B O A T

 

Starcross: In need of blacking.

Starcross is currently out of the water at Uplands Basin for bottom-blacking. The last couple of times I've had it done (elsewhere) I've been disappointed in how quickly it starts to look shabby again. This time therefore I've decided to bite-the-bullet and instead of a couple of coats of bitumen I'm having it grit-blasted back to bare metal and 2-pack epoxy applied.
It's considerably more expensive (although I do get a moorer's discount at Uplands) but it's a better job and lasts a lot longer. It should therefore be cheaper in the long run (or so I've been told).

The boat came out over the weekend, but today a 'phone call from Dave at Uplands. . .
"We've found some pitting in the hull. It might need some welding. You might want to come down and have a look!"  Well, I wanted a look anyway because I've never seen Starcross out of the water and if I'm honest with myself one of the reasons I went for the 2-pack option was that I realised that taking the hull back to bare metal might expose a flaw or two. Starcross is, after all, 23 years old.  I'm not sure that I'm qualified to decide whether or not any welding is needed (No, actually I'm sure that I'm not!) so I'll have to leave it up to Dave.

Oh Well, we all know what B.O.A.T. stands for, don't we. . . ?