The substrate has been brought nearly to the point of accepting primer, and once the primer is on without further touch-up areas requiring attention, I can begin sorting out the new brightwork: coaming boards, companionway drop/wash boards, toe rails, rub rails, various trim, etc. But first...

There are various pinholes and imperfections across the surfaces above the waterline, and mostly along the sheer line and where trim lived at one point. Albeit small, the imperfections were such that primer paint alone would not address it, so on to the application of a low-density fairing compound. What I like to use in this instance is either West System's 105 and 205/206 epoxy product thickened with their 407 low-density fairing filler (microballoons), or Jamestown Distributor's private label product Total Boat Total Fair. In this instance, I opted for Total Fair.

In a previous work session, I had mixed the two-part paste (one part is yellow, one part is blue) forming a green fairing compound that is easy to work with. I now set out to hand-sand these areas that had been spot-filled, taking great care to work the 80-grit and 120-grit paper by sanding block and by hand. The ~4-inch sanding block was good at finding and removing the high spots and also leaving the low spots - important for the planned Flag Blue topsides paint.

I worked my way along the starboard sheer, around to the port sheer, and then onto the deck and coachroof. In the process of sanding these spot-filled areas, I carefully marked, by pencil, areas requiring additional attention. Should be one final round of applying and sanding prior to primer.

Total Hrs: 3