White it is!

Oyster White, actually.

Spending a few minutes with Hinckley paint foreman John Lancaster hammered home once again, white ain't white. As with many things, our initial call on the color proved to be the right one. But, a little checking and comparison under a hot Savannah sun got us on the right track. We didn't drag the boom out of the rigging shop as originally planned when we realized the new mast spreaders, also painted with Sterling Off-White, are the same color as the mast and boom. Plus, they're much smaller and lighter. So, mast spreader and color card in hand, off we went.

Jo Beth In the Paint Shed

Even though we understood white ain't white, the range of differences in the color tones took us aback. Many of the white color chips, ranging from bright white and cream colored when inside, exhibited significant gray and blue tones in sunlight. And when compared to the spreader, some were almost beige or tan. It was quite surprising.

Another fact we had to consider in making our hull color decision was the color of the cabin house and deck. We aren't painting the deck or the house, and decades in tropical and semi-tropical sun has bleached them to a bright white. The deck and house will have minor cosmetic repairs done and then be polished, which is going to result in them being a bit brighter still. The original color of the house and deck was a very warm toned and creamy white; easy on the eyes in bright sun, which sun-bleached, bright white surfaces won't be. That's why we wear our fancy and expensive Costa shades, right?

Eventually, after comparing the color chips to the spreader and in one or two instances, to actual smears of Awlgrip paint, Oyster White was our best choice. It's not an exact match to the color of the mast and boom, but it's very close.

Jo Beth has now made it into the paint shed. The final bit of guide coat was being dealt with when I snapped the picture above. Actual painting of the hull should begin this week.

Groco KH Manual Rebuilt Pump

The rebuilt toilet pump from Groco Marine arrived this week, looking sleek and brand-new. Of course, it's not been put to use yet, but my confidence in the rebuild is high. The cost of the complete rebuild, plus the gasket kit needed to marry the pump and bowl, was less than $250.00, without shipping. The pump is heavy, cast bronze, so shipping isn't cheap. Overall, it seems well worth it. I didn't snap any photos of the pump prior to the rebuild. It was a smelly and dirty white speckled chunk of bronze with a heavy green patina. You'll have to trust me that the transformation is quite impressive.

Otherwise, back-ordered winch parts finally arrived from Lewmar and work continued on the interior overhead and a few other carpentry and electrical projects. We now have new batteries on board and the new battery control panel and main electrical system control panels will make life a bit easier.

Work on the mast and rigging should begin soon. Shortly after she's out of the paint shed, the mast and rigging are set to be installed back on board, or in nautical parlance, 'stepped.' She should soon start to look like the cruising yacht she is.

Jo Beth is once again buttoned up tight as of Friday afternoon in anticipation of continuing paint prep and later this week, shooting of the first coat.

Shall We Paint Her White…or…White?

At this stage in the refit, there’s simply not enough happening to write about. Dealing with paint means dealing with physics and chemistry, and it also means doing battle with Savannah’s summertime and the heat and humidity it brings. The yacht DULCINEA should be exiting the paint shed early next week. JO BETH will move from the prep shed into the paint shed accordingly. With that in mind, it occurred to me this morning that we’ve not chosen the specific color for the hull paint. My conversation with paint shop foreman John Lancaster and his question "what color?" was the key reminder.

Which Color of White is That...?

A Portion of the Awlgrip Color Card

We know we want the hull color to match the paint on the new mast and boom as closely as possible, and the stripe color will remain Awlgrip’s ‘Flag Blue,’ a dark, deep blue. But, the mast and boom were painted with Sterling Paint ‘Off-White’ and the Awlgrip ‘Off-White’ is not an exact match. So, color cards in hand, we’ve narrowed it down to the Awlgrip colors of either ‘Oyster-White’ or ‘Egg Shell White’ though at first glance, the Egg Shell White seems too warm. One day next week, we’ll haul the new boom out of the rigging shed and into the sun to make our decision.  Either way it won’t match the deck which has long since bleached out. For the deck and exterior parts of the cabin, we’re making minor gelcoat repairs and having a hard-core buff and polish done to restore the finish.

Reinforcing Grid Structure for the New Cabin Overhead

Otherwise, work has continued on the installation of the new overhead and the new quarterberth bulkhead. However, once JO BETH is in the paint shed, paint work will be the only work happening and will likely take the remainder of the month. 

What the Heck is That thing For...?

With that in mind, I’ll go ahead and issue a ‘boat-geek’ warning: while JO BETH receives her new topcoat and striping, I’ll write a bit about how we plan to equip her for living aboard and future voyaging, the equipment choices we're making and why, etc. I’ll also talk about the way Lisa and I are approaching the transition from living in a space of 2,000 sq/ft to less than 350 sq/ft.

We both wish everyone a happy and safe 4^th of July holiday!