Friday, September 20, 2013

Final Upper Coat for ‘Minnow’






The paint went on better today, since the air temperature reached 17 degrees Celsius. The previous two days it barely touched 13 degrees. No more painting is required on the exterior, apart from the cabin top and the supports for the hatch runners.

I’ll be able to concentrate on painting the interior, but first I shall have to decide whether to remove the Polystyrene buoyancy that also insulates the cabin, forecastle and lazarette. The Polystyrene is a fire hazard, and unless I can isolate the cooker from it, the only safe thing to do is to remove the Polystyrene from the vicinity of the cooker.

The boat plans show a gimballed cooker in the lazarette. On ‘Faith’, my old Paradox, I found that arrangement fairly satisfactory.

8 comments:

Steve Carey said...

Do you use a small paint roller Bill?

Antoine Maartens said...

What happened to Faith? Why a second Paradox???

Unknown said...

Hello again Bill, please, please, remove the polystyrene. If I didn't urge you to do so, then I'd be failing you badly.
I once aquired a job lot of polystyrene for free, and used it to insulate my loft. My late Father, bless him, nagged at me until I removed it. I took it to my allotment and burn't it. It was quite a breezy day and the smoke was impenetrablbly black for nearly a quarter of a mile.
There are safer, if costly alternatives available, and the comfort and peace of mind is priceless of course.

William Serjeant said...

Steve,

I much prefer brushes, but I have used rollers for antifouling.

Cheers,
Bill.

William Serjeant said...

Antoine,

I foolishly sold 'Faith' and regretted it ever since. As the owner would not sell her back, I've fortunately been able to obtain another Paradox.

'Faith' was by far the best small boat I have owned.

Cheers,
Bill.

William Serjeant said...

Richard,

As far as I understand, the polystyrene was for buoyancy rather than insulation.

I'll give your advice serious thought.

Thanks,
Bill.

Matt said...

I'd pull out a piece of that polystyrene and see if it burns. There is such a thing as polystyrene made with flame retardant, for building insulation.

William Serjeant said...

Matt,

That's a good idea. I'll give it a go.

Cheers,
Bill.