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Project Log:  Sunday, September 15, 2013

Before beginning the masking for the paint work ahead, I wiped the entire deck down with solvent to clean it and prepare for tape.  I like masking and never find it onerous when handled with the correct attitude:  it's a clean, soothing quiet, satisfying job that I find always provides a pleasing interlude in an otherwise dirty, loud, messy, and often tedious overall process.  The idea is that masking is its own job, to be taken in turn and of its own volition rather than viewed an irritation to be handled before beginning the "real" work of the paint.  Masking takes a long time, so no wonder those who view it wrongly find it so frustrating.

Working from inside the boat, I masked off all the hatch and port openings, using masking tape and masking paper. 

I decided to mask over the overhead hatch openings from both inside and outside for extra protection during the long priming, sanding, and painting processes ahead.   

         

At each opening, I began with a perimeter of 2" masking tape, which formed the first barrier of defense to protect the finished inside surfaces from the overspray outside; since the tape was pressed tightly to the edges of the opening all around, it formed the necessary seal to prevent any chance of interior damage.  Then, I filled in the field with paper, taping it tightly to the boat and adding reinforcing strips in a vaguely Union Jack pattern.  The final stages of the masking would occur from outside a little later, and would form an essentially impenetrable barrier once complete.

         

In this way, I worked through the interior and covered all hatch and port/window openings.  That disgusting unfinished space in the first photo is the head compartment.

         

         

    

Back outside, I started with the large overhead hatch in the pilothouse and sealed up the opening tightly with tape and paper.  The small areas covered by tape around the edges of these openings would later be hidden by the hardware installations.

    

To finish off the port and window openings, I masked around the edge from outside, taping directly to the side of the cabin but well within the footprint of the port flanges themselves, then wrapped the tape inside the openings, covering the exposed edges of the cutout and sticking securely to the exposed sticky side of the perimeter tape within.  I added additional strips of tape to fully secure the areas and provide a tight, clean surface that would be easy to clean, resist corners and hidden pockets that could collect sanding dust and make a mess during spraying, and remain tight and secure throughout the painting process--and, most importantly, protect the finished interior from overspray damage.

    

By this point, I'd exhausted the time I had available on this day, so I'd continue the masking another time.

         
 

Total Time Today:  3 hours

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