Finally working on cosmetics

[TheBronze]

Brian,

On the 404 I did the same thing to the windshield frame. Except I started with 100 and sanded all the way to 600 I think. Beyond that you can go all the way to 2000, but it is a lot of work for something that will take abuse. 600 gives that nice brushed look. To get your swirls out between 240 and 600, you'll need to use 320 and 400.


Bummer about the hazing! With all the coats you have on, you should be able to sand it out though. Whether you get it done in time for the weekend is another story… If I lived closer I'd lend a hand, sanding paint is one of those things that just take forever… One thing is for sure, it will be an awesome paint job when you are all finished.

[Bflaherty]

So I gave in and went down to Wesco Paint Supply to ask for advice... Turns out, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM DOING! I was using the wrong "buffing/polishing/compounding" pad/bonnet for the cutting compound I am using.. The "haze" was just fine scratches!! Which are gone now that I got the correct pads for the cutting and polishing compounds I am using. Plus, with the correct tools the job is going much faster!!

I have decided to cut the bow the proper way: wet sanded 1200 then wet sanded 2000 before cutting with McGuier's 105 "Ultra compounding", then polished with the 205 "Fine Polishing" compound, and will finalize with 3M Cleaner/Wax... I am doing this treatment to the bow and transom as these are the largest surface areas and once hardware goes back on it would be nearly impossible to do this later... For the rest of the boat I am starting with the polishing step and finishing with the 3M wax. I will come back and do the non-hardware areas properly after the parade!

Here is a photo of the bow after incorrect application showing the "haze", and a picture after the proper 205 polish was completed.

[TheBronze]

What a difference!

[Bflaherty]

I know right!

Well I finished the the two step process over the whole deck... After reading some advice columns on the Maguier's website I have determined that I will not be using the 3M cleaner/wax as the finisher as it is silicone based and won't allow the fresh paint to "breath" which can often result in bubbles��. So in the interest of time I am stopping at the 205 polishing round. I can still see slight improvements if I keep using the 205 with decreasing pressure and increased polisher speed, but I am just out of polishing time... I will probably get a bottle of the Maguier's 305 "ultra finisher" which is a non-silicone wax and I will apply that some time in the next couple weeks so that the new paint is UV protected.

[Helmar]

I know right!

Well I finished the the two step process over the whole deck... After reading some advice columns on the Maguier's website I have determined that I will not be using the 3M cleaner/wax as the finisher as it is silicone based and won't allow the fresh paint to "breath" which can often result in bubbles��. So in the interest of time I am stopping at the 205 polishing round. I can still see slight improvements if I keep using the 205 with decreasing pressure and increased polisher speed, but I am just out of polishing time... I will probably get a bottle of the Maguier's 305 "ultra finisher" which is a non-silicone wax and I will apply that some time in the next couple weeks so that the new paint is UV protected.

Looking Sweet Brian Really sweet!!!!!

[Bflaherty]

Well... We made it to the parade!! But only after working till 3:30 every night last week including Friday night!! Overall everything came out great! I ran out of time and had to reinstall my old, bent, wornout lifting eyes as the replacements are for an older Chris-Craft and are drilled for 5/8" lifting rod while my boat has 3/4" rods.. Also, my father made the executive decision at 2:30 am that we were too tired to attempt to cut and fit the $1,000 in 1-1/4" aluminum rub rail, so instead I wrapped the deck edge with 3M Aluminum Foil Tape!! Which honestly looks like garbage up close but from 30+ feet away it shines better than the real trim!

So I have a few loose ends to finish up before summer officially hits, but I got a lot of compliments and all the international guest who read my story in the May 1st ACBS-PNW newsletter where quite impressed that I pulled off what I did in such a short period of time! So I'm pretty darn proud of myself and will be looking for any excuse to get it out in public!!

I really need a week long stretch of hot sunny weather to finish curing the 8 coats of paint!! I think 8 was a few too many as it is currently so soft that just leaning on it will leave a skin print in the surface that has to be buffed out! Also, 8 coats of paint, even rather thin coats, will fill in any screw holes such that most will have to be reemed in order to get the bolts/screws to go back thru! Hence the week of late nights, items that took minutes to take off took hours to reinstall...

Per the usual, I was the only fiberglass boat to participate with ACBS in the parade... I really need some folks to come out and play!!

[Bflaherty]

Been working on installing new faux wood, vinyl, flooring in the boat... Have the back area around engine box done, and just finished struggling with the kick board under the dash!

This is from Home Depot, designed for use in bathrooms so it can handle getting wet, and has texture for traction! Will be interesting to see how it holds up to UV exposure and foot traffic, but that's why I am using the "semi-permanent" fiber-reinforced tape method for installation (if it totally fails I can pull up the bad piece and replace it!)

Also, I made a 17 page write up about my project and it got published on WoodyBoater.com today!
http://www.woodyboater.com/blog/2016...ning-day-2016/

[Helmar]

Been working on installing new faux wood, vinyl, flooring in the boat... Have the back area around engine box done, and just finished struggling with the kick board under the dash!

This is from Home Depot, designed for use in bathrooms so it can handle getting wet, and has texture for traction! Will be interesting to see how it holds up to UV exposure and foot traffic, but that's why I am using the "semi-permanent" fiber-reinforced tape method for installation (if it totally fails I can pull up the bad piece and replace it!)

Also, I made a 17 page write up about my project and it got published on WoodyBoater.com today!
http://www.woodyboater.com/blog/2016...ning-day-2016/

Sure is looking good Brian. Seems as the little detail stuff Always take longer than expected.

Way cool on the write up !!!!

[Frederic Lynes]

...Per the usual, I was the only fiberglass boat to participate with ACBS in the parade... I really need some folks to come out and play!!

Well, now there's two of us....of course, we're in different chapters.

[Kelly]

Your boat looks amazing Brian! Nicely done and a good read on how you did it.

[Bflaherty]

Thanks y'all!

I finally took the risk and mounted the new exterior trim (chrome tape was starting to lift the paint so I had to do something)... Boat really looks sharp now. I also took a Harley ride down to Mt. Vernon to see the guys at Specialty Plating about my deck vents... $120 a piece to strip, fill, and rechrome, eek! So I reinstalled them and will have to wait till next winter when I can sock away $480 to get them done...

We took the boat down to Kenmore Sunday and cruised down around the corner to Magnusson Park for the Junior-League of Seattle's Touch-A-Truck event. We knew parking would be hellish so I convinced Michele it was better to boat in... Turns out a 90 degree day in Seattle is not the day to try to cruise lake Washington! It was quite rough, actually worse than the Stehekin run last October cause this was all boat wakes coming from all directions!! But in the end we had a good time got to give some of Michele's old Delaware friends their first Seattle boat ride! Once again, couldn't do anything near a launch ramp without being stopped to chat, which is both distracting and fun at the same time - less fun with two hot, tired, kiddos though...

[bruceb]

Brian, great on the details, sometimes it'll get done next year because of cost, but truly, you've done a ton of excellent work- time to enjoy the nice weather. Is that "Moon over Lake Washington" !!!!!????