SWALLOW floats engineless in a slip at Port Townsend. I'm happy to be afloat but frustrated being tied to a dock. Dock life is expensive and doesn't provide the solitude I crave. As I write this a beeping electronic alarm on a neighbor boat intrudes the quiet peace of the morning. (I checked and if … Continue reading Want to cut the docklines
SWALLOW is back on the water! Even though I was on the waiting list to launch I was floating at 1045am. https://www.instagram.com/scoobscobie/p/BwuzZQwBWtQ/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=be5urmcfd1lk The good luck of an early launching didn't hold as the outboard acted up and the motor when back into the shop. Last December I found the motor would cold start just fine … Continue reading Splash
SWALLOW's bottom painting is done! This is the last 'large task'! Now to finish a few small things as I wait for the barrier coat, applied to protect the keel's steel shoe, to cure: 120 hours (five days) because of the 50-degree mid-April days. Bottom painting isn't the only work being done: Fixing, painting and … Continue reading Busy in the boat yard
The hull was sanded, touch-up sanded and cleaned three times. Rolled the first coat of Pettit Hydrocoat. This goes so much faster than all the preparation steps. The hope is the prep work means the paint sticks! 😆
With the topsides done I've begun prepping SWALLOW'S bottom for antifouling paint. So far I've sanded topside paint off the hull from the current waterline up to the new 3" higher line. Along most of he bottom of her keel SWALLOW has a steel shoe. The lowest gudgeon and pintle are also steel (rest of … Continue reading Back to sanding
After lot and lots and lots of sanding and a final coat of Interlux Brightside I'm calling SWALLOW'S topsides reconditioning done. I'm happy with the results. The hope is I did all the steps correctly and I'll not need to do do more than occasional touch ups for many years. I now need to work … Continue reading A large task done
After days of sanding and priming and even more sanding and priming the first coat of Interlux Brightside paint is now on SWALLOW'S topsides. I applied the paint using the 'roll and tip' method. From 10' away it looks great. As I've had my nose inches from her hull for days I can spot the … Continue reading A big jump forward
