MORE SANDING

This is beginning to get tiresome. I actually didn't work on the boat last night for NO reason....I was just done with it. Tonight I went out just to mess around cutting some mall pieces of trim (spreaders and trim for companionway) and got inspired and sanded most of the deck....a little rest does wonders.

Gulliver, green and and over she goes....

I put 3 coats of green on. By the time I did the 3rd coat the coverage was much improved as was my technique. I can still see a few flaws but I think I am pulling a Gulliver. In Gulliver's Travels, when he finds himself in the land of the Big Poeple, Gulliver is sickened by their appearance. He is so small he can see every pore on the face of the folks he is looking at. I think I am simply too close to this thing and I am seeing flaws that will not be noticable to anyone else.
And the fairing that I did came out SWEET!

So with the bottom painted it was time to round up a bunch of folks and roll the boat back upright. Thanks to John, Rob, Don, Kellan, Lupe, and Eric (and I am missng someone as I know we had seven.....) who showed up to help ona Saturday afternoon in the 100 degree heat. With that many folks it was fairly easy. Only had 2 guys stick their hands on fiberglass splinters...NASTY! Sorry guys.

And tonight I put the fairing/float coat on the top sides.

More sanding, then prime, sand, paint and it is time to rig!!!!!

Going GREEN.....

1st coat of paint is on......"good from far but far from good" in my estimation. (A couple of sags, some dust and BUGS!!! More on that further down.)

West Marine is out of blue.......so I chose green. Wasn't planning on calling the boat "boogers" but it seems to fit now....maybe I'll call it "Carbon Offset".

I have been taunted for going w/ the single part epoxy (instead of 2 part) but dang it...this stuff is cheaper, easier to use, and I WILL get the next coat down better. Maybe spray on coat # 2.

Of course the flies that I have never seen in the shop before decided to congregate enmasse...$70 fly paper:

The ones that landed and died weren't so bad. It was the little troopers that landed and WALKED ACROSS THE BOAT that REALLY pissed me off.....

I'll let it set up tonight and sand tomorrow eve. Then my plan is to spray Saturday morning BEFORE the little bastards (the flies that is) are out and about.

Then I build some trailer bunks and we are in business!!

Also starting to gather lead. I found 2 tire shops that are game. Keel coming soon!

Gray boats

Just did the second coat of primer.....and I will say it looks freakin' AWESOME!





I was either going to love or hate the outcome...and I love it.



There are a few pinholes that I will hit w/ a last coat, but they are TINY and few.



Here's my battleship gray i550:






Below is a slightly different gray boat. This picture was taken after we sailed JUST under the bow in my buddy Greg's 37' Tayana in San Diego.











We had just sailed up the starboard (far) side of the carrier and turned to sail across it's bow when the wind shut off. Thank God that the Tayana is a heavy boat, because it fortunately coasted just long enough to get us around. I have looked up a mast before and it always seems like it is about to scrape the underside of the bridge (or whatever) you are going under. Well, do you see the people out on the catwalks at the bow? They were all saying, "OH MY, they are really close...oh gosh,

look how close he is...is he going to make it?" Even from THEIR perspective we were nearly swappin paint.....cool in NASCAR.....not so cool w/ US Govt property of the military kind.

GOOD TIMES!

Float Coat and Family Vaca...

Got the float coat on tonight. More sanding to come, then primer, sand, paint sand.......I'm seeing a pattern.

Took a few days off to get out of town with my family. We headed to SanDiego. My latest adopted hometown..that place ROCKS!! The highlight (besides a hotel room balcony overlooking the Shelter Island Marina.....droooooool) was Lego-Land!

And a sail aboard my good friend Greg's bristol Tayana 37. Molly enjoyed it!

As we were sailing along I saw a very cool looking sportboat from a distance. Something about it caught my eye. The letters on the sail were CC over an M. A little investigation revealed it was a Cross Current 33' by Maxi yachts.....very sexy! www.crosscurrentmarine.com

Turns out there is a used one for sail for $199,000......WHAT????? I guess I have good taste!