Bottom Pep

Now that the sanding and removing of the old bottom paint is done. It is time for new paint to go on. In the process of removing the old paint I got into one of the 5 layers of epoxy on the bottom which is used to protect the bottom from blisters. So the white was the 5th coat I had on. So in the last post you seen white and gray on the bottom so I had to add one more (5th) coat of epoxy back on. That is the white one you see.



We had a weather window of a couple of days that it was above normal,(75) for this time of year and I took advantage of them. But not with out taking time off work. Oh well. It seems all is coming so fast and so much to do yet at home and on the boat. Oh yea, we ordered a box spring mattress from Bargain Bedding in North Carolina and it came by truck to the marina while I was there.

Talk about work. It was like stuffing 10 lbs of turd into a 5 lb bag. Thank god I had Dick stop by and help me get that baby up into the v berth. Oh and a few others wanted to know if the old cushions were wore out. Well I am not saying a thing.


After the epoxy was dried enough the first coat of new bottom paint went on which we used Micron Extra. The first coat was black and took about lil more then a hour to put on. Sure stinks like heck.

The 2nd and 3rd coats are green and reason for that is that this type of paint wears off as we go through the water. Once the black start showing we then know we have one layer of bottom paint left. Were hoping that this will last us till we pull out again in mid May of 2011 were planing on right now.

Time to Change

Now that our weather has finally turned from the nasty white stuff to the warm southern breeze's it is time to get busy. Good Friday weekend is usually the start of prepping the boat for the up coming season. Now that we have decided to take off and cruise, this year is a bit different then the past years. The bottom paint that is used in freshwater can not be used in fresh water as there is different type of growth that occurs. With sander in hand and a vacuum attached to it only 19 hours later I was finished. Dang I thought my arms were going to fall off the first night. I slept like a rock both nights that I stayed onboard. But one good thing there were many that stopped by and wanted to chat as always in a boat yard in the spring. We have all been cooped up over the winter and now wana catch up on all that happened over the past 6 months.
Oh yea this is the time of year also that Jeannie does not own a boat. To much dam work is what she tells me. But her time will come when she oils the inside wood. Not my job I tell her. Now that the whole bottom is stripped I need to put on one more coat of barrier paint.

This helps stop the water from wicking into the fiberglass thus causing damage later on. Then once that is done we will add the new paint for the trip into salt water later this year.