As things were getting serious with the Rona we decided to travel back to the boat which is in a pretty low population area in NW Alabama. Figured we'd get some more projects done on Chasing 80 before heading out for a summer cruise. Well we dove in head first and really got some things done in a couple of months.
We started off fairly easy with a new microwave install. The old one was original 1986 vintage and beginning to sound louder every time we used it.
Next we decided to repaint the forward hatch since we had some Hatteras Off White left over from painting the back door. The prep was pretty easy since there was no paint left on the aluminum anyway.
Next it was time to break out the buffer for a coat of wax. This is a week long project in itself.
And we wax on..... I'd almost forgot about the new horns till I saw this picture. The old ones mainly squeaked when you honked them.
So while we were working on the hatch and waxing I kept looking at the decks which had been bugging me for a couple of years. Jill was a bit skeptical when I told her it was time to repair and repaint all the non skid but I assured her that I had watched several YouTube videos and was sure we could pull it off!
I ordered all the materials from a company in Maine so had a bit of time to do more research. Frankly, I was terrified I was going to screw something up.
We decided to do the bow pulpit first since it was the smallest area and had no defects to repair. This gave us a chance to learn the technique of working with the product. The company recommends 3 thin coats. We removed what we could and taped the rest and got it cleaned up for painting. Just like most projects the time is spent in the preparation. We went with a more "sand" color to give the decks a bit of contrast.
With a bit of concern after the first 2 coats I called the company who suggested switching from a foam roller to a short nap (their directions call for foam). I was very happy after the 3rd coat and we decided to press on.
The pulpit was the easy part of the project. Next we were about to do what really scared me...taking a Dremel tool to the deck!! The deck had several dings and chips from 30 some years of traffic and they had to be fixed before painting.
First you have to grind out the defects.
Then fill with epoxy fairing compound.
Next you sand most of it off to get a smooth surface.
And apply primer and sand again.
Last step is applying miles of masking tape.....
But again, it's all about the prep to get a great result! We are both very happy with the way it turned out.
The only downside to this project is matching the 34 year old Hatteras Off White to the current color on the shiny parts of the Toe Rail. This is turning out to be a bit of science project adding a drop or 2 of color tint to the base color trying to get close. We're closer but not quite there yet.
Several of the other projects involved changing filters and impellers on the engines and generator to get ready for the season. One thing that was above my pay grade was pulling the injectors and having them rebuilt. We had a bit of unburned diesel fuel in the exhaust of one engine at the end of last season and I felt the injectors were the problem. Luckily I found that we are docked right behind the famous Diesel Don and happened to run into him on the dock. He wasn't busy (which is rare) and was on the boat a few days later. The next week all injectors were re-installed and the valves adjusted so we're ready to roll.
After the work we actually got away from the dock to test things and she ran great. Best of all, no more fuel in the exhaust.
We also had some "fun" projects along the way. While getting ready to wax the hull we decided to rehab the CCC badges from the front. They were looking pretty sorry including one missing tip from a gulf crossing that was rougher than forecast....
Before,
And after...
Jill also decided to rehab our trusty "Shut the Box" game that lives on the flybridge and has seen many years of sun.
And since we had non skid paint left over it was time to finally remove the old davits from the swim platform, repair the holes (arrow) and paint on.....
So there you have the latest update on projects, did we make 19? I didn't even mention the new shower pumps (x2) or the ice-maker install or washer/drier door repair or the re bedding of deck hardware.....no pictures=didn't happen ;)
We're now touching up a few areas with wax and waiting for the return of our windless (it'll get a separate entry). Hopefully everything will be complete and we can get moving around July 4th. We plan to start with a trip down river to visit our old friends at Green Turtle Bay and we'll see where the weather and virus takes us from there....
