I can finally honestly say for the past two days I have accomplished significant chores directly pertaining to getting the Venture ready to go. The Challenger is gone. I sold is cheap to get it gone. Needed the blocks under it for the V22. The house is empty on the main part except for the washing machine and I am moved in to my son's old bedroom. It's small. Going from 1000 sq ft to less the 200 square feet is not for babes. I'm still sorting and figuring out where to put stuff but the hard part is done. The shed is near to busting full with stuff that has to be picked thru for the final sort but for now I'm just not going to worry about it. I'm sick to death of dealing with the house! I'm focusing on getting things in here organized after dark and working on boat for as many hours as I can during the day.
Still have not gotten around to finishing pulling off the deck hardware. I got to thinking about it. I can do that later after she is on the water in a slip, if I have to. Right now it's about the hull. Someone mentioned the idea that a trailer sailor does not need barrier coat and that if it had bare spots scrubbing it off and slapping a coat of bottom paint on it would do, especially since I'm not planing on keeping it long term. This seemed like a fantastic idea. I got out the old trusty bucket and scrub brush and got a rather nasty surprise.
My gel coat has holes in it! I'm not talking about being pitted. I'm talking about spots that could to the best of my personal knowledge have ONLY been made by someone sanding through the gel coat. Yes, I at first thought it was me, so I started paying extra close attention on how much pressure I was using.Then I saw it! A hole in the gel coat that was still covered with a thin layer of bottom paint! GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!
(*&#^%$*%()+_^) and GRRRR again!
It was a beautiful idea while it lasted, but bare fiberglass with just bottom paint on it is, in my book, a recipe for that horror of all horrors know as BLISTERS! I cannot do it! She is getting completely sanded down to the gel coat and I'm covering any and all spots it is missing on and to make extra sure I'm taking the plunge and putting barrier coat on her.
Yes, maybe this is over kill but there is a serious reason behind my madness. If you have been following this blog you know the van went kaput on me so using it as a tow vehicle is not happening. Here I sit again with that situation. A couple of times some one has mentioned finding someone who will pull me to water in exchange for the trailer. If I do it and I'm seriously considering it, that means she is full time in the water. Put the two together and you have the final decision of the barrier coat.
Since the dogs are gone and I've given up on getting another for now, all the cinder block that my son drafted for dog proofing the fence is going under the boat and I'm going to go full bore on getting the bottom at least sanded before I pull out.
I have a strip almost completely across the bottom sanded down to gel coat across behind the keel. Once that is almost done I'm putting timbers under her to raise her. I'm hoping to get the back raised tomorrow.
Got another nasty surprise while I was under her. There is a large hole on the tail end of the keel;. It has to be where it was dragged along a hard surface . It looks like it was wore down from not raising the keel soon enough going up a cement ramp. All I can say is it is a good thing I had already figured on dropping the keel and checking it out. Need to redo the lines and replace the bolt any way.
Right now I'm so tired I can't sleep. Stiff and sore does not begin to describe my muscles. It's a good day even with the nasty surprises. I'm going to make some herb tea and pass out.
Sail safe but sail!
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