Organic laundry rinse

A nice start to the day so Jan decided to start a couple of loads of laundry once the engine had completed the ‘Bulk’ part of the battery charge.  The strategy is to not start the washing machine until less than 30amps are going into the battery.  Usually the Smartgauge will be showing the batteries are 80% charged when this occurs.

Jan completed the two loads and then asked me to fit the rotary clothesline to the stern.  She then pegged out all the freshly washed sheets and ‘smalls’ only for it to start raining as she used the last peg.   “Never mind” says me “They will be organically rinsed”.

I went off to continue with the repainting of the cratch.  Have I previously mention I hate painting?  I’m attempting to follow the advice from our friend and boat painter, Bill.  Plenty of preparation, use Owotrol, don’t apply too much (or too little) paint.  Remember to “slowly and lightly feather off” the new paint in a downward direction.  Don’t “drag” the paint upwards against gravity.  Don’t finish with the brush going sideways. I hate painting (have I mentioned that) and consequentially tend to rush the job so I can move on to more interesting things.  At 65 I’m starting to acquire more patience and have broken the job into four stages with a day between each.

The first top coat on the cratch floor was completed a week ago.  Several days ago I rubbed back the rust and scratches before applying primer and then undercoat.  Bill used the analogy of Velcro when explaining paint to me.  Primer has large ‘hooks’ and very little water proofing properties.  Undercoat has smaller hooks and little water proofing.  Topcoat has almost no hooks and is mostly water resistant.  So when I go back to bare metal I have to start with primer and then undercoat before the final top coat.  Painting top coat directly onto steel will almost certainly result in it falling off.  Yesterday and today I applied top coat to the bow thruster locker top, the port locker and bulkhead wall.

The bow thruster locker

The port diesel tank.  The lid goes on top so that paintwork won’t be exposed.  It was the side of the tank I wanted to be smooth.

The port bulkhead.  There are slight vertical ripple marks from the brush which I’m hoping will flatten out over the next couple of days.

Tomorrow I will have to prepare and paint the front of the bow thruster locker, the starboard locker and the starboard cabin bulkhead.  Can I maintain concentration and patience.  Have I mentioned I hate painting?  The last of the Craftmaster light grey paint has almost been used up so we will need to buy more for the stern.  The nearest stockist is at Braunston and we are fortunately heading that way.

Have I mentioned I hate bl**dy painting?