Some varnish and some rain.
10 July 2016 | Power Boats yard, Trinidad
Bill/rain threatening all day
It's now Saturday morning and I'm sitting outside the communal laundry with three loads working. It's been a while since we did laundry and we were both starting to run low on clean clothes especially since we've gotten into the habit of changing to clean clothes after taking a shower(try to do every evening).
I've been up since 0430 and in the internet room by 0500 to get emails and news. We tried something new this morning. Start in on the varnishing just as the Sun was coming up(0545). We first gave it a quick once over with sand paper and then for the first time, we used Perfection Plus Varnish just as it comes out of the cans--no dilution. The first two coats on the port side were each diluted by about 20-25% so it could soak into the wood and close up the pores in the teak. Since we'd put on two, the third and the rest will all be done at full strength. We done just about all the prep on the starboard side but there was just a few little places that still needed some sanding so that got done also.
I mixed up a couple of pots of the varnish(2 to 1 mixture)so we would each have our own supply. Each time I mix it up, I mix up just a bit smaller batches since the wood is now sealed and it's not absorbing any more, just coating. This time, each pot had about 7.5 ounces and that worked out just about right letting us cover the port side and the stern. We wanted to start early to try and avoid not only the heat of the day but what the heat does to the varnish--makes it bubble. Even starting when we did, where the Sun hit is as it came up, lots more small bubbles appeared in the surface. It can't be air coming out of the wood as it's now sealed with two coats. Must just be a reaction to the heat on the wood. Once we finished the side, we went back with the brushes and knocked down the bubbles so once it hardens we won't have so much sanding to do. We'll see how that works out.
Once the port side was done, we started in on the starboard side. A little sand here and a little sand there and it was about ready. We are still having a problem with water coming out through the seals in the teak planks that run along the side. It hasn't rained in a while and we haven't cleaned the deck with a hose in about a week. We've no clue where the water is coming from. Yesterday, there were three places. Today, two of them have stopped and there is now only one left. It's right by one of the main deck drains. The plan is to varnish where it's dry and then when we recoat, varnish these areas. I had to take a short break at 0800 when I needed to do the local weather report for the VHF net. A quick 5 minute stop and back at it. We finished up the starboard side just about 0900 and got a quick breakfast. Now all it has to do is stay dry and hopefully a bit cooler and the varnish should be ready for recoating by late this afternoon. I plan on doing just a bit a sanding to make sure it's some what smooth before we grab out brushes but by 1800, we should be out there putting on another coat.
In the meanwhile, Tracy is trying to find space for eight 42 pound bags of Fresh Step kitty litter. They're lined up on deck ready for storage. Now all we have to do is find room. While she is making order out of chaos, I'm up here doing laundry and typing this post. We're down to our last laundry tokens and I want to use them up.
Our Visa for Trinidad expires on July 20 so we have till then to get out of here. It's going to be tight even with all the work we are doing. Lobster is still working on the new hatches and he plans on having them ready on Monday. David the upholsterer is just about done with our new dodger and bimini and he wants to do a fitting on Monday. It's coming together but I won't sleep well till we are safely tied up in Grenada. I fly out on the 23rd. It's going to be tight!
It's now 1200 and I'm just finishing up at the laundry. It started sprinkling about 1135 right on schedule.
It's now 1600 and it's raining again. It's been on and off for the last couple of hours but it's sure soaking the teak cap rail and bulwarks. I'm not sure it's going to be dry enough tomorrow for more coatings. We still need at least three more coats on the starboard side and at least one more on the port side. We're just going to have to play it by ear so to speak I guess.
I just got back from putting more epoxy filler on the new ceiling panel. Having gotten so much done this morning, I took some time and headed up to the workroom and tried to fill in the spots that still need some filling and leveling. Hopefully I can sand it down tomorrow to a nice smooth finish so we can paint it and get it installed before we leave.
It's now 1900 and the rains have come on and off with a good bit of water. The tarps are all wet as is the dirt/crushed coral under Zephyr. It's put a stop for the most part on continuing with outside work. During one of the breaks, I took our Fein Tool Multimaster out and cut the end off the bung I'd epoxied in yesterday. With the sanding attachment, I then sanded it nice and smooth so it won't delay us tomorrow when we do what we did today all over again.
We've talked a good bit today about a day to launch. Right now, its sort of set for Friday so we can get out of here and off for Grenada. Our visas expire on the 20th and I fly out on the 23rd. but we can't wait anywhere near that long. We want to make sure everything is nice and tight once we get to Secret Harbor Marina. Let's hope that Lobster and Dave the upholsterer can get their acts together over the next few days. At least there are no more holidays before we leave.
It's now Sunday morning about 0600 and it's been raining for what looks to be most of the night. Puddles everywhere and I'm sure the teak is soaked so it looks like we will have to fall back to plan B--polish the hull between rains and sand the new ceiling panel to get it nice and smooth. If it clears at all, maybe we will get another coat on by nightfall. It's only a 30% chance of rain but it looks like it's all hit at once.