The never-ending project to fill my hole in the ocean while bailing it out

Preparing for Sailing Season 2011
Revisiting the Cribboards Project
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Today I lightly wet-sanded the exterior surfaces (and discovered that by mistake I'm doing the interior side of middle cribboard, not its exterior -- it can get confusing!) and edges with 400 grit wet-and-dry paper. As long as I had them on my lap, I lightly sanded the backsides as well. (I think they're going to require only one coat of fresh paint.)

Before I started this morning, I looked around for something softer than the small scrap pieces of wood I'd been using to lift the cribboards off the plywood "workbench" so I can paint their edges. I've learned the hard way that when pieces like these are flipped to paint the reverse sides, the paint or varnish is still not fully cured and the wood pieces will likely leave a slight imprint. I found a remnant of packing foam, decided this should work perfectly.  (Mar. 13, 2011)

Okay, these sides of the cribboards are done, ready to be flipped. Thanks to the wet-sanding between coats and especially due to the great flow from adding Penetrol to the final coat of paint, the finish is close to glass smooth, almost mirror-like. Onward with their backsides.  (Mar. 14, 2011)

Two coats on the backsides later with wet-sanding between, I'm almost done. I bought a new brush yesterday, mixed a small amount of fresh paint/Penetrol, but I'm still not completely satisfied with the outcome. I found a couple of small dry spots along the edges and the flow's not quite there yet. I'll wet-sand with 400 grit again and apply one last coat.  Note: Better photo color with natural light than with the overhead florescent lights on!  (Mar. 17, 2011)

Admittedly I've become obsessive/compulsive over this little indoor winter project -- I must have needed another or bigger one, or spring's arrival today has taken too long coming! Yesterday I wet-sanded the three cribboards, both sides, again; first with 220 then with 400 grit. Besides a couple of dry spots, I discovered runs on their backsides -- ugly drips. When I went to apply this latest coat of paint/Penetrol, I discovered that the 7-year old paint had finally skinned over in the can; shaking had broken it up into globs and particles. I strained it as best I could with a stick, but not good enough. I'll pick up some paint strainers (or a fresh can of paint) today before doing the other sides. Life is sometimes difficult for a perfectionist.  (Mar. 20, 2011.)

After straining the paint through a paper filter into an empty Mason jar yesterday and mixing in some Penetrol, I flipped the pieces over and applied a coat to the previously sanded front sides. This time the finish came out as I was hoping, without the particles and with good flow. The cribboards refinishing is done. Once the paint has a few days to dry thoroughly I'll move on to refinishing the varnish on the top cribboard's teak vent, and the sliding hatch's teak eyebrow.  (Mar. 21, 2011)

To eliminate so many dust/paint particles in the finish of the top cribboard, yesterday I first hand-compounded then polished both sides. (3M super duty rubbing compound, #5954; Cyclo Industries No. 7 white polishing compound, #7610). The result was so smooth that today I'll do the same to the lower two. After the paint's had a few weeks to cure, they'll get a coat of wax. The Exacto knife's at the ready to remove the masking tape from the teak vent at last.  (Mar. 27, 2011)

Getting the masking tape off the edges of the louvered vent where it joins the cribboard was a challenge even with the Exacto knife. A lot of paint had flowed into the groove over the tape. In a few days I'll mask around the teak vent, lightly wet-sand it, and apply a coat or two of fresh varnish to it and the sliding hatch's teak eyebrow.

Yesterday's hand-rubbing of the bottom two cribboards made a big difference. Though the compound and polish diminished the high gloss along with the minute dust particles, I'm confident the shine will return even better after waxing in a week or two, after the paint fully cures.

All this obsessive attention will probably be for little after the first time I remove and toss them below into the cabin -- but it's satisfying to complete the project with perfection, at least near to it.  (Mar. 28, 2011)