Thursday 8 September

I have an admission to make, this should really be day 90 as JP, Paul H and I snuck in here yesterday and sanded boat 1 again and again. Still not happy this morning everybody who came through the door was press-ganged into more sanding. This included Adrian, back from his holiday in Shark Bay, Paul W, Veronica and JP. We were getting rid of any sharp edges and remaining glue bumps as well as making the underside of the gunwales smooth so that when you run your hands along them lovingly it won’t scratch you back. I was accused of being a perfectionist which I sort of am, but there are levels of perfection and we are not nearly at the higher end of the scale.

More sanding to perfection.

By tea break I knew we had to stop if we were going to get a coat of resin on before the 1pm committee meeting. It was still very difficult to stop and another half hour passed with Veronica Paul and myself giving it all we had.

JP mixed up the resin with the thinner for the first coat and Paul and I vacuumed throughout the boat. Then we got stuck into it, firstly with brushes in the hard to reach places and then with a roller and tipping brush on the planks.

Adrian and Paul getting resin into tight spots.
Is this good for my back? No says my back.
JP going up a pay scale to chief roller operator.
This is looking better.
And better.
Catch the runs.
Finishing touches.
And voila! Gunwales and breasthooks to be varnished afterwards.
Two months left to get the boat 2 finished to at least this level and paint boat 1.

This feels like a successful art project, the object we have created looks much to like a sculpture or musical instrument. Are we really going to paint it and the put it in the river?

More resin coating this weekend if anyone is up for it. I’m hoping to get three coats of resin on and 4 coats of varnish by Thursday so we can display it at the SUPA IGA sausage sizzle on on Saturday 17th September.

Cheers Dave