It was a quick session at the shop today due to the heat, but good progress made in prepping the companionway hatch for primer, continuing to build coats onto the mast, and also the start of varnishing the newly fabricated brightwork.

Upon arrival, I got to work scuffing the starboard side of the mast with 240-grit paper, followed by a good wipe down with a solvent to remove dust and contaminates. I poured a small cup of TotalBoat's Wet Edge and applied the third coat to the mast. Given the coverage after the third coat was applied, I imagine a total of four coats, possibly a fifth, will be enough - I'll very likely go with five coats per side.

With the mast paint kicking off, I turned my attention to the companionway slide hatch. In a prior work session I had applied a bit more fairing filler to the slide hatch, and so this sanding would complete the top surface, readying it for primer paint. The underside of the hatch still required some epoxy and fiberglass work to seal off the thin plywood backer. I sanded from 60-grit through to 150-grit until I achieved a fair surface.

The last item for the day, as the heat was making things very uncomfortable, was to begin varnish wrk on a portion of the newly fabricated brightwork. The start of building up coats of varnish always begins with a 50/50 varnish and thinner mixture. This solvent-rich recipe allows for good penetration into the wood fibers, and results in a better end-product. Biscuit's owner had provided varnish for this job - a TotalBoat clear marine varnish - and so I prepared a 1:1 varnish-thinner cup. I moved the new drop boards and companionway trim into the varnish booth, wiped them down with solvent to remove dust and detritus, and then applied the first thinned layer of varnish with a quality foam brush. Happy to see the brightwork show its natural beauty.

Total Hrs: 1.5