Black Pearl Project - The Punch List

With the painting finally completed (after a few setbacks involving uncured epoxy - don't get me started), it's time to move onto things on the punch list, i.e., the last remaining tasks on the project.

I decided to go with a sculpted minicell foam seat. A local store, the Outfitters, had a piece just the size I need so I snatched it up on Monday. That evening I borrowed an angle grinder and went at it!!! It was actually a lot easier than I anticipated and came out quite well - cheap (25.99)  and light , too!!!

Just starting the grinding process.

After the initial grinding, I moved onto hand sanding for better control. The result is a nice smooth and comfy seat that fits in the boat perfectly. Not bad for an evening's work.

As it fits in the boat.

Front view - showing unfinished coaming

Fast forward to tonight - Wednesday. 

I've been leaving the coaming alone because I was unsure how to finish it and I've yet to receive my skirt so I'm laying off the final work until then. In the meantime I decided to try a different approach for painting it. I've been spraying the inside of the cockpit with a spray on truck bed liner. This is not the thick, lumpy stuff but rather it comes out a nice satin black. I've actually used it on the tips of my Greenland paddle with great results. This stuff is as tough as nail, goes on easy and dries in minutes - my kind of paint!!!  I figured it would probably work well on the coaming as it takes a bit of beating. Plus it would help fill any imperfections.

Wonder paint!!

Coaming sanded, masked and ready for painting.

First coat of bed liner!

Within minutes I had a few good coats on the coaming and extending down into the cockpit, itself . The images below show the finished product. I'm quite happy.

The next on the list was the deck plates. I picked up some SS bolts/nuts and Marine Goop today in anticipation of putting in the plates. This was almost too easy a task. To line up the bolt holes, I simply ran a piece of wool the length of the boat and used it as a reference. You can see the wool in the images above and below.

I'll admit I may have a bit of OCD when it comes to things being in their right place!!! I was really fretting over having the bolts line up directly with the centre line of the boat. I had visions of staring at misaligned bolts every time I paddled the boat. Luckily, I managed to overcome this!!!

Nice and straight!!

With the plates lined up, it was just a matter of drilling the holes, putting on a "gasket" of Marine Goop and cranking down the plates with the bolts/lock nuts.  Easy peasy.

Fore plate coaming  in place.

Rear with deck plate in place.

I've been toying with the idea of putting some extra protection on the back deck for two reasons - 1) the deck line toggles will be rubbing the deck and 2) I'll be sitting here every time I have to get in/out of the boat.  I decided to give the bed liner a whir one more time.  I masked off an area behind the cockpit and put on a few good coats of liner.  This should prove easy to maintain. If the liner gets worn, it's simply a matter of putting on a new coat!!

Now I'm trying to decide whether to do the same under the deck lines in the front of the cockpit. Any suggestions/opinions?

Masking tape but the paper was not on at this point.

Cockpit showing the bed liner  just barely visible aft of the coaming.

Well, that's the latest update. Next on the list is affixing the seat, putting in some foam footbraces and completing the deck lines. Not a whole lot left now.

Thanks for dropping by, 

Sean