Still Spraying and Sanding

Wet Sanding Setup

By the way, we are not just traveling around SE Asia.  We are still working on the boat.   

Scratches from prior sanding

Since every instrument, hinge, winch, holder, bolt, and screw was removed from the cockpit, it really was a priority to get it back together.  Psychologically the need to actually fully complete a section of the boat was also important.  

More important were all the holes from where things were removed and were just covered with tape and had the chance of leaking.   

The last thing you need to have is a boat leak when you are gone and have the boat fill up with water.  In a closed boat sitting in  the 100 degree heat of Malaysia, mold would grow fast on everything.

The cockpit was one of the places where there are a lot of corners and detail that makes the sanding go slow.

Scratches from hand sanding with 60 grit

We did the standard 100 grit initial sanding after spraying super thinned out Black Oxide Primer guide coat.   

We then wiped on the next application of guide coat with a rag and then wet sanded with 240 grit.  After that was complete, more guide coat was applied.    

Guide coat is darker with more scratches

We tried to jump to 800 grit sandpaper but it was taking quite a long time to remove the scratches and using up quite a few discs so we reverted to 400 grit.  More guide coat applied and then the final sanding with 800 grit.

Booker then went around with acetone and cleaned and excess guide.

and lighter with each subsequent finer sanding

Buffing then started with Extra Course Rubbing compound.  Then, another buffing using standard rubbing compound and a final buffing using 3M swirl remover.

Done.

The last step was only done where things were to be remounted.   

The rest of the cockpit will be done with swirl remover during the final detailing.

Here are some pictures showing the scratches that had to be sanded out.  I have tried to sand without the guide coat but it is just not possible to see all the scratches.  I feel that using guide coat before every sanding is the only way to remove all the imperfections.

In this last photo, a significant difference in color can be seen between the cockpit and locker lids.

The locker lid gelcoat was from a company in Singapore and applied during our design and trail phase.  Obviously it is not acceptable and we will have to do the lids again with the new gelcoat sourced from RP Malaysia in Johor Bahru.