Building ‘Sharpy’ Part 130

She is actually pale lemon yellow in colour

Close-up

This is a better rendering of the colour


After sanding the bottom of the boat I painted it with the first of the upper coats. I’ll definitely do one more coat of paint, and another on the deck. The photo of the keel box slot depicts a better rendering of the true colour than the photo showing the bottom, which for some reason looks like off-white, but in fact is a pale, lemon yellow. That colour will be visible at sea from a fair distance – hence my choice. I’d rather the boat was seen by those in other vessels, particularly by watch officers of large ships, as I intend crossing the River Thames from Leigh-on-Sea to the Medway. This will involve cutting across dredged channels for incoming and outgoing shipping.

Toggle

In addition to painting the boat and varnishing the keel weights, I made a toggle that will be attached to the bow with a thin piece of rope for when I want to pull the boat along when she is on her purpose-built trolley (yet to be made). The toggle could also be part of an anchoring system, since the anchor line will be attached to it via the painter.


I have now decided on a name for the boat and I have ordered the appropriate stick-on vinyl lettering from Fred Walton at Ebay.co.uk.


Tomorrow I may paint ’Sharpy’s’ bottom again, perhaps for the final time; that would leave me with just one coat of paint to do on the deck, after which the boat would be almost ready to use.