BOATING TIPS -- FEBRUARY, 1997
Hull and Interior Preparation

Joe Coons

Did you notice the item in the Herald about the sewage spill into the bay? I think it was "only" 38 thousand gallons on so (I'm writing this from memory). According to the article, "one spill a year [by each government treatment plant] is allowed".

Think of that: the equivalent of a 38-gallon sewage dump from a thousand boats is "allowed" without any penalty, while if the spill had REALLY come from that many boats, the fine could have been $5,000 x 1000, or five MILLION dollars!

I have a holding tank aboard my boat, just as every American boater must. I think it should be used, even without the $5,000 fine the Coast Guard can assess for non-use. But, as the old ads used to say, "What's wrong with this picture?" Once again our lawmakers exempt themselves from the laws that apply to the rest of us. We can worry over every inspection, while they can go on enjoying the loopholes.

It's one of the frustrations of being a boater, I guess. I'll just keep on trying to do the right thing, like all of you . . .

Unlike sailors, the hull on powerboats like mine often gets a buildup of bottom paint: we're not as attentive to sanding as the rag-baggers. So Top to Bottom Detailing is sanding off all the old paint so we can really see the bottom. At this point, looks like no problems there, thank goodness. After they've got the hull clean, the fellows are going to barrier-coat the hull with epoxy, just for added safety against blisters in the future.

Inside, we've been working hard, completely re-doing the interior. Here, Tollycraft had oiled the interior teak, and seventeen years of oiling, sun, and cooking had taken its toll on the finish. Peter Lamb, the skilled artisan who's helping me inside, has got us removing the old finish with "Nu-Teak", which has been very effective so far, and we're at least 75% done as I write this.

Unlike the two-part cleaners (I've used "Te-Ka" in the past), Nu-Teak is manageable inside a boat. We used a small container for the mixed solution to apply with sponge, or brush (wearing rubber gloves) and then a pail of water with another sponge later to remove the solution, and dirt and oil. The "rinse" pail is filthy every hour or so, when we've done another 4 x 4 foot area. Impressive!

After it's all clean, we're going to seal it and varnish all the large areas with matte, clear varnish; the fiddles and a few other surfaces will be varnished with glossy, to give the boat a rich look. I can't wait to see it! The wood cleaning has been one of the few "instant gratification" parts of this project.

Next month, we'll be close to the finish line, and I'll tell you more. After she's back in the water, we'll have an "open house" for Club members only to show off, and let you see whether all the words turned into a worthwhile finished boat. In the meantime, safe boating!

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Last updated 8/20/97 by SCR