Wednesday 18 January 2023
Back in the shed early to get another couple of coats on the varnish work. I started with a very cursory sand with 1000 grit wet and dry used dry. It helps to be able to see where the new varnish brushstrokes end and provides a microscopic key for the new varnish. I still had to be very methodical in applying the new varnish, setting target markers for where my new paint went to, especially in areas where you can’t get the right angle of the light onto the surface. By about 11am I had finished my first round and after a cup of tea went out to check on my own boat and get some fresh air. The fumes are shocking with this stuff and I keep my mask on which filters them out surprisingly well but gets quite uncomfortable after a while.
The second coat I cheated and didn’t bother with the inside of the gunwale slots or the bottom of the thwarts as presumably these areas won’t be subject to the same wear and tear. I had to ditch the brush at the end of the session as it was a mess of sticking out hairs with quite solid varnish on them.
The outcome is very pleasing though as commented on by JD who stuck his head in.
In the background Clem has restored the dodgy rowlock pin at the Machinery Shed and two spares are being sourced from Tim at the Albany Rowing Club. Geoff B was in Albany and picked them up along with investigating winches and slings to lift a boat in the Riverside Club boat shed. The skiffs weigh less than 200kg so a powered winch may be the way to go.
St John was out rowing three times today. Geoff was in the first shift with Clem and tells me they have the team positions sorted out for the Augusta Regatta.
Tomorrow is probably the last day of the build project with a bit of work to do on the rowlocks and the last varnish coat and paint on the footrest. We are going to need a few people to lift the boat onto the trailer on Friday morning so that it can be taken to be named at Denmark Signwriters.
Cheers Dave