Boat Blacking

Boat Blacking

Time to engage in the thankless labour of love that is "Blacking the Bottom" on our own boat Barden!

Earlier in the year we had the boat hauled out at Stafford Boat Clubs super slipway for a week. The actual state of the bottom is always a mystery and the subject of much conjecture until the hidden part of the hull finally emerges from the murky depths!

Thankfully we had nothing to worry about in terms of corrosion which can happen... even on boats that are only 4 years old!

Unlike normal boat jobs I was being managed by the Mrs on this one... and meeting her exacting standards is tough I can tell you!

Not content with the generally accepted approach of pressure washing the hull and chucking some bitumen on then going to the pub, my itinerary comprised the following:

1. Pressure wash the hull

2. Scrape the hull by hand to remove remaining algae

3. Wire brush the whole lot with 2 grades of wire brush attached to big angle grinders (a day of this results in feeling what I imagine it must be like to have been trampled by a herd of cows!)

4. Cut off part worn anodes, re-weld on at intervals in middle of boat

5. Fork out for and weld on NEW anodes bow and stern

6.Prepare and paint counter bands and gunwhales.

7. Three coats of Intertuf whacked on with a 4" brush!

 

 

As is customary when blacking, a bit of a helping hand from family or mates was called upon.... in our case Brother in law Neil popped down to both muck in, and mediate!

 

 With good humour and high morale the job was SLAIN! A real labour of love it is though... Its a tough job to do properly, not to mention being lucky with the weather! 

The sense of satisfaction is immense once the boat is back in, not to mention the way the boat slips swiftly through the water on the return trip with a nice slick clean bottom!!!

Fantastic!!