Washing the hulls

Since we had given the hull additional coats of clear resin to fill the fibergass weave, we had to wash them again to remove the amine blush in preparation for the final sanding and painting. That's how we spent three hours this saturday...

 

Total work time to date: 681 hours

Deck seat painting

The last six days went in successive application of 3 coats for each side of the two deck seats. Here's the beginning

We then discovered that we do have a problem with this paint. While the finish looks pleasant and durable, the paint softens if soaked in water for several hours. So we have decided that we will use this paint only for the top sides, and accepted the idea of using toxic paints (most probably one part polyurethanic enamel)  for the hulls and the appendages.

Total work time to date: 678 hours

Deck seat washing and sanding

Five hours of work this week end. First we removed the amine blush from both sides

We then bored the 4 bolt holes using an oversize 15 mm bit to allow for coating with slightly thickened resin bringing the diameter back to 12 mm. To do that we used 12 mm bolts wrapped with adhesive tape to keep the resin separated from the steel. You could see the tips of the bolts protruding from the hole

 

Finally, we sanded and cleaned both sided in preparation for painting.

Total work time to date: 673 hours

Painting the false transom and the rudder blade

The last six days we painted the false transom and the rudder blade with 3 coats on the upper side and 3 coats on the lower side, and every day we had to wait 24 hours for tne next coat.

Total work time to date: 668 hours

Swing arms done

About one our between yesterday and today to apply the second and third (final) coat on the swing arms.

Total work time to date: 665 hours

Painting the swing arms

Two hours between yesterday and today: yesterday I gave the third and final coat on the upper side of the swing arms; today I gave the first coat on the lower side.

Total work time to date: 664 hours

Forgot to mention...

...that since the second but last update I have missed to take into account the last coat on the upper side and all the three ones in the lower side of the akas. Moreover, today we gave the second coat to the upper side of the swing arms. So, the total working time is updated accordingly.
We have a problem with red paint. While the grey and the white ones are easy and pleasant to apply, the red paint appears of much lesser viscosity and is virtually impossible to use. I think there's a problem with the mixing machine and therefore we'll check with the vendor immediately.

Total working time to date: 662 hours

Revenant

On June 29th I had a stroke, and a pretty serious one, but thanks to many lucky combinations I was able to get out of it with no consequences (after an operation). So, we were able to resume work on the boat reasonably soon.
Today we worked 2 hour to give a first coat of paint to the upper side of the swing arms.

 

Total work time to date: 657 hours

Painting the akas

We finally received the first 2.5 liter can of water based enamel. The RAL color is 7047 (light grey) and we'll use this for the akas, the decks, the cockpit and the blades. Given the small size of our workshop we cannot do everything in the same moment... We gave a light sanding with 240 grit and then rolled the paint. Here's a view of the top side of the akas after the second coat.

We also gave one more coat of clear resin to the false transom and the rudder blade.

We'll try to do small batches of work more frequently because the subsequent coats have to wait for 24 hours, and because we have to do the top side first, flip the piece when it's dry and then do the bottom.

Total work time to date: 655 hours

Painting at last

So, here we are at painting. We decided to make a first test on the daggerboard. We first washed it with running water and Scotchbrite to remove the blush, and then we gave it a light scrub with 240 grit sandpaper. And here we begin with the first coat

and, 24 hours later, with the second coat

Total work time to date:653 hours

Press stop

The experiment went well: the new enamel is definitely harder than the previous one, so we're going to use this one. Actually, the paint on the first samples continues to get harder after one month, and it cannot be dented anymore with a nail... We still have to decide the exact colors, however the idea is to paint the hull sides and bottoms with bright red while decks, cockpit and akas will be light grey.

Paint shop

Now we're ready to paint. However, the first test with the water based acrylic enamel was not positive because it proved to be too soft once cured: it can be easily dented with a nail. That's why we decided to test another water based enamel before surrendering to nastier stuff like 2-part paints. We bought a can of white water based polyurethanic enamel, semi-matt. This is the professional line of a well known manufacturer and is supposedly much better and harder than the first one. We'll see.

Filling the weave completed!

Five more hours this week end to complete sanding of the vaka deck/cockpit and subsequent coating with clear epoxy (almost 800 grams). Here's a pic taken yesterday during the sanding session

and here's one taken this morning after the second coat.

You can see the milestone beer on the left because Cinzia protested when I tried to put it on the freshly coated deck.
In the meantime we tested the paint samples prepared before. While it looks that enamel adheres well on cured epoxy, the water based acrylic enamel (latex?) that we tested seems too soft. After three weeks we can easily dent it with a nail, so it's either too soft or cures too soft on epoxy. On the other hand, the two-part polyurethane enamel that we tested before is much harder albeit very unpleasant to apply. We'll soon try a one-part water based polyurethane enamel.

Total work time to date: 651 hours

Paint test

Three hours of work after a long stop due to other commitments, including a conference abroad. We continued sanding the aka's deck and cockpit in preparation for the additional resin coats, and in the meantime we bought two cans of water based acrylic enamel (a.k.a. latex paint for our USA friends) to test how well it adheres and cures on epoxy. We gave two coats (the second one after 24 hours) on scrap plywood pieces already coated with epoxy, after a rinse to remove a possible blush patina and a light pass with the sander.

We really hope that those paints will work well because they're easy to apply. We might also give a try to wated based polyurethane enamel which is supposed to be better than the acrylic. Stay tuned for the results.

Total work time to date: 646 hours.

Sanding, sanding

Just two hours on last saturday morning to start fairing deck and cockpit imp reparation for the final epoxy coats after righting up the vaka on the saddles. We should be done by next week end.

Total work time to date: 643hours

Vaka: filling the weave (3)

Four more hours of work during this week end. We turned the vaka on the other side and repeated the procedure: sanding with 120 grit and two coats of clear resin. Here's Cinzia giving the first coat on Saturday afternoon

and here's how the boat looks after the second coat on Sunday morning

Total work time to date: 641 hours

Vaka: filling the weave(2)

Four hours of work in the week end. We had to turn the (heavy) vaka on one side. Here's a pic of the cetacean

We then brought it back inside and faired the hull port side using 120 grit on power sander and sanding board

We then removed the dust and gave two coats of clear epoxy using a foam roller

Temperature is going down rapidly in these days due to the infamous "Burian" coming from Siberia...

Total work time to date: 637 hours

Vaka: washing the blush and filling the weave

Five hours of work in the week end. We set the two newly coated amas apart and took out the vaka to wash it and then apply two coats of clear resin. Here's the vaka outside during the blush removal, +using running water, plastich brush and scotchbrite pad. The vaka is quite heavy but we did everything without external help.

We then put the hull back into the garage, upside down, and sanded the bottom with 120 grit using, as usual, power sander, sanding board and hand pad. Here's a view of the bottom during the sanding

We then gave two coats of clear resin using a foam roller. Here's how it looks with the second coat on.

Total work time to date: 634 hours.

Filling the weave on the amas (4)

This weekend we worked 3 more hours to complete the epoxy coating of both amas. We swapped the two hulls and sanded (120 grit) the bottom of one and the deck of the other, using sanding board, pad and power sander.

We then coated the two sanded surfaces after carefully removing the dust. We gave the first coat on saturday afternoon and the second coat on sunday morning. Here's how the deck looks

Total work time to date:629 hours

Filling the weave on the amas (3)

Three hours of work between saturday and sunday to double coat the bottom of one ama and the deck of the other one with clear resin, using a foam roller. Next week end we'll swap the two to complete the work.

Total work time to date: 626 hours

Filling the weave on the amas (2)

Three hours of work this week end. We swapped the two amas to do the other side of each one following the same procedure. Here's a view during the sanding

and here's the final fiew after the second coat. We had to wait overnight because on saturday afternoon the resin was still too soft.

Total work time to date: 623 hours

Filling the weave on the amas

Three hours of work today to double coat with clear epoxy one side of both amas to fill the weave. We first rearranged the boat like in the pic below

Then we sanded the sides using 120 grit on both power sander and sanding board, to take down protrusions and runs. The, using a foam roller, gave a first epoxy coat before lunch and a second one aftwer 6 hours. Here's the final result.

Next week we'll do the other sides. Total work time to date: 620 hours

Washing the amas

Two hours today to wash the two amas (floats) in order to remove the blush in preparation for an additional epoxy coat. We used a brush and a Scotchbrite pad with running water.
Here's a pic of the two amas before the shower

and here we are, properly dressed, doing the job

Total work time to date: 617 hours

Sanding

Happy New Year everybody! Two hours of unpleasant and hard work yesterday, to sand all aka pieces and deck seats smooth (sort of) in preparation for priming and painting. We used our roto-orbital sander with 60 and 120 grit, as well as hand pads.The lesson is clear: make sure not to have epoxy drips otherwise removing them afterwards is a real pain in the a%%.

Here's a pic of all aka segments

Total work time to date: 615 hours