Well, Wasn't That Fun? ? ? ?

SHIP'S LOG:

Well, if you must know, the answer is, "No, not really!" I did mask the waterline and all of the thru-hulls ( I forgot that there were 10 of them!). I did paint, with a brush, the masked waterline and around each of the thru-hulls. I then painted the hull, leaving the wounded keel untouched. I stared about 1:30PM and ended around 5:15PM. In the nice, pleasantly warm and rather dry weather, the paint needed thinning and stirring even more than usual, so it was a case of stir, thin, paint, stop and stir and thin and then paint, stopping to reload after having stirred and thinned again. I actually got most of the paint on the hull too! My arthritic, going-to-need-to-be-replaced-someday-soon right hip did not appreciate this particular type of activity what with the bending and squatting and other such contorted stance a part of the painting process and it let me know about it in no uncertain terms. It was literally a pain in the butt! But . . . . However, the job was done and the first coat is on. Second coat goes on Sunday!

Shelia of the Fiberglass shop crew stopped by and said that they were starting on the boat on Monday . . . . well, at least they were having the boat picked up and their EPA required catch-all tarp put underneath. This is perfect as they will have the yard crew move the boat stands, all seven of them, to new positions so that I can paint the spots they covered on the hull.

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

I think that perhaps I might be beginning to make a start at getting old. It is beginning to feel that way. Going up and down the ladder, squatting, bending , twisting and contorting, reaching, stretching, lifting and hauling and all the other assorted movements one goes through readying a boat for the season are taking their toll. I find myself stopping to rest more than it seems that i did in the past. I also find myself stretching to get ride of kinks and pulls that weren't there last year . . . . or maybe they were, I just don't remember them. I find myself fantasizing about what it would be like to be one of those boat owners who have enough money so that they can pay the yard crews do get the boat ready for the season. Then again, I am paranoid enough so that if I did that, I would worry about the job they did and did they get to everything and get it right! Ah, the fun part of boating! As it is, I am broke and probably the better for it, as I get to do the work and will KNOW just how well or how poorly it was done. Still, it is good to work on the boat, though it would be better to be sailing her, but that will come . . . rather soon I expect.