November 3, 2019
Today's focus was getting the first couple coats of primer on the topsides, so to that end I began by first water-washing the spot fairing that I applied yesterday evening on the topsides and cove stripe. After water-washing to remove the waxy amine blush, I sanded the areas smooth and fair by both hand and the small 5" random orbital sander. I also sanded the skim coat of fairing compound I applied to the outboard well repair. After sanding these areas I noticed there were some additional pinholes and small voids to correct, so I prepped the area for a bit more spot filling. This would not impinge on my goal of getting primer on the topsides since I would be using the TotalBoat TotalFair product, which can be sanded in 3 to 4 hours. So, after applying the additional fairing compound, I turned my attention to striking the new waterline.
My first task was to level the boat (i.e. the waterline). I made numerous adjustments to the sailboat stands, moving back and forth and around the boat, to get the cribbage levels to the height that the boat would be resting on them at a level orientation. With the boat level, I could then decide on and strike the new waterline. I found the height of the waterline that I wanted, which was at the lower edge of the original boot stripe. This would be a classic work boat layout for the paint scheme: finished topside paint in direct contact with the bottom paint, or anti-foul paint. There would be no boot stripe applied. Classic is timeless. Happy with the height, I made my way around the boat marking the new waterline - the bottom edge of the topsides paint - and used a couple tools to do so. The first tool I used was a micro-level, walking it around the boat while marking as I went. The second tool, or process, was to erect a horizontal batten at the bow of the boat, level with the new waterline. I then mounted a string to it and walked it back making sure the string was level. This was to mostly verify that the waterline I marked on the hull with the micro-level was correct. It was, so I moved forward. I applied tape to the marks that I made on the hull every 3 to 4 inches, fairing the line as I went. I finished up both port and starboard, and then came back to dial in the waterlines - "plural" meaning both the starboard and port. After I was finished, and happy, with the waterline I moved on to sanding the few areas that I spot filled with the TotalFair product.
After sanding the last minute fairing work, I cleaned the topsides with acetone to prep for the primer paint. The primer, and finish paint, that I would be using is from Alexseal. This two-part finish paint system, Alexseal Premium Topcoat 501, is an excellent product that has a great hardness and an ability to wet sand and buff out repair areas. The two-part primer I am using is Alexseal Finish Primer 442.
With the waterline struck and the topsides prepped, I mixed the two components of the primer paint and sat them to the side for the 20-minute induction period. I did not have a good idea for the exact amount of paint to mix up for the two coats to be applied. Just from experience, I decided on two batches of ~22 ounces of primer paint. The mix ratio is 1:1, so I poured in ~11 ounces of the primer each into two cups, and then added 11 ounces of the converter. I waited the 20 minutes for the paint to catalyze, and then thinned one of the cups by 15 to 20%.
Using the first cup of the two, I applied one coat to the near entirety of the topsides. I was not intending to prime the stern in this session, given the fact that I needed so do some more fairing of the chainplate repairs, so in the end, the "guestimate" of the amount of paint that I would need was surprisingly accurate.
After finishing the first coat, as well as some spot painting on the stern, I completed a second trip around the boat with the final application of primer paint...for today. In the application of the first two coats of primer tonight, I noticed many small voids in the gelcoat that would require spot-fill work. This is not an issue, or aggravating, just part of the process of building a good substrate for a fine looking finish paint.
Total Time Today: 6.5 hrs
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