Sanding the boat (sometimes called painting)

The only project more scary than installing a new engine in Maine in the middle of winter was painting the topsides. But the poor girl was starting to look a little rough (especially after we rebed the toerails a couple summers ago)…

So, of course, we’re painting the topsides.

Painting the topsides with Alex Seal - Before Pictures

Aside: why do they call it painting?

Painting the topsides - sanding the topsides - so much prep before you can paint Alexseal

It should really be called “sanding” with the understanding that after 60 hours of sanding (we counted) you might get to spend 1 hour applying a coat of paint on top of your immaculately smooth surface.

Painting the topsides - sanding the topsides

At which point you’ll probably realize you a) missed a spot, b) just orange-peeled your baby-butt-smooth-surface and now need to sand down the whole thing, or c) really are more cut out for computer work than this boat business!

Applying Alexseal primer - fully primed before Aristo Blue finish

Because I never like to miss an opportunity to be awkward, I thought I’d share my painting technique (perfected on 3 coats of primer):

Despite my help, we are making progress! We were nearly derailed at the primer stage — the grey looked sooo nice, and we had a serious case of color-indecisiveness.

*Especially* when we peeled the tape (which we had to pre-primer sanding – always more sanding!) and contemplated a silver & gold boat…

Sanding out the "orange peel" from the primer was oddly satisfying though!

Sanding out the “orange peel” from the primer was oddly satisfying though!

But in the end, in our hearts, Brio is a blue boat, so the first coat of “Aristo Blue” went on yesterday.

Painting Aristo Blue Alexseal in an outdoor workyard

And now we get to fully explore the #joysofoutdoorworkyards 🙂

– LMK


Leave a Reply