New Paint Job

[Peter T]

Well folks. Good news and some not so good news. Painted the topsides of the hull this morning. I have never sprayed this Northane paint before. I read the instructions carefully which said put on a mist coat first, let it go tacky and then lay on a FULL coat. They should have said a LIGHT coat over the mist coat. Once I had one side done, I got quite a few runs in it. Was not happy. Anyway, proceeded to put it on the stern and the starboard side as a light coat and it came up an absolute treat. See below

there are runs in this side if you look closely

very happy here.

just a comparison, this is the before on the stern

And this is the after .

Now I will have to wait for it to cure properly, rub out all the runs, rub out the whole Port side again (4th time) and paint that side again.
One thing I can say, is the amount of gloss off the gun with this paint is awesome
Cheers

[IanS]

Awesome!

[Peter T]

Cheers Ian. Might even be able to rub out the runs and cut and polish, will see how I go.

[IanS]

I just got a quote of $1800 for epoxy barrier coat and two coats of hard anitfoul below the water line. While you're sanding back for the fifth time remember the ton of money you're saving. And you'll probably get a better job in the end!

Ian
PS. my Hawkesbury mooring is going in today, at last...

[Peter T]

Hi Ian, yesI hope you are right. $1800 is a lot but I guess it's a lot of work also which does not come cheap these days. Anyway, it's very satisfying doing things yourself to a high standard. You end up with something to be proud of hopefully. It's very nice knowing that it's done right, especially in the structural side of things and it doesn't matter if it looks better than new either. I will think of that when I am out yonder on the deep.
It will be a lot more work once I start on the topsides, very fiddly but what else would I be doing anyway. Have always loved a project and will never get back what it will be worth in the end. Its the pleasure it gives that's most important I reckon and the boat is simply worth the effort. What a brilliant little boat they are.
On the antifouling, do you think you need the hard ? I would have thought that hard is for fast boats and soft might give better antifouling properties for slower boats? I might be wrong ?

[IanS]

Not sure about the hard anti-foul. I may want to put it on the trailer to take down to Port Jackson or to take home for repairs. I have no idea if the hard anti-foul will stand up to that or not. It's also what the boat yard recommended.

Ian

[Peter T]

Yes Ian, I reckon if you are going to be trailering it as well then it probably would be better with the hard. If you were going to leave it on the mooring then soft would be the go but soft comes off really easily once you take the boat out of the water. On my last yacht which was a keel boat, I used soft for the under water part of the hull and I used hard for the boot topping. The hard was less of an antifoul but it stayed in place and could be scrubbed lightly with no ill effects whereas you could not scrub the soft at all or you would loose it

[Peter T]

Just a bit of info re fixing the runs in the paint job.
Made a very small rubbing block by cutting a small piece off an old rubber rubbing block I had about 40mm by 15mm. Used the following wet and dry with water in turn.
400, 800, 1200 then 1500. Using the 400, I just took the majority of just the run down to where it could hardly be seen. Then working through the grades to completely rub out the runs to a nice flat surface.
By using the very small block you can minimise the area that is sanded back. Once the run was completely rubbed out. Used Refinish Diamond cut cutting compound. My word its good stuff. Excellent gloss but must be finished off with a wax. Very happy not having to repaint.

[Peter T]

Stripes now on and starting to get it back together again. Can't get the name done for it till 20th Jan. " Sail - La - Vie " in the shape after a wave. Should look ok hopefully

[Peter T]

Hi all. Next step in the process. Sanded all the dark blue down with 400 wet and dry. ( boy I am pleased that's over) . Fixed up a few dings in the rudder and got it back into some sort of order and gave a good coat of Shipshape epoxy primer. Then today because there was not a breath of wind and we had up to 25 deg, gave the bottom of the rudder 1st coat and the boat its second coat and then the rudder its second coat wet on touchdry.
This time, I used a good quality 3 inch brush to tip it off. What I did was about two foot square at a time with the mohair roller and tipped it off as I went. The difference in the finish was astounding. Not quite as good as the spray gun but not that much worse. Very happy with it. I don't know how I would have managed this restoration without that lifting frame.
Now just have to give it some time to harden. Then I can put the lifting slings under the boat and get rid of the jack stands and then jack the trailer up underneath the boat until the trailer has the whole weight of the boat, remove the slings and lower the trailer with the boat on it back to the ground. Then I can dismantle and store the lifting frame. HOORAY ! it's been quite a while but very well worth it all.
Below, the rudder now just needing a coat of white gloss on the top of it