2023 Life Logs, Day 144: Boat Painting Done
Date: Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Weather: Sunny; High 59, Low 49 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Heather was determined to get the boat painting done today before she leaves for Colorado at 3 am in the morning. And she did it. She finished the second coat of bottom paint this afternoon,
took the tape off, and then taped off the top of the waterline stripe.
She couldn’t tape off the bottom of the waterline stripe over the newly painted bottom paint, so she just used a paint guide and did it free hand. It was almost dark when she was finished, but we could see enough to know that it looks good. Maybe not Heather’s normal perfect, but certainly good.
After my morning Encore meetings, I assisted Heather with the bottom paint and then turned my attention to applying teak sealer to the teak on deck. We are not varnishing anything because Jed would not be able to be on the boat for two or three weeks due to his allergies. The teak sealer is not a problem for him. The teak won’t be shiny varnish, but it all looks the same now, not a mottled mess of old varnish and gray spots where the varnish wore off years ago. I got one coat on half the teak by the end of the evening and will finish the first coat on all teak tomorrow and maybe even get the second coat on. The can says to put on only two coats as more can make the teak look too dark. But as it wears, we can add more during the summer.
So, WOW. After weeks of work, as dark took over this 24th day of May, we began to see the light. Once the teak is sealed, we can take off the winter cover, polish the top sides, and then do all the normal maintenance things that need to be done prior to launch each year. Hopefully when Heather comes to check on the boat when she returns next Tuesday, Jed and I will have it ready to launch the next morning!!!
