Tanzer 16 -- Painting Continues -- but the end is in sight

Tanzer 16 -- Painting Continues -- but the end is in sight -- If you have a very powerful telescope...  -- April 7, 2016.  At this point the deck has two coats of primer, two coats of Interlux Brightside and one coat of Interdeck (non-skid) also white.   The cockpit has two coats of primer and two coats of Interlux Brightside.  I did decide to spray for two reasons.

• Mixing the two thinners brushing and spraying 50/50 made the paint much more forgiving to spray, and
• It didn't matter as much on the deck as the hull.  The nonskid paint has to be rolled on anyway so if there was a little orange peel (there was none when the second coat went on) it would be obscured by the non-skid in the Interdeck, and
• A little bit of orange peel would be hidden by the non-skid molded into the deck.
• Two coats of Interdeck squall blue on the floor and centerboard trunk were brush applied.
• There is still a little touch up--can you believe the tape came loose on the hull masking plastic.  And there is an almost invisible sag on the hull.  These will be repaired when the boat is back on the trailer.

The owie above he overspray happened while the boat was turning.  It will
get fixed when the rub rail is on.

When the boat back on the trailer we will install the rubrail.  I am kind of thinking that will require two guys and 4 - 5 hours.  Then, when we are done handling sharp aluminum near the paint work, the touch-ups will get completed.

What I have learned so far in this project:

• You could not possibly have enough rags.  Start saving old T-shirts a year before you begin painting--or visit the thrift shop.
• This project will take way more money and time than you could possibly envision--plan on most of the winter.  (My project was definitely slowed down because I added the spinnaker launching chute.)
• You can spray Brightside, but you will need to be almost an expert with a spray gun.  Probably better to roll and tip the hull for sure.  It helps if you change the thinner mix--but that is not what the Interlux folks recommend.  My opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it.  As is my liability.
• Do not even think about sanding the molded in non-skid.  It will disappear almost magically.  You can rough it up with bronze wool before you paint primer.
• You will need a plan/method to lift and flip the boat.  It weighs 400+ pounds and it is an awkward shape, and it doesn't have handles.  Your wife is right--this is nothing you want to do with four drunk buddies during half time. (No matter how much pizza you are willing to buy.)
• Sandpaper is way cheaper than time.  Buy plenty.
• You need a warm dry place to do this project.  I moved my Miata out into the cold for the duration.  Luckily my garage is kind of heated.  It never drops below 50 and is usually higher.
• Since the boat now is covered in paint instead of gelcoat, it's easy to repair the paint.

Too difficult to mask at the bottom of the seat so I just cut that in with a good brush.  Not perfect but really close.  Probably better than if I had masked.  Masking tape is not fond of compound curves. The more I look at it the less happy I am.  This is a pretty nice paint job and the line is not perfect. The trim carpenter in me wants to install something to cover the transition, but maybe this is one of those times you just need to quit messing with it and move on.

Had to leave a little escape room.  I did finish it off the next day.