Summertime on Kent Island: 8/20 - 8/22

—Blogpost written by Bob 

Friday, August 20  

It rained pretty heavily last night.  (I was glad I brought the newly varnished center floorboard inside last night.)  The heavy rain continued through the morning and up until about noon.  The temperature was a cool 73 degrees as the rain continued its constant patter against the cabin top.

This morning's pattern of heavy rain was
the prominent feature of the day.

I managed to get another (the second) coat of varnish on the new center floorboard in the morning, working inside the boat, actually on our dining table.  Before the second coat was applied I sanded the surfaces with 220-grit sandpaper.

Kali was fast asleep on the top companionway step
as the rain continued at mid-morning.  Her big
progress this week was leaning how to jump
up onto the v-berth.  (Previously she
climbed up like a rock climber.)

We expect that Kali's eye color will change from her current blue color to gold within the next 3 months.  Lola's eyes had already changed color (to gold) when we picked her up at six months old.  (All kittens are born with blue eyes.)  We believe that Kali will be a very large cat when she grows up because her legs and tail are very long for her small size.

I ordered a larger litter box for our cats today on Amazon.  In particular, Lola needed the larger size right now.  (The litter box they are currently using was really too small for her.)  Kali will need a larger one too soon.

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The sun came out at about noon.  In the afternoon I started changing out the fasteners in the piling guards.  I was able to get the top three or four from the boat's deck--the others will require the use of our dinghy on another day when the weather is more stable.

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I had the new center floorboard in the air-conditioned cabin drying all day.  After the second coat of varnish was applied this morning there was still a lot of raised grain in the wood.  So I decided to use my (new battery-operated) random orbit sander late in the day to get a nice smooth surface.  I don't usually take this extra step in finishing teak but this time around it was needed.  After I sanded it smooth I added the third coat of varnish and left it outside in the cockpit to dry overnight since there was no rain in the weather forecast.

Saturday, August 21

Today's weather forecast looked great--sunny with a high temperature of only 82 degrees in the afternoon and a 5-knot breeze out of the east northeast.  Very pleasant and superb drying conditions.

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At 8 AM, I sanded the new center floorboard early in the morning with 320-grit sandpaper and applied the fourth coat of varnish outside in the cockpit.  Lola was outside with me during my sanding and varnishing.  She was rolled up in the sunscreen over the forward window in the dodger--there must have been a nice breeze blowing through there.

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I've been spending a lot of time planning on exactly how I will be bolting the round teak table to the cabin sole.  Currently the table is just sitting on the floor but if we were in any type of sea state, the table would topple over--so, bolting it down is certainly necessary.  

I intend to use threaded brass inserts that will be installed in the floorboards from above.  I've used these before for various purposes on the boat.  In fact, I have used a smaller size insert to fasten the air screen on the A/C return grate and to fasten a black plastic panel to the instrument pod in the cockpit--in both these cases the threaded inserts were epoxied in place.

This EZ-Lok-brand brass insert has internal threads
for 1/4-20 bolts.  Four of these will be installed
in the floorboards, flush with the top surface.

Because the stainless steel cap screws will come through the sloping legs of the table. I plan to make a drilling jig out of two pieces of plywood to maintain holes that will be perfectly perpendicular to the floorboards.  Then I will use a counterbore tool (purchased from Amazon) that will provide a nice flat surface for the bolt and washer in the sloping teak table legs.  (The counterbore tool uses the 1/4-inch bolt hole in the table leg for guidance.)

This counterbore tool will be used from above
to make a nice flat surface for the bolts
and washers in the sloping table legs.

We have ordered a 2 foot x 3 foot rug for under the table.  The hold down bolts will fasten through the new rug, holding both the table and the rug in place.  I ordered all the required materials for my next project (fastening down the table) today.

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I managed to apply the fifth coat of varnish to the center floorboard in the late afternoon and bring it inside the cabin for the night.

Sunday, August 22

Outside dark rain clouds abound in the morning even though the weather forecast doesn't call for rain until late in the afternoon.  Weather radar shows rain clouds over Kent Island but not much over other nearby places.  (Should I chance it and do my sanding and varnishing this morning outside?  Hmmm, now I hear some thunder in the distance...)  

Rain showers were nearby during
the morning hours.

I just sat tight for awhile and drank my (Bigelow English Breakfast) tea.  (Yesterday, I thoroughly cleaned out my insulated stainless steel cup using Bar Keeper's Friend-brand stainless steel cleaner!  It's so nice and clean now!  I realize that I am kinda rambling here but my brain is not fully engaged yet.)

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As I started to go through the companionway door with my center floorboard to sand and varnish it, the rain started.  It was 11:30 AM.  So much for weather forecasts!  

Our messy (and wet) cockpit.  It might
be raining all day (and it was, mostly).

It now looks like it may be raining all day.  (Could this be part of tropical storm Henri?)

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I decided to give up on my sanding and varnishing for today.  I have a number of things on my "to do" list that could be done indoors (as another clap of thunder is heard) or I could just do nothing (as difficult as that is for me).  

I decided to design the jig I needed for drilling holes in the (sloping) table legs of the round teak dining table.  (A jig is needed to make the drilled holes perfectly perpendicular to the floor where the four brass inserts will be installed.  I might even use the jig to locate the pilot holes for the brass inserts.)  I will be drilling the holes through the sloping table legs from the bottom of the table (the table will actually be turned upside down while I'm using the jig).

I interrupted my design process to make 

a one-person low-carb pizza for lunch 

(something I have become quite 

good at, if I have to day so).

I got enough of the jig design done so that I can pick up materials tomorrow in Annapolis.  About 3 PM we got a break in the rain and cloud cover and I managed to sand and apply the sixth coat of varnish to the new center floorboard--just about done now!

Stay tuned for the completion of some of my ongoing projects...

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