I was all set to start my semi-annual varnishing yesterday, but it rained during the night, and off and on during the day. So, instead, I jumped in the water and scrubbed the bottom. The last time we did a bottom job (i.e. antifouling paint) was two and a half years ago, and the bottom paint was completely worn out. Besides a thick layer of slime, there were thousands of small barnacles. There were even patches where the paint, a soft type that is designed to gradually wear off, was completely gone. We were hoping to make it to New Zealand before needing to paint again, but it looks like we have no choice but to do it here before we leave to go west. Oh, well, we've gotten our money's worth with two and a half years.
Scrubbing the bottom in the water is one of those heinous boat jobs. I hold on to the hull with a suction-cup device, and scrape with a nylon spatula. The top foot or so isn't too bad, but the hull goes down six feet, so there's a lot of breath holding. It takes me a couple of hours, and by the end I am wasted. Usually I do it in clear water at anchor somewhere, but this time was in murky harbor water. It's a bit unnerving to have only about six-inch visibility, and see a dark shape swim by. I know it's just a fish, but ....
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actually it was large seal eating chondrichthyes, you just don't have enough blubber on you............. guess you need to do a few more weeks in MN
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