Spring 2013 Project time!

[DaleH]

Kev:

I went with a measures 1" width between the blck AF bottom paint and the boot stripe. I used a 4' flexible rule to connect measurements. To me, it is a 1 man job, but is BEST applied when the temps are below 70-degrees or the tape stripe can 'pull'. But don't do it in too old either. FWIW, for the dozen or more I've applied, I find temps best when above 60 and below 70, at least for the tapes I use ... those comm ones from WM or equivalent.

 

[Megabyte]

Good call on the temperature Dale.
It struggled to get to 50 here today.

 

[gw204]

Funny you posted that picture Bobby. When I saw Kevin pondering a boot sripe again, that's the very first image that came to mind.

1" spacing for sure Kev.

 

[Megabyte]

Too cold to work on the boat today.
Went to the gym instead.

Tomorrow the boot stripe goes on.
Look for an update this time tomorrow. :wink:

 

[PurpleGold]

What have you found to be the best way to clean the wool pads once they get loaded up with compound and how many times can you clean them before they have to be thrown away?

Boat looks great by the way, started on my Jones Bros today!

 

[Megabyte]

What have you found to be the best way to clean the wool pads once they get loaded up with compound and how many times can you clean them before they have to be thrown away?

When I am buffing, either compound or wax... when a pad is a bit too loaded up, I remove it and place it in a bucket of water to keep it wet.
When I get home, I'll pour a little Zep Orange in the bucket and let it soak until I shower.
Then I take a short bristle brush and brush out the wax or compound, then rinse.

I will take the wool pads and put them in the bottom of my washer with all my other towels and so forth on top.
I wash everything with your basic soap and bleach on the 'whites' setting (hot water).

Everything... including the wool pads come out fresh and clean.
Been using the same pads for about 6 years now, though I do own about 15 of them.
I think the towels and such help to clean the wool pads while in the wash. :wink:

 

[Brent]

there is one of many tutorials with pics

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-main ... h-wax.html

If the hull is in good condition, start a step 3

m2cw

 

[Megabyte]

Todays progress report...

Started my day by very carefully applying the 1" blue painters tape all around the hull, just off of the bottom paint.
Went to get Jim, who had graciously agreed to give me a hand putting on the boot stripe.
Jim comes out and says... "Nope. That won't do it. Too wavy".

Of course he was right. It wasn't like the bottom paint was laser straight.
So, his suggestion was to put a piece of tape every 24" or so to even everything out.
Off came the solid line of tape, and on went the 'dashes'.

One word of caution about hull tape. Paper cuts happen due to the backing (sorry Jim!).
Jim secured the end of the tape at the stern and unrolled about 20' of tape.
Sighting down the hull and carefully working the taught line of tape, he applied it to the 'dashes' I'd laid out.
It went a lot quicker than I'd expected.

Now I have a dilemma.
As Tom noted, some manufacturers only run their boot stripes up as far as the lifting strake, and not all the way to the bow.
Jim ran a tape stripe up the port side to the bow, but we left the starboard side without to get a sense of the difference.
Problem is that because the Parker hull has such a sharp entry, the 2" tape up forward actually looks to be narrower than the rest of the hull.
It's an optical illusion for sure, but it doesn't look quite right to me (or to Jim).

Here are the photos. Let me know what you think.

 

[Megabyte]

There was an older 80's era Grady on Jim's lot that had it's tape stripe all the way to the bow.
Thing is, I don't think the forward entry of the Grady is as sharp as the Parker... at least it's doesn't appear that way.

 

[TomS]

I like the starboard side

-- Tom

 

[DaleH]

You know what ... :?: ? My hull is done as you did your port side and NOT ONE person in over 10-years has said anything other than "Damn, that's one of if not THE prettiest boat on the river ..."

Fugghedabout the optical illusion ... honestly? I never even have 'seen' it or questioned it, where that step is on the forward entry portion, but maybe the effect is less with the starker contrast bewteen my AF black paint and the red boot stripe.

I have never witnessed that effect of the forward-most stripe appearing thinner ....

 

[Photoguy]

When I added mine, I struggled with the same issue as it went forward. I'm a commercial photographer by trade and probably a little anal retentive when it comes to how thinks look. After taping the entire waterline, I walked around the boat a dozen times looking at it from every direction as it just didn't seem to look quite right. In the end, I went back and removed the forward portion.

 

[Bryan 2530]

What if you went with wider tape up near the bow?

We did a boot stripe with paint on my buddy 33 Downeaster last spring, we widened it at the bow to make it look even from all around.

 

[Megabyte]

What if you went with wider tape up near the bow?

Funny that you mention that.

Jim thought the same thing, so he put an extra inch on the front tape using the painters tape to give us a visual.
I'd have to split the 2" tape in half to give it a try with the real stuff, so it's a consideration.
I may give that a try tomorrow, but right now I'm leaning towards the starboard side look.

It's just tape, so all it will cost me to try it is time. 8)

 

[John_Madison CT]

I noticed on a boat the other day (an Albin 28) that the way around the optical illusion at the front if the hull was to use wider tape. It works very well.

 

[Megabyte]

Todays update... There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Got to the boat today and still could not decide what to do with the boot stripe, so I busied myself with some other details first.
Took a 2" roll of painters tape and added it to the port side front stripe to see what it would look like if it were wider.

While I was pondering the boot stripe, I checked out the work the mechanic did on the outboard.
All filters (including VST) replaced, low pressure fuel pumps replaced, and plugs replaced.
While I was examining the outboard, I noticed the lift cylinder was totally wet with fluid. Apparently blown seals.
Mobile mechanic called and scheduled for repair.

Finally decided on the boot stripe... WTH, it's only tape.
I cut a piece to length and used the technique Jim showed me yesterday to lay it on.
Better.

Went to get Jim to get another opinion...
He likes it much better.
Of course, Jim doesn't care for the color, but as he told me, "I drive a yellow boat with a green bottom. Some people don't like that combo either."

So the next step was to tape up the starboard side, then cover all of the tape and bow with 2 coats of polish.
If it wasn't for the lift cylinder seals, I could call this part of the project done.

Was going to wait until the boat was back in my slip to begin detailing the interior of the pilothouse.
Not a lot to do... Clean, vacuum, wax the helm, and oil the teak.
Depending on how long it takes to fix the lift cylinders, I might get a jump on some of those items.

Photos:

 

[Megabyte]

continued...

 

[DaleH]

I certainly recognize and applaud the effort!

In retrospect my boot stripe may appear to be too thin at the bow section, although no one has ever mentioned it in 10 years, but to me that is far too thick forward ... for my tastes anyway.I would probably take a good 1/4" wide off or more on a long taper. I would probably also get 20' or more away like your side profile shows, as it is in that photo where it stands out to me as a tad on the heavy side up forward.

Sorry to be so blunt ... but I've never been one to lack an opinion - doh! But I tell you this, I plan to re-do my boot stripe (tape is fading = old) next Spring so I'll certainly give the wider stripe a try before I remove the old tape!

 

[Megabyte]

I came very close to ripping the forward tape off the port side this morning, but figured I'd give this a try.
It's only tape, and I want to see how she looks in the water.
If I don't like it, I can always remove it.

Jim and I walked all over the lot looking at it from every angle.
Not the same as seeing her in the water, but we liked what we saw.

The best part is that Jim showed me how it was done, and I finished the job.
Another skill learned.

 

[B-Faithful]

Kev, dare I say it... I am not a fan. Color looks too much like painters tape too me or too bright for an offwhite hull. I would recommend Black or dark green or even red if you want to go bright. Due to the low profile of the hull, I would go thinner too. Just honest opinion from a friend