Clean and exhausted...
Wild Blue is clean, I am exhausted. As per the discussion on another thread about waxing vs compounding the gelcoat, I decided to try sanding and compounding the color stripe on the boat. First, the wet sanding...
I have been a "wax it twice a year" kinda guy. This was a new tack for me: wet sanding with 400 grit, then 600. Buffing it back to a shine with a 2,000 grit compounding and a buffer. There were salt crystals embedded in the wax that wouldn't come out with scrubbing. My neighbor said that this would eliminate that problem - said he doesn't wax his boat (he is a boat builder) and doesn't recommend wax to his customers; just buff it out twice a year. I'm going to try this and see how it works out.
Notice the brown stain at the lower bow - sometimes called "a mustache". Frankly, a pretty girl like Wild Blue should not have a mustache.
I worked in small sections along the color: sanding, sanding, buffing...
Atwood Hull Cleaner on the white part eliminated the brown stain...
It's potent stuff: you have to wear rubber gloves and be careful to not let it drip on the trailer or tires... but, it does a great job! I wanted to get that task done because, Monday morning, Wild Blue goes to the boat yard to get fresh bottom paint... and this stuff is not good on the ablative paint that I use.
It was a cool morning (for here), and a perfect afternoon: low 70s, gentle breeze, lots of sunshine, and low humidity - a good day to get this done. It would have been a great day to launch and go play on the water, but I am trying to be patient. The boat yard is telling me 3 to 4 days to get the bottom sanded and painted... weather permitting... and the weather is supposed to be decent.
A few days to go.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Jay had the mustache, a week-old growth of beard, his trademark hat... AND, he was walking with my wife! If I call him "Dapper", Joan just might believe that.
