Mike
07/15/2009, Deltaville, VA

July 11th... Deltaville, VA

There is really nothing new with us. It was another day of sanding. Kathy working on the finish sanding of the hand rails and eyebrow while I began the rough sanding and scraping of the port side toe and rub rails. We took a break for breakfast after which Kathy got out the vacuum cleaner for some much needed sawdust removal on the starboard while I continued making a mess on the port.

At some point in mid morning I began the final sanding and taping of the starboard toe and rub rails so that we would be ready to apply finish when the shade reached us at around 3:30.

We did run out of tape and had to make a run into the hardware store. By then it was well after lunch time so we extended our break and I made a conch salad.

After finishing taping, we began applying the first coat of finish. The cockpit portion of the toe rail and rub rails were ready and since they were in the shade we started there and worked around the stern to the starboard side. It took us about an hour and a half to complete the starboard side. By then it was 5pm and time for showers.

I baked some chicken along with some garlic, chicken broth, and artichokes for dinner which we had with some broccoli that needed to be eaten.

We tried to watch a movie but I think I only made it to half time.

Comments [0]

Mike
07/11/2009, Deltaville, VA

July 9th... Deltaville

I wandered around the boatyard this morning looking at bootsrtipes and bottom paint combinations. Since we are going to repaint the blue stripe on the topsides, we are thinking about adding a bootstripe as well.

A little after 8 we headed over to the marina office to pay our usage fee which, if paid monthy, works out to a little over $2 a day per person. Then, since we were legal, we checked out the courtesy car and drove into town. We needed food as well as some 303 fabric guard for a second coat on the dodger and bimini. We stopped at the hardware as well to check out their boat paint supply.

We returned around 10 and I sprayed the 303 and then started the huge task of removing the finish on our teak. Working from the ladder and using a heat gun, I scraped the toe rail and both rub rails that were within my reach. Then I went over the same areas with the sander to clean things up. When I finished one area, I'd move the ladder down two feet and start again.

Kathy made BLT's for lunch and then took the first two (of about four) loads of laundry over to the marina while I continued scraping and sanding. By about 3:30, after being in the sun all day, my legs started getting a little wobbly so I quit, having finished about half of one side.

Kathy had exchanged books at the marina so we read for a couple of hours before grilling hamburgers for dinner.

We read for a while but crashed shortly after dark.

Comments [3]

Mike
07/11/2009, Deltaville, VA

July 8th... Deltaville, VA

We were told yesterday that someone from the office would call when they were ready to have us come in to be hauled but we didn't really have any idea when that would be. However, there were lots of jobs to choose from. With the dinghy on the foredeck, it seemed like the perfect time to do some patching. At some point (probably rocks at Long Island) we've developed two or three holes where the fiberglass bottom meets the tubes that allow water to get into the area between the floor and the hull.

However, before any patching could be done, the bottom needed a good scrubbing which took about an hour. Then I cut the patches, taped off the areas in question and applied the glue. With that job finished, I mixed up some epoxy and filled a few dings in the fiber glass.

By now it was noon and there was no call from the marina, so I transferred the fuel and water in our jerry cans to the proper tanks and stowed the empty cans in the anchor locker. After a few more little jobs it was 3pm and still no call.

Finally, at about 3:30 we got the call, hauled anchor and headed for shore about100 yards away. I had to back into the haulout slip which is always fun, but with no wind or current we had no problem...actually I was showing off our backing prowess when they told me to cut the engine and grabbed us with boat hooks to pull us in by hand.

The bottom looked great. What little slime was there was easily blasted with the power washer. They were going to put us in the yard next to "Tilt" but I ask I we could go back up in the meadow where we were last year. There is some shade there and much less dust.

With a call to the boss to ok the change, everything was fixed and we ended up about 40 feet from where we were last year.

We found another package of venison steaks in the freezer and grilled them for our first dinner on the hard.

Comments [0]