Wake up Suo Gan

[Gil Weiss]

I just posted an image in the gallery (CP19 Folder) showing Suo Gan with her freshly blasted bottom. I decided to get all the layers of old bottom paint sandblasted off so I could start a new. No surprises except for finding a through hull fitting for a tranduscer located in the port vee berth storage compartment.

Now the boat yard need some good warm weather to barrier coat and bottom paint. In the meantime I am travelling down to work on Suo Gan to prep her for this season. New paint inside, new running rigging, some wiring additions, etc. I enjoy making my "old" boats look "new" again.

Gil

[NormD]

Yes it looks like Spring is finally here in the Great Lakes area.
I just towed Wind Hawk to the shop to have her sanded and anti-fouled. She has been neglected lately so a professional job seemed like the way to go. I'm keeping a photo file of before and after views and will post pics when she's ready for launch.

Good luck with Suo Gan

[Gil Weiss]

Wind Hawk looks teriffic! What are you doing to prep her for this season? I spent the day working on Suo Gan. The hull is Imron painted and was polished up this week and looks great! Very striking looking craft. I did a bunch of little maintenance chores including painting all the bilge/storage areas with white Bilge Coat today. I find you need to "get your head into a boat" after purchasing it used. Figured out some wiring and plumbing issues too. This boat has the kitchen table with a sink/counter unit in it. A five gallon water tank is in the starboard vee berth storage area.

Besides sailing Suo Gan in some pretty good conditions last fall I now have three days of "getting my head into this boat". Very pleased so far. I might see some barrier coat by weeks end if the yard has good weather and the manpower available. Looking OK for a mid May launch at this point as planned. Weather needs to cooperate.

Gil

[Ralph Erickson]

Wow, Gil, Suo Gan looks great! She certainly is an eye catcher.  I'll be bringing "Patricia Lee" home within the next week or two to begin to prepare her for the season.  I have a question for you or anyone else:  Have you ever Cetol'd the cabin teak, and if so, how did it turn out?  I'm thinking of doing it this season.  I cetol all the teak topsides, but never below decks.

Ralph

[Gil Weiss]

Hi Ralph,

Good to hear from you! I Cetoled the interior teak on Steppin'  Up and it worked great. I will probably Cetol Suo Gan inside too as it really "spiffs" things up.. I was going to email you as to compare situations. I Bilge Coated the bilge and interior hull storage areas yesterday along with taking care of some other stuff. I am having to go to Toms River to work on her as I can't take her home until the barrier coating and bottom painting is done so she can go one the trailer. Lots of weather and coordinating issues to deal with. But, overall, I am very pleased with this 1983 ComPac. I bit the bullet and had her bottom sandblasted so it will look good and I will be able to provide future years of bottom painting myself.

They may be able to barrier coat later this week. The Imron painted hull polished out very well. The boat is striking! Never in  a million years did I think I would buy a painted black 1983 vintage CP 19, but this sucker will look good and is built like a tank as all of them are. Now that I have spent two days in her I have a good handle on things. I am doing my best to keep on schedule for a mid May launch. When ever you are ready to go let me know and I will be there!

My truck is full of tools and materials and I am learing to deal with a remote work site, which is a good thing to know in my situation. This boat may fit on my townhouse lawn, but I know how to deal with things if it doesn't.

This picture in the Image Gallery shows the clever way this marina set up the mast on the "x" set of 2 x 4's at the transome with made a suitable "A" frame for winter covering. I made up an "x" frame of my own to do the same thing next year. They used some clever pieces of foam taped to the life line stanchions to protect the cover. All good ideas! I cut  a 64" piece of 2x3 to put across the rear stanchions to lower the mast for the ride home. I also made up the center piece like the one you have to support the mast at the mast step.

A previous owner cut out the pipe between the two rear corner supports to make t easy to work the outboard.


Regards, Gil

[NormD]

"Wind Hawk looks teriffic!" - Thanks Gil

"What are you doing to prep her for this season?"

Whoa! - New outboard, new sails, furling gear, new sail cover and tiller cover (Toast color), new halyards, new sheets, new bottom paint, new stripes (burgundy and gold), new teak (Cetol finished), new scuppers, new forestay, rudder bushings, compound and polish hull, total steam clean and freshen of interior, relocate battery and overhaul wiring, oh and removal of dozens of wasps nests! ick!
Most of the above is either done, being done or parts are on the way. Hope to have her ready in three weeks ;-)

I like your idea of painting the storage lockers. I think I'll add it to the list.
Wind Hawk doesn't have any plumbing or through hulls and being a daysailor, I intend to keep it simple.

Cetol for the cabin teak is another good idea. As usual, prep is the key.

[Gil Weiss]

Norm,

You are energetic! All sounds good. My wife and I like our boats to look good which is why I embarked on a program similar to yours. Suo Gan has almost new all Sunbrella cushions - inside and out - in toast color. My sail cover, roller furler cover, tiller cover and outboard cover will all match!

For a 1983 boat, this craft is really sharp which is why we paid a bit more for it. With a few more bucks and some elbow grease we will have a like new CP19. These boats are built like tanks and worth the effort. I never expected to buy a boat painted black of 1983 vintage but this one got my attention.

I am selling the new Mercury 8HP OB that came with it as I want a 6HP Merc. So, I will have a new motor and trailer and with the bottom job and polished paint the boat will fit right in. Ironically, the Mercs are black too.

I too am looking at about 3 more weeks to completion. Hopefully, with the nice weather this week, the barrier coating will be applied.

Lots of fun, Gil

[NormD]

The dark colored hulls are really nice to look at. Easy to maintain when finished with a quality Awlgrip finish - but a royal pain to maintain with a gelcoat finish. I had a dark green 2005 Suncat so I know the drill.
Suo Gan just looks like a new boat. A quality Awlgrip job for sure.

[Gil Weiss]

I posted some updated progress photos in the Gallery showing Suo Gan after getting two layers of barrier coat and her Imron painted hull polished. Next, will be two coats of Aquagard bottom paint

I also cleaned every interior compartment and the bilge. Then I painted the bilge areas with Bilge Coat and Cetoled all the wood, finally putting a fresh coat of paint on the bunks. I put on my PA reg letters and a new pin stripe.

My goal is to make my 1983 CP19 look like new. So far so good! Many people stopped by at the marina yesterday and provided positive comments which provided more motivation for me to keep on working towards my goal. I never thought I would ever buy a black hull (and I would not buy one with black gell coat) but this painted black hull gets your attention with the white topsides. THe sumbrella cusions and all sail covers, tiller cover, etc are tan. Red is the accent color. The nice chap who previously owned Suo Gan is an Interior Designer and he chose good colors.

Suo Gan is at the Riverbank Marina in Toms River, NJ where we purchased her last fall. Once finished, she goes on my new Load Rite Trailer with my new 6 HP Merc 4 stroke and will head back to Pennsylvania and Lake Nockamixon.

I worked with Fuller's Marine, located near the marina to sell the almost new 8 HP Merc that came with the boat, buy the new 6 HP and order and buy the Load Rite trailer. Debbie and George Fuller are terrific to work with and I highly recommend their facility! The folks at Riverbank are great too and I may use their facility for winter storage and spring fit out.

At this point I am back on schedule for a mid-May launch.

Gil