High Country awaits her first haulout on a marine railway. With the last nor'easter, sand got washed over part of the railway, making it impossible to haul her until the tide came in a bit more.Her bottom was the dirtiest it's ever been (sorry, no pictures, I'd gone home by then). We made the mistake of using cheap paint last year (I knew as soon as I picked up a can of the stuff that it would never do, very light) and we've been paying for it ever since with bi-weekly scrubbings while in these cold northern waters. Of course, since about September, we sort of let it go, figuring we weren't going anywhere for awhile. We'd been planning to wood the bottom in the spring, but Nat suggested the fall, since the yard and railway get busy in the spring. With the approaching holiday weekend, we realized it would be a great time to do the work, hopefully while everyone was away so we didn't have to fumigate everyone.
High Country finally gets hauled, not without mishap. With only two guys doing the hauling, there wasn't enough communication and HC's bowsprit got very intimate with Ayuthia's mizzen boom gallow.
Keeping the bum and toes warm. We just heard that it's been unseasonably cold for the Vineyard at this time of year. Figures.
In between burning the paint off the bottom, Rick repaired the damage to Ayuthia, whose owner was expected to arrive back on Thanksgiving weekend (00ps). Rick had talked about using a torch to burn the paint off the bottom, but I hadn't pictured putting actual flame to a wooden boat?! Everyone assured me that this is how it worked and looked, but I was still nervous as hell, what with flaming bits of toxic paint still burning once they hit the ground and my boat occasionally on fire (splinters). We melted through 1 plastic tarp and scorched holes in 4 bed sheets and burned into a 2x4. After getting sick from the fumes, I took a day off and was only allowed a heat gun thereafter. Rick got sick too, but managed to pull himself together for another 1/2 day of burning to finish the job (guys are tough). We'd originally intended to get ourselves a fresh air supply for this job, but it all happened so quickly, we never did. Anyone out there inspired to burn off your bottom paint, get yourself a fresh air supply rig!
Rick worked Thanksgiving morning, but I managed to drag him away for an afternoon of feasting at the MacGinnis's house, thank you Hugh and Deb!
Some post-turkey reclining.
1 comment:
I think Rick is the only guy who works harder than Bob on his boat. That project looks absolutely hideous, and our hearts go out to you. Very scary getting an actual flame that close to the wood. We've done the heat gun bit, but never an open flame. What an inspiration!
Cheers,
Kitty and Bob
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