Side Decks Done (Sorta)

The first finish coat didn't go on as smoothly as I'd hoped. Some sections were okay, but most had either little specs of stuff or deep brush strokes. I spent the day sanding the coachroof, which is where most of the hardware goes, and tried to figure out what to do next -- I can't keep sanding each coat, these are supposed to be finish coats, i.e., they shouldn't need anything other than a little polishing.

I called the Interlux help line again, and although they really weren't much help, they did suggest I add more thinner. The can says up to 10%, but they guy said up to 15% -- I added a little less than 5% yesterday. I'll mix a very small batch tomorrow and experiment. I'm hoping that if I mix small amounts, take my time, and apply super thin coats, I'll get better results.

I also asked him about tipping. My worst results were due to brush strokes from tipping, though not nearly as bad as the results I got with the primer. I was wondering if tipping was really only meant for vertical surfaces. i.e., to prevent runs and sagging. My worst brush marks were on horizontal surfaces. He basically punted and said that if I got better results not tipping, don't tip. Not a very informative answer, but I guess they don't want to be held responsible for the results. Anyway, I think I'll try to do little or no tipping, and probably only in places where there might be a chance of runs or sags.

I finished sanding the coachroof a little while ago -- well, more or less, it got dark and I'm not really sure about the last few feet -- so I'll roll another coat tomorrow. However, I've decided that the side decks (the last 2 photos posted this morning) are done for now and that one coat is good enough. Besides the fact that I don't really have time to sand and roll another coat on them before I put her in the water, calling the side decks done allows me to pull the rafter feet off the toerail and back onto the deck and remove the bracing lines that ran from side to side and kept them from slipping over the side. Not only does it give me a good place to stand while painting the coach roof, I no longer have to crawl over or under them which was wearing me out.

That also means I can start working on the toerails. There are still some places that need to be fixed, and then I can caulk under them and start varnishing. I figure I'll start with a single coat, and add more when I get a chance. Right now, I'm only concerned with doing just enough to get her dry and into the water. I'll finisher her up later.