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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Moving on with the minor varnish (Cetol) work this morning, this is a few "before" shots. I've removed the interior teak trim on the louver and will treat it with a little sanding and Cetol this time as well. When I last refinished the vent over the winter of 2007-08, I settled for just using teak oil on its interior side. The front and back separated easily by removing two small screws then some gentle prying. I've removed the screen sandwiched between and cleaned it while I have the vent apart.

With the vent's interior refinished, after uncovering the boat I may remove the oiled cabin shelf trim pieces and refinish them too -- something I've been intending to do one day. I should have removed and brought them in last fall!    (Mar. 29, 2011)

Yesterday I masked off and hand-sanded the teak pieces; the unvarnished louver back with 80 grit, the already varnished teak with 400 wet & dry. I applied a coat of Cetol, but the result had the same problem as with the old Easypoxy paint:  the Cetol is old, skimmed, filled with emulsified particles. This morning I lightly wet-sanded the pieces, filtered the old Cetol from its near-empty can through a strainer into a clean jar. After mixing in some Penetrol, I applied a second coat.  (Mar. 31, 2011)

After yesterday's third coat of Cetol with more Penetrol added to the jar at least the outer louver vent is done (right). I lightly wet-sanded it with 400 grit; the hatch eyebrow and inner louver frame got a thorough wet-sanding with 220.

The hatch eyebrow (lower-left) still needs more sanding and a few more applications to fill the depression where the duct tape pulled off the finish and the small gouge above it. The vent's inner frame (lower-right) requires the same to fill the teak grain; not surprising as it wasn't treated during the 2008 teak trim project.

"A thing worth doing is worth doing well," the philosophy of a perfectionist, is really drawing out this little project. But it's still a bit too soon to uncover Chip Ahoy so why not?  (Apr. 2, 2011)

I broke down and bought a new quart of Sikkens natural teak Cetol. That old varnish was just too far gone, too many particles even when strained. I found a small baby food jar in my old boat-lettering supplies, mixed a small amount of Cetol and Penetrol in it. What a difference! So much so that I wet-sanded the louver vent again and added another finish coat. I'll never cut corners for frugality again. The vent backside and eyebrow will get another coat today.  (Apr. 8, 2011)

The companionway's sliding hatch eyebrow and the top cribboard's louvered vent interior backside after another 400-grit wet-sanding and Cetol/Penetrol application yesterday. This should do it, as time has run out. With a great weather forecast for today through the week ahead -- getting into the 60s today, the 70s by Monday -- it's time to move on and uncover Chip Ahoy.  (Apr. 9, 2011)

So much for great weather forecasts -- showers late Tuesday and downpours with thunderstorms all day yesterday. It cleared this morning, so it was time to go.

I laid out the cribboard and hatch eyebrow on the covered picnic table (Gilly joined me when I started taking photos). Everything was ready to install, so the next step was to move Chip Ahoy from alongside the house to out front, then uncover it.

With that annual ritual accomplished, I pulled the piece of tarp off the companionway, cleaned off the duct tape residue, then installed the cribboards and eyebrow.

Once inside the cabin, I decided to go with the plan to refinish the cabin shelf trim. I removed the teak pieces, sanded them with the Makita hand-sander outside on the picnic table, then brought them into the 'work bench' in the laundry room.  (Apr. 14, 2011)