Lots of progress today on the outside of the Sharptown Barge.
Bottom prep first to get it ready for painting next week. Finished the sanding. Then used a blower to get dust and grit out of the seams between the bottom planks.
Then we taped the waterline and rolled and brushed primer onto the transom and sides. Learned correct use of alhohol and tack cloth – wipe in one direction only.
Our first primer effort was with a nap roller, and the paint was not thinned enough. This was a big mistake that would have to be corrected next week before finish coats.
Next week we start work on the 1925 Smith Island Skiff. The previous CBMM conservator said that when it arrived at CBMM decades ago, the paint was in excellent condition. All of the checking and cracking happened over time while it was stored out here on the porch – not even out in the weather.
Took measurements for a platform to set inside and protect the bottom planks while we work.
