Conference unifix::sailing

1112.0. "Boats, projects, advice." by NEWVAX::KAPUSCINSKI (Oh no...not another boat) Thu Jan 26 1989 19:22

	Lets start a note which will contain some information regarding 
    projects you are currently working on to improve her for incoming 
    season.

	I will start with my project of my life. Not many of you know that 
last August I have bought a boat in distress. She is a 1977 Valiant 40. 
She was in charter service in V.I. till 1984 and then the owner just walked 
away from her and she became a property of the bank. As we all know banks do 
not care about their property so they pulled her out and left her unserviced
until my rescue. In the meantime people broke in and stole all electronics,
water system frozen up, sails were still attached to the rigging etc...
Needless to say she passed the structural survey and that all I cared for. She
had blisters which scared me somewhat then, however after repairing them
myself (hard work for 4 months) I do not consider blisters to be any other
problem than rot or rust on other type boats. And that only a start to a total
refit I am planning for her. So far my wife and myself we have spent every
free time and penny on correcting problems such as: rudder shaft play, deadwood
of keel area delamination, prop and shaft overhaul, wiring harness and engine
panel change, new water heater and pluming, psychics, thruhulls, electrical
wiring, new propane system (because somebody cut a perfectly good hose in half
to install a valve and then used hose clamps to connected it, so I do not feel
like having a big "boooom" someday). I have several more things to do before
going back into water in MAY 1989. Currently we are sawing a new dodger, then
plan to build a new upholstery for a boat. When it gets a little warmer I 
need to overhaul running rigging, paint boom and change hardware. 
All this work we are doing ourselves after careful research on the subjects
we do not know enough. That is it for tonight.
I can write about this subject more and more but I am not sure there 
are people who want to listen?. 
If you are interested let share the experience, lets see how many of us are
crazy enough to undertake a major or minor work on our beloved boats.

Igor.

    	I want to pass my observation with the paint incopability I
    have dicovered painting the topsides of my boat. I have used the
    Pettit's All temperature Polypoxy undercote. This gives excellent
    hiding capabilities and very hard finish, great product. Then I
    have called them I asked for recommendation about their Easypoxy
    topside finish paint. They have told me that it will work fine with
    the undercoat. I have painted my hull and after pulling the tape
    off ( 3 M fine line masking ) the Easypoxy is peeling of too. The
    paint just did not adhere to the undercoat, plus it is a big pain
    to work with that you have to wait 24 hours between coat and sand
    too. So on the other side I have used Zpar Monopoxy with excellent
    results.
    The moral is Pettit Easypoxy is difficult to work with and should
    be call Painpoxy.
    	During the painting I have followed the manufactures steps and
    recommendations, just in case you ask.
    
    This comming spring I am going to sand the Easypoxy off and paint
    boat with the Zpars Monopoxy.
    
    Igor.
    

    I've used Easypoxy to paint a spar and found it to be a notoriously
    slow drier, even in warm temperatures.  Very thin coats are an absolute
    must.  At this time of the year it wouldn't surprise me if IR lamps
    and a heated shed were needed to make it "kick".  Once it cured
    it held up about as well as any other one part paint (Interlux etc.)
    Definitely not in the same league as two part polyurethanes.  My
    favorite one part paint is Interlux Interpoly.  Very high gloss
    and more durable than the standard enamels.  
    
    - gene

    re .0
    
    Igor,
    
    Did you launch her in May ? 
    
    Anything else happened worth sharing ?
    
    Since I plan to go into something similar next winter, I enjoy reading about
    other peoples' experiences to prepare myself for my own "big job".
    
    I know that there are a lot of notes with very valuable information
    in this conference, but still ..... I like the idea as you outlined
    it in the base note.
    
    Marcel  he-who-will-get-there-one-day