Sexy Boat

[Noel Heslop]

Hi Melissa,

Excellent job. Thanks for the photos.

Could you please explain your steps for your Cetol teak finish you mentioned?

I am sanding back my teak, previously finished with "teak" coloured dark Cetol, which badly need fixing. We are starting into our winter, so I am taking my time to get the best possible finish for now and years to come.

[bottomscraper]

The Teak has 2 coats of Cetol Marine Light and 2-3 coats of Cetol Marine Gloss.

[Duncan]

Mike Casey was the "eye" that located and sized the new boot stripe. The Awlgrip colors are Oyster White, Desert Sand (non-skid) and Claret for the boot and cove stripe.

When the boot stripe was "sized", did it end up @ 3", as I am guessing from the photos?

The reason I am asking is that I just got a roll of 2" boot stripe tape for my 27. That was my best guess for the same proportions on the smaller hull, but it is returnable in case that wouldn't look right.

[bottomscraper]

Yes it's about 3" at the center of the boat. It gets much wider
at the two ends, probably about 12" at the stern. A laser
level was used to mark it out for the paint.

[bottomscraper]

Some picture of the work in progress. At this point the deck paint and non-skid was mostly done. I probably should have taken more pictures at various stages but I didn't

http://www.sailmahalo.com/picture_colle ... 2011Decks/

[12Sail]

We're running out of superlatives! Beautiful work on a gorgeous lady; congratulations. I am particularly impressed by the Cetol....had heard results were less than good ol' varnish (6 coats deep!), but your results are incredibly deep.

[Troy Scott]

How did you do it?

[Ron M.]

having gone thru the same process a few years ago I appreciate the superb results you have shared with us......it's A LOT of work but very satisfying. My paint job still looks new........if only the finish on the woodwork would hold up as long......that's asking too much. nice job!
________
COLORADO DISPENSARY

[bottomscraper]

The non-skid is GripTex an Awlgrip product. I'm not 100% sure
how it was applied but I believe it was mixed and sprayed. I
tried my best to keep out of the way when the actual painting
was going on since I had nothing useful to add to the process.

[Troy Scott]

Nemo,

When you get a chance during your busy schedule, please ask your guardians, aunts, uncles, etc., if they might be willing to help their southern brethren who are lagging behind in a similar process. We are willing to finish up the prep work, but our spraying ability seems more limited.

[Troy Scott]

Melissa and Rich (and anyone else who understands these things),

First, let me apologize for this apparent hijacking of your discussion thread. I should probably start a new discussion for this, and I believe I will, by simply starting a new one with an almost identical post there. But I want to start here, because we're all admiring an obviously successful example of what I'm trying to do!

About the Awlgrip, was the final coat of paint essentially perfect, or did it require "tweaking" in the form of removing dust-nibs, etc.? Dust nibs are a PITA when working with acrylic polyurethanes, but at least they can be polished out. However, when using polyester urethanes like Awlgrip or Perfection, they are a show-stopper. Nothing to do but sand and try again.

I ask because I am working in my hangar, where for the last 20 years or so, many dusty projects have been completed. Despite my occasional serious efforts at removing all the dust, I just don't think my building can really be made clean enough to use as a paint booth. Simply wetting the floor is not enough. Even if I drape everything, including the exterior walls, with plastic, there are still the dusty beams to consider. Thoughts? Suggestions?

As for converting the hangar into a temporary paint booth, even though I have air-conditioning, I also have a large exhaust fan. I could position large air conditioner filters in the personnel door. I could provide for some exchange of relatively clean air, though I doubt it would be enough to control the overspray issue. I also have a "HOBBY AIR" forced air breathing system for dealing with the poisonous paint. (I use this even for just dust...) I have both LVHP and HVLP paint spray equipment and some guys who can spray. The lacquer and paint they spray usually gets rubbed out, so we don't worry too much about spraying perfectly. I know I have to do something different, because repeated efforts with "Perfection" have included plenty of dust nibs, even when I've managed to roll and tip the paint nearly perfectly. My attempts with spraying polyurethane paint have resulted in too much overspray. I've also tried Signature Finish paint, which CAN be sanded and polished to perfection, but that more work, more steps..... Thoughts? Suggestions?

Any suggestions for simply rolling the boat outside and spraying on a clean, clear day will be quickly vetoed. We are surrounded by multi-million dollar corporate jets and other privately owned expensive aircraft, and other stuff. An outdoor roll-and-tip job wouldn't be frowned upon, and maybe that's the way to go.

On a related note: My observations about the roll-and-tip method of painting: It works better on the topsides, where there are large, uncomplicated areas. It works less well on the deck, which has many complex shapes which create lots of opportunities for runs, curtains, brush marks, etc.. At least that's not such a problem with non-skid
Thoughts?

About two blocks from my hangar is a very fine large paint booth normally used for painting 18-wheeler trucks and trailers. The owner is not really a close friend, but he's an airport neighbor, and he's done favors for me in the past. He might let me (briefly) use his equipment for the final coat(s) after the prep is finished (it almost is...). However, the problem is getting the boat there. The boat is now on my custom-made steel trolley which has 6" cast-iron wheels and requires a tractor and a fairly even surface for moving. I believe the move to the paint booth would require the carefully coordinated action of at least four fork lifts to place the trolley/boat together onto a long, low trailer. That would be involved and possibly expensive. I would really like to figure out how to just get this done in my hangar. Thoughts? Suggestions?

I realize that the answer may be to just do absolutely everything I can to get the air in the hangar as clean as possible and then just roll and tip. Sigh.

Is there anyone here who has figured out how to, at least temporarily, clean up the air in a dusty building? How did you do it?

[Duncan]

...I believe the move to the paint booth would require the carefully coordinated action of at least four fork lifts to place the trolley/boat together onto a long, low trailer. That would be involved and possibly expensive...

Is there a chance you could move the boat with a hydraulic boat-moving trailer? Wouldn't that be the "right tool for the job"? It seems like a shame not to use the excellent spray booth nearby.

Another possibility (opposite to what you suggest) is what friends did on a 41' Cheoy Lee. They had a friend spray Awlgrip on the topsides, then rolled and tipped Perfection (or similar two-part, I don't recall) on the deck. Both surfaces ended up looking great, despite doing them in a boat shed with a dirt floor and no dust containment.

[Michael Heintz]

You guys rock !!!!!! That is one beautiful Cape Dory...

[Troy Scott]

Duncan,
That's what the pros used to deliver my 36 from Robinhood, ME to Laurel, MS. But it was frightfully expensive. I don't think we have one in the area normally. We're about 100 miles inland. I hired a local oil-field construction crane to move the boat from the hydraulic trailer to my trolley. Of course a hydraulic boat trailer is the logical way to do it. But my thinking WRT the four fork lifts and a flat bed trailer is based on local availability and economics. My hangar where I'm doing the refit is in an industrial area where we have a few connections.