old boat..new owner..needs tlc..might as well start a thread about it and its A4

[Administrator]

WOW! Looking good

Tom

+1!

Bill

[GregH]

Very Nice!!

[JOHN COOKSON]

CAT 30 with tiller steering. Interesting. I presume pedestal steering was a factory option at time?
Awlgrip paint on the hull? Looks good what ever it is.

TRUE GRIT

[lat 64]

Right on!

Cheers

[edwardc]

WOW! Looking good

Tom

+1!!!!!!!!

[sastanley]

CAT 30 with tiller steering. Interesting. I presume pedestal steering was a factory option at time?
Awlgrip paint on the hull? Looks good what ever it is.

TRUE GRIT

Tiller steering was standard I assume (I made a new tiller for the boat.) The pedestals were an option, but with the A-4 engine controls in the middle of the cockpit they were way forward almost up in the companionway, and awkward (my friend Spence had hull #355 with wheel steering & A-4..you almost had to climb around the wheel as you came out of the cabin.)

This paint is a two-part polyurethane called Alexseal...my understanding is this is the same guy that formulated Awlgrip years ago, and after the patent expired, re-formulated it under Alexseal maybe 15 years ago??

I have an ST-2000 tiller pilot that I bought from another forum member and it works great. Except for the bimini, the #2 best purchase ever. I actually really like the tiller...when we are not sailing, it is up against the traveler and lazarette and the entire cockpit is clear.

[sastanley]

Beautiful Shawn. I weep for the first scratch.

One of the nice things about Alexseal is that it is repairable. You can do a 'soft edge' with tape and sand a bit and repair and topcoat again..I hear Awlgrip does not really work like that. I practiced a bit on flaws as I was painting before the final coat. The practice areas were not perfect, but I can see it happening with the right technique and it will blend right in.
This job is not perfect at 5 feet. Looks good from about 10 feet though!!

[Marian Claire]

"This job is not perfect at 5 feet. Looks good from about 10 feet though!! "
Well within my tolerances. Nice job.
Dan
S/V Marian Claire

[lat 64]

Oh! I didn't understand that you did it yourself. Good job; I'm inspired.
I'll look up Alexeal.

[sastanley]

Oh! I didn't understand that you did it yourself. Good job; I'm inspired.
I'll look up Alexeal.

Russ, I can see maybe I was not clear that I did the work, but I did..I had a bit of help along the way..a friend I trusted with a brush sometimes tipped behind me, and sometimes I just tipped it myself.

This is part of the reason I have been so quiet on the forum..Off in my own little world any free moment I had since at least Easter when I hauled it. I only sanded the entire boat 6 times with 220 to 400 grit paper depending on which stage I was...the boot & cove stripes another 4 times with 400 the first two and 600 by hand the last two.

I have a million pictures (ok maybe 50) but I didn't bore the group with all the sandings of the undercoats. It is more dramatic to show the West 407 filler from April and then the finished product in June...but I'll be happy to share all data I have. Some of it in my head, and some of it in my notes. One major one, thin/reduce the top/finish coat(s) more than you think. Alexseal's application guide showed numbers up to 35% I think, but, I think I was at 46-48% by the end, and I could have gone to 50% or more..The thinner you can make that last coat and let it flow out (without running) the better. This was a roll & tip application in case someone reads this 20 years from now using Alexseal's brush reducer (thinner) & converter (catalyst). If you spray, you use different products with the base paint.

[Dave Neptune]

Nicely done or sure. Amazing accomplishment for a bit of labor.

Dave Neptune

[sastanley]

Thanks to all for the compliments. By the way..after a 60-ish day layup on the hard, the A-4 started almost instantly, and pushed the old girl at 5.2 kts at about 1,900 RPM effortlessly..(a clean bottom and prop helped!)

[Wisakedjack]

Shawn, she looks beautiful! Very nice paint job and thanks for sharing the details. I am planing to paint my boat next off season and will look into Alexseal paints. I have 1976 Catalina 30 with a similar setup: tiller and end of boom mainsheet. I just love it. Enjoy and smooth sailing to you

[Boat]

going thru the process of painting our boat. we were in the awlgrip group. but then the boatworks today guy on youtube just showed the new alexseal holy ****, that stuff is impressive nice job, well done. you have inspired me to give it a whirl now

[Administrator]

Shawn:

I figured that was a spray job by the folks at SCM.

Amazing result! Way to go!

Bill