the deck on my Pearson Ensign

Here are some photos of our Cape Dory 22 with the non-skid deck areas painted. I used PPG Amercoat 450H Hatteras Off White polyurethane tinted a sand color and added Rhino non-skid polymer particles, then masked the deck areas and applied with a 4" roller. The non-skid came out glossy, yet has a high friction surface wet or dry.

 

Looks nice Scott. The contrasting colors thing always works. I use it all the time, even on jobs whee they don't want much contrast, say an off white deck with pale ivory textured areas. Just enough so the good looking tape job can be seen. Rounding over the corners really makes it look professional, doesn't it . . .

 

Thanks for the comments.

I wanted something subtle so I brought some of the topcoat paint to the local PPG dealer and told them that I wanted a sand color, not beige, and it turned out just right. The areas where the deck was recored and repaired covered up nicely and are not noticeable. The rounded corners were extra work (I used a quarter for the radius) but I agree that they add a nice touch.

Getting ready to clear a space in my barn for the Ensign, to get it inside so I can start installing the MDO plywood interior and bulkheads.

Gotta splash the Cape Dory first, as I've got a bunch of teenagers hounding me to sail it.

 

Got the teak coamings, grab rails, and traveler bar bedded and reinstalled. Really makes a difference, and finishes the boat off. I decided against varnish and coated the teak with Penetrol. Three coats give a nice rich glow without the hard finish of a varnish, and it's easily touched up.

I also got some of the bronze deck hardware bedded and reinstalled. Next up, reinstall the winches, bow pulpit and lifelines, wire up the navigation lights, paint the boot stripe and bottom, and mount the outboard. I'll post some pictures.

 

Penetrol is easy to apply, but doesn't offer much protection from UV and wears off pretty quickly too. To improve Penetrol's UV resistance, mix used motor oil in with the Penetrol, the more then darker it will appear, but also the more protection. You can buy clear UV inhibitors, but these aren't as easy to get. Pine tar can add some UV protection, but also adds color too.

 

Someone donated a package of HoneyTeak finish, about $300 worth, according to the donor. I've had no experience with this product, so I didn't try it. What are the pros and cons of this product? I did Penetrol because I've used it my South Coast 21 and knew that it doesn't build up and chip off and if I decide to use another finish I won't have to sand or strip it off. Teak oil just seems too thin. Does the pine tar or used motor oil leave a sticky residue?

 

Pin tar and motor oil can, depending on the percentage in the mix, leave a residue. A typical "Dutch oil" mix would be 50% spirits, 50% linseed or better yet tung oil. Add an couple of ounces of Penatrol for the last coats and pine tar or motor oil to increase UV protection, say 12 ounces per gallon mix.

You apply, repeatedly for the first day. As soon as you see slightly dry spots, slather on more with a rag or brush. Then do this once or twice a day for the next few days, then once a week for a month. This sounds crazy, but on raw wood, you have to saturate it and it'll only take so much at a time, so you have to wait and apply more. Eventually you'll saturate the wood and she'll not take any more (for a while). Your weather is much like mine Scott, so 3 or 4 times a year, you wipe down the wood with a soaked rag, let it sit for an hour and wipe the excess. Basically, this mixture offers 2 - 3 summer months or 4 winter months protection, before you have to re-coat. It doesn't harden and if you use linseed oil, it'll eventually turn a grayish black and need to be stripped off (10 years from now). It's a traditional finish and if you stay after it, renewing as required, it works.

The nice thing about these mixtures is, you can make a batch cheap and it's real easy to apply, just slather it on and wipe the excess. The bad thing is it doesn't last long, isn't shinny and has limited UV and moisture protection. If you apply a damp rag of this stuff once a month, you'll keep the wood looking good and free from UV and moisture damage. If you wait too long, you'll cuss like a mad man and start thinking about which color to paint it.

 

Hmmm. Points to ponder. What about a 50/50 linseed oil Penetrol mix? If I saturate the wood well and have to wipe it down periodically, I think that's a good trade-off vs maintaining a varnish finish. Besides, the boat will spend most of it's time on the trailer at the local yacht club so access for maintenance is not a big issue, and we have a bunch of teenagers that will be glad to maintain it.

I've attached some photos. The one on the left was taken with the sanded teak installed but unfinished. The one on the right was taken after two coats of Penetrol were brushed on. I plan to brush on several more.

I'm still debating whether to install teak "eyebrows" along the cabin sides above the ports. I'd have to fabricate new ones as one of originals is missing and the other is broken in half. They're supposed to make the cabin appear lower and longer and provide some additional wood accents, but once the bow pulpit, stanchions, and lifelines are re-installed the height of the cabin will be minimized optically.

 

Penetrol is a "wetting" agent for oil based products. It improves the flow qualities and lets you keep a wet edge longer. It also has some drying agents in it too, so you don't have to wait a week for the tackiness to go away. It's this reason I don't use Penetrol in an oil finish, until I'm doing the last few coats. You can speed up the drying even move with a few ounces (per gallon) of "Japan Drier" added to the oil mixture. It will not make it a hard coating, but does let it dry fast.

Linseed oil isn't the stuff I use a lot, mostly because it turns black in time. Tung oil is preferred, though it too eventually changes color with UV exposure. As you might tell, I'm not keen on oil finishes, just because they don't last very long, but it is cheap and easy to maintain, which is good if you have kids needing to learn about stuff.

I think that cabin roof line is screaming for an eye brow, though the rolled edge will make it's installation interesting, to say the least. Maybe low enough to fit on the flat and add some horizontal architectural interest. Go for it.

If those are bronze ports, buff them up and hit them with some clear coat. This will save you a lot of work in the future. She looks great, you've done a wonderful job of which you should be proud.

 

I might try the tung oil mix, since the Penetrol has the wood fairly well saturated. Besides, it will give me an "excuse" to visit the yacht club and rub some on when there's no wind.

The eyebrows were installed on the cabinsides just below the break of the cabin crown and just above top of the ports. The donor had filled the fastener holes, but I could see where they had been before painting. The CD22 cabin is relatively tall for a small boat, even though I bang my head almost every time I'm below. I agree with you that the boat needs them to make the cabin look lower and longer. I've attached a photo of one at anchor.

The ports and everything else on the deck (except the stainless bow pulpit and lifeline stanchions) are silicon bronze from Spartan Marine.

I now have to pick colors for the boot stripe, cove stripe, and registration numbers. I want it to be understated and classy.

The boat originally came with a chocolate brown (Interlux Cape Dory Brown) boot stripe and a black cove stripe, neither of which I care for. Suggestions?

Thanks for the encouragement and positive comments. It means a lot.

 

Get your better half involved with the color selection, because they're geared for this sort of thing, far better then most men.

 

CD22 update

Posting photo of CD22 # 161 with toe rails, bow pulpit, and lifelines installed and waterline masked off. Cabin eyebrows and outboard bracket will be next, along with Cobalt Blue boot stripe, gold cove stripe, registration numbers and medium blue anti-fouling paint.

 

It's coming along nicely Scott . . . You'll have to stop by and take me for a sail someday.

 

Thanks Paul,

It's on a trailer, so who knows? Maybe you could come to Lousiana and eat some great Cajun food. Got a question: I'm getting ready to install the outboard motor bracket and the factory reinforcement in the transom is offset to port, which will put the outboard 8 to 12 inches to port of the centerline of the boat and thus the rudder. Could there be a design reason for the offset?

I was considering reinforcing the transom on the centerline and mounting the outboard directly in line with the rudder for low speed efficiency under power, better symmetry, and equal access from both sides of the cockpit.

 

There can be a few reasons, but mostly it's just two - one is to offset prop walk and the other to place the tiller comfortably under hand for right handed skippers. You can put it on the centerline, but it will not like living in the disturbed flow off the rudder. At displacement speeds, it should matter all that much to be frank and you can reach it equally from either side. The big question is can, you reach it. Personally, I like to slave the tiller to the helm, so you just steer with the rudder, but have thrust vectoring from the prop too.