Oh black water keep on rolling
2004-03-22

Well the sun came out on Sunday and most of the snow melted away in the rain on Saturday night so of course it was work on the boat time again.

I think I'm just getting too old or perhaps just worn down from all of this stuff. I tend to be a fanatic about my boat prep. It is an extension of me I guess, a way that people measure... I take it seriously, it takes it's toll.

Each spring I wash the hull, put on a coat of polish and then two coats of wax. Since the boat is 40 feet long, we're talking about 90 linear feet of wax on, wax off. It shines like a blue diamond, but it's a lot of work.

The bottom is worse. I power sand that, roll on two coats of paint and then the fun begins. WET SANDING!!! Most people use cheesy ablative paints that you just roll on and dump in the water. With most of them, you don't even need to paint every year. Me? I use the high maintanence racing paint that requires all kind of prep work and the deadly wet sanding.

Wet sanding involved squirting yourself (and the boat occasionally) with a hose and then letting cold black gunk drip all over you, like down your neck and assorted places while you put your shoulders through a workout that would make a Chinese torturer proud.

I got about half the bottom done yesterday, 20 strokes with 220 grit, 12 more with 400 grit over EACH SQUARE INCH of the damn bottom. A mega long hot shower this morning didn't help. I admit it I'm a hurting puppy. It even messed up my sleep last night. UGH.... I can see why when people get older they buy smaller boats.

I should just take the easy route next year I guess. I probably won't though. I like it when people come by and admire the boat. Yesterday, three people I didn't even know stopped their cars in the street just to ask what kind it was. It's a nice feeling.

Johnny the chin dropped off the refinished salon table yesterday and it looks great. 14 days till splash. Now all I have to do is keep my arms attached.

Happy Monday!

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