BeBop Gets A Facelift Part III

Hello world and welcome once again to BeBop Around the World. Lots of little things have happened this week concerning the project so I'll just write up a paragraph about each one.

Two weeks ago I ordered up the 5 1/2 foot oars for Notes and they arrived on wensday. I got them from Jamestown Distributors who have turned out to be a nice company to deal with. They said the oars were out of stock and wouldn't be in for another week but they shipped just 2 days later. They get high marks from me. Right now they are primer gray but I'm going to paint them to match BeBop and Notes. The paddles will be green and the shafts white. While at West Marine to get some tacks for the oar leathers, I spotted the foam rubber grips for the oar handles....for $22. Wait a sec. TWENTY TWO DOLLARS for a set of foam rubber grips? I think not! Rich saw them and laughed, then said the same, but quickly came up with a really cool idea to get a set cheap. Bicycle handlebar grips. Off we went to the bike shop and found a set that will work just perfectly for $5.99. They are actually nicer since they are contoured for your hands. Boat stores are such a rip off. Only shop there to get the items you absolutely need (like paint) and improvise everything else that's possible. I swear they think all boat owners are millionaires. Anyway, it will take a couple of hours over the next few weeks to get them painted and ready for use.

What good are oars without the yacht tender? Notes is coming along nicely too, she received her first coat of primer on the outside Saturday. I spend like 5 hours sanding the outside preparing for this and I suspect I'll have to spend 10 more sanding out the imperfections for the 2nd coat of primer. The 1st coat was really just to fill in the weave on the fiberglass cloth and to show where it needs to be sanded again. Ugh, sanding...the story of my life. Anyway, I could just put the oarlocks on and take her for a row but I'd rather wait until she's completely done. It's still going to be awhile as there is a insane amount of sanding and painting to do on her to get her into Bristol fashion.

Sunday I painted the top deck on BeBop to give the new anti-skid it's 2nd coat and something interesting happened. It took twice as much paint then it did to paint it the 1st time. It was perplexing at first but then I figured it out. It's all about total surface area. When we put the sand on the deck and it really increased the total surface area...hence it took twice as much paint. I didn't consider that but it's ok, I need to get another gallon anyway. The anti skid is just ludicrous in how effective it is. I busted up my knuckles prep sanding around the deck area and it was so strong I had to wear kneepads for the 2nd coat. It's very possible I might have to put a 3rd coat down or build up one helluva set of calases on my feet. This combined with a safety harness, jacklines and lifelines when underway and your not going to be washed overboard very easily. It all looks ok so far, the perfectionist in me sees the flaws and it's bothersome on a certain level. The weather deteriorated later in the day or was going to put the 1st coat of paint in the cockpit too. That's probably going to be next weekends goal along with the 2nd coat for the sides if there is very little wind. There is so much stuff to paint that it feels like it's taking forever, but considering were I started about 3 months ago tons has been accomplished I suppose. 3 months down 8 to go.

I know there are not any pictures on this update but there isn't really anything exciting to share with you. Sure I primed Notes but that will need some sanding and a second coat before it looks decent enough to share. Just the way it goes. The whole BeBop project is so big it seems to take about 3 weekends before something major is completed and I can really show you all before and after pictures.

Off Topic, most of you know I really dig Jazz and it's pretty much all I listen too outside of when I'm driving in my car. There isn't much in the field that's been made since about 1965 that I can dig (even less with vocals in it) but I discovered this new artist by the name of Katie Melua. She's very young, only 21 now but has 2 records out. Some of her songs have a real Jazz feel, others not at all, but her voice is just incredible. You have to check it out here.

That's it, I'm beat. Time for a Gin & Tonic then some shut eye. Assuming your still awake and I haven't bored you to death, tune in next weekend for BeBop Gets a Facelift Part IV if the weather is nice.