Working in the Boatyard

 We arrived back at the Dandy Haven Marina on October 12th. We got up late in the Holiday Inn after arriving after 1AM. We had a very quick breakfast to catch the 10am shuttle back to the airport to rent a car. Then I drove the hour and a half to Hampton, Virginia. Did I tell you that I was tired of driving? Oh well, after we turn this car in after a week, I may not drive for a few months. 

I was very eager to see SHIFT now that her bottom had been soda blasted down to the bare gelcoat. This was an expensive process ($1950), but it saved a week or more of sanding. 

Here is SHIFT with a white bottom. There were many places that would require further sanding and some blisters that would need to be ground out and filled with epoxy and then sanded smooth.

Here is the starboard bow, this area looked pretty good. 

Within an hour of our arrival, we had opened up the boat and checked for damage from the recent passing of hurricane Ian. It was down to a 50 mph tropical storm when it passed south of our location, but the storm surge covered the road coming into the marina. Andy had told us that he had never seen the water up as high as our boat and that proved to be true forthisstormas well. The boat was dirty and covered with bird poop and leaves, but all else looked good.  I got right to work with the sander and mini grinder getting the imperfections ready for the epoxy filler. 

This is the largest blister that I ground out and filled and sanded

Here are a couple more. We also taped off the new boot stripe.

I spent a great deal of time on the rudder. It looks like it had been filled and repaired in the past. I made sure that it was smooth and even. We were watching the weather closely. We needed at least 50 degrees and low humidity to paint. Friday the 14th looked like the perfect day. 

We would have to put 5 coats on the boat all in one day. We started out thinking that we would only do a section of the boat each day. We had to let each coat dry to a less than tacky level and then apply the following coat. We would put three coats of a epoxy based barrier coat on first, and then 2 coat of the ablative paint on top of that. 

We  were up early to wipe the entire bottom with acetone. By 9 am it was over 60 degrees and we got started. I was able to use the yard paint shaker, which made the process of stirring the paint much easier.

I mixed up the first batch and started painting. It was difficult to get the paint to cover well with the roller until we got the hang of it. Before long we had the first side done. 

Here is SHIFT with a grey bottom. This is the barrier coat. 

After completing the starboard side I checked the bow. It was ready for the second coat. You can see our Volkswagen Jetta rent car in the background. 

It was at this point we made an important decision. I did some math and determined if we kept working we could do the entire boat in one day. Kim put the second coat on the Starboard side and I put the first coat on the port. 

Here is the port side done with the barrier coat. 

It was a difficult, but fun day in the boatyard. Our neighbor, George also selected this day to paint the bottom of his boat "Magical Moments".

We were getting tired, but we had no choice, but to continue. We took a quick lunch break eating some cold fried chicken while sitting on the trunk of the car. Then we started the final two coats of ablative anti fouling paint. It came out a much brighter blue than Kim wanted, but we now like it just fine. 

Kim took a couple of shots as I put the first blue paint on the bow. The white paint suits were great. They came with the paint from TotalBoat for free along with mixing sticks and rollers and pans. 

The paint went on much easier.

After about 3 more hours of work that left both of us sore and tired, we had finished the entire boat. It felt amazing to have that project completed. 

This is what the finished project looked like.

You can see a little problem right there on the bow. When I pulled the tape some of the paint came with it. I would have to fix that when we did the parts under the blocks and stands.

You can see our raised boot stripe, That came out very well. 

We would now have to wait 5 days or more to let the paint cure before we could put a lifting strap on it. So, I spent the next few days painting the prop and weed guard with special anti fouling paint. We also used the rent car while we had it.

This is the prop with the black paint on it.

We spent the next few days going out for dinner with new friends and trying to recover from the long day of painting. The weather got cool, so that helped keep the ice in the freezer. We did go out and buy all our non perishable provisions for the upcoming season. We had to lift them up in the boat by a line and an Ikea bag, but we got it done. We were looking for good weather to do our final painting and settled on Thursday the 20th. We took the car back and thanks again to Dave for coming to Richmond to pick us up. We will miss our Pierce's Pit BBQ lunches on our way between. 

Andy came over with the lift on Thursday as planned and lifted us up exposing all of the stand pads and the underside of the keel where we were on blocks. 

It was at that point I got a taste of what it would have been like to sand the entire bottom of the boat. The soda blaster was able to move the stands around, so those areas were done, but under the keel still had paint on it. It took 4 hours of sanding and about 5 discs to do the 4 small patches. I was very happy to be done with that. Then we started the painting. We did the same 5 coats, finishing just about dark. It was a very long day. 

Here is Kim painting one of the spots where the blocks were. 

Here she is! Ready to go back in the water.

I spent some time while we were waiting to wax the hull. I don't think SHIFT has ever looked this good.

That evening we got a call from Dave and Diane asking if we wanted to go to a Greek Festival with them. We gladly accepted, because we had only soup to eat and no car to get food. 

Lots of good food at the Greek Festival

Lot's of people also.

We loved watching the little kids doing the traditional dancing. 

I think I will stop this entry there. In my next one we will get back in the water and make the final preparations for our journey south. It is getting cold in Virginia and we heat with latitude.