With the deck nearly ready for primer paint and, more importantly, the weather sans humidity, I jumped at the chance to begin prepping the interior for paint and finish work. In a Tyvek suit and full respirator, I grabbed the smaller 5" DA sander with 60-grit paper and began to take down the interior.

First, however, I cleaned up the bits and bobs pulled from the interior: hoses, old gate valves, hose clamps, drain screens, screws, etc.. I bagged them and labeled them "port" and "starboard". I quick exchange with the owner determined the fate of the remaining port seacock - a newer Marlon type. The seacock, once fitted with hose and barb, would prevent the locker lid from closing...so we made the decision to remove since Biscuit would not have a more traditional head (with intake and discharge seacocks).

With the space down below ready for action, I got busy with the forward over head and worked my way aft. The 60 grit paper cut through the topcoat fairly well, taking the surface down to a point ready for primer. As I worked aft, the surfaces became more complex, having compound curves, with radii bending in different directions. The 5" sander handled the surfaces fairly well, only leaving a small amount of hand sanding.

I completed most of the v-berth overhead, and nearly all of the port side overhead aft of the v-berth. My next larger block of time will be spent on the starboard overhead, and balance of areas requiring hand sanding. the hull sides, v-berth itself, quarter berths, and floor will also be thoroughly sanded to prep for primer. The last bit of work done on Biscuit for the day would be to apply a skim coat of lightweight fairing compound to the poop deck and coach roof repairs. I mixed a bit of epoxy, painting it on neat (without thickening agents), and then came back with a small plastic spreader to apply West System epoxy thickened with 410 micro-light - an easy to sand fairing agent. I wanted to get a coat of primer on soon to protect from fresh material from UV damage, but also to aid in the fairing work since the paint would more easily show areas requiring additional work.

Total Hrs: 6.25