Painting the inside

I have decided that the inside needs paint, not varnish. It is just not good enough for a clear finish. i have applied firts a grey primer, then a second coat of mixed primer and top coat. Only after I applied that did I wonder if the two paints are compatible. They are from differnt manufacturers, so I hope I don't end up with a layer that never sets! The final top coats will be off white and then varnish for the deck and gunwales. I want to fix a rope fender around the edge so that it doesn't damage Daisy G each time she bumps into her.

Outside painted. Now "just" need to do the inside and edges

Finished outside painting and tidying, fitted an aluminium strip at the bow and bolted on the skeg wheels. Now I just need to pain the insides and varnish the deck and gunwales. May be done by the spring...

First coat of final colour on the dinghy

It is true that the slowest part of building a boat is painting it. You have to wait 24 hours between each stage and it is tedious, watching paint dry. I have applied two undercoats, a half and half under and top coat and now the firt of two top coats. I think she will look good, but painting the inside and varnishing will take even longer, so there is a way to go yet.


I have just uploaded 70 photographs I took of wooden boats being built on the beaches of the United Arab Emirates in 1977, when I was working out there. One below and you can see the rest here if you are interested.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102590069615120275593/UAE1977# 

I won third prize in a photo competition for this shot. I won the first prize too!

Dinghy being painted

The dinghy is basically built, although I need to add a handle of some sort on the stem for moving her around with. First primer coat applied. She will be green, like Daisy G. because I have have a full tin of that colour. Painting the inside will be more complicated and I am planning to varnish the trim.

Spent yesterday at the Southampton Boat show and saw the BayCruiser 23, the BayRaider Expedition (big cockpit, tiny cabin) and the BayRaider 17. The latter is beautiful, but I don't really go for the other two. 23 feet doesn't seem to give you much over 20 feet apart from increased difficulties in launching/recovery. The Expedition would almost certainly need a cockpit tent to make it really usable, and you can fit one easily to the open BayRaider. It will be interesting to see how they all sell. The BayCruiser 23 is proving popular with families.

Beautiful September sailing (27nm 386total)

Motoring down from Wareham

The forecast was good so I risked it and it was worth it. Lovely day sailing around the harbour (with a heavy downpour in the middle admittedly) and then motoring up to Wareham, where I was the only boat tied up to the quay all night. I had seen the seals at Shipstal again, and saw that there is a small raft off Round Island where one was hauled out in the sun. Beautiful chestnut brown over his head and back, and spotty sides. It was obviously his raft.

Had a Guinness at the pub and fish and chips from the local chippy for dinner. Late morning departure for the best weather of the summer. Just idled down the  Wareham channel, beached on Arne and had to use the sail batten to poke out a stone jambed in the centreboard case, hove to for lunch watching the big ships coming and going and then finally sailed back to the marina. gentle wind so I lowered the main sail, went in under jib and mizzen and managed to pick up my mooring under sail, which always feels like an achievement. The weather was clearly changing so I packed up and headed home. I shall probably only be down again to pack her up and bring her home.