The paints not quite right.
17 June 2016 | Power Boats yard, Trinidad
Bill/sunny and hot
We got an early start again this morning as we wanted to get part of a project done before the men showed up. We wanted the steel plates that hold the bolts for the granny bars installed on the ceiling of the main salon. Not a hard job but we didn't want to slow down the men that would be painting again on deck so we had to be out of the way by the time they arrived. We got all the nut plates installed just as the men arrived. Now at least the woodworker can refit the ceiling panel when he arrives on Tuesday(Monday is a holiday).
"Lobster" showed up and gave the men instructions on how to roll out the next coating of epoxy paint. This time, it was Jotun Hardtop XP. He mixed in some of the sand that makes the non skid non skid and then rolled it onto the area they painted yesterday. Before they did this, they had to go over the entire deck and sweep up all the extra sand from the previous days painting. They were done by 1030 and then came back at 1330 for the third and final coat. They still have to do the areas that were left un painted so we could get in and out of the boat. They will get painted and sanded tomorrow along with a bunch of the blue tape getting pulled up. It's time to see what the deck will finally look like.
We've been told to have the cockpit empty by Tuesday morning so the men can get in and prep it for more painting. Monday afternoon after giving the paint a good four days to cure, we will move everything out and forward to the bow for storage. We still have to work on getting the granny bars installed, the through deck fillers caulked and pushed into the deck. The deck prisms installed and the genoa sheet blocks bolted down. Add on the cap for the emergency tiller and the bracket for the forestaysail and we still have a bunch to do before the deck is even close to being done. "Lobster" is taking the stern hatches that have to be made and the anchor locker hatch that has to be taken apart and re epoxied and fiberglassed. He's got a long weekend a head of him.
It's now Friday morning and when we looked at the deck now that the paint has dried, we are just not satisfied with it's look. Loosing Moses really hurt us as "Lobster" let the "B" team do the painting after he showed them how he wanted it done. Well now that it's "done", it just isn't right. It's blotchy and streaky and very uneven in how it looks. It really needs to be done by someone that knows what they are doing and that is not the "B"team. I spoke with "Lobster" just after he arrived and after some conversation, he agreed with us. He would do the job himself.
Last night, Tracy and I figured we needed more water in our tanks. It has been quite a while since we added any and we've been using quite a bit with all the cleaning we've been doing trying to keep up with the loads of dust that circulate around Zephyr from all the sanding that they have been doing over the last weeks. The cockpit is a big mess of dust and stuff. today(Friday) we pulled out the hoses and filters and strung the hose up and over the lifelines and through one of the port lites and while Tracy monitored the tanks and connections up above, I ran the hoses and filters below on the ground. It helps having two 50 foot pieces of hose. We started with the bows two tanks and then progressed to the stern tanks. In the past (and in the future) we will be using the deck fills that allow air to escape as water fills the tanks. With a hose tapped right to the top plate on the tank, pressure built up and caused water to come out the breather valve at the forward heads sink. Once we saw that, we left other tank caps off and that allowed the air pressure in the tanks that were getting filled to escape. It took about 75 minutes to get them all filled but we are good to go for a while or at least till we get the tarps off and the deck back under control. While we were doing this, "Lobster" was rolling out the next layer of paint on the deck adding more grit as was needed. He's off now in search of more paint as he didn't have enough to finish the job. Sure hope he finds more and can get it done before the start of the three day weekend(Labor day is Monday). He asked us to take off the blue tape around the decks tomorrow. I figure by Sunday or Monday, we should be able to install the granny bars and everything else we've taken off the deck. We just have to have the cockpit empty by Tuesday morning as they expect to be working on it, sanding, cleaning and eventually painting it. With more paint getting put on, I'm pretty well banished to the internet room again. Not sure if Tracy will be joining me or sitting back and doing some stitching. It's what she did yesterday during our last lockdown.
Here's a picture of the nut plates installed on the ceiling of the main salon.