Sorry there are so few "work" pics this time but it was a quick haul and splash, so I was taping, painting and pulling tape for most of the time -- also Derek had caught a cold (from our time in Orlando?) and it migrated to me, so I was not feeling energetic enough after work to blog.

We had noticed that the water level was very close to the bootstripe before, which one doesn't want (avoid barnacles at the waterline!), so we decided to raise the waterline.

First, Derek went around the bootstripe sanding it and the four inches above it to scuff it up to take the paint better. I helped by wandering the waterline prying off barnacles carefully with a screwdriver (I tried gentler scrapers, but the barnacles just laughed). Then it poured again.

Next, I taped off the new waterline. There were many considerations. First, the previous waterline had been led downward in the bows a bit, probably to make her look more rakish. Since she doesn't sit rakishly in the water, but nicely and fairly level bow-to-stern, the bow portion of the waterline needed to be lifted more than the stern portion (to keep her from being down on her lines in the bow but just great in the stern). I used the slight remnant of waterline discoloration on the port side bottom paint to determine the actual waterline and did my offset from that rather than from the painted bootstripe. The next consideration was the very dramatic increase in bottom-painted area in the central nacelle: a four-inch rise in the perpendicular waterline is a much larger increase in painted area on a sharply angled nacelle!

We painted the new area with the same old (stored) bottom paint we had used before, a very dark coating that looked a bit more black than blue -- interestingly, in the five months she'd been in the water after our last bottom painting, the black in that painted-on coating had preferentially disappeared, so that her haulout bottom color was a medium blue. As a result, the intermediate stage was very obvious: a dark blackish-blue strip above the existing bottom paint. Sorry, no pics of that. We also fixed any dings we found with West System epoxy (the kind that cures fast). We were all prepped for the new overall coat of bottom paint.

Finally, we got a couple more gallons of the West Marine intermediate-priced ablative antifouling paint (blue), and did our final coat with that. So, with the new waterline, it takes about 1.75 gallons to give one nice coat of paint on our hull bottoms.

This is what she looked like going back into the water. Notice the higher line and the absence of stripe:


I think the hull actually looks nicer that way.

While waiting for the bottom paint to dry, I finally repainted the after bulkhead in the salon. We had discussed stripping it of the yellow-and-aqua paint in order to see the teak, but there was too much damage to the surface: better off with a neutral beige paint. We taped off and covered the teak panel for the electrical access and dismounted ancillary hardware (but remounted the TV quickly in order to get it off of the salon table!). This is Rustoleum Marine Coatings Topside Paint in Sand Beige. Yes, I fully expect that at some point in the future, it will get occasionally wet. It's a boat, after all:


After we got back to the dock, it poured for that afternoon and the next day. But today is sunny and bright: just in time! Our water tanks needed filling. And here (OK, seriously, this is for my own reference) is how to do that:

1) Make sure the "outside" valve is closed (under the starboard end of the master bunk) (it should have been left closed previously), the "to starboard tank" valve is closed (it should have been left open previously), and the "to port tank" valve is open (ditto). Here are the valves under the starboard end of the master bunk:
(this one is on the right as you face the underbunk area with the mattress pulled up, and can be opened or closed by feel)
(these are the outside (lower center) and starboard tank (left rear) valves -- you'll be able to see them)

2) Attach a water hose from the water supply to the water intake in the aft bulkhead of the bow nacelle's second compartment, the hatch for which is out on deck aft of the chain locker. Turn on the water source pressure.

3) Remove the circular seal under the floor at the forward end of the navstation, pour in the appropriate amount of bleach solution to sanitize the water without permanently whitening your innards, and open the gate valve under the floor of the head, just forward of the tank.

This allows flow into the port tank, which flow will also ensure that the bleach solution is well-mixed. You can leave the circular seal open to observe the water level in the tank. Be careful not to drop anything in there. I always clean around the seal with cleaner and a paper towel before opening it, just to be sure nothing gets in accidentally.

4) Go open the "outside" valve under the starboard end of the master bunk now, to start the flow. Monitor the level with the port tank seal open. When the tank is full (miniscus starts to appear below the seal opening), close the gate valve.

5) Head over to the starboard tank, open the round seal, drop in the bleach solution, step across carefully, and open the "to starboard tank" valve to start the flow into the starboard tank. You can watch it from there. When the tank is nearly full, close the "from outside" valve, leaving the starboard and port tank valves open, and return the bunk board and insulating foam to its proper position under the mattress. Close the circular seal, and head outside to turn off the water and disconnect the inflow. Some water will leak into the second bow locker when the hose comes off, but this locker drains to the ocean.

Voila! If you don't live on this boat and are reading this, well, you can help out when you come visit :-)