"When I think of all the fools I've been, it's a wonder that I've sailed this many miles." -Guy Clark

Monday, April 16, 2018

check out my bottom (paint)


Two days of work.  The first to figure out how to lift SPARTINA slightly off her trailer, tape then sand below the waterline.  Then two some final sanding, one coat of bottom paint, three-plus hours of drying and then a second coat of paint.  There are a few small areas near the rollers and supports that I could not get to.  I'll take care of them tomorrow.  I used West Marine's Bottom Shield which they describe as a hybrid that combines a hard surface that self-polishes like an ablative.  We'll see.  About $60 for the paint, probably another $60 for the brushes, rollers, tape, gloves, etc.  This summer I'll feel much better about leaving SPARTINA on the river for a week at a time, giving me the chances to sail before and after work.  Sanding was the worst, painting was pretty easy.  Glad I got it done.




5 comments:

Clark said...

Nice looking bottom (paint). Would like to hear a bit more about how you got the boat lifted. And good job with the Personal Protective Equipment, your lungs appreciate it :)

Kent

Steve said...

Lifting SPARTINA off the trailer has always been an issue for me. What I did this time was to build a very solid frame out of 2x4s, lowered the front end of the trailer as low as it would go, fit the frame under the boat's keel about a foot from the transom, then cranked up the front end of the trailer as high as it would go. At that point the boat was supported by the wooden frame and the forward roller on the trailer. If I had a second frame I could jack up the front end of the boat and set in the second frame and have SPARTINA completely off the trailer. I plan on building two solid saw horses, much like the carpenter's trestle I just saw on your site, for the annual lifting of SPARTINA for maintenance.

Clark said...

Good Info Steve. I saw a lot of those trestles (benches) in use around Mystic Seaport and also some that only had legs on one end, used to prop up one or both sides of boats that were flipped for maintenance or storage. Or holding up a bow or transom like you mentioned.
FMI: http://smallboatrestoration.blogspot.com/2014/01/carpenters-trestle.html

Cheers
Clark

Rik_Studio said...

Looks very nice Steve!

Steve said...

Thaks, Rik. How are you doing?