Friday 17 February 2017

Arising before sunrise to begin vanishing because even in shade the heat and humidity are too high to accomplish later in the day, sucks. Actually, re-varnishing the deck brightwork has been almost not awful, as opposed to the cockpit teak, which had not been touched in 4 years for numerous reasons (not just laziness) such as requiring removal of bimini, cutting all below deck wiring to pedestal guard before removal, scraping (dynamiting) off failing polyurethane from previous treatment, sanding, priming and re-coating with several coats of new varnish... OK, total laziness. Anyway, removal of old stuff seems roughly equivalent to what Catholics once got for scarfing a Big Mac on Friday. At least this penance ends at happy hour every day.

Saturday

Cruising buddies who manage Tipperary Waters Marina, despite admonitions to the contrary, are getting married at noon, so off we go to celebrate with them. Tomorrow morning we lose or damage previously good golf balls in midday mugginess to continue the festivities. No work will get done and there are but 8 days left to reassemble the destruction that is currently our boat.

Sunday

Given a 1000 tee time we opted to sleep late, have a leisurely breakfast, waste a few moments writing this crap and blow off any attempt at productive activity. Success.

Four days of predicted good weather to finish 3 weeks of work.. no worries.

Tuesday

Weather, though sweltering has been mostly rainless, which is good because varnishing is getting done, but bad given crew who has to do it. Still in excellent condition, deck brightwork is a 2 meter job (looks good from that distance). Rub rail, not quite caught in time (for second time), is still getting coats for maybe 6 meters. Hoping all cockpit wood, which was worked back to raw, primed and should get many coats of clear gloss will be a bit better.

Wednesday and Thursday

Work, work, work... really!

Friday

All varnishing finished this morning. Getting tape off, layered under multiple coats of not completely cured gloss, is expected to be a joy. Putting pedestal guard back on with correct wiring connections after removing bimini and solar panels should be even more fun and particularly amusing if chart plotter and radar don't work properly. Not holding breath. In fairness, some of the cockpit brightwork looks pretty darn good especially given less than optimum conditions. Preceding self-flattery is tempered by the bits that look like crap. After tape removed rub rails are reappraised at 8 meters.

In Australia electricians are sparkies and woodworkers are chippies. There are also brickies, garbos and tradies, yet no slang for painters. Suggest dolties or bozos. Could be emphysemos too, but that doesn't roll off the tongue as easily.

Rest of today and weekend devoted to cleaning up wreckage plus packing for skiing and travel around Indochina. Although gone for perhaps 4 weeks we won't require large suitcases as there is virtually no cold weather gear to pack - a problem to be solved at some point prior to freezing our cha chas off.

Writing on this blog and to friends has suffered over last several weeks, but should recover somewhat as menial labor abates and attitude rallies. You have been warned.

Jack