Next Phase

Today's task was to put the fourth and last coat of varnish on the second set of floor boards (7 pieces) and the second coat on the final and largest piece, the floor panel behind the engine and between the quarter berths.  Given that the job would take about 2 hours and once the varnishing was finished I had to vacate the boat I decided to first spend a few hours doing preliminary work on the next phase of the sprucing up of the boat.

I moved everything from the starboard side of the cabin to the port.  After wiping everything down I began with great relish a job that I've been wanting to do since I purchased the boat.

Removing the lining. Note black mold.

On both sides of the cabin and all around the V-berth area is a thin carpet-like material that is stuck on with contact glue.  When its new it's great stuff: insulates, decorates, gives that warm and cosy feel.  The problem is that combined with moisture it becomes a great culture medium for mold which is plainly visible and not very attractive.  Before Brenda arrived in La Paz I spent two unpleasant hours damp cleaning all of the surfaces in the V-berth area with a strong solution of bleach with only partial success that made the area uninhabitable for several days.  I hate the stuff - I hate looking at it and I hate living in it; and poor Brenda probably hates me moaning about it all of the time.

Anyway, I peeled off the material and tomorrow I will sand off the contact glue.  My plan is to paint the area (which is the fiberglass hull) good honest 2-part marine paint.  I'll sand and repaint the non-fiberglass white areas with ordinary enamel paint, and re varnish most of the wood.  I'll do similar work in the galley area, but have no immediate plans for the ceiling, to which I want to make extensive changes when I return to Oz.

After I've done the starboard side I'll clear the port side and give it a similar treatment.  Instead of the galley there will be the navigation station.

That being done I'll go into the V-berth and go berserk ripping out the moldy lining.  My manic laugh will reverberate throughout the marina.