It's The Little Things

SHIP'S LOG:

Friday was pretty much  repeat of Thursday - paint, move the ladder,paint, move the ladder, paint, move the ladder, varnish, move the ladder, varnish, move the ladder - though I did get through the day without stepping on the newly varnished rail. . . a major step forward.

Unfortunately, I have come to realize that I have a gremlin aboard and this one has a thing for paint scrapers. I have, or I should say, had three of them, very necessary tools when doing paint and/or varnish work. I am now down to ONE! I have no idea where the other two got off to. They are not in the tool box. They are not on the table in the salon with the other tools currently being used. They are not in any pockets, or on deck, or in the car. Even doing a total storage of all items in the boat into their proper places failed to turn up the missing paint scrapers. I am sure that they will show up either when I no longer have a need for them or they'll just appear on the table or the desk or back in the tool box. The gremlin's got'em!

Saturday was wood working day. All of the wood work had to be Tung Oil-ed. Rung oil creates a finish and protects the wood and inside of ABISHAG there is a whole lots wood. First it all had to be cleaned which meant scrubbing with Murphy's Oil Soap. Any old varnish had to be sanded away or removed with a paint scraper. Obviously, I was sanding! Then I was required to wedge myself into odd positions in order to be able to apply the Tung Oil for you must apply the oil to all the surfaces of the wood, not just what can be seen. You paint it on and wipe it off, trying to hold onto a cup containing the Tung Oil without spilling it.  What makes it challenging is that you can't really set it down anywhere or you will, trying to move or change position, knock it over. In addition, the Tung oil starts of "oily" - slippery if you get it on your hands which really can't be avoided.  Strangely though, it eventually becomes sticky and you can't put the brush and/or polishing cloth down. Aside from all that, it is not a bad project with the sole exception of knowing that it takes several coats  for the oil to properly do its job.

On the deck through on the inside of ABISHAG, there are wooden hatches that allow you access to the bilge and various  important pieces of equipment . . . like the engine. These all had to be poly- urethaned to protect the thin veneer of teak and holly on their surface.  Doing this job requires patience and a good sense of direction or one can literally paint oneself into a corner. It requires that you start at either end and work toward the middle, stop begin again at the other end and work toward the middle and paint the last one as you exit the interior.  Care must be taken hat you put back into the boat all the stuff you took out and take out all the items, like car keys , you need to get home. I was able to accomplish this successfully, but with the fumes a from the poly-urethane and the Tung Oil, the interior will need an airing when next I return.