After the application of the Alexseal finish primer on the topsides, I moved back to the bits and bobs: the mast and hatches. The cockpit seat hatches were close to being ready for primer and I continued to that end by sanding and spot fairing the areas on the hatches that required a bit of extra work. I mixed a small batch of the TotalBoat TotalFair product, a two-part epoxy fairing compound, and applied it to the edge imperfections and the surface low spots.

Once the cockpit hatches were addressed, I moved onto the mast. At this point the mast had been chemically etched, primed and had one coat of finish paint. While the mast offered up its starboard side I went to work on lightly sanding this surface to create a "tooth" for the next layer to adhere to. After I completed the sanding , I wiped the surface down with a solvent to remove sanding residue and contaminates, followed by an application of topcoat paint. There will be at least another two to three coats per side, blending at the forward edge.

The last item I worked on was the companionway slide hatch. I first removed the aft-most hand rail running athwartship - the rail that your hand goes to in order to push the hatch forward and into the open position or to pull it aft into the closed position. With the hand rail removed, the lower trim component released as it was fastened together with the hand rail. I then sanded the surface to remove paint and primer, and what appeared to be some fairing compound. I wiped the hatch surfaces down with a solvent and then prepared some more of the TotalFair product, and applied it to the low spots identified through the sanding work. The mast and hatches were set aside for the night to cure.

On Monday afternoon I swung by the shop for a bit of time on the hatches. I sanded the three hatches from 80-grit through to 220-grit to prep for primer. All three hatches were nearly ready for primer. the companionway slide hatch required fairing compound in one remaining area, so that was applied and set to the side to cure. A quick sand this coming weekend and primer will be applied to the hatches as well as Biscuit's topsides.

Total Hrs: 3.25