well.  We also got to see the locomotive turntable demonstrated.
Spring wild flowers are in bloom around the harbor, but due to less rainfall, they are not as abundant as last year.